Datasets:

Imask

/

FBM_IE

like 0

The Phoenix Suns (37 - 33) got a big win on the road Saturday against the Houston Rockets (46 - 23) by a score of 117 - 102. Phoenix held off a Houston run in the fourth quarter where the Rockets cut the Suns lead to five with five minutes to go. A big key in this game was Phoenix's ability to keep James Harden in check. Harden finished with 16 points on 5 - of - 19 shooting and more importantly, the Suns kept Harden off the free throw line, holding him to just five free throw attempts. Phoenix's Eric Bledsoe had a big game as well with 34 points to help keep the Suns' playoff hopes alive. Phoenix's win helps it pick up a half game on New Orleans and Oklahoma City in the race for the final playoff spot in the West. Alex Len returned to the lineup after missing time due to an ankle injury, but only played 18 minutes. Brandan Wright and P.J Tucker had big outings as Wright pulled down nine rebounds and blocked two shots while Tucker had 19 points and had a solid game defensively. The Suns will have another chance to get a win against a playoff team on Sunday when they take on the Mavericks. Houston had its three game winning streak snapped Saturday despite shooting 47 percent from the floor. Trevor Ariza was able to play despite an illness and posted a double - double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Josh Smith turned his ankle mid way through the fourth quarter and did not return to action. The Rockets will travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 47 Percentage of field goals ,has 23 Losses ,has 102 Total points ,has 37 Points in 1st quarter ,has 46 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 33 Percentage of field goals ,has 117 Losses ,has 33 Total points ,has 37 Points in 1st quarter ."]

The Charlotte Hornets (43 - 31) made easy work of the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 66) Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center, 100 - 85. This one was competitive early, but nursing a 36 - 32 lead in the second quarter, the Hornets pushed it into high gear. Charlotte finished the half on a 16 - 4 run to take a 52 - 36 halftime lead that would prove to be insurmountable. The big run was powered by Nicolas Batum, who scored five points and dished a pair of assists in the 4:33 stretch. Batum recorded his second triple - double of the season with 19 points (8 - 16 FG), 12 rebounds and 12 assists. Cody Zeller added an efficient 18 points (7 - 8 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and 11 rebounds, and Kemba Walker knocked down four three - pointers and finished with 16 points. Charlotte shot poorly - - just 44 percent from the field and 7 - 25 (28 percent) from three - - but they dominated the defensive glass, grabbing 56 of Philadelphia's 66 missed shots, a brilliant 85 percent defensive rebound rate. Robert Covington launched from three - point land all night and led the 76ers with 18 points on 6 - 14 shooting from deep (6 - 16 overall). Ish Smith scored 15 (6 - 17 FG) and dished six assists and Nik Stauskas scored 13 (4 - 11 FG, 2 - 5 3PT) off the bench. Philadelphia shot 36 percent from three (16 - 44) but had no chance inside against Charlotte's solid interior defense, as they shot a brutal 14 - 52 (27 percent) on two - point attempts. The Hornets and 76ers will matchup again on Friday in Charlotte.

["TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 36 Percentage of 3 points ,has 66 Percentage of field goals ,has 85 Losses ,has 9 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 28 Percentage of 3 points ,has 44 Percentage of field goals ,has 31 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 43 Wins ."]

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 100 - 78, at Air Canada Center on Monday. While this game was close in the first half, Toronto took care of business in the second half to cruise to a win. There were actually six ties and eight lead changes in the first half, as the Raptors then outscored the Mavericks, 50 - 32, in the second half. Rebounding was the glaring difference in the game, with Toronto winning that battle, 55 - 34. They also stifled Dallas with their defense, holding the Mavericks to 37 percent from the field and 28 percent from three - point range. The Mavericks (28 - 38) are battling for the eight - seed in the west and losses like this are devastating for that pursuit. Harrison Barnes led Dallas, as he scored 18 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting. Dirk Nowitzki was n't far behind, as he tallied 17 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Dwight Powell led the bench, as he provided 10 points and 10 rebounds. It was n't just a loss in the record book, as Wesley Matthews suffered a calf strain and was unable to return after 17 minutes of action. On deck for Dallas is a road matchup against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. The Raptors (39 - 28) had lost four of six headed into this matchup, so this win is just what the doctor ordered. DeMar DeRozan led the way for Toronto, as he collected 25 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals on 10 - of - 17 shooting. Norman Powell finished second on the team, accruing 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. Jonas Valanciunas amassed 14 points and 12 rebounds en route to a double - double. Toronto will look to build off this win in a home matchup against the Oklahoma City thunder on Thursday.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 28 Percentage of 3 points ,has 100 Percentage of field goals ,has 25 Losses ,has 25 Total points ,has 39 Points in 1st quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 28 Percentage of 3 points ,has 37 Percentage of field goals ,has 38 Losses ,has 78 Total points ,has 28 Points in 1st quarter ."]

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder, 124 - 92, in Game 1 of the Western Conference second - round playoffs Saturday at AT & T Center. This was expected to be a close series, but this was an ugly Game 1. San Antonio led by 23 points after the first quarter and took a 33 - point lead into the second half. The Spurs shot 18 - for - 22 in a 43 - point first quarter, while holding the Thunder to 7 - for - 24 while scoring just 20 points on their end. San Antonio shot over 60 percent from the field in their win and recorded 39 assists on 51 made baskets. Oklahoma City had a tough task going into San Antonio, but they simply didn’t show up in Game 1. Serge Ibaka led the team with 19 points, but grabbed just two boards and failed to record a block. Kevin Durant tallied 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists in just three quarters of action. Russell Westbrook shot just 5 - for - 19 and finished the game with 14 points and nine assists. The Spurs tied an NBA record with 40 home wins this season and they continued that dominance here. LaMarcus Aldridge amassed 38 points and six rebounds, despite not playing the fourth quarter. Kawhi Leonard also didn’t play the fourth and still finished the game with 25 points, five rebounds and five assists. Tony Parker dished out 12 assists. Danny Green went 5 - for - 6 from three - point range and scored 18 points in the victory. Game 2 is Monday in San Antonio.

["TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 39 Number of team assists ,has 60 Percentage of 3 points ,has 124 Losses ,has 43 Total points ,has 1 Points in 1st quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 1 Number of team assists ,has 92 Percentage of 3 points ,has 20 Losses ,has 20 Total points ."]

The Warriors (64 - 15) defeated the Trail Blazers (51 - 28) 116 - 105 on Thursday. It was Stephen Curry’s night. He scored 45 points and broke the NBA single - season record for three - pointers with 273, a record he set two years ago in Portland. The game was tied 84 - 84 at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth, Curry poured in 19 points, and the Warriors finally pulled away. Curry went 17 - for - 23 from the field and 8 - for - 13 from three - point range. He also recorded two rebounds and 10 assists in 35 minutes of action. Klay Thompson had 26 points (10 - 21 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt), four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 36 minutes. Draymond Green contributed 11 points (5 - 11 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt), 14 rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks in 36 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge was the Trail Blazers’ leading scorer with 27 points (11 - 24 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt), to go with six rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks in 35 minutes. Damian Lillard had 20 points (9 - 22 FG, 1 - 9 3Pt), six rebounds and eight assists in 38 minutes. C.J. McCollum contributed 17 points (8 - 14 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt), two rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block in 31 minutes. Aaron Afflalo notched 8 points in 27 minutes before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a possible tear in his shoulder. The Warriors are the top team in the Western Conference, 11 games ahead of the second place Grizzlies. The Trail Blazers are fourth in the West. The Warriors have swept the season series with the Trail Blazers 30.

["TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 15 Losses ,has 116 Total points ,has 30 Points in 1st quarter ,has 64 Points in 2nd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 28 Losses ,has 105 Total points ,has 27 Points in 1st quarter ,has 27 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 30 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 51 Wins ."]

Injuries have given Denver's Wilson Chandler a chance to jump out on the stat sheet in the Nuggets' recent games. After a 32 - point double - double on Friday night, Chandler once again led the team in scoring on Sunday, pouring in 25 points. Chandler knocked down three three - pointers and also had eight rebounds and three steals. Sophomore big man Nikola Jokic, meanwhile, led the bench unit with a 13 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Denver's starting backcourt combined for 40 points, including 21 for veteran guard Jameer Nelson. On the other side, Phoenix saw huge performances from its two star guards. Eric Bledsoe delivered one of his strongest stat lines of the season, scoring 35 points to go along with six rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and two steals. Sophomore Devin Booker, meanwhile, scored 30 points while turning the ball over just once. Phoenix also enjoyed 15 rebounds from center Tyson Chandler, who dominated the boards against the league's number one rebounding team. The Suns struggled with ball movement, however, totaling just 11 assists as a team.

["TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 11 Number of team assists ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 21 Number of team assists ."]

