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Home - NBA league 2015-16 season







  NBA league 2015-16 season



March 14, 2016

Horford, Millsap pace Hawks in 104-75 win over Pacers

al horfordAtlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer figured the Indiana Pacers might have a tough time winning two road games on consecutive nights. He was right about that, but Budenholzer was surprised that his team held Pacers stars Paul George and Monta Ellis to a combined 17 points in a 104-75 victory Sunday night. ''Tonight I felt like we caught a little bit of a break,'' Budenholzer said. ''The defense was good, and I want to give the defense credit, but those are two great players that are hard to control.'' Al Horford and Paul Millsap each scored 18 points, Kyle Korver added 14 and the Hawks used a blistering third quarter to rout the Pacers. Indiana's 75 points were a season low for the team and for an Atlanta opponent. The Pacers had won three straight, but dropped 2 1/2 games behind Atlanta for the sixth Eastern Conference playoff spot. They fell apart after trimming the lead to eight early in the third. Read more here.

Cavaliers bury Clippers 114-90 behind 3-pointers

lebron jamesThere's something about playing the Los Angeles Clippers that brings out a casual lack of concern in the Cavaliers. LeBron James scored 27 points and Cleveland buried the Clippers with 3-pointers in a 114-90 victory Sunday, tying their season high with 18 from long range. James & Co. played with an obvious ease at Staples Center, where they are 7-2 against the Clippers since the 2006-07 season. They were coming off a 12-point win over the Lakers three days earlier in which they made 16 3-pointers. ''We came out and took care of business,'' James said. ''We're getting into form right now. We've got a great rotation going right now. The guys are healthy and we're just trying to play the game the right way.'' J.R. Smith and Kyrie Irving added 17 points each, and reserve Channing Frye had 15 on a season-high-tying five 3-pointers for the Eastern Conference leaders. Frye also had five 3s against the Lakers in a game he started. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





March 7, 2016

Harden, Rockets end Raptors' home win streak, 113-107

james hardenFor the Houston Rockets, sitting in the eighth and final Western Conference playoff berth, this wasn't so much a nice win as a must-win. ''From here on out there's 20 games left, so each and every game counts, so we've got to find a way to come away with wins,'' James Harden said. Harden had 40 points and 14 assists, and the Rockets beat Toronto 113-107 on Sunday night to end the Raptors' franchise-record, 12-game home winning streak. Corey Brewer added 23 points off the bench, while Dwight Howard chipped in with 21 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter. ''I think we just locked in defensively,'' he said. ''As long as we can do that, communicate on defense, and on offense move and screen for each other, we'll put ourselves in position to win every game.'' The victory, Houston's first in Canada since the 2006-07 season, was also Toronto's first loss at the Air Canada Centre since Jan. 3 against the Chicago Bulls. Read more here.

Lakers stun Warriors 112-95 for Golden State's 6th loss

jordan clarksonEven a team that dominates the way the Golden State Warriors have this season is bound to stumble every now and then. They tossed out a clunker against the Los Angeles Lakers, losing 112-95 on Sunday while shooting a season-worst 13 percent from 3-point range. ''We got what we deserved,'' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. ''When the ball doesn't go in, you have to win with energy and defense and toughness, and we didn't have any of that.'' The young Lakers did, led by Jordan Clarkson with 25 points and rookie D'Angelo Russell with 21. They handed the defending NBA champions just their sixth loss of the season, all on the road. Kobe Bryant added 12 points in one of the biggest upsets in NBA history and the Lakers' most important victory in a downtrodden farewell season for Bryant, who spent the fourth quarter on the bench resting his aching right shoulder and mentoring his teammates. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





February 24, 2016

Hayward scores 28 as Jazz defeat Rockets 117-114 in overtime

gordon haywardThe Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets are headed down the stretch with the playoffs within reach, so there was plenty at stake when they went to overtime Tuesday night. Gordon Hayward scored 28 points and the Jazz made the crucial plays in the extra period for a 117-114 victory over the Rockets. The win moved the Jazz into eighth place in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of the Rockets. The first tiebreaker for a two-way tie is head-to-head winning percentage. Houston (28-29) fell to 2-1 against Utah (28-28) this season. ''Definitely in overtime it had that playoff atmosphere, and that's when we played better,'' Jazz forward Trevor Booker said. ''We don't talk about it as a team, but I'm sure everybody individually knows what we're fighting for and who we're fighting against.'' James Harden scored 42 points for Houston, and Jason Terry hit a 3-pointer with 10.8 seconds remaining to tie it at 106 and force overtime. It was Harden's eighth 40-point game, tying him with Stephen Curry. Read more here.

Portland beats Brooklyn 112-104 for 6th straight win

cj mccollumThe Portland Trail Blazers kept up their midseason tear through the NBA thanks to their increasingly prolific backcourt duo. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum each scored 34 points, and the Blazers beat the Brooklyn Nets 112-104 on Tuesday night for their season-high sixth consecutive victory. Lillard became the first player to score at least 30 points in five straight games for Portland since Geoff Petrie in the franchise's inaugural 1970-71 season, and the first NBA player to do so this season. McCollum added six assists and five rebounds and cracked the 30-point mark in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. ''No question they carried us,'' Portland coach Terry Stotts said. ''Sixty-eight points from your backcourt, that goes a long way.'' Brook Lopez had 36 points and 10 boards for Brooklyn, which has lost three of four. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





February 7, 2016

Bryant's 25 points not enough to upset Spurs

lamarcus aldridgeThe San Antonio Spurs have watched helplessly as Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant has tormented them for the better part of the past two decades. Bryant did so again in his final appearance in San Antonio, but the Spurs were able to enjoy this one. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 26 points and the San Antonio Spurs overcame a throwback performance by Bryant to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 106-102 on Saturday night to remain unbeaten at home. ''I thought it was great,'' San Antonio point guard Tony Parker said. ''It was a great game, fans were into it. It felt a little bit like the old days in the playoffs, Spurs and the Lakers.'' Kawhi Leonard added 20 points and 13 rebounds to help the Spurs win their 28th straight home game to open the season. The Spurs' 37th straight home victory dating back to last season was surprisingly difficult. Read more here.

