Knicks Edge Lakers, 124-123
The New York Knicks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 124-123, at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon.
The Knicks (13-57) got out to a rousing start, racking up 41 first-quarter points against a defensively sluggish Lakers (31-39) squad that may have been struggling with its body clock. Los Angeles seemingly woke up in the second quarter, however, erasing the entirety of their deficit and forging a three-point halftime lead. The back-and-forth nature of the game persisted in the second half, but the visitors appeared to be on their way to a win after opening up a seven-point advantage with two minutes remaining. That's when New York made one final push, finishing on an 8-0 run that was punctuated with game-tying and go-ahead throws by Emmanuel Mudiay at the 22.3-second mark of the fourth quarter. The Lakers' last chance at a win went by the wayside when Mario Hezonja stuffed LeBron James' 13-footer with 2.3 seconds remaining.
James led the way for the Lakers with 33 points, adding eight assists, six rebounds and one block. Kyle Kuzma managed 18 points, eight assists and one steal. Reggie Bullock poured in 14 points. JaVale McGee and Johnathan Williams contributed matching 12-point, seven-rebound tallies. Alex Caruso matched their scoring total and added three rebounds, two assists, five steals and three blocks. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope pitched in 11 points and four rebounds.
Mudiay paced the Knicks with 28 points, complementing them with eight assists, two rebounds and one block. Dewayne Dotson poured in 25 points and added six boards and one assist. Kevin Knox delivered 19 points, six boards, one assist and one steal. Hezonja managed 17 points, eight boards, one assist, one steal and one block. Deandre Jordan generated a 15-point, 17-rebound double-double that included seven assists, two steals and one block.
The Lakers pay a visit to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday evening, while the Knicks pay a visit to the New York Knicks on Monday night.
The Knicks (13-57) got out to a rousing start, racking up 41 first-quarter points against a defensively sluggish Lakers (31-39) squad that may have been struggling with its body clock. Los Angeles seemingly woke up in the second quarter, however, erasing the entirety of their deficit and forging a three-point halftime lead. The back-and-forth nature of the game persisted in the second half, but the visitors appeared to be on their way to a win after opening up a seven-point advantage with two minutes remaining. That's when New York made one final push, finishing on an 8-0 run that was punctuated with game-tying and go-ahead throws by Emmanuel Mudiay at the 22.3-second mark of the fourth quarter. The Lakers' last chance at a win went by the wayside when Mario Hezonja stuffed LeBron James' 13-footer with 2.3 seconds remaining.
James led the way for the Lakers with 33 points, adding eight assists, six rebounds and one block. Kyle Kuzma managed 18 points, eight assists and one steal. Reggie Bullock poured in 14 points. JaVale McGee and Johnathan Williams contributed matching 12-point, seven-rebound tallies. Alex Caruso matched their scoring total and added three rebounds, two assists, five steals and three blocks. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope pitched in 11 points and four rebounds.
Mudiay paced the Knicks with 28 points, complementing them with eight assists, two rebounds and one block. Dewayne Dotson poured in 25 points and added six boards and one assist. Kevin Knox delivered 19 points, six boards, one assist and one steal. Hezonja managed 17 points, eight boards, one assist, one steal and one block. Deandre Jordan generated a 15-point, 17-rebound double-double that included seven assists, two steals and one block.
The Lakers pay a visit to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday evening, while the Knicks pay a visit to the New York Knicks on Monday night.
Heat Dominates Hornets, 93-75
The Miami Heat defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 93-75, at American Airlines Arena on Sunday afternoon.
The Heat (33-36) didn't exactly get off to the best of starts in their ongoing quest to defend the eighth seed, as they mustered just 19 points in the first quarter. Their defense was solid, however, and Miami managed to forge a two-point lead over the Hornets (31-38) by halftime. The game remained close throughout the third quarter before the home squad hit its stride on both ends of the floor over the final 12 minutes. The Heat totaled a game-high 32 points in the fourth while limiting the visitors to just 15 points during the period. Both teams shot under 40.0 percent, but Miami won the rebounding battle by a 55-44 margin.