The Memphis Grizzlies (41 - 14) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (37 - 20) 90 - 87 on Monday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. In a very evenly matched game, it was the Grizzlies who pulled out the close victory, as they took down a team that they could see again when the playoffs come around. Both teams had similar shooting percentages, with the Grizzlies going 41 percent from the field and 33 percent from the three - point line, while the Clippers went 44 percent from the floor and 33 percent from deep as well. The Clippers did turn the ball over 14 times, compared to only 10 turnovers from the Grizzlies, so those few extra mistakes may have cost them in this one. The Clippers got most of their production from Chris Paul on Monday. He went 13 - for - 22 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 30 points, while also adding 10 assists and two blocked shots. It was the fifth double - double over his last six games, a stretch where he's averaged 20 points and 12 assists. The only other Clipper to reach double figures in points was Jamal Crawford, who came off the bench for 15 points (4 - 15 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and three rebounds in 26 minutes. He had scored 20 or more points in six straight games leading up to this one, but he could n't keep the streak alive. It was still a solid line for the guard, who now owns a season average of 16 points per game. DeAndre Jordan went a perfect 4 - for - 4 from the field to score nine points, to go along with 17 rebounds and two blocked shots. He continues to be an absolute animal on the boards, grabbing 15 or more rebounds in each of his last five games. The Clippers put themselves in position to grab a win, but just could n't get it done in the end. For the Grizzlies, Mike Conley had a solid showing. He posted 18 points (5 - 10 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), seven assists and two steals in 34 minutes. He's had a nice impact on the defensive side of the ball lately as well, recording two or more steals in four out of his last five games. Jeff Green shot the ball well in this one. He went 5 - for - 12 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 16 points, while adding six rebounds. He's now averaging 16 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists on the season. Marc Gasol reached double figures as well, posting 14 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 2 FT), to go along with six rebounds and three blocked shots. It was his second straight game with three blocks. While he did n't have the best game offensively as he scored just seven points (2 - 12 FG, 3 - 6 FT), Zach Randolph made up for it by grabbing 10 rebounds. It was only the second time over his last 20 games he failed to reach double - digit points, but his teammates picked up the slack and the Grizzlies still came out with the win. Coming off the bench, Tony Allen chipped in with 10 points (4 - 10 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), five rebounds and two steals in 28 minutes. The Grizzlies' next game will be on the road against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, while the Clippers will travel to Houston to play the Rockets on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 33 Percentage of 3 points ,has 44 Percentage of field goals ,has 20 Losses ,has 87 Total points ,has 37 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 33 Percentage of 3 points ,has 41 Percentage of field goals ,has 14 Losses ,has 90 Total points ,has 10 Turnovers ,has 41 Wins ."]

Minnesota's woes continued Tueday when their losing streak was extended to nine games, falling to Utah by a score of 100 - 94. The Timberwolves let an eight - point lead with four minutes to go slip away as the Jazz scored 11 unanswered points to take control. In their Monday night loss to the Clippers, the Jazz's sub - par free throw shooting sunk them down the stretch, but they performed much better at the charity stripe Tuesday, burying 17 of their 22 free throws against the Timberwolves. Gordon Hayward had his third 20 - point game in his last four contests. Against the Timberwolves, he led the Jazz with 26 points in 36 minutes. Despite losing their ninth straight game, Minnesota has to be encouraged by Shabazz Muhammad's night. Muhammad scored a season - high 30 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting from the floor, including five three - pointers. The Timberwolves are idle Wednesday before hosting the Kings on New Year's Day. The Jazz, coming off a tough loss Monday night at the Clippers, were able to rally in the fourth quarter against the Timberwolves. Utah has now won five of their last seven games, including wins at the Heat and at the Grizzlies. The Jazz will have the next two nights off before hosting the Hawks on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 100 Total points ,has 11 Points in 2nd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 94 Total points ,has 17 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 5 Wins ."]

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Houston Rockets 102 - 100 Tuesday at Toyota Center. The Spurs (23 - 5) entered the fourth quarter down seven points after the Rockets (21 - 8) put together a dominant performance in the third period to take the lead. But San Antonio, being the road warriors they are, managed to extend their record away from home to 15 - 1 thanks to a game - winning Patty Mills jumper with just 12 seconds left. Eric Gordon and James Harden both had their shot at game - winners after that, but failed to convert on their home floor. Mills finished with 13 points off the bench for the Spurs, but it was Kawhi Leonard who once again led the way for his team, scoring a team - high 21 points on top of five rebounds, four assists and five steals. LaMarcus Aldridge added a double - double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. For the Rockets, Tuesday's defeat put an end to their 10 - game win streak, but, for the team being, they remain in third place in the Western Conference standings. James Harden led the way for Houston with 31 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, but he shot just 10 - of - 26 from the field and 1 - of - 11 from behind the arc. And that cold streak from 3 - point range was contagious, as the team as a whole shot a miserable 6 - of - 38 (16 percent) from long range after being nearly unstoppable from behind the arc over their win streak. Up next, the Spurs will look to continue their winning ways on the road Thursday when they take on the Clippers, while the Rockets look to get back on track Wednesday in Phoenix.

["TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 16 Percentage of 3 points ,has 8 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 21 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 5 Percentage of 3 points ,has 102 Losses ,has 23 Total points ."]

The Magic (16 - 12) managed to outlast the Knicks (14 - 15) en route to a 107 - 99 victory at Madison Square Garden on Monday. Nikola Vucevic had 20 of his game - high 26 points after the third quarter while Evan Fournier was able to make a couple of huge baskets back - to - back to give the Magic a six point lead with two minutes remaining in the fourth, which ultimately put the Knicks out of reach. Vucevic abused New York down low, finishing 13 - of - 19 from the field with nine rebounds. Carmelo Anthony started off hot for the Knicks, but cooled off in the final frame. The Magic may have got the win Monday, but they lost point guard Elfrid Payton in the first quarter due to a sore left ankle. Prior to leaving, Payton was having a decent night with five points and three assists in 10 minutes of action. Orlando turned to Victor Oladipo in Payton's absence and he put together a nice game, scoring 12 points (4 - 7 FG, 4 - 5 FT) in 24 minutes. The Magic have been very good on the defensive side of the ball lately, but losing Payton will certainly affect those results should he be sidelined for an extended period of time. The Knicks were n't able to get a stop down the stretch, which led to their demise. They did however get an encouraging game from Lance Thomas, who matched his career high of 24 points - - which was also a season high - - while shooting a perfect 9 - of - 9 from the field (3 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT). Thomas has really come on in the month of December, averaging almost 12 points and a little over 20 minutes per game off the bench while having scored in double figures in six straight.

["TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 15 Losses ,has 99 Total points ,has 26 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 14 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 12 Losses ,has 107 Total points ,has 26 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 16 Points in 4th quarter ."]

The Golden State Warriors (48 - 12) dominated the Dallas Mavericks (40 - 24) en route to a 104 - 89 victory Friday in Oakland. It was an all - around brilliant team performance from the Warriors as six different players scored in double figures. Stephen Curry lead the way, recording 22 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting and seven assists in 31 minutes. Draymond Green also put together a solid outing, putting up 18 points on 8 - of - 14 shooting, nine rebounds, and four assists in 31 minutes. Klay Thompson struggled shooting from the field, but still managed 16 points on 5 - of - 14 shooting in 31 minutes. Harrison Barnes (12), Marreese Speights (12), and Shaun Livingston (10) rounded out the Golden State players who scored in double figures. The team improved to 26 - 2 at home this season and continue to have a hold on first place in the Western Conference. Nobody on the Mavericks could get anything going offensively. Rajon Rondo and Dirk Nowitzki led the team in scoring with 14 points each, but the two shot a combined 11 - of - 31 from the field. Monta Ellis had a horrendous shooting night, scoring just six points on 2 - of - 14 shooting. As a team, Dallas shot just 37 percent from the field and are currently in sixth place in the Western Conference after losing four of their last five games. Up next, the Warriors will stay at home and go up against the Clippers on Sunday, while the Mavericks will travel to Los Angeles Sunday to take on the Lakers.

["TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 12 Percentage of field goals ,has 104 Losses ,has 48 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 37 Percentage of field goals ,has 24 Losses ,has 89 Total points ,has 40 Wins ."]

The Golden State Warriors (57 - 6) defeated the Utah Jazz (29 - 35) 115 - 94 at Oracle Arena on Wednesday. The Warriors continued their home dominance in the regular season and improved to 280 at Oracle Arena. The outlier as compared to most Golden State games this season was Stephen Curry, who started the game 0 - for - 5 from the field, but made up for his off shooting with six assists in the first quarter. Curry finished the night with just 12 points, three rebounds and 10 assists on 4 - of - 12 shooting, but was bailed out by splash brother Klay Thompson, who led all scorers in the contest with 23 points. Thompson added was absent from the box score in terms of rebounding and assists, but he buried 5 - of - 8 from deep in 30 minutes. Draymond Green seemed to end his skid of rough shooting on his way to 17 points, to go along with seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks. The rotating bench hero honors belonged to Leandro Barbosa and Marreese Speights, as their 29 combined points kept the Jazz on their heels throughout the second half. It’s tough to put up a contest against the league’s best team, especially when they are a lights out 57 percent shooting as a unit. Trey Burke pitched in one of his better performances of the season in his bench role, and outside of getting crossed over by Curry, who followed up with a 55 - foot halftime buzzer beating, bank shot, three pointer, he led the Jazz in scoring and outplayed the starting backcourt. Burke added 18 points, including a perfect 8 - of - 8 from the charity stripe, in 22 minutes. Utah played physically during the first quarter, but the Warriors pace proved to be too much for Gordon Hayward and the rest of the starters, who looked gassed after just one half of play. Hayward contributed 16 points and six boards, but his team shot a combined 41 percent, and that was on a night where Curry looked vulnerable. Rodney Hood (back) did not play, but could return as soon as Friday. Both teams play on Friday, as the Jazz will host the Washington Wizards (29 - 34), and the Warriors face one of the six teams that have beat them this season, the Portland Trail Blazers (34 - 31).

["TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 6 Losses ,has 115 Total points ,has 34 Points in 4th quarter ,has 57 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 35 Losses ,has 94 Total points ,has 31 Points in 4th quarter ,has 29 Wins ."]