Warriors win 41st straight home game, 116-108 over Thunder


stephen curryWith a Super Bowl-sized stage, a celebrity-filled crowd and two championship contenders on the floor, it felt more like late May in Oracle Arena than early February. Stephen Curry was up to the task. Curry scored 26 points and keyed a strong closing stretch that sent the Golden State Warriors to their 41st straight regular-season home win, 116-108 over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night. ''This was very playoff-like for sure,'' Curry said. ''The atmosphere, just the intensity, the adrenaline down the stretch. That's what you expect for sure. It was good to get that feeling and execute.'' Curry scored three baskets and assisted on two more in a closing 12-4 run that gave the Warriors (46-4) their ninth straight win to match the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers for the best record ever after 50 games. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





February 1, 2016

Hornets send Lakers to record-tying 10th loss in row, 101-82

marvin williamsThe road-weary Charlotte Hornets were making the final stop on a four-game trip after back-to-back losses. They were missing four key players due to injury. Against a better team than the Los Angeles Lakers, all of that might have mattered. Marvin Williams and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 19 points and 12 rebounds apiece, and the Hornets sent the Lakers to their franchise record-tying 10th consecutive defeat, 101-82 on Sunday night. Kemba Walker had 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Hornets, who hit 13 3-pointers and had a 59-42 rebounding edge in a decisive win over the Western Conference's worst team. Charlotte led for all but one possession, cruising back home even with four of its top eight scorers sidelined. ''We just wanted to end the road trip the right way, and the ending was great from the jump,'' Walker said. ''The energy and intensity was all there. We did everything we wanted to do.'' Read more here.

Thompson, Green help Warriors blow out Knicks, 116-95

klay thompsonThe shooting and passing weren't good, though apparently coach Steve Kerr's clipboard toss was impressive. ''He broke the clipboard, then threw it,'' Draymond Green corrected. Either way, Kerr had no reason to be mad much longer. Klay Thompson woke the Warriors from their slowest start of the season with 17 of his 34 points in the second quarter, Green tied the franchise record with his ninth triple-double and Golden State beat the New York Knicks 116-95 on Sunday night for its seventh straight victory. Green made all nine shots as the Warriors (44-4) wrapped up January at 40 games over .500 even with a quiet 13 points from Stephen Curry. Playing with a nasty cut on his forehead, he was 5 for 17 from the field on a court where he once scored 54 points. Green finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Warriors, held to a season-low 18 points in the first quarter. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





January 25, 2016

Lopez scores 31, Nets end Thunder's seven-game win streak

brook lopezThe Oklahoma City Thunder wouldn't blame the blizzard that delayed their game and kept Kevin Durant stuck in his hotel for 36 hours. Their real problem Sunday was Brook Lopez. Lopez scored a season-high 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and the Brooklyn Nets snapped the Thunder's seven-game winning streak with a 116-106 victory. ''It was a tough loss but that's what happens in this league,'' Durant said. ''You come on the road and you're not locked in from the beginning and you lose the game.'' Durant had 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, but Oklahoma City never led in the game that was delayed four hours by the blizzard that dumped more than 2 feet of snow on New York on Saturday. The Thunder decided not to try to scramble to find a facility where they could have a morning workout Sunday and maybe that contributed to their lack of sharpness, though coach Billy Donovan credited the Nets instead. Read more here.

Raptors down Clippers for eighth straight win, 112-94

kyle lowryThe Toronto Raptors used a stellar game from its reserves to cruise past the Los Angeles Clippers for their season-high eighth straight win. All-Star guard Kyle Lowry scored 21 points, Jonas Valanciunas had 20 and DeMar DeRozan added 18 as the Raptors beat the Los Angeles Clippers 112-94 on Sunday. Toronto's backups outscored their Clippers counterparts 51-29 while shooting 57.6 percent and finishing with their highest total of the season. Terrence Ross led the reserves with 18 points on 5-for-7 shooting on 3-pointers for his fourth straight game with at least 10 points off the bench. Cory Joseph had 12 points, and Patrick Patterson and Bismack Biyombo added 10 each. ''We gave up 34 points in the first quarter and I thought that it was going to be a long night,'' Toronto coach Dwane Casey said. ''The second unit, Terrence and that group came in and changed the game; started getting into bodies and getting into players, being physical. I thought that changed the mentality.'' Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





January 18, 2016

Harden scores 31 as Rockets rout Lakers 112-95

james hardenThe Houston Rockets toyed with the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half before showing what they can do when they are motivated and working on all cylindars. James Harden scored all of his 31 points in the first three quarters, and the Rockets pulled away from the Lakers with a pivotal run in the third en route to a 112-95 victory Sunday night. The Rockets, who snapped a season-high five-game winning streak Friday night, began the second half of their schedule by beating the Lakers at Staples Center for the sixth straight time with seven players in double-digit scoring. ''We wanted to bounce back from that loss in the last game,'' Harden said. ''We allowed them to score too easy in the first half, but in the third quarter we turned it up. We knew we had to lock in on the defensive end, because we knew we could basically get anything we wanted on the offensive end if we got stops.'' Read more here.

Aldridge scores 23 points to help Spurs rout Mavs 112-83

lamarcus aldridgeThe San Antonio Spurs can be sparked by so many different players, even their worst start of the season didn't faze them against a heated intrastate rival. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 23 points and the Spurs got an early spark from Jonathon Simmons to beat the Dallas Mavericks 112-83 on Sunday night and remain undefeated at home. ''It's just easier having guys that can make plays, guys that can have big nights,'' Aldridge said. ''Last game David (West) played great, I was in foul trouble. (Tony Parker) had two or three games where he was killing. Kawhi (Leonard) had the previous five games. I think it just makes it easier on everyone out there.'' The Spurs did have some bad news, losing Parker late in the third quarter to right hip soreness. An earlier occurrence of the injury forced him to miss two games at the beginning of the month. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





January 13, 2016

LeBron has 27, Cavs win 8th in row, 110-107 over Mavs in OT

lebron jamesKyrie Irving was headed toward Cleveland's locker room when he was greeted exuberantly by general manager David Griffin. ''You might stick in this league,'' Griffin told the fourth-year player from Duke. Irving scored 22 points with some big 3-pointers, including one in overtime after LeBron James made the go-ahead layup, and the Cavaliers extended their winning streak to eight games with a 110-107 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night. James had 27 points, including a layup with a minute left in overtime that pushed the Cavs ahead 106-105. After an attempted 3 by Deron Williams rattled out for Dallas, Irving beat the shot clock with a 3-pointer from the top of the key after James passed up a shot and got the ball to Irving instead. ''It's just the confidence I have in him and he has the confidence in his self,'' James said. Read more here.