Jeremy Lamb led the way for the Hornets with 21 points, adding four rebounds, one assist and four steals. Frank Kaminsky supplied 13 points, seven rebounds and one assist. Nicolas Batum delivered 12 points, seven rebounds and one assist. Tony Parker poured in 11 points. Kemba Walker shot just 4-for-16 on his way to 10 points and also posted four rebounds, four assists and one steal.
Goran Dragic paced the Heat with 19 points and complemented them with four assists and two rebounds. Dwyane Wade collected 17 points, eight rebounds, two assists and one block. Bam Adebayo totaled 16 points, nine boards, one assist, two steals and one block. Dion Waiters poured in 12 points and added four rebounds and three assists. Josh Richardson managed to drain just two of 17 attempts while generating seven points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals.
The Hornets head back home to take on the Philadephia 76ers on Tuesday evening, while the Heat pays a visit to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night.
The Heat (33-36) didn't exactly get off to the best of starts in their ongoing quest to defend the eighth seed, as they mustered just 19 points in the first quarter. Their defense was solid, however, and Miami managed to forge a two-point lead over the Hornets (31-38) by halftime. The game remained close throughout the third quarter before the home squad hit its stride on both ends of the floor over the final 12 minutes. The Heat totaled a game-high 32 points in the fourth while limiting the visitors to just 15 points during the period. Both teams shot under 40.0 percent, but Miami won the rebounding battle by a 55-44 margin.
Jeremy Lamb led the way for the Hornets with 21 points, adding four rebounds, one assist and four steals. Frank Kaminsky supplied 13 points, seven rebounds and one assist. Nicolas Batum delivered 12 points, seven rebounds and one assist. Tony Parker poured in 11 points. Kemba Walker shot just 4-for-16 on his way to 10 points and also posted four rebounds, four assists and one steal.
Goran Dragic paced the Heat with 19 points and complemented them with four assists and two rebounds. Dwyane Wade collected 17 points, eight rebounds, two assists and one block. Bam Adebayo totaled 16 points, nine boards, one assist, two steals and one block. Dion Waiters poured in 12 points and added four rebounds and three assists. Josh Richardson managed to drain just two of 17 attempts while generating seven points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals.
The Hornets head back home to take on the Philadephia 76ers on Tuesday evening, while the Heat pays a visit to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night.
Sixers Defeat Bucks, 130-125
The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the host Milwaukee Bucks, 130-125, at Fiserv Forum on Sunday.
In a battle between two of the Eastern Conference elite, Philly came away with their biggest win of the season. In fact, they led for all but a few minutes, as they led 62-53 at the half and never relinquished the lead from there. Three-point shooting was the difference in the game, with the Sixers hitting 15-of-32 and Milwaukee connecting on just 16-of-50. Rebounding was also critical for Philadelphia, as they outrebounded Milwaukee, 54-45.
The Sixers (45-25) got a gem from Joel Embiid, as he collected 40 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and three steals. Jimmy Butler accrued 27 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. J.J. Redick amassed 19 points, one steal and one block. Tobias Harris finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
The Bucks (52-18) got a masterpiece from Giannis Antetokounmpo, as he accumulated 52 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists. Khris Middleton totaled 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Brook Lopez amassed 14 points, four rebounds and four blocks. Eric Bledsoe generated 12 points, five rebounds, six assists and two steals.
Both teams return to action on Tuesday, with Milwaukee playing host to the struggling Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia traveling to face the Charlotte Hornets.
In a battle between two of the Eastern Conference elite, Philly came away with their biggest win of the season. In fact, they led for all but a few minutes, as they led 62-53 at the half and never relinquished the lead from there. Three-point shooting was the difference in the game, with the Sixers hitting 15-of-32 and Milwaukee connecting on just 16-of-50. Rebounding was also critical for Philadelphia, as they outrebounded Milwaukee, 54-45.
The Sixers (45-25) got a gem from Joel Embiid, as he collected 40 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and three steals. Jimmy Butler accrued 27 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. J.J. Redick amassed 19 points, one steal and one block. Tobias Harris finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
The Bucks (52-18) got a masterpiece from Giannis Antetokounmpo, as he accumulated 52 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists. Khris Middleton totaled 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Brook Lopez amassed 14 points, four rebounds and four blocks. Eric Bledsoe generated 12 points, five rebounds, six assists and two steals.
