Horford, Millsap pace Hawks in 104-75 win over Pacers
Atlanta
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
There'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
For
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
Even
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
The
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
The
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
The
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
With
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
The
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
The
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
The
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
The
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
The
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
The
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
Kyrie
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
The
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
Even
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
The
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
The
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
For
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
As
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
Goran
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
Kings
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
No
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
With
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
The
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
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
Cleveland
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
Dressed
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
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
Charlotte
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
Two
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
After
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
It
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
The
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
With
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
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
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
Rookie
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
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
LaMarcus
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
The
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
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
Jimmy
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
Slowly
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
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
After
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
Coach
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
A
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
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
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
Just
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
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
Stan
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
These
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
With
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
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.