The Phoenix Suns (15 - 44) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (34 - 24) 111 - 106 on Saturday. Not many people would have expected a Suns win in this game, but they got off to a hot start and held off the Grizzlies for a much needed victory. Phoenix led 25 - 17 after the first quarter and proceeded to carry a double - digit lead into the fourth quarter. Despite the Grizzlies making a furious run, the Suns held them off in the final seconds. The key for Phoenix was their big men, as they outrebounded Memphis 55 to 35. Memphis came into this matchup winning four of their last five and really should have made it five of six. They lost to a Suns team that is really struggling and were simply outhustled all evening long. Mike Conley and Zach Randolph tied the team lead with 19 points in the loss, despite the two combining to go 12 - for - 31 from the field. The ball movement and rebounding was terrible, as the team combined for just seven assists outside of Conley's eight and were nearly doubled up on the boards. Memphis will look to play better on Monday when they face the Denver Nuggets in their next game. The Suns had lost 28 of their last 30, so to say this win was needed would be a drastic understatement. Alex Len was fantastic, as he scored 22 points, while snatching down 16 rebounds in the win. P.J. Tucker flirted with a triple - double, as he accumulated 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in one of the best games of his career. The Suns wo n't play again until Tuesday, when they take on the Charlotte Hornets on the road.

["TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 44 Percentage of 3 points ,has 111 Losses ,has 15 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 30 Percentage of 3 points ,has 24 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 28 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 30 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 30 Points in 4th quarter ,has 34 Wins ."]

The Indiana Pacers (40 - 36) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 68) 115 - 102 on Saturday. Indiana coach Frank Vogel opted for a change in his starting five prior to Saturday night's contest, inserting Lavoy Allen into the first unit and sending rookie Myles Turner to the bench. However, it was a night where the reserves stood out more than the front line players, as C.J. Miles, Rodney Stuckey and Turner all outshined their starting counterparts. Miles led the Pacers overall with 25 points, two rebounds, three steals and a block in just 21 minutes off the bench. Stuckey was close behind him with 17 points, five assists, a rebound and a steal over 22 minutes. Meanwhile, Turner notably outperformed Allen, who only played 13 minutes and tallied two points and a rebound despite the starting assignment. The rookie finished with eight points, 10 boards, two assists and a block in 27 minutes of court time. Paul George led the way for Indiana's starters with 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Monta Ellis followed with 12 points, six assists, two rebounds and a steal. George Hill was close behind with 11 points, three rebounds, an assist and a block. Ian Mahinmi was only able to muster a modest six points, but did haul in 12 rebounds and record a steal and a block. The Pacers momentarily vault into a second place - tie with the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, pending the outcome of Saturday's Pistons-Bulls contest. Indiana is currently slotted in the seventh seed as well, and heads to New York to face off with the Knicks on Sunday. Isaiah Canaan paced the Sixers with 24 points, four rebounds and a pair of assists. Jerami Grant, who was supposed to be on a playing time restriction in his second game back from injury, provided 20 points, nine boards, three assists and a block over 37 minutes on the court. Carl Landry continued his solid work in Nerlen Noel's stead, tallying 19 points, six rebounds and two assists. Ish Smith supplied 12 points, six assists and a pair of boards. Nik Stauskas paced the bench with nine points, three assists and a pair of rebounds. The Sixers remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They remain home to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday.

["TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 68 Losses ,has 102 Total points ,has 9 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 36 Losses ,has 115 Total points ,has 40 Wins ."]

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the visiting Atlanta Hawks, 123 - 98, to take a 20 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena. The contest was such a blowout at one point that even the 25 - point final margin of victory belies the extent of Cleveland's domination. After building a 35 - 20 lead after one quarter, the Cavs broke open the game for good in a second period that they prevailed in by a score of 39 - 18. The 74 - 38 halftime lead rendered the second half a veritable formality, and even with the Hawks outscoring a disinterested Cleveland squad by a score of 60 - 49 over the final 24 minutes, they never got within striking distance of the home team. It was an all - around stellar effort from the Cavs, which shot 47 percent from the field and 56 percent from three - point range, and elicited 16 turnovers from an overmatched Atlanta unit. With the game turning into a hopeless cause for the Hawks by halftime, no member of the starting five played more than 27 minutes. Paul Millsap spearheaded the first unit with a 16 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, a steal and a block. Jeff Teague rebounded from a lackluster Game 1 to record 14 points, six assists and three rebounds. Al Horford was the third and final member to manage double - digit scoring, supplying 10 points, three rebounds, an assist and a block. The bench saw more action than usual, with Kris Humphries pacing the reserves with 12 points, nine rebounds, an assist and a steal. Thabo Sefolosha and Mike Muscala followed with a pair of 10 - point efforts, with the former adding two rebounds and two assists, while the latter also hauling in a rebound. Cleveland's starters were done early for the night as well, as they were paced by a pair of 28 - minute stints from J.R. Smith and LeBron James. The latter also led all scorers with 27 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals. Meanwhile, Smith followed with 23 points, two rebounds and a pair of steals. He also enjoyed his second straight prolific game from three - point range, as he sank seven of 13 attempts from beyond the arc. Kyrie Irving registered 19 points, six assists, two rebounds and a steal. Kevin Love turned in an 11 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included two assists. Channing Frye led the second unit with 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. The series now shifts to Philips Arena in Atlanta for Game 3 on Friday night.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 123 Total points ,has 35 Points in 1st quarter ,has 39 Points in 2nd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 98 Total points ,has 20 Points in 1st quarter ,has 18 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 16 Turnovers ."]

Isaiah Thomas continued his stellar play while leading the Celtics with 38 points, nine assists, five rebounds and a steal. Jae Crowder stepped up with a 23 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Al Horford supplied a near double - double of 20 points and nine assists. Jaylen Brown started over Marcus Smart but only contributed two points and three rebounds. Smart and Gerald Green led the second unit with matching seven - point tallies. James Harden's 30 - point, 12 - assist paced the Rockets. Ryan Anderson produced 19 points, while Trevor Ariza and Clint Capela followed with matching 12 - point efforts. Sam Dekker paced the second unit with 15 points, and Montrezl Harrell tallied 11 points in a reserve role as well. Both teams had a hard time hanging on to the ball, as Houston was guilty of 17 turnovers, while Boston gave it away 18 times.

["TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 18 Losses ,has 18 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 17 Losses ."]

The Utah Jazz defeated the Orlando Magic, 114 - 107, at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Saturday. The Jazz (26 - 16) have a well - earned defensive reputation, but they did a fine job lighting up the scoreboard on Saturday as well after falling behind early. All five members of their first unit tallied double digits in the scoring column, and Utah shot a stellar 49 percent from the field overall. The Magic (17 - 25) did a pretty good job of keeping pace, though, as they emerged from the first quarter with a 42 - 29 lead and managed a 46 percent success rate from the floor. However, Utah's vaunted defense asserted its dominance following their disastrous first 12 minutes, limiting Orlando to just 65 points over the last three quarters. Elfrid Payton led all scorers with 28 points, which he supplemented with nine rebounds, nine assists, two steals and a block. Aaron Gordon went for 21 points, four boards, two assists and a steal. Nikola Vucevic could n't quite duplicate his standout effort from Friday night versus the Suns, but did contribute a solid 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. Serge Ibaka overcame a questionable designation due to a shoulder injury to take the floor and tally 13 points, five rebounds and two assists. Jodie Meeks notched a spot start in place of Evan Fournier (foot) and collected 12 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal. Jeff Green led the bench with 11 points and five rebounds. Gordon Hayward paced the Jazz with 23 points, seven assists, five rebounds and a steal. Rudy Gobert was next with a monster 19 - point, 19 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and two blocks. Derrick Favors registered 17 points, six rebounds and an assist. George Hill and Rodney Hood turned in matching 14 - point efforts, with the former also dishing out seven assists and recording two steals, and the latter posting four rebounds and two assists. Joe Ingles and Alec Burks led the second unit with a pair of eight - point tallies. The Magic continue their road trip with a Monday afternoon showdown against the Denver Nuggets, while the Jazz travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns on Monday evening.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 49 Percentage of field goals ,has 16 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 29 Points in 1st quarter ,has 26 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 46 Percentage of field goals ,has 25 Losses ,has 107 Total points ,has 42 Points in 1st quarter ,has 17 Wins ."]

The Miami Heat saw stellar play across the roster in Friday's win over the Atlanta Hawks. Bench guard Tyler Johnson led the team with 23 points and shot an astounding 9 - of - 11 from the field. Star center Hassan Whiteside disappeared on the offensive end, shooting 1 - of - 9 for two points, but was impressive in other areas, pulling down 10 rebounds to go along with two steals and a block. Guard Dion Waiters also struggled to find his shot, going 6 - of - 19 from the field for 14 points, but dished out 10 assists to help jump - start the Heat offense. For Atlanta, All-Star Paul Millsap led the way with 21 points. The veteran forward shot 6 - of - 9 but pulled down only four rebounds on the night. Rebounding and shooting both proved to be problem areas for Atlanta. The Hawks shot just 38 percent and were out - rebounded 54 - 45.

["TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 38 Percentage of field goals ,has 45 Rebounds ." "TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 54 Percentage of field goals ."]

The Lakers' second unit's 65 - point tally represented well over the team's scoring total and they were led by Lou Williams' team - high 21 points over 27 minutes. Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance, Jr. combined for another 30 points off the bench, with the latter also hauling in 10 rebounds. Nick Young totaled 17 points, a rebound and a steal as the only starter to manage double - digit scoring, as the Lakers played without the injured D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle. Kent Bazemore led Atlanta with 21 points, while Dwight Howard supplied 19 points and nine boards. However, Dennis Schroder and Paul Millsap could only combine for 20 points between them, while Mike Muscala was the high scorer off the bench with a 10 - point total. The Lakers also outrebounded the Hawks by a notable 53 - 38 margin despite Randle's absence.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 21 Points in 1st quarter ,has 53 Rebounds ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 38 Points in 1st quarter ."]