Spurs beat Pistons 109-99 for ninth straight win

tony parkerThe Detroit Pistons learned the same lesson Tuesday night that they were taught in the 2005 NBA Finals. If you let up against the San Antonio Spurs, you are in serious trouble. The Spurs outscored Detroit 57-41 in the second and third quarters, then held off a Pistons rally in the fourth quarter to win 109-99. ''We had a really poor start, but I thought we got better as the game went along,'' said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. ''I thought the competitiveness was great, considering it was a back-to-back and we got to bed about 4 a.m.'' Tony Parker scored a season-high 31 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and 13 rebounds in the Spurs' ninth straight win. Manu Ginobili added 15 points while Tim Duncan put up 14 points and nine rebounds. ''This is a big win, because Detroit is playing very well,'' Parker said. ''We knew it was going to be tough, because we were on a back-to-back and they had two days off. Luckily, we won pretty easy last night, so we were still fresh.'' Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





January 10, 2016

Curry scores 38 points in Warriors' 128-116 win over Kings

stephen curryEven though this was a road game, the crowd enthusiastically cheered for the visiting Golden State Warriors - a common occurrence this season. Stephen Curry made eight 3-pointers and scored 38 points, Draymond Green added 25 and the Warriors defeated the Sacramento Kings 128-116 on Saturday night for their sixth consecutive victory. The Warriors (35-2) broke loose for 36 points in the third quarter and built a 12-point lead. Curry had 14 in the fourth to hold off the Kings and complete an unbeaten three-game road trip. It probably felt like a home game to the Warriors, off to the best start in NBA history. A boisterous Golden State rooting section cheered the team's every basket and even chanted ''MVP! MVP!'' when Curry was shooting free throws. Sacramento is about 80 miles northeast of Golden State's home in Oakland. Read more here.

Paul has 25 points, Clippers beat Hornets 97-83

chris paulThe Los Angeles Clippers continue to win games without their leading scorer. And whenever Blake Griffin gets rid of those street clothes and returns to the lineup, they'll only get better. Chris Paul had 25 points and seven assists and the Clippers extended their winning streak to eight with a 97-83 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. Los Angeles is 7-0 since Griffin went down with a partially torn tendon in his left quad. Overall, they are 19-8 when the five-time All-Star has been sidelined due to injury or suspension - including a 9-6 mark last season. ''I think it's because we all had to step up by committee,'' Paul said. ''We're moving the ball and putting a huge emphasis on defense. The only way we can really score without the big fella is we defend and get out in transition.'' Center DeAndre Jordan, making a push for his first career All-Star selection, had 19 rebounds. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





January 4, 2016

Bosh has 23, leads Heat over Wizards 97-75

chris boshThe Washington Wizards came to Miami last month and scored 114 points in a win over the Heat. That's the most points Miami has allowed this season. The Heat followed that uncharacteristic loss with a long film session, and it paid off in an impressive defensive performance against Washington on Sunday night. Chris Bosh scored 23 points, Goran Dragic had 18 and the Heat allowed their fewest points this season in a 97-75 victory over the undermanned Wizards. It was a season-low for points for Washington, which was held to seven points in the second quarter. The Wizards missed 20 of their 22 field goal attempts in the second. Miami coach Erik Spolestra credited Hassan Whiteside, who scored just six points, but had 13 rebounds and six blocked shots, for both the team's defensive turnaround and Sunday's win. ''You have to do the things you don't want to do to be successful in this league,'' Spoelstra said. The Heat's 25-7 second quarter propelled them to a 50-31 halftime lead. Read more here.

Butler tops Jordan Bulls record with 40 points in half


jimmy butlerFor one half, Jimmy Butler was better than Michael Jordan. That's all it was, Butler said. One half. Still, it was an amazing run. Butler broke the Hall of Famer's team record for points in a half, scoring 40 of his 42 after the break to lead the Chicago Bulls over the Toronto Raptors 115-113 on Sunday. Jordan had 39, also in the second half, in a game against Milwaukee in 1989. Butler shot 14 of 19 in the final two quarters after a 1-for-4 start in the Bulls' fourth straight win. ''Don't compare me to him,'' Butler said. ''I don't want to be compared to him because then people are going to think I got to do what he did. I'm trying, but we're nowhere near the same player.'' One of Jordan's teammates was pretty impressed, though. ''What a performance by (at)JimmyButler. You don't see individual efforts like this too often,'' Scottie Pippen said in a tweet. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





December 21, 2015

Kyrie Irving returns, Cavaliers rock lowly 76ers 108-86

lebron jamesAs Kyrie Irving dressed following his first game in six months, LeBron James popped on some music. With Chris Brown's ''Picture Me Rollin''' filling the locker room, Irving, James and Iman Shumpert bobbed their heads in unison and did some small dance moves. Close to full strength, the Cavaliers are grooving again. Irving scored 12 points and played 17 minutes in his season debut and James had 23, leading Cleveland to a 108-86 victory Sunday over the lowly Philadelphia 76ers, who lost their 10th straight and fell to 1-28. Back on the floor for the first time since breaking his left kneecap in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Irving showed some rust but that didn't matter. ''Kind of been a long, long road, but finally getting out there with my teammates was a pleasure,'' Irving said. The Cavs managed to open the season 17-7 without Irving. Read more here.