Both teams return to action on Tuesday, with Milwaukee playing host to the struggling Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia traveling to face the Charlotte Hornets.
Pistons Defeat Raptors, 110-107
The Detroit Pistons defeated the visiting Toronto Raptors, 110-107, at Little Ceasar's Arena on Sunday.
In this potential playoff preview, it came down to the final shot. In fact, there were 12 ties and 11 lead changes in total, with neither team ever leading by more than 11 points. Detroit did most of their damage in the fourth quarter, as they outscored Toronto, 32-23 en route to their comeback victory. Free-throw shooting was the difference in the game, with the Pistons connecting on 24-of-27 and the Raptors hitting just 11-of-14. Rebounding was also huge, with Detroit outrebounding Toronto, 44-38. They also dominated scoring down low, with the Pistons outscoring the Raptors in the paint, 58-34.
The Raptors (49-21) were led by Kawhi Leonard, as he tallied 33 points, 10 rebounds and two assists. Danny Green amassed 12 points, three rebounds and four assists. Marc Gasol flirted with a triple-double, collecting nine points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Fred VanVleet led the bench with 17 points and four assists.
The Pistons (36-33) were led by Blake Griffin, as he accrued 25 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Reggie Jackson finished with 20 points, two rebounds and four assists. Andre Drummond amassed 15 points and 17 boards. Zaza Pachulia and Langston Galloway led the bench with 11 points apiece.
Both these teams have to play again on Monday, with Detroit traveling to face the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto playing host to the lowly New York Knicks.
In this potential playoff preview, it came down to the final shot. In fact, there were 12 ties and 11 lead changes in total, with neither team ever leading by more than 11 points. Detroit did most of their damage in the fourth quarter, as they outscored Toronto, 32-23 en route to their comeback victory. Free-throw shooting was the difference in the game, with the Pistons connecting on 24-of-27 and the Raptors hitting just 11-of-14. Rebounding was also huge, with Detroit outrebounding Toronto, 44-38. They also dominated scoring down low, with the Pistons outscoring the Raptors in the paint, 58-34.
The Raptors (49-21) were led by Kawhi Leonard, as he tallied 33 points, 10 rebounds and two assists. Danny Green amassed 12 points, three rebounds and four assists. Marc Gasol flirted with a triple-double, collecting nine points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Fred VanVleet led the bench with 17 points and four assists.
The Pistons (36-33) were led by Blake Griffin, as he accrued 25 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Reggie Jackson finished with 20 points, two rebounds and four assists. Andre Drummond amassed 15 points and 17 boards. Zaza Pachulia and Langston Galloway led the bench with 11 points apiece.
Both these teams have to play again on Monday, with Detroit traveling to face the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto playing host to the lowly New York Knicks.
Magic Look Confident In Second Straight Win
By Dan Bruno
The Orlando Magic defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 101-91, at Amway Center on Sunday evening.
The Magic got out to a good start at home, as they got out to an early 11-4 lead, before taking a 28-25 advantage into the second. The Magic pushed their lead back to double digits early in the second and held on until they took a 56-46 lead into halftime. The Magic stayed strong in the third, as they held the lead for the whole quarter, however, the Hawks trimmed the deficit to seven by the start of the fourth. The Hawks kept fighting but could not make any progress, as the Magic held on for their second straight win.
Nikola Vucevic led the Magic with 27 points, 20 rebounds, three assists and three steals, in 34 minutes. Aaron Gordon followed up with 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal, while Wes Iwundu chipped in 14 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and one steal. The Magic shot 39 percent from the field, including 9-of-37 from long range.
Meanwhile, Trae Young led the Hawks with 20 points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal, in 32 minutes. Dewayne Dedmon added 10 points, 14 rebounds, two assists and two steals, while John Collins chipped in 10 points, seven rebounds, one assist and one block. The Hawks shot 41 percent from the field, including 8-of-35 from deep.
The Hawks (24-47) will look to bounce back as they play host to the Rockets on Tuesday. The Magic (33-38) play host to the Pelicans on Wednesday.