The San Antonio Spurs (40 - 8) took care of business against the Orlando Magic (21 - 26) in a 107 - 92 win on Monday. The Spurs came into this game as a 15 - point favorite and did exactly what they were expected to do. San Antonio outscored Orlando by 21in the first and fourth quarters and that was ultimately the difference in the game. The Magic actually dominated the rebounding, but were outshot 51 percent to 41 percent in the loss. San Antonio recorded 27 assists on their 40 made buckets in the victory as well. Orlando has broken an eight - game losing streak in their most recent win, but this was a tough task against the Spurs. The offense really struggled, as they barely cracked 40 percent shooting and committed 16 turnovers in the loss. Nikola Vucevic had a nice game though, as he tallied 20 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Aaron Gordon has taken over the starting power forward duties recently and he showed why on Monday, as he scored 12 points and snatched down 16 rebounds in 31 minutes of play. Victor Oladipo was also extremely active, as he tallied 19 points, seven assists and five steals in the defeat. Up next for the Magic is a date with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. The Spurs got a ton of production from their bench in this matchup, as most starters barely played half the game. The bench scored 56 points in all with Patty Mills dropping 22 points, four rebounds and five assists in a great performance. LaMarcus Aldridge had one of his best games as a Spur too, as he scored 28 points and swatted away five shots in the win. This took San Antonio to a 260 record at home this season and they'll look to keep that going on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans in their next game.

["TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 27 Number of team assists ,has 8 Percentage of field goals ,has 107 Losses ,has 40 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 41 Number of team assists ,has 26 Percentage of field goals ,has 92 Losses ,has 20 Total points ,has 16 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 21 Turnovers ."]

The Brooklyn Nets (13 - 15) defeated the Boston Celtics (10 - 17) 109 - 107 on Friday. Brooklyn extended their win streak to three games with Friday’s win, their longest streak of the season. Deron Williams returned from a two - game absence with a calf injury to come off the bench and score eight points with four assists in 21 minutes. Jarrett Jack, who started in Williams' place, carried this game to make an argument for bigger minutes going forward, finishing with 27 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in 34 minutes. The win further separated the eighth place Nets from ninth place Celtics as the Nets continue to position themselves for the playoffs as the team gets healthy. Brooklyn will return to the court Saturday to play the Pacers at home. Boston is heading in the opposite direction from the Nets as Friday’s loss made it three in a row for the Celtics. Despite starting off the third quarter strong, Boston was unable to stop a second half push by Brooklyn to get back in the game. Compared to the previous two losses, the Celtics got solid all - around production from their starters. Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger both bounced back to score 22 and 19 respectively, after combining to score four points collectively against Orlando. Boston travels to Washington to face off against the Wizards on Saturday.

["TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 17 Losses ,has 107 Total points ,has 10 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 15 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 13 Wins ."]

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

["TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 13 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 25 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 25 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 11 Wins ."]

The Charlotte Hornets (17 - 25) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (7 - 33) 105 - 80 on Monday. Charlotte has turned their season around since the New Year, winning seven of their nine contests in 2015. While Kemba Walker was forced to sit out a second straight game with a knee issue, Al Jefferson returned from a nine - game absence with a groin injury. Jefferson played 25 minutes off the bench and put up eight points and five rebounds. Gerald Henderson scored a team - high 17 points, and Lance Stephenson handed out nine assists in 27 minutes off the bench. The Hornets sit just 1 games out of the final playoff spot in the East, and their next game will be at home against the Miami Heat on Wednesday. Minnesota ran into the wall that is the Hornets' defense. After scoring 17+ points in each of his last ten games, including a career - high 31 points Saturday, Andrew Wiggins was held to just 12 points Monday, putting a stopper on the Timberwolves' most consistent weapon of late. Kevin Martin (wrist) remains on the cusp of returning to action for the T-Wolves, and Nikola Pekovic Ricky Rubio are nearing returns as well. Though it remains to be seen how Minnesota will deploy their rotation once healthy, as the team has publicly announced their intention to build for the future. The Timberwolves will return home to host the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 25 Losses ,has 105 Total points ,has 17 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 33 Losses ,has 80 Total points ,has 7 Wins ."]

The Chicago Bulls defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 115 - 109, at Spectrum Center on Monday night. The Bulls (31 - 35) had looked particularly sluggish during the five - game losing streak they'd come in to Monday with, as even the normally dependable Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade had appeared to fall victim to the malaise. In an attempt to shake matters up, head coach Fred Hoiberg opted to reinsert the mercurial Rajon Rondo into the starting lineup and bring Nikola Mirotic back into the rotation, with moves key to the road victory. Rondo provided 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists and one steal over 36 minutes to help complement resurgent performances on the first unit from Butler and Wade, while Mirotic ended up topping the team in scoring on the night. Chicago also got off on the right foot with a 36 - 24 lead after one quarter, a foundation that ultimately helped them hold on for the hard - fought win. Mirotic provided 24 points off the bench, which he supplemented with 11 rebounds. Butler and Wade led the way on the starting five with matching 23 - point efforts, with the former dishing out 11 assists, hauling in six rebounds and recording a pair of steals and blocks apiece, and the latter posting five assists, one rebound, two steals and one block. Denzel Valentine continued his recent stretch of solid play as a reserve with 11 points, five boards and two assists. Robin Lopez and Bobby Portis had quiet nights, tallying six and five points, respectively, while combining for nine rebounds and three assists. The Hornets (29 - 38) saw Jeremy Lamb, who drew the start for Nicolas Batum (migraine), lead the way with 26 points, a total he supplemented with four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was next with 22 points, six boards and one assist. Kemba Walker was right behind with a 21 - point, 10 - assist double - double that also included four rebounds. Marvin Williams produced a 13 - point, 18 - rebound double - double that also included five assists and one block. Cody Zeller managed 11 points, seven rebounds, two assists, three blocks and one steal. With such a productive night for the Charlotte starting five, the second unit produced a collective 16 points despite two players (Frank Kaminsky and Marco Belinelli) logging over 20 minutes. The Bulls head back home to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, while the Hornets travel to Indiana for a Wednesday evening date with the Pacers.

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 38 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 24 Points in 1st quarter ,has 29 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 115 Losses ,has 36 Total points ."]

Detroit was one of the best rebounding teams in the NBA last season, while the Bucks were one of the worst, and that showed in this game. In fact, the Pistons recorded 58 rebounds, while holding Milwaukee to just 40 of their own. Both teams struggled from long range, as they combined to go just 9 - for - 37, with neither team hitting more than 25 percent of its threes. This was the Pistons' second straight home game and in both contests they have allowed 83 points or fewer. Milwaukee had seven players play at least 11 minutes while scoring eight points or fewer. The Detroit starters outscored the Milwaukee starters 78 - 52, and every Pistons' players had a plus - minus rating of five or higher in their win. In the preseason, the Pistons held the Bucks to just 78 points, with Andre Drummond recording a double - double and Kentavious Caldwell-Pop leading the team in scoring, as was also the case Sunday night.

["TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 25 Percentage of 3 points ,has 1 Losses ,has 58 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 83 Percentage of 3 points ,has 40 Losses ,has 1 Total points ."]

The Oklahoma City Thunder (8 - 6) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (9 - 5) 117 - 114 on Sunday. In a nail - biter of a game, the Thunder were able to prevail thanks to some late heroics. The Thunder ended the game on a 13 - 4 run and that proved to be the difference. Both teams shot exceptionally well in the game, as Dallas shot 53 percent while the Thunder shot 52 percent. The major difference was the free - throw shooting though, as the Thunder hit 78 percent of their free - throws while Dallas shot just 57 percent from the charity stripe. Dallas was one of the hottest teams in the league coming into this game and they nearly escaped with their seventh - straight win. They simply didn’t play enough defense throughout the game to hold off the Thunder though, as they allowed at least 27 points in every quarter. They were led by yet another double - double from Zaza Pachulia, who is proving to be one of the steals of the offseason. Deron Williams also had another nice game, as he tallied 20 points, six rebounds and six assists in the defeat. The Mavericks will try to start a new winning - streak on Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Thunder had lost three of their last four games coming into this matchup, so the win was much needed. They got some serious help from their bench in this game, as three different players scored in double - digits. Oklahoma City was led by Russell Westbrook once again, as he totaled 31 points, 11 assists, five rebounds and five steals in the win. The return of Kevin Durant seems to be right around the corner as well, so things appear to be turning around for the Western Conference hopefuls. They'll hope Durant return's for Monday's game against the Utah Jazz in the second half of a back - to - back.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 52 Percentage of 3 points ,has 6 Percentage of field goals ,has 117 Losses ,has 31 Total points ,has 27 Points in 1st quarter ,has 8 Points in 2nd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 53 Percentage of 3 points ,has 53 Percentage of field goals ,has 5 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 27 Points in 1st quarter ,has 9 Points in 2nd quarter ."]

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

["TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 18 Number of team assists ,has 13 Percentage of field goals ,has 100 Losses ,has 22 Total points ,has 18 Points in 1st quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 37 Number of team assists ,has 18 Percentage of field goals ,has 91 Losses ,has 18 Total points ,has 14 Points in 1st quarter ."]