Heat rally late, top Trail Blazers 116-109

chris boshGoran Dragic spent the fourth quarter pacing around the locker room, a futile attempt to relieve some frustration after the first ejection of his career. On the floor, his teammates rallied for him. Chris Bosh scored 29 points, Hassan Whiteside finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds and the Miami Heat survived some lost composure in beating the Portland Trail Blazers 116-109 on Sunday. ''It was harrowing in the second half,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ''But I liked us showing some mental stability and competitive toughness while things weren't necessarily going our way.'' Whiteside made all eight of his field-goal attempts in the second half, and Dwyane Wade finished with 18 points and seven assists for Miami. Luol Deng made his first five 3-point tries and finished with 17 for the Heat, who trailed by 12 at one point and were down 10 at the half. Gerald Green also scored 17 - including a pair of big 3s late. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





December 16, 2015

Cousins' manager tossed for slap at Terry; Kings top Rockets

demarcus cousinsKings star DeMarcus Cousins had another strong game Tuesday night. His manager wasn't as fortunate. Cousins amassed 26 points and 12 rebounds as Sacramento won its third straight by defeating the Houston Rockets 107-97. His manager wasn't around to see the victory. Andrew Rogers was ejected for slapping at Rockets guard Jason Terry, who was trailing the play on a dunk by Sacramento's Ben McLemore in the third quarter. Terry put his hand out to slow down as he neared fans sitting along the baseline, and Rogers slapped at Terry's arm. The Houston guard stopped, turned around and started to step toward Rogers, who was then ejected from his seat. Another fan, believed to be sitting with Rogers' group, was ejected later in the game. ''I don't know what happened. I didn't hear anything or see anything. That's all there is,'' said Terry, who clearly did not want to discuss the situation. Read more here.

James (24 points) leads Cavaliers to 89-77 win over Celtics

lebron jamesNo apologies. No retaliation. Just another Cleveland victory. LeBron James scored 24 points and Kevin Love returned to Boston to score 20 with eight rebounds on Tuesday night, helping the Cavaliers beat the Celtics 89-77 in an uneventful rematch of last season's bruising - but one-sided - first-round playoff series. It was Cleveland's first trip back to the new Boston Garden since Love's shoulder was yanked out of the socket by Boston's Kelly Olynyk in the finale of the Cavaliers' four-game sweep. Jae Crowder, who took a punch in the jaw from J.R. Smith in the series, scored 14 for the Celtics. ''Time heals all wounds,'' said Love, who had no exchange with Olynyk during the game. ''I'll remember my first playoff run and that fourth game being particularly tough. But as time goes on it'll be another game against a really good team.'' Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





December 13, 2015

Porter, Wall lead Wizards past Mavericks, 114-111

otto porterWith high-scoring teammate Bradley Beal out for the next two weeks, Otto Porter knew he needed to pick up the slack. Porter scored a career-high 28 points, John Wall had 26 points and 16 assists and the Washington Wizards ended an 11-game losing streak against the Dallas Mavericks with a 114-111 victory Saturday night. Washington had not beaten Dallas since Oct. 27, 2009. The Wizards were playing their second straight game without Beal. The team announced before the game that Beal would be sidelined for at least two weeks with a right leg injury. Beal is the team's second-leading scorer with 19.8 points per game. Porter scored 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field in Washington's 39-point third quarter, as the Wizards built a 21-point lead. When asked if he was looking to score more in Beal's absence, Porter said, ''Of course. I'm speaking for the whole team. Everybody has to step up.'' Read more here.

Bucks hand Warriors 1st loss, win 108-95

greg monroeThe Golden State Warriors walked slowly off the Bradley Center floor, exchanging handshakes with the victorious Milwaukee Bucks on the way back to their locker room. They're not used to losing. The Warriors' NBA-record start ended after 24 wins when they lost to the Bucks 108-95 on Saturday night. ''We didn't have it tonight,'' interim coach Luke Walton said. ''That's why it is so hard to do what these guys have done so far. It caught up to us.'' Golden State fell to 24-1. Its 28-game winning streak, counting the final four games of last season, came to a halt. The NBA's longest winning streak was 33 by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1971-72 - and it was also snapped by Milwaukee. ''Well, we knew the streak had to end at some point,'' the Warriors posted on their Twitter account. Greg Monroe scored 28 points for the Bucks, who got the all-around effort needed to beat the defending NBA champions. Stephen Curry had 28 points on 10-of-21 shooting from the field, including 2 of 8 from 3-point territory. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





December 9, 2015

Thompson, Warriors improve to 23-0, beat Pacers 131-123

klay thompsonKlay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors spent the first three quarters playing as flawlessly as their unbeaten record. They spent the last 12 minutes Tuesday trying to protect their perfect quest. On a night Thompson scored a season-high 39 points and reigning MVP Stephen Curry nearly had a triple-double, the Warriors improved to 23-0 by stopping Indiana's furious fourth-quarter comeback and holding off the Pacers 131-123. ''We've got to handle the end of the game better. We had a double-digit lead. You don't ever want to have to win the game twice or even three times,'' Curry said. ''You want to make things as easy as possible when you have a night like we did for 36 minutes.'' The defending NBA champions have made things look pretty easy in what has already been a milestone season. They've won 27 straight dating to last spring, tying the 2012-13 Heat for the second-longest streak in NBA history. Read more here.

James scores 33 as Cavs rally to beat Trail Blazers

lebron jamesCleveland coach David Blatt said before Tuesday's game that his team needed to win, not just make a statement. The Cavaliers did both. LeBron James had 33 points and 10 rebounds, and Cleveland rallied from an 18-point first-half deficit to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 105-100, snapping a three-game losing streak. James, who didn't play Saturday in Miami to rest, scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, including a 3-pointer and a three-point play down the stretch. He shot 14 for 24 from the field. The Cavaliers were outplayed in the rocky first half until the final minutes of the second quarter when they cut the deficit to 56-47. ''You don't get frustrated,'' James said. ''You see the things you did well. You see the things you didn't do so well. Obviously, when you're down 18 you don't do too many things that well.'' Kevin Love added 18 points and a second-half lineup adjustment by Blatt sparked the comeback. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





December 6, 2015

Heat roll past LeBron-less Cavaliers, 99-84

goran dragicDressed in a navy coat with a gold crest, a resting LeBron James sported a good look on the Cleveland bench. On the court, the Miami Heat looked better. Dwyane Wade scored 19 points and took the fourth quarter off, Tyler Johnson added 19 more and the Heat had little trouble on the way to beating the Cavaliers 99-84 on Saturday night, sending Cleveland to its third straight loss. ''It would have been great to play against LeBron,'' said Wade, who acknowledged disappointment that James got the night off to rest. ''We'll see him next time.'' Goran Dragic scored 17 points, Chris Bosh added 14 and Gerald Green had 12 for Miami, which actually passed Cleveland - still without Kyrie Irving, though presumably not for much longer - by percentage points in the Eastern Conference standings. ''A good professional win,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ''I liked our guys' approach.'' Read more here.