The Magic got out to a good start at home, as they got out to an early 11-4 lead, before taking a 28-25 advantage into the second. The Magic pushed their lead back to double digits early in the second and held on until they took a 56-46 lead into halftime. The Magic stayed strong in the third, as they held the lead for the whole quarter, however, the Hawks trimmed the deficit to seven by the start of the fourth. The Hawks kept fighting but could not make any progress, as the Magic held on for their second straight win.
Nikola Vucevic led the Magic with 27 points, 20 rebounds, three assists and three steals, in 34 minutes. Aaron Gordon followed up with 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal, while Wes Iwundu chipped in 14 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and one steal. The Magic shot 39 percent from the field, including 9-of-37 from long range.
Meanwhile, Trae Young led the Hawks with 20 points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal, in 32 minutes. Dewayne Dedmon added 10 points, 14 rebounds, two assists and two steals, while John Collins chipped in 10 points, seven rebounds, one assist and one block. The Hawks shot 41 percent from the field, including 8-of-35 from deep.
The Hawks (24-47) will look to bounce back as they play host to the Rockets on Tuesday. The Magic (33-38) play host to the Pelicans on Wednesday.
Kings Dominate Visiting Bulls
By Dan Bruno
The Sacramento Kings defeated the visiting Chicago Bulls, 129-102, at Golden 1 Center on Sunday evening.
The contest got out to a competitive start, with the Kings taking a one-point lead after one quarter. The Kings turned it up in the second, where they outscored the Bulls by 15, to take a 56-40 lead into halftime. They kept up the heat in the third, as they poured in 43 points, 12 more than the visitors, giving the Kings a 28-point lead heading into the final frame. The Kings pushed their lead to 30, mid way though the fourth. The Hawks kept fighting but could not stop the Kings from ending a three-game slide.
De'Aaron Fox led the Kings with 17 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block, in 25 minutes. Buddy Hield followed up with 16 points, four assists, three rebounds, three steals and one block, while Harrison Barnes chipped in 15 points, two rebounds and one assist. The Kings shot 52 percent from the field, including 8-of-23 from long range.
Meanwhile, Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 18 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block, in 29 minutes. Lauri Markkanen added 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and a block, while Shaquille Harrison chipped in 11 points, seven assists, four rebounds and one steal, in 19 minutes off the bench.
The Bulls (19-52) will look to bounce back as they take on the Suns in Phoenix on Monday. The Kings (34-35) play host to the Nets on Tuesday.
The contest got out to a competitive start, with the Kings taking a one-point lead after one quarter. The Kings turned it up in the second, where they outscored the Bulls by 15, to take a 56-40 lead into halftime. They kept up the heat in the third, as they poured in 43 points, 12 more than the visitors, giving the Kings a 28-point lead heading into the final frame. The Kings pushed their lead to 30, mid way though the fourth. The Hawks kept fighting but could not stop the Kings from ending a three-game slide.
De'Aaron Fox led the Kings with 17 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block, in 25 minutes. Buddy Hield followed up with 16 points, four assists, three rebounds, three steals and one block, while Harrison Barnes chipped in 15 points, two rebounds and one assist. The Kings shot 52 percent from the field, including 8-of-23 from long range.
Meanwhile, Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 18 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block, in 29 minutes. Lauri Markkanen added 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and a block, while Shaquille Harrison chipped in 11 points, seven assists, four rebounds and one steal, in 19 minutes off the bench.
The Bulls (19-52) will look to bounce back as they take on the Suns in Phoenix on Monday. The Kings (34-35) play host to the Nets on Tuesday.
Rockets Blow Out Timberwolves, 117-102
By Oscar Heanue
The Houston Rockets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 117-102, at Toyota Center on Sunday evening.
A scorching-hot third quarter helped Houston (44-26) open up a double-digit lead. After a tight first half, the Rockets came out of halftime locked in, knocking down a franchise-record 10 three-pointers in the third quarter. That was good for 43 points in the period, leaving Minnesota (32-38) trailing by 15. Houston ended the night having knocked down 21 three-pointers on 50 attempts.