The Charlotte Hornets (16 - 25) defeated the Indiana Pacers (15 - 27) 80 - 71 in overtime on Saturday at the Time Warner Cable Arena. This game was marked by a combination of good defense and poor shooting as the final score would indicate. Both teams shot under 15 percent from beyond the arc and Charlotte shot just 30 percent from the floor overall. Marvin Williams hit a three to give the Hornets the lead late in the fourth quarter, but Rodney Stuckey answered with two free throws to send the game into overtime. The Pacers were held scoreless for the first four - and - a - half minutes of the overtime period as Charlotte pulled away. Indiana let this game slip away as its losing skid extended to four games. Roy Hibbert had a solid night with 12 points and 14 rebounds. George Hill is nearing a return and is expected to rejoin the lineup sometime during this five - game road trip. The Pacers will be idle Sunday before traveling to Houston to play the Rockets on Monday. Charlotte has now won six of its last seven games. Lance Stephenson, who returned to action Friday after missing time with a pelvic injury, played just 20 minutes but managed 13 points on 5 - of - 12 shooting. Brian Roberts got the start at point guard for the injured Kemba Walker, but produced just six points on 2 - of - 12 shooting. Walker is dealing with a cyst in his knee and is considered day - to - day. The Hornets will host the Timberwolves on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 25 Losses ,has 80 Total points ,has 7 Turnovers ,has 16 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 27 Losses ,has 71 Total points ,has 15 Turnovers ."]

The Golden State Warriors (60 - 13) notched their 60th win of the season Saturday with a 108 - 95 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks (36 - 37) at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. With Saturday's victory, Golden State set a franchise record with 60 wins on the season. Steph Curry continued to make his case for MVP with a 25 point outing in which he hit six three - pointers. The Bucks took a 16 - 14 lead in the first, but that would be their last lead of the game as the Warriors eventually pulled away. Golden State swept the season series against Milwaukee 20. The Warriors have now won nine in a row. Eight of those nine wins have been by double digits with the lone single digit victory coming against the Lakers. The Warriors have topped 100 points in 11 straight contests as well. Golden State clinched the Western Conference with the victory and will have home court advantage through the playoffs. The Warriors will return to action Tuesday against the Clippers. Milwaukee simply did n't have the offensive fire power to match Golden State on Saturday. The Bucks shot just 38% from the floor as a team and committed 15 turnovers. Khris Middleton led the team in scoring with 14 points on 5 - of - 14 shooting. The Bucks have a matchup with the Hawks on the docket for Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 38 Percentage of field goals ,has 37 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 15 Turnovers ,has 36 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 13 Percentage of field goals ,has 108 Losses ,has 60 Total points ."]

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 100 - 93, at Quicken Loans Arena on Sunday. More often than not, the trio of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving are essentially enough to overcome most opponents. It was a different story Sunday, however, as veteran Channing Frye actually led the way with a season - high 20 - point effort in 25 minutes off the bench. The aforementioned starters were n't necessarily underwhelming, as they combined for 55 points, including four total three - pointers from Love and James. Defense was also undeniably a factor, as Cleveland (8 - 1) held the Hornets (6 - 3) to 38 percent success rates from both the field and three - point range. The Hornets were led by Kemba Walker, who tallied 21 points, four assists, two rebounds and a steal. Marvin Williams posted 16 points, six rebounds and two assists. Nicolas Batum managed a near double - double with 15 points, nine boards, seven assists, two steals and a block. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist did get there, supplying 11 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and a steal. Frye added three rebounds and three blocks to his team - high scoring total. A pair of 19 - point efforts from James and Irving paced the starting five, with the former also filling out the stat sheet with eight rebounds, eight assists, a steal and a block and the latter dishing out four assists, posting three rebounds and recording a steal. Love was strong as well, pouring in 17 points and bringing in 11 rebounds, four assists and a steal. Tristan Thompson mustered a modest four points, but did bring in 12 rebounds. The Hornets move on to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Tuesday night, while the Cavaliers remain home to take on the Raptors on Tuesday evening as well.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 1 Percentage of 3 points ,has 100 Percentage of field goals ,has 8 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 38 Percentage of 3 points ,has 38 Percentage of field goals ,has 3 Losses ,has 93 Total points ,has 21 Points in 4th quarter ,has 6 Wins ."]

Shooting efficiency was the key to the Kings success, while also being the downfall of any Suns comeback in a loss to Sacramento on Wednesday. The Kings shot 51 percent from the field, led by strong shooting performances from starters like DeMarcus Cousins (6 - of - 10) and Rudy Gay (9 - of - 15), in addition to the bench, where six of the seven players who received minutes shot above the 50 percent mark, including Matt Barnes and Garrett Temple. The Suns, on the other hand, finished 25 percent from behind the arc and a lowly 67 percent from the charity stripe. While Phoenix was able to create from the field (47 percent overall as a unit), the efficiency from deep and the free - throw line resulted in multiple failed comeback efforts. An interesting note on rookie Dragan Bender for Phoenix stood out with his plus - minus of plus - 10, the highest amongst all Suns players on the night.

["TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 25 Percentage of 3 points ,has 47 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 51 Percentage of 3 points ."]

D'Angelo Russell was the best player for Los Angeles in Thursday's win and finished with 28 points on 10 - of - 20 shooting, to go along with four rebounds and three assists, including six three - pointers. Brandon Ingram also impressed with 14 points, six boards and three assists for Los Angeles in the 122 - 110 win over the Phoenix Suns. Julius Randle added 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal and a block in 32 minutes of action. Devin Booker scored 23 points to lead all Suns scorers, and finished 10 - of - 21 from the field alongside six rebounds and three assists. Eric Bledsoe struggled to find a rhythm, but managed a quality stat line of 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block. T.J. Warren completed a double - double with 17 points and 13 rebounds, while rookie Marquese Chriss managed 18 points on 3 - of - 4 shooting from behind the arc.

["TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 110 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 122 Total points ."]

The Atlanta Hawks defeated the New York Knicks in quadruple overtime, 142 - 139, at Phillips Arena on Sunday. A game that started off with very little defense being played over the first two quarters ended up becoming much tighter over the third and fourth periods. After the Knicks (21 - 28) held a 65 - 61 lead going into halftime, the two teams combined for just 84 points in the second half. With four overtimes, there were plenty of opportunities for heroics, and Carmelo Anthony and Courtney Lee capitalized on three of them. Anthony's driving layup with two seconds left in regulation and 18 - footer with six ticks in the first overtime helped New York stay alive, while Lee's 26 - foot three - point jumper with one second on the clock in the second overtime sent matters into a third extra period. Dennis Schroder then turned the tables, draining a driving layup with three seconds remaining in the third overtime. Finally, it was Paul Millsap who put an end to the Knicks' first four - overtime tilt since 1951, pouring in a shot with 27 seconds remaining that gave Atlanta (28 - 20) a 141 - 139 lead they would n't relinquish. In all, four Knicks players, including Anthony, fouled out, while Millsap played a whopping 60 minutes. Anthony led the way for New York with a season - high 45 points, along with six rebounds, four assists and one block over 46 minutes, taking a whopping 36 shots in the process. Brandon Jennings, starting for Derrick Rose (ankle), totaled 18 points, 11 assists, three rebounds and one steal. Lee had a near double - double with 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block. Kristaps Porzingis managed 15 points, five boards, one assist and three blocks. Justin Holiday stepped up with a bench - leading 15 points, which he supplemented with nine rebounds, two assists and one steal. Mindaugas Kuzminskas posted 13 points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block in a reserve role as well. Kyle O'Quinn hauled in 12 boards off the bench, and Joakim Noah had a modest six points but added 14 rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks. Millsap paced Atlanta with a 37 - point, 19 - rebound double - double that also included seven assists, one steal and one block. Kent Bazemore managed 24 points and nine rebounds. Schroder posted a 23 - point, 15 - assist double - double that also included four rebounds, while Dwight Howard posted a 19 - point, 13 - rebound effort of his own. Tim Hardaway, Jr. matched Howard's point total while dishing out eight assists, hauling in five rebounds and recording a steal. Mike Dunleavy led the reserves with 12 points. The Knicks get a day off to rest before facing the Washington Wizards in the Nation's Capital on Tuesday evening, while the Hawks travel to South Florida to face the Heat on Wednesday night.

["TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 20 Losses ,has 142 Total points ,has 28 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 28 Losses ,has 139 Total points ,has 21 Wins ."]

The Houston Rockets (21 - 19) defeated the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves (12 - 28) 107 - 104 on Wednesday atToyota Center. This game marked a close affair between two Western Conference teams. With nine seperate lead changes, each team had their chance to make a run and close the game out, but in the end, the Rockets came out victorious. In the fourth quarter, down by seven with a minute and a half left in the game, the Timberwolves did everything they could finish strong. A bucket by Kevin Martin and a pair of free throws from Karl Anthony-Towns brought them within three. After a missed shot by the Rockets, Martin had a chance to tie the ball game at 107, but missed a three - pointer at the buzzer to take the loss on the road. It was James Harden, though, that led the way for the Rockets on Wednesday. Harden started the game out strong, scoring 16 points in the first half alone. He went on to finish the night with a team - high of 27 points (8 - 22 FG, 2 - 10 3Pt, 9 - 11 FT), while also getting his teammates involved and adding 11 assists. The double - double marked his eighth of the season, while it was the sixth time he's recorded double - digit assists. Notching a double - double of his own was Dwight Howard. Howard has dealt with lingering back spasms this season, but did n't show any ill effects Wednesday and added 15 points (5 - 7 FG, 5 - 10 FT), 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. While the above duo played well, they also received some help off the bench, as Terrence Jones chipped in with 16 points (7 - 11 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and nine rebounds. It was Andrew Wiggins who did everything he could to keep the Timberwolves close. He struggled in the first half, recording just 10 points and one rebound, but he ended up exploding in the second half and finished the outing with 28 points (9 - 16 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT) and a pair of boards. The second - year guard out of Kansas has really stepped it up offensively of late and is averaging 27 points over his last four outings. December's Rookie of the Month, Karl Anthony-Towns, also saw some success against the tough defensive bigs of the Rockets. Towns recorded 12 points (4 - 10 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 4 fT) and 16 rebounds over 33 minutes of action. The 16 rebounds matched a season - high for the rookie. The Rockets' next game will be at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, while the Timberwolves will remain on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 19 Losses ,has 107 Total points ,has 21 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 28 Losses ,has 104 Total points ,has 12 Wins ."]