Curry scores 44 as perfect Warriors beat Raptors

stephen curryStephen Curry likes playing in Toronto, and it shows. Curry made nine 3-pointers and scored 44 points, leading the undefeated Golden State Warriors to a 112-109 victory over the Raptors on Saturday. Curry was 14 for 24 from the field and 9 for 15 from beyond the arc as Golden State pushed its NBA-record start to 21-0. The NBA MVP is averaging 30 points for his six career games at Toronto, where his father, Dell, played for his final three seasons. ''I have great memories of being here watching my dad play. I got some shots up on that rim for three years every game night,'' he said. ''I enjoy coming back here and playing, it's a familiar setting.'' Klay Thompson added 26 points for the Warriors, and Draymond Green had 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Kyle Lowry made six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 41 points for Toronto, which has dropped three of four. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





December 3, 2015

Curry scores 40, Warriors top Hornets 116-99 to go 20-0

stephen curryCharlotte Hornets broadcaster Dell Curry told his son before Wednesday night's game, ''do not ruin my night.'' ''He didn't make any guarantees,'' Curry said with a smile. Actually, Stephen Curry ignored his father altogether. The reigning MVP scored 40 points in three quarters and the Golden State Warriors easily defeated the Hornets 116-99 to extend the best start in NBA history to 20-0. On a night when the Hornets honored Dell Curry, the franchise's career scoring leader, with a ''key to Buzz City,'' it was his oldest son who stole the spotlight by hitting 14 of 18 shots from the field and going 8 for 11 from 3-point range. Stephen Curry, who grew up in Charlotte and starred at nearby Davidson College, scored 28 points in the pivotal third quarter, including his team's final 24. He hit 10 of 11 shots from the field, including all five 3s - many from well beyond the arc and in the face of a defender - to help the Warriors build a 21-point cushion. Read more here.

Bryant scores 31 to lead Lakers past Wizards 108-104

kobe bryantTwo games into a farewell tour that's already included an emotional night in his home city, a visit to the White House and a vintage performance, Kobe Bryant is still getting used to all the love. He got plenty of it from another sellout crowd Wednesday night and scored 12 of his season-high 31 points in the fourth quarter to help the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Washington Wizards 108-104. ''I thought everybody hated me,'' Bryant said through a beaming smile after his final game in Washington. ''It's really cool, man.'' Bryant finished 10 of 24 from the floor and appeared to turn back time in the last of his team's four games in five days, shaking off a cold stretch to hit a string of critical shots in the waning minutes. With each one, the ovations from a crowd of 20,356 mixed with Lakers and Wizards fans grew louder. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





November 30, 2015

Kobe Bryant says he will retire at end of season

kobe bryantAfter 20 years in a Lakers uniform and a lifetime in basketball, Kobe Bryant determined that his aching body and his passion for the game had both grown weaker than his excitement about the future. That's when Kobe decided he could only wait a few more months to begin his life after the Lakers. Bryant announced Sunday that he will retire after this season, ending a landmark 20-year NBA career spent entirely with Los Angeles. He was serenaded with cheers throughout the struggling Lakers' 107-103 loss to Indiana, beginning his farewell tour through the league with a clear mind and a burgeoning curiosity about his next chapter. ''I had to just accept the fact that I don't want to do this anymore, and I'm OK with that,'' the dry-eyed, smiling Bryant said after the game. The 37-year-old Bryant made the long-anticipated declaration in a post on The Players' Tribune on Sunday, writing a poem titled ''Dear Basketball.'' Read more here.

Rockets rally in fourth, beat Knicks 116-111 in overtime

james hardenIt took almost the whole game, but the Rockets finally took a lead and held it. Trevor Ariza's tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:14 left in overtime and Marcus Thornton's two free throws with less than a second left lifted Houston to a 116-111 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday night. James Harden led Houston with 26 points. Thornton and Clint Capela each had 18 and Ariza finished with 16. Arron Afflalo had 31 points for the Knicks, who played without leading scorer Carmelo Anthony because of an illness. Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points and 13 rebounds. The Rockets, after scoring the first four points of the game, didn't lead again until overtime. ''It was a lesson in perseverance,'' said interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff. ''We got down, but we didn't give in. It is a credit to our guys' mental toughness and fortitude.'' Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





November 28, 2015

Curry scores 41 points, Warriors pour in 3s to go 17-0

stephen curryThe Golden State Warriors rained 3s in the desert and pushed their NBA-record start to 17-0. Stephen Curry scored 41 points in three quarters and the Warriors made a franchise-record 22 3-pointers (in 38 attempts) during their highest-scoring game of the season, a 135-116 rout of the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. Golden State fell one shy of the NBA record for 3s set by Orlando on March 9, 2009, and matched by Houston, against the Warriors, on Feb. 5, 2013. The offensive deluge came three days after Golden State set the league record at 16-0 by beating the Los Angeles Lakers. ''We have an edge,'' Curry said. ''We love the feeling of winning and our confidence is high right now. That's the only thing that motivates us.'' The 3-point record could well have fallen had Curry not sat out the fourth quarter. The reigning NBA MVP made a season-high nine of his 16 tries from long range in his 14th career 40-point game, five this season. Read more here.