Both members of the Rockets' All-Star backcourt recorded a double-double on Sunday. Chris Paul led Houston with 25 points while dishing out 10 assists. Paul also played a major role in Houston's lights-out shooting, going 6-of-7 from beyond the arc. James Harden added another 20 points and 10 assists. Houston center Clint Capela also delivered a gem, tallying 20 points and 13 rebounds.
For Minnesota, All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns was the top scorer with 22 points. Towns rounded out his performance with 10 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks. Rookie guard Josh Okogie also made an impact on offense, tallying 21 points despite the double-digit loss.
On Tuesday, the Rockets will visit Atlanta while Minnesota will host the Golden State Warriors.
A scorching-hot third quarter helped Houston (44-26) open up a double-digit lead. After a tight first half, the Rockets came out of halftime locked in, knocking down a franchise-record 10 three-pointers in the third quarter. That was good for 43 points in the period, leaving Minnesota (32-38) trailing by 15. Houston ended the night having knocked down 21 three-pointers on 50 attempts.
Both members of the Rockets' All-Star backcourt recorded a double-double on Sunday. Chris Paul led Houston with 25 points while dishing out 10 assists. Paul also played a major role in Houston's lights-out shooting, going 6-of-7 from beyond the arc. James Harden added another 20 points and 10 assists. Houston center Clint Capela also delivered a gem, tallying 20 points and 13 rebounds.
For Minnesota, All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns was the top scorer with 22 points. Towns rounded out his performance with 10 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks. Rookie guard Josh Okogie also made an impact on offense, tallying 21 points despite the double-digit loss.
On Tuesday, the Rockets will visit Atlanta while Minnesota will host the Golden State Warriors.
Clippers Beat Nets, 119-116, on Williams' Buzzer-Beater
By Oscar Heanue
The Los Angeles Clippers edge out the Brooklyn Nets, 119-116, at Staples Center on Sunday evening.
After picking up steam with a 37-point second quarter, it seemed that the Clippers (41-30) had all but wrapped up the win after going up by 10 late in the fourth. The Nets (36-36), though, did not go down without a fight, going on a quick 10-0 run to tie the game with just 5.3 seconds remaining. Brooklyn was able to force the tie on an uncontested dunk from center Jarrett Allen, who broke free after the Clippers attempted to trap Brooklyn point guard D'Angelo Russell. Clippers' sixth man Lou Williams, though, quickly erased his team's mistake with a game-winning three-pointer on the other end. The buzzer-beater came from well beyond the arc and capped off a 25-point night for Williams.
In what has become a trend for the Clippers, their bench contributed to the win in a big way. LA saw 58 combined points from its second unit in the win, including another 20-point performance from big man Montrezl Harrell. Veteran forward Danilo Gallinari led the starters with 21 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Brooklyn, meanwhile, was led by an impressive performance from Russell. The All-Star contributed 32 points and 10 assists in the narrow loss. His play was complemented by strong play from DeMarre Carroll, who finished with 19 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
The Nets will continue their road trip with a visit to Sacramento on Tuesday. Los Angeles, meanwhile, will play host to the Indiana Pacers.
After picking up steam with a 37-point second quarter, it seemed that the Clippers (41-30) had all but wrapped up the win after going up by 10 late in the fourth. The Nets (36-36), though, did not go down without a fight, going on a quick 10-0 run to tie the game with just 5.3 seconds remaining. Brooklyn was able to force the tie on an uncontested dunk from center Jarrett Allen, who broke free after the Clippers attempted to trap Brooklyn point guard D'Angelo Russell. Clippers' sixth man Lou Williams, though, quickly erased his team's mistake with a game-winning three-pointer on the other end. The buzzer-beater came from well beyond the arc and capped off a 25-point night for Williams.
In what has become a trend for the Clippers, their bench contributed to the win in a big way. LA saw 58 combined points from its second unit in the win, including another 20-point performance from big man Montrezl Harrell. Veteran forward Danilo Gallinari led the starters with 21 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Brooklyn, meanwhile, was led by an impressive performance from Russell. The All-Star contributed 32 points and 10 assists in the narrow loss. His play was complemented by strong play from DeMarre Carroll, who finished with 19 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
The Nets will continue their road trip with a visit to Sacramento on Tuesday. Los Angeles, meanwhile, will play host to the Indiana Pacers.