The Miami Heat (12 - 6) handily defeated the powerhouse Cleveland Cavaliers (13 - 7) on Saturday, winning 99 - 84. Cleveland star LeBron James was scratched from the lineup just a few hours before game time. Coach David Blatt told the media that he had to "force the issue" to get James to take the rest. The 30 - year - old superstar was coming off of a grueling overtime game in New Orleans the night before, so his absence is indicative of the team wanting to preserve their star's energy. Miami was able to capitalize on King James's absence, jumping out to a 12 - point lead by the end of the first quarter that they simply would not let go of. Things seemed to be firing on all cylinders for the Heat, as the team shot 54 percent from the field while holding their opponents to a measley 37 percent. Veteran Dwyane Wade and sophomore Tyler Johnson tied for the team lead in scoring, dropping in 19 points apiece. Meanwhile, center Hassan Whiteside, who was averaging a whopping 5 blocks per game coming into the matchup against the Cavaliers, continued his historic shot - blocking season, posting five blocks despite logging just 21 minutes. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, saw numerous underwhelming performances. All-star Kevin Love was held to just 2 - of - 11 from the floor, recording just five points. Shooting guard J.R. Smith also exhibited questionable shot selection at times, finishing just 4 - for - 12. Ultimately, it simply was not Cleveland's night. They will hope to fare better with a well - rested LeBron James as they take on the Trail Blazers on Tuesday. The Heat, on the other hand, will look to build upon the blowout of the Cavs. Their next matchup is at home on Monday against the Wizards.

["TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 54 Percentage of field goals ,has 6 Losses ,has 99 Total points ,has 12 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 7 Percentage of field goals ,has 84 Losses ,has 13 Total points ."]

The Toronto Raptors (23 - 15) defeated the Washington Wizards (15 - 19) 97 - 88 on Friday. If this keeps up, DeMar DeRozan's approval rating in Washington is going to sink faster than that of some politicans.The Raptors' shooting guard has been positively deadly against the Wizards this season, and particularly the last two games. Just eight days ago, he blasted Washington for 34 points, six rebounds, five assists, a pair of steals and a pair of blocks in Toronto. Friday, the nation's capital was the scene of the crime, with the 26 - year - old besting his prior effort by tallying 35 points, equaling his season high with eight rebounds, and adding an assist, a block and a steal. Factoring in his 20 - point outing in the season's initial meeting between the two teams back on Nov. 28, DeRozan has now averaged just under 30 points per contest against one of the worst defenses in the league versus shooting guards. Backcourt mate Kyle Lowry played second banana to DeRozan on this night, but still managed an impressive double - double. He totaled 21 points and added 10 boards, four assists, four steals and a block, with the only blemish being his six turnovers. Luis Scola was the only other starter whose points reached double figures, with the power forward posting 11 points and hauling in five rebounds. Corey Joseph led the reserves with eight points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. The Raptors improved to 23 - 15 and remain atop the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Philadelphia for a Saturday showdown with the Sixers. As customary, John Wall led the way for Washington with 21 points, four assists and three blocks. However, like his counterpart on the Raptors, he was a bit careless with the ball, committing seven turnovers. Otto Porter was next on the totem pole, collecting 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, a pair of steals and a block. Marcin Gortat, who along with Wall has been one of the main sources of offensive production during Bradley Beal's absence, was the only other starter with double - digit points. The Wizards' big man posted a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that he supplemented with three assists and three blocks. Ramon Sessions put together one of his typically productive efforts off the bench to pace the Washington reserves, pouring in 14 points and adding four rebounds, an assist and a block. The Wizards fell to 15 - 19 and remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head to Orlando for a Saturday afternoon showdown versus the Magic.

["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 19 Losses ,has 88 Total points ,has 21 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 14 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 15 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 15 Losses ,has 97 Total points ,has 23 Points in 2nd quarter ."]

The Detroit Pistons (39 - 34) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (41 - 31) 112 - 105 on Friday. Both teams saw key starters make their return to the lineup for Friday's contest. Marvin Williams, the Hornets' sharpshooting big man, made it back after a one - game absence due to a knee injury, while the Pistons' Kentavious Caldwell-Pope returned from his own one - game sabbatical that had been brought about by an illness. The Detroit two - guard came out on the better end of things Friday, as he tallied a team - high 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Meanwhile, Williams could only muster seven points, two rebounds and two assists over a modest 22 minutes of action. The Pistons also established a dominant presence down low, as they out - rebounded the visitors by the notable margin of 62 - 42, and outscored them in the paint, 50 - 32. Charlotte was led by Kemba Walker, who tallied 29 points, five assists and two rebounds. Nicolas Batum was the only other starter who managed double - digit scoring, totaling 10 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and a steal. Jeremy Lamb led the reserves as the only other Hornets player to score more than 10 points, amassing 11 points, five rebounds, an assist and a trio of steals over 22 minutes off the bench. The Hornets are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and slotted in the sixth seed in the conference as well. They head to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks in a Saturday night tilt. Marcus Morris was right behind Caldwell-Pope's scoring total for the Pistons, extending a recent stretch of impressive play with 20 points and seven rebounds. Andre Drummond followed closely behind with an 18 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included three blocks. Reggie Jackson was typically efficient, collecting 17 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Aron Baynes paced the reserves with 16 points and eight rebounds in only 19 minutes, his third double - digit scoring effort over the last four games. Anthony Tolliver was also productive off the bench, registering 11 points, eight rebounds and a block. The Pistons have now vaulted into a second - place tie with the Pacers in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and are slotted in the eighth seed as well. They're home again on Saturday night versus the Atlanta Hawks.

["TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 34 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 62 Points in 4th quarter ,has 39 Rebounds ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 31 Losses ,has 105 Total points ,has 29 Points in 4th quarter ,has 42 Rebounds ,has 41 Wins ."]

The host Golden State Warriors defeated the Phoenix Suns, 138 - 109, at Oracle Arena on Saturday. The Warriors came into this game as a monster favorite and they left very little doubt in who the better team was. Not only did they win all four quarters, they never relinquished the lead after the first quarter. Golden State were lights - out shooting, as they went 49 - of - 78 from the field and 14 - of - 21 from three - point range. Ball movement was key, as the Warriors assisted on 38 of their 49 made baskets. Many statistics were lopsided, as Golden State dominated the paint scoring, fastbreak points and points off turnovers. Phoenix (6 - 14) came in with a league - worst defense and they left feeling even more discouraged. Eric Bledsoe did continue his great run though, as he tallied 27 points, five rebounds, four assists and five steals in the defeat. Devin Booker was second on the team, scoring 21 points and dishing out five assists. No player on the team had more than five assists and no player reached double figures in rebounding. Brandon Knight led the bench in scoring, dropping 14 points in 22 minutes. Phoenix's next game is on Tuesday, when they play the Utah Jazz on the road. Golden State (17 - 3) were expected to win by 17 and they nearly doubled that spread with unstoppable offense. Stephen Curry led the team in scoring, dropping 31 points on 10 - of - 15 shooting. Klay Thompson had one of his best games of the season as well, accumulating 26 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in the blowout win. Kevin Durant was n't far behind, tallying 20 points, four rebounds and eight assists. The bench combined for 45 points, as they were used for the majority of the fourth quarter. Golden State will play again on Monday, as they host the Indiana Pacers for their next game.

["TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 3 Losses ,has 138 Total points ,has 38 Rebounds ,has 17 Turnovers ,has 17 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 14 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 6 Rebounds ."]

The Hawks (28 - 8) put an end to the Pistons’ (12 - 24) seven - game winning streak Friday, holding on for a 106 - 101 victory at home. Atlanta got off to a hot start, jumping out to a nine - point lead after the first quarter. The lead reached 19 points at the half, as the Hawks outscored Detroit 33 - 23 in the second quarter. Detroit was able to chip away at the deficit in third but still trailed by 15 entering the final period. The Pistons began the fourth on a 9 - 3 run spurred by back - to - back threes from Anthony Tolliver and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Atlanta responded, pushing the lad back to 14 points, but Caldwell-Pope answered back with seven consecutive points, and a pair of Greg Monroe free throws trimmed the deficit to just seven points with 2:35 remaining. Kyle Korver drilled a three - pointer to put the Hawks up 105 - 95 but Caldwell-Pope answered back again, converting back - to - back threes and brining Detroit back to within four. Following a DeMarre Carroll miss, the Pistons were unable to convert on the other end, and Atlanta controlled the rebound and salted the game away at the free throw line. The Hawks, who shot nearly 49 percent from the floor, placed all five starters in double - figures, paced by 19 points and 16 rebounds from Al Horford. Paul Millsap added 17 points, and Korver finished with 11 points (3 - 3 3Pt). Thabo Sefolosha added 12 points off the bench in 15 minutes. Detroit was led by 20 from Caldwell-Pope, who converted just 4 - of - 15 three - point attempts. Brandon Jennings added 14 points (6 - 14 FG), and Kyle Singler and Greg Monroe chipped in 16 and 15 points apiece. Monroe also added 12 rebounds. Andre Drummond was limited to just four points and five rebounds in 17 minutes, despite not being in foul trouble.

["TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 23 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 49 Percentage of field goals ,has 8 Losses ,has 33 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 28 Wins ."]