Harden scores 50 as Rockets beat winless 76ers 116-114

james hardenWith Philadelphia desperately for its first win, James Harden took over for the Houston Rockets. Harden had 50 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and the Rockets beat the lowly 76ers 116-114 on Friday night. Harden was 14 for 28 from the field and 16 for 20 at the line in his third career game with 50 or more points. He is averaging 36.2 points in his last five games. ''Just in attack mode,'' he said. ''Taking my shots, being aggressive.'' Philadelphia moved one loss away from matching the New Jersey Nets' NBA-worst mark of 18 losses to open a season. The Sixers have dropped 27 in a row dating to last season for the longest losing streak in major U.S. professional sports history, passing the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976 to '77. The previous record was also matched by the 76ers in 2013-14. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





November 24, 2015

Leonard has 24, Spurs defense shines in 98-84 win over Suns

kawhi leonardKawhi Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs kept taking the ball away from the Phoenix Suns. Over and over. All night long. Leonard had 24 points and 13 rebounds, and the Spurs forced 28 turnovers in a 98-84 victory over the sloppy Suns on Monday. Phoenix was averaging 106.5 points, but was held to a season-low point total while committing a season high in turnovers. The Suns were without point guard Eric Bledsoe, who missed the second game of a back-to-back with a sore left knee. ''I don't know what we were doing just handing the ball, soft passes,'' Phoenix coach Jeff Hornacek said. ''Even when we tried to lob it over, the passes were like five feet short of where it's supposed to go. That's hard to overcome.'' Tony Parker had 20 points and eight assists for San Antonio, which is off to an 11-3 start. Danny Green made four 3-pointers and finished with 18 points. Read more here.

Durant, Thunder rout Jazz 111-89

kevin durantKevin Durant quickly answered any questions about his hamstring injury. Durant had 27 points and six rebounds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Utah Jazz 111-89 on Monday night. It was Durant's first game since he strained his left hamstring in the second quarter of a 125-101 victory at Washington on Nov. 10. The All-Star forward played the whole first quarter against Utah and scored 11 points. ''When I was ready to get back on the court physically, I was there putting my work in making sure my body was ready, my fundamentals were right,'' Durant said. ''I just have the mindset that, no matter what, I just pick up where I left off. I think that is what separates good players from great players, is that mindset.'' Durant was 10 for 13 from the field in 30 minutes. Russell Westbrook narrowly missed his third triple-double of the season with 20 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





November 18, 2015

Porzingis scores 29, Knicks beat Hornets 102-94

kristaps porzingisRookie Kristaps Porzingis scored a season-high 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the New York Knicks beat the Charlotte Hornets 102-94 on Tuesday night. Less than a week after he just missed beating the Hornets when his 3-pointer was ruled after the buzzer, Porzingis couldn't be denied by Charlotte defenders or the clock in the 20-year-old Latvian's biggest moment in the NBA. The slender, 7-foot-3 forward who was thunderously booed when the Knicks drafted him with the No. 4 pick had fans chanting ''Por-zing-is! Por-zing-is!'' in the fourth quarter, shortly after his three-point play following an offensive rebound gave the Knicks a 93-81 lead. Carmelo Anthony added 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks. Arron Afflalo scored 16. Read more here.

Warriors improve to 12-0 with 115-110 win over Raptors


stephen curryStephen Curry scored 37 points to lead the defending champion Golden State Warriors to their 12th straight win to open the season, a hard-fought 115-110 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. Klay Thompson added 19 and Andrew Bogut scored 13 for the Warriors, who are off to the best start since Dallas won the first 14 games in 2002-03. Golden State needs just three more wins to equal the NBA record of 15-0 held by the 1948-49 Washington Capitols and the 1993-94 Houston Rockets. It didn't come easy as Toronto fought back from an 18-point deficit and trailed by just one late in the game with the ball. But Kyle Lowry was called for an offensive foul and Curry hit two free throws to help seal the win. Lowry and DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points apiece for the Raptors, who have lost five of seven following a 5-0 start. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





November 12, 2015

Aldridge returns and Spurs beat Portland 113-101

kawhi leonardLaMarcus Aldridge said his return to Portland weighed on him. Greeted by a mix of cheers and boos, Aldridge scored 23 points to lead his new team, the San Antonio Spurs, to a 113-101 victory over the Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. ''It was emotional. I have nothing but love for this city. I have so many memories in this arena so it was hard for me out there,'' said the four-time All-Star, who spent nine seasons in Portland before leaving as a free agent this summer. Kawhi Leonard finished with 20 points for the Spurs, who won their third straight. Damian Lillard led the Blazers with 22 points, including five 3-pointers, and nine assists. Portland has lost three straight. The game marked Aldridge's first appearance in Portland since he signed a four-year deal worth $80 million with San Antonio in July. Read more here.

Warriors remain unbeaten with 100-84 win over Grizzlies

stephen curryThe Golden State Warriors haven't started a season this well in 55 years. So far back, the franchise was in Philadelphia. Stephen Curry scored 28 points and Andre Iguodala added 20 as the Warriors matched the 9-0 start of the 1960-61 Warriors with a 100-84 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night. ''It's great, because it means you're winning, which is the most important thing,'' forward Draymond Green said, adding that the Warriors don't concentrate much on such records. Harrison Barnes added 19 points for Golden State. Curry was 9 of 21 from the field, but only 3 of 10 from outside the arc. The Warriors finished shooting 41 percent from 3-point range, 11 of 27. ''We've got different guys every night to step up,'' said Warriors guard Klay Thompson, who had eight points. ''It's not only Steph. But tonight it was Andre and Harrison. Tomorrow night, it could be someone else.'' Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





November 10, 2015

Timberwolves blow 34-point lead, recover to beat Hawks

andrew wigginsAndrew Wiggins was hoping he wouldn't lose his shooting touch as the Atlanta Hawks kept pushing to wipe out a huge deficit. ''I was feeling it,'' he said. ''My shot was falling. My teammates kept encouraging me, giving me the ball.'' Wiggins tied a career high with 33 points, Karl-Anthony Towns added 17 and the Minnesota Timberwolves blew a 34-point lead before snapping the Hawks' seven-game winning streak with a 117-107 victory on Monday night. Atlanta never led until Paul Millsap's runner with 3:26 remaining made it 107-106, but Wiggins scored the next seven points to prevent one of the biggest collapses in NBA history. ''Any team down is going to come back fighting,'' Wiggins said. ''We knew that.'' Minnesota led 72-42 at halftime. The largest halftime deficit overcome to win was 34 points by Utah against Denver on Nov. 27, 1996, according to research by STATS dating to the 1951-52 season. Read more here.

Bulls pull away in 2nd half, top winless 76ers 111-88

nikola miroticJimmy Butler stuck a Sharpie inside a media scrum, using the marker as an imaginary recorder to pick up sound bites nearby from teammate Doug McDermott. Butler could have used the Sharpie to mark a W on the schedule before the opening tip. Playing the winless 76ers is about as automatic a win as a team gets these days - this decade, really - in the NBA. Nikola Mirotic had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Pau Gasol scored 16 points to lead the Chicago Bulls past Philadelphia, 111-88 on Monday night. The Bulls played without Joakim Noah and still cruised to a 15-point lead in the first quarter that they eventually stretched to 26. McDermott scored 18 points, Derrick Rose had 12 and the Bulls looked like title contenders against the woebegone Sixers. ''We needed something like this,'' McDermott said. ''We've had a couple of good practices but it's good to play against someone else.'' Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





November 7, 2015

Harden scores 43 to lead Rockets past Kings 116-110

james hardenSlowly but surely, James Harden and the Houston Rockets are working out of their early-season funk. Now if coach Kevin McHale's group can just get healthy. Harden and scored 22 of his season-high 43 points in the second half to lead the Rockets to a 116-110 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night. ''I've tried to be patient and take what the defenses have been giving me,'' Harden said. ''I've been trying to find something, anything ... to find any rhythm I can.'' Harden went into the game shooting just 29.4 percent from the floor but made 10 of his first 15 shots and finished with a season-high 13 assists. He finished 13-of-23 shooting and Houston won its third consecutive game. Trevor Ariza had 18 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to help Houston hold off a late run by Sacramento. Clint Capela added 13 points and 12 rebounds and former King Marcus Thornton scored 16. Read more here.

Warriors stay unbeaten behind another big night from Curry

stephen curryStephen Curry fully expects to top his NBA MVP season. ''I'm more experienced, I think I'm a better player than I was last year,'' the Golden State star said after another spectacular night. ''That's the mission, but a long way to go.'' Curry led the way once more with 34 points and 10 assists, his supporting cast did plenty to take the pressure off, and the defending champion Warriors beat the Denver Nuggets 119-104 on Friday night to stay unbeaten. Harrison Barnes scored 21 points for Golden State and Festus Ezeli had a career-high 16 points to go with seven rebounds and two blocked shots. At 6-0, Golden State is off to the franchise's best start in its West Coast era dating to 1962-63. The Warriors are three victories from tying the Philadelphia team's 9-0 start in 1960-61. ''I like our mentality right now,'' Curry said. ''There's nobody complacent in this locker room.'' Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





November 5, 2015

Curry scores 31 to lead Warriors past Clippers, 112-108

stephen curryAfter four lopsided wins to open the season, the Golden State Warriors were happy to find themselves in a nail-biter for a change. It sure helps that they have the MVP on their side. Stephen Curry scored 31 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with just over a minute to go that led the defending champion Warriors to their fifth straight win to open the season, 112-108 over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. ''It was good for us to feel a little bit of adversity against a good team like that,'' Curry said. ''We're not going to blow everybody out this year. We answered the bell.'' The Warriors had outscored their opponents by a record 100 points in the first four games but fell behind by 10 in the fourth quarter to the Clippers. Harrison Barnes then scored 10 of his 17 points during the 16-2 spurt with Golden State's small-ball lineup to turn the tide. Read more here.

Horford, Schroder lead Hawks in 101-87 victory over Nets


al horfordCoach Mike Budenholzer got just what he wanted from the Atlanta Hawks in the second half. The Hawks did nearly everything right offensively, scoring 60 points, hitting 59 percent of their shots, handing out 16 assists and committing just six turnovers on Wednesday night. ''When the ball moves and you get in rhythm, you're going to shoot a better percentage,'' Budenholzer said. ''You're going to feel more confident.'' Al Horford scored 21 points, Dennis Schroder added 20 and the Hawks won their fifth straight game, 101-87 over the Brooklyn Nets. Brook Lopez finished with a season-high 27 points and Thaddeus Young had 14 for Brooklyn, which dropped to 0-5. Lopez was disappointed in his team's 19 turnovers, which led to 25 points. ''They play the pick-and-roll very aggressively, and their hands are up and active,'' Lopez said. ''It's tough to make plays out of that.'' Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





November 3, 2015

Another big night for Curry, Warriors breeze past Memphis

stephen curryA 50-point win for Stephen Curry and the defending champion Warriors and the season isn't even a week old. ''It's surprising,'' Curry said. ''I don't remember the last time that's ever happened to any guys on this team, being on the winning side of a 50-point game.'' Curry scored 21 of his 30 points in an emphatic third-quarter stretch and the reigning NBA MVP followed up his 53-point performance from the weekend with another gem to lead unbeaten Golden State past the Memphis Grizzlies 119-69 on Monday night. Curry did not play in the fourth quarter with his team up big after shooting 10 for 16 and hitting four 3-pointers to give him 21 through four games - even after Grizzlies coach David Joerger joked before the game, ''We're going to put three guys on him tonight.'' Read more here.