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the visiting San Antonio Spurs, 111 - 97, to even the Western Conference semifinals in Game 4 on Sunday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Oklahoma City used an outstanding fourth quarter to pull away from an overwhelmed Spurs squad. Kevin Durant, who lead all scorers with 41 points, was particularly pivotal in the final minutes, draining several baskets that continued to extend the Thunder's lead seemingly every time San Antonio appeared to be making some headway. Oklahoma City was outstanding on both ends of the floor throughout the game, as they managed a 51 percent success rate from the field, and 39 percent from three - point range. They also suffocated the Spurs' long - range attack, limiting them to just 17 percent shooting from beyond the arc. San Antonio received a trio of 20 - point - plus efforts from their starting five, spearheaded by Tony Parker's team - leading 22 points. He added three assists, a steal and a block. Kawhi Leonard was right behind him with 21 points, which he complemented with six rebounds, two assists and four steals. LaMarcus Aldridge tallied 20 points and six rebounds. Both Tim Duncan and Danny Green, the other two members of the first unit, went scoreless over 40 combined minutes, with the latter being the only one of the two who attempted any field goals. Boris Diaw paced the reserves with 11 points and three rebounds. Durant supplemented his game - high point total with five rebounds, four assists and a steal. Steven Adams was next among the starting five with a 16 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included a pair of blocks. Russell Westbrook filled out the stat sheet with 14 points, 15 assists and three steals. Dion Waiters led the bench with 17 points, and added three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Enes Kanter achieved double - digit scoring in a reserve role as well, supplying 11 points and eight rebounds. The series now shifts back to San Antonio, where the deadlocked teams will meet for Game 5 at the AT & T Center on Tuesday night.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 39 Percentage of 3 points ,has 51 Percentage of field goals ,has 111 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 17 Percentage of 3 points ,has 97 Percentage of field goals ."]

The host New Orleans Pelicans handily defeated the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, 105 - 88. New Orleans (7 - 12) has been able to turn its season around after a horrendous 1 - 9 start. The return of point guard Jrue Holiday has been an integral part of the Pelicans' recent success. Holiday scored 22 points and hit four of New Orleans' eight three - pointers on Tuesday. Of course, the biggest factor for the Pelicans was All-Star forward Anthony Davis, who scored 41 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. Davis is currently the league's leading scorer and an emerging candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, a case Davis furthered with four steals and two blocks on Tuesday. The outing was Davis's 11th game of 25 points and 10 rebounds on the season. Thanks in large part to Davis's dominance, it was an easy win for New Orleans, which hopped out to a 24 - point lead by halftime. Los Angeles (9 - 10), meanwhile, has been surprisingly hot to start the season but saw an unfortunate night on Tuesday. Veteran Nick Young was forced to exit the game and was diagnosed with an Achilles strain after just two minutes of play. Guard D'Angelo Russell continues to sit with an injury to his left knee. The Lakers consequently saw big minutes from their bench on Tuesday, with five bench players tallying over 20 minutes. Sixth man Lou Williams led the team with 16 points, while starter Julius Randle scored 12 and had 10 rebounds in just 22 minutes. The Lakers will visit the Bulls on Wednesday, while New Orleans will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 12 Losses ,has 105 Total points ,has 24 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 7 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 10 Losses ,has 88 Total points ,has 9 Points in 3rd quarter ."]

The Dallas Mavericks (24 - 19) defeated the visiting Boston Celtics (22 - 20) 118 - 113 in overtime at American Airlines Arena on Monday. The battle between two playoff caliber teams produced fireworks on Monday with a neck - and - neck second half and overtime period that eventually went in favor of the home town Mavericks. With :34 remaining in the 4th quarter, Jared Sullinger blocked Raymond Felton’s floater, resulting in a Jae Crowder fast break layup to take a one point lead. A pair of Dirk Nowitzki free throws and Deron Williams free throws followed on the next two possessions, giving Dallas a three point advantage with :15 left. Boston inbounded and worked the ball to Jae Crowder, who pulled up for a 3 - point shot and was fouled on his follow through by Raymond Felton. Felton writhed on the ground after what looked to be a vicious, yet accidental, eye poke. Crowder sank all three from the charity stripe, forcing overtime. The overtime period was dominated by Deron Williams, who scored 10 points, including back - to - back 3 - pointers and an assist to Dirk Nowitzki in the corner for a third straight trey. Williams hot hand resulted in 20 points (7 - of - 17 FG, 2 - of - 5 3PT, 4 - of - 4 FT), five rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes. Nowitzki turned back the clock and led all scorers with 31 points, to go along with 11 rebounds. Wes Matthews helped the Mavs to get a solid first half lead with 15 points on 3 - of - 8 from behind the arc, but was mostly positioned in a defensive role down the stretch. The Mavericks will take a day off before hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves (13 - 29) on Wednesday. Brad Stevens continues to draw up crafty plays and facilitate a growing offense in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics produced six players in double figures, led by Isiah Thomas’ 20 points, four rebounds and seven assists. The 5’8” point guard sliced and diced his way through the Mavericks defense, often disappearing amongst the big men and either finishing at the rim or dishing it out to Avery Bradley behind the arc. Bradley scored 19 points on 4 - of - 8 shooting from deep, while Marcus Smart turned in an all around, stat stuffed performance with 20 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Boston would not quit after Williams and Nowitzki all but sank their chances, as Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger turned in a couple of buckets towards the end of the overtime period, but it was not enough to come away with a win. The Celtics will head north and visit the Toronto Raptors (26 - 15) on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 19 Losses ,has 118 Total points ,has 24 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 20 Losses ,has 113 Total points ,has 22 Wins ."]

The Oklahoma City Thunder (16 - 17) defeated the Phoenix Suns (18 - 16) 137 - 134 in overtime on Wednesday. Oklahoma City has won three of their last four games. Kevin Durant returned from a six - game absence due to an ankle sprain and put up a season - high 44 points in 40 minutes. Russell Westbrook was ejected in the second quarter after collecting two technical fouls. He put up 20 points and four assists in 17 minutes before his ejection. Reggie Jackson started the second half at point guard with Westbrook unavailable. In a somewhat surprising development, Serge Ibaka has taken his 41 - percent shooting from beyond the arc this season and began upping his attempts. Over his last four games, he's converted at least three three - pointers in each contest. Oklahoma City will stay home to host the Washington Wizards on Friday. Phoenix has lost two straight close games to teams that are immediately trailing them in the Western Conference standings. Eric Bledsoe did his best to keep the Suns in the game, posting a team - high 29 points and eight assists in 42 minutes. Phoenix shot 51 percent from the field, 48 percent from beyond the arc and 83 percent from the charity stripe, but they committed 35 fouls on defense, giving the Thunder 49 trips to the free - throw line for 44 free points, which is likely the reason they lost the game. The Suns will return home to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 17 Percentage of 3 points ,has 137 Percentage of field goals ,has 16 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 48 Percentage of 3 points ,has 51 Percentage of field goals ,has 16 Losses ,has 134 Total points ,has 29 Points in 1st quarter ,has 18 Wins ."]

The Sacramento Kings (5 - 2) were beaten by the injury - plagued Oklahoma City Thunder (2 - 5) 101 - 93 on Sunday night at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Kings have been a pleasant surprise to this point in the 2014 season, but lost one on the road to a Thunder team who is dealing with all kinds of injury issues. This is a team who definitely has some serious talent in players like DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay, for starters. Cousins put up 16 points (7 - 15 FG, 2 - 5 FT), with seven rebounds, four steals, two blocks and an assist, but had some foul troubles. Gay was the Kings' leading scorer on Sunday though, and posted a double - double with 23 points (9 - 19 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and 10 rebounds. He also chipped in six assists with two steals as well. The Kings are going to be on the road Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks next. Not only are the Thunder without Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, but they've been forced to sign players just to have enough bench players to feel confident about their depth. Their most recent signing was Ish Smith, who played eight minutes and scored seven points (2 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 FT) with one assist. The Thunder were led offensively by point guard Reggie Jackson, who scored 22 points (6 - 19 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT), to go along with six assists and two rebounds. The Thunder used as much firepower as they had to beat the Kings, with nine players getting in on the action. The return of Jeremy Lamb recently has been a welcomed one, as he scored 17 points (5 - 13 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) with nine rebounds and four assists. The Thunder will head to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks on Tuesday night next.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 5 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 2 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 2 Losses ,has 93 Total points ,has 5 Wins ."]

This appeared to be a lopsided matchup on paper, but when LeBron James is taken out of that equation, the tables get turned. Detroit took care of business against the shorthanded Cavaliers too, as they won each individual quarter en route to a wire - to - wire win. Three-point shooting was the biggest factor for the Pistons, as they went 16 - of - 28 from long distance in the dominating win. The Cavaliers offense really struggled without James, as they went just 38 percent from the field and committed 21 turnovers in their loss. Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving did all they could though, as Love totaled 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Irving collected 18 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Tobias Harris continues to thrive in his new bench role, as he led the Pistons with 21 points, six rebounds and four assists. Andre Drummond was a force down low, accruing 11 points, 17 rebounds and four assists.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 38 Percentage of field goals ,has 21 Turnovers ."]