Harden leads Rockets to first win, 110-105 over Thunder


james hardenJames Harden knew his shot would start falling eventually. It returned on Monday night. ''I hit the first two shots and I was like: 'OK, I've got something today,''' he said. Harden scored 37 points, and the Houston Rockets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-105 for their first win of the season. It was the first loss for the Thunder, who won their first three games while the Rockets dropped their first three. Harden was 12 of 26 from the field after a tough start to the season. He shot below 30 percent in each of the first three games. ''I'm sure all great shooters go through droughts, he said. ''Mine was pretty terrible, I admit. But it will change. It will all come around. It's a long season and I'll go on five, six, 10-game streaks where I'm just on fire and it will even itself out.'' An 8-1 run by the Rockets made it 107-100 with about two minutes left. Harden capped that key stretch with a 3, knocking it down with Russell Westbrook right in his face. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





November 1, 2015

Curry's big 3rd quarter leads Warriors past Pelicans 134-120

stephen curryStephen Curry couldn't get the smile off of his face as he trotted back on defense. He had just buried a 31-foot rainbow over 6-foot-10 Anthony Davis - a play he later referred to as ''a dumb shot that went in.'' ''Everybody's having fun,'' Curry recalled. ''I'm laughing at myself for taking the shot.'' That's what it's like for a player who can't seem to do anything wrong. Curry scored 53 points, breaking open a tight game with a 28-point third quarter, and the unbeaten Golden State Warriors defeated the winless Pelicans 134-120 in New Orleans' home opener Saturday night. Curry outscored the Pelicans by two points in the third period, giving the reigning NBA MVP a career-high for scoring in a quarter. It also gave the Warriors a 105-91 lead, allowing Curry to rest for much of the fourth quarter. Read more here.

Anthony's 37 points lead Knicks to 117-110 win over Wizards


carmelo anthonyJust over eight months ago, Carmelo Anthony underwent surgery on his left knee. On Saturday night, in his third regular-season game since then, he had a terrific performance against the Washington Wizards. Anthony scored 37 points to ruin the Wizards' home opener as the New York Knicks beat Washington 117-110. ''It felt good. It's been a while since February. I keep saying it, but it's been a while for me to kind of have this experience,'' Anthony said. Anthony was 11 for 18 from the field - hitting eight straight shots at one point - and hit four of his five 3-point attempts. ''It was just one of them days that - even this morning at shootaround things were just feeling good. I worked out a little bit after shootaround, things felt good; before the game, things felt good. So it was just one of those days,'' Anthony said. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





October 31, 2015

Curry has 25, Warriors rout Rockets in West finals rematch

stephen curryStephen Curry showed Houston fans that he's the real NBA MVP. Curry scored 25 points and the Golden State Warriors beat the Rockets 112-92 on Friday night in a rematch of the Western Conference finals. Curry listened to the crowd frequently rain down ''MVP! MVP!'' chants on Rockets guard James Harden. But Curry outscored him 25-16 and got the win again, just as he did in the real MVP vote and in the Warriors' five-game victory that sent them to the NBA Finals. ''The best players in this league learn every year how to get a little bit better, a little bit more efficient,'' Curry said. ''I'm just trying to follow suit.'' The reigning champions improved to 2-0 while the Rockets fell to 0-2. Harden struggled with his shot for a second straight game. The MVP runner-up finished 4 of 18, including 1 of 10 from 3-point range, but added seven rebounds and five assists. Read more here.

Pistons improve to 3-0, outlast Bulls 98-94 in OT

marcus morrisStan Van Gundy summed up Detroit's promising start to the season with a bit of self-serving humor. ''I'm in charge of the defense, and my assistants, I've given them the offense,'' he said. ''They've got to do a better job.'' The Pistons' coach said that with a smile, but there was no question which end of the court was more impressive Friday night for Detroit, which held off the Chicago Bulls 98-94 in overtime. The Pistons held Derrick Rose scoreless for the first three quarters. Detroit is 3-0 for the first time since winning its first four games in 2008-09. The Pistons have held every opponent to less than 95 points. Marcus Morris scored 26 points, and Andre Drummond had 20 points and 20 rebounds for Detroit. The Pistons scored the first seven points of overtime, taking a 90-83 lead on Anthony Tolliver's 3-pointer. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





October 30, 2015

Hawks beat Knicks 112-101 for 1st victory of the season

jeff teagueThese looked like the Atlanta Hawks of last season, not last game. Jeff Teague scored 23 points, Al Horford added 21 and the Hawks beat the New York Knicks 112-101 on Thursday night for their first victory of the season. Playing more like the team that won 60 games last season and had the best record in the Eastern Conference than the one that was beaten badly at home in its opener, the Hawks shot 51 percent from the field. ''Just trying to get back to ourselves, back to our habits,'' forward Paul Millsap said. Kyle Korver had 15 points and Millsap added 11 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta, which jumped to a 30-20 lead after 12 minutes. ''We played better tonight,'' coach Mike Budenholzer said. ''I think the first group set a tone for us in the first quarter.'' Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com





October 29, 2015

Griffin leads Clippers past Kings 111-104 in opener

blake griffinWith the game in the balance in the closing minutes, Paul Pierce did just what the Los Angeles Clippers hoped he would in the clutch. Pierce endeared himself to his new teammates by putting Los Angeles ahead for good with a late jumper in the Clippers' 111-104 season-opening victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. ''That's what he's here for,'' point guard Chris Paul said. ''When you put me and Paul in that one-three pick and roll they have to make a choice. If you switch, you have a smaller guy on Paul. What are you going to do?'' The Kings could do nothing as Pierce backed the smaller Rajon Rondo into the line and scored with 2:20 remaining to put the Clippers ahead 102-100 and help them avoid a late-game collapse. ''This group has been together for some years, they have a good understanding of one another,'' Pierce said. ''I'm just trying to fit in and play with that group down the stretch.'' Read more here.

McCollum scores 37 as Blazers down Pelicans 112-94

cj mccollumCJ McCollum says it's liberating to finally be able to play his game. McCollum scored a career-high 37 points, including six 3-pointers, and the new-look Portland Trail Blazers opened the season with a 112-94 victory over the depleted New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. It was Portland's 15th straight home-opening victory, surpassing Boston's record of 14 (1979-92). McCollum, in his third year, played limited minutes last season, but Portland's offseason overhaul has pushed him into a more prominent role. ''It feels good man, like a caged animal ready to be unleashed,'' McCollum said with a smile. ''The basket continues to get bigger and bigger and you continue to gain confidence.'' Damian Lillard, Portland's only remaining starter from last season, had 21 points and 11 assists. The Blazers are the third-youngest team in the NBA this season. Read more here.

Source: sports.yahoo.com



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