The Hawks (16 - 6) extended their winning streak to nine games Friday, knocking off the Magic (9 - 16) 87 - 81 in Atlanta. Despite shooting just 37 percent from the field, Atlanta was able to hold on, outscoring Orlando 23 - 17 in the final period. The Hawks got 23 points and eight rebounds from Paul Millsap and 12 points from DeMarre Carroll. Al Hereford added 17 points and seven rebounds, while Jeff Teague had 13 points and five assists. Kyle Korver finished with six points, going 2 - of - 4 from beyond the arc. Atlanta committed just 12 turnovers and register 24 assists, compared to Orlando’s 14. Victor Oladipo paced the Magic with 21 points, going 8 - of - 12 from the field and 3 - of - 3 from three - point range. Evan Fournier added 18 points and six boards, and Tobias Harris had a 13 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Kyle O’Quinn, starting in place of the injured Nic Vucevic had 14 points to go with 10 rebounds. Orlando got just seven points from its bench, which shot a cumulative 3 - of - 21 from the floor. Next up, the teams face off again Saturday, this time in Orlando.

["TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 24 Number of team assists ,has 37 Percentage of field goals ,has 6 Losses ,has 87 Total points ,has 23 Points in 4th quarter ,has 12 Turnovers ,has 16 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 16 Number of team assists ,has 81 Percentage of field goals ,has 17 Losses ,has 9 Total points ."]

The Phoenix Suns defeated the Detroit Pistons 107 - 100 at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Wednesday. The Suns (3 - 6) survived a bit of a scare late in Wednesday's game, as after holding the lead throughout the third quarter, they gave up a 140 run that bled into the final period and they were down as much as six points. Phoenix then came roaring back to take a five - point lead with five minutes remaining, and that was a lead they never lost. Eric Bledsoe nearly had a triple - double on the evening, recording a team - high 21 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in 35 minutes. Meanwhile, T.J. Warren continues to make a run at being the NBA's most improved player, scoring 18 points — the fourth time in five games he has done so. Additionally, Jared Dudley was tremendous off the bench, scoring 19 points while shooting 6 - of - 9 from the field and 4 - of - 6 from behind the arc. The Pistons (4 - 4) have now lost three of their last four games, as they continues to have consistency issues on both sides of the ball. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the team in scoring, notching a game - high 27 points on 9 - of - 22 shooting from the field, while Andre Drummond recorded his third straight double - double and his sixth of the season, as he posted 18 points and 14 rebounds. As a team, despite being in the game until the very end, the Pistons shot a lowly 36 percent (32 - of - 89) from the field. Up next, the Suns will stay home to take on the Nets on Saturday, while the Pistons will head to San Antonio on Friday to play the Spurs.

["TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 6 Percentage of field goals ,has 107 Losses ,has 3 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 36 Percentage of field goals ,has 4 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 4 Wins ."]

In recent years, San Antonio has become synonymous with scoring off the bench. The Spurs' second unit looked as strong as ever on Monday, supplying 42 of San Antonio's 96 points. Guard Patty Mills was second on the team in scoring with 17 points, while big man David Lee came off the bench to score 12. The bench also contributed numerous valuable defensive stops, combining for eight of the team's nine steals. The starting unit, meanwhile, was thin due to the absence of forward LaMarcus Aldridge (rest). Only two starters scored in double digits. For Dallas, young starters made major contributions that kept the game tight. Guard Seth Curry led the team with 23 points, while Harrison Barnes continued his stretch of strong performances by posting 20 points and nine rebounds.

["TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 96 Total points ."]

The Houston Rockets (30) defeated the Boston Celtics (1 - 1) 104 - 90 on Saturday. Terrence Jones bounced back nicely from a subpar performance in the Rockets' last game. He finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes to record his second double - double of the season. James Harden scored a game - high 26 points in 31 minutes. Patrick Beverley sat out the game with a hamstring injury, and sophomore guard Isaiah Canaan filled in as the starting point guard, finishing with nine points and three three - pointers in 35 minutes. Jeff Green scored a team - high 17 points, and Rajon Rondo pulled down 10 rebounds, but the Celtics could n't find the hoop Saturday and shot just 38 percent from the field, including only four percent from beyond the arc. The Celtics's next game is on the road Monday against the Dallas Mavericks. The Rockets' next game is on the road Monday against the Philadelphia 76ers.

["TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 104 Percentage of 3 points ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 4 Percentage of 3 points ,has 38 Percentage of field goals ,has 1 Losses ,has 90 Total points ,has 1 Wins ."]

The Golden State Warriors (70) defeated the Sacramento Kings (1 - 6) 103 - 94 on Saturday. This game was much closer than most people would have anticipated, as the Warriors had their worst shooting night of the season. The still ended up prevailing with the victory despite shooting 8 - for - 39 from three - point range. The most notable stat line was a triple - double from Rajon Rondo, as he accumulated 14 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists and four steals in the loss. Both teams were playing the second half of a back - to - back and that really showed, as both the Kings and Warriors barely shot above 40 percent and committed 39 combined turnovers in what's usually a high - scoring matchup. The Warriors continued their raving success, despite MVP Steph Curry shooting 2 - for - 10 from long distance. He still managed to put up 24 points, six rebounds and three assists in the win despite the off shooting night. The key tonight for the Warriors was the defense, as they accumulated 13 steals and held the Kings to 44 percent shooting. Draymond Green also flirted with a triple - double, as he amassed 10 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the victory. This team looks nearly unstoppable at this point and they'll look to stay undefeated in their next game against the Detroit Pistons on Monday. The Kings now fall to 0 - 5 without DeMarcus Cousins with this close loss to the NBA champs, but this may have been their best performance of the season. They appeared to have one of the worst defenses in the NBA coming into this matchup, but holding the Warriors to 103 points on 41 percent shooting is a win in its own right. Along with Rondo's triple - double, the Kings got matching 22 - point performances from Rudy Gay and Marco Belinelli. Even though it's a loss, this game can be something to build off of for this underperforming Kings squad. Sacramento's next game will be on Monday against the Spurs and they'll hope DeMarcus Cousins returns from his Achilles injury for that matchup.

["TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 44 Percentage of field goals ,has 6 Losses ,has 94 Total points ,has 1 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 41 Percentage of field goals ,has 103 Losses ."]

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Utah Jazz 109 - 106 Tuesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. For majority of Tuesday's contest, it looked as if the Thunder (35 - 25) would be having no problems handling the Jazz (37 - 23), as they entered the final period with a comfortable 11 - point lead thanks in large part to their hot shooting start where, as a team, Oklahoma City hit 14 of their first 15 shots from behind the arc. Nevertheless, an 18 - 2 Utah run not only brought them back into the game, but gave them a three - point lead with just over two minutes remaining. From there, Russell Westbrook completely took over the game, scoring the next 10 points for the Thunder, which was topped off with a game - winning three - point play. Westbrook finished with yet another triple - double of 43 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in 38 minutes. It was his third straight triple - double, but it was n't all Westbrook Tuesday night, as the Thunder also got a pair of impressive performances off the bench. Doug McDermott had a great shooting night, hitting four of his six shots from outside en route to scoring 16 points with Enes Kanter adding 15 points of his own off the bench. For the Jazz, it was a solid team effort with six different players managing to score in double figures. All-Star Gordon Hayward led the way scoring for them, scoring 19 points but on just 7 - of - 17 shooting from the field. Rodney Hood added 18 points, while Rudy Gobert notched a double - double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Up next, the Thunder will look to extend their win streak to five at Portland on Thursday, while the Jazz will return home Wednesday to take on the Timberwolves.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 25 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 14 Turnovers ,has 35 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 23 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 37 Turnovers ."]

The statistics in this game were bizarre to say the least and the swings alone show just why. Orlando started the game on a 16 - 2 run, but Milwaukee started the fourth quarter with a 16 - 2 run of their own. In fact, every quarter in the game was decided by at least seven points, with the Bucks winning the second and fourth quarters by 19 and the Magic winning the first and third quarters by 17. Milwaukee won this game despite being dominated in the rebounding, losing that battle 54 - 37.Turnovers are what got the Bucks their win, as they forced 24 of them, while committing just 13 of their own. That also led the Milwaukee winning the fastbreak differential, 27 - 12. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the player of the game, as he tallied 21 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, five teals and three blocks in an amazing performance.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 24 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 13 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 17 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 54 Points in 4th quarter ,has 24 Rebounds ."]

The host Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, 111 - 109, at Staples Center. Los Angeles (8 - 7) got off to a hot start, establishing a 13 - point lead by the end of the first quarter. Despite sophomore star D'Angelo Russell's absence due to a knee injury, the Lakers saw high output from the point guard position. Veteran Jose Calderon slid into the starting role, playing 23 minutes and shooting 4 - of - 5 from the field for 12 points. Meanwhile, bench guard Jordan Clarkson scored 18 points while snagging four steals on the defensive end. The Lakers were given a run for their money as the game ended, however, with the Thunder able to regain the lead with under 20 seconds to play. Luckily for Los Angeles, veteran wing Nick Young was able to drain a clutch three - point shot with five seconds remaining to win the game. The three - pointer was Young's fourth of the night and gave him 17 points. The Thunder (8 - 7) have now lost six of their last eight contests after a hot 6 - 1 start to the season. Tuesday's last - second loss was handed to OKC after coming back from double - digit deficits at multiple points during the game. Leading the comeback efforts was All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook, who put on a stunning offensive show in the fourth quarter. The guard had 15 points, including four three - pointers, in the quarter. Westbrook finished just shy of a triple - double, posting 34 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds. Westbrook has become no stranger to such stat lines, as he entered the game averaging 32 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds per game. Big man Steven Adams complemented Westbrook by delivering one of his best performances of the season, scoring 20 points on 9 - of - 13 shooting. The Lakers will host the Warriors on Friday, while the Thunder will visit the Nuggets in Denver.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 7 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 20 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 8 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 7 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 8 Points in 2nd quarter ."]

The Utah Jazz defeated the host Houston Rockets, 115 - 108, at Toyota Center on Wednesday. In a battle between two Western Conference contenders, the Jazz were able to escape with a huge road win. It was a dominating showing from Utah, as they led for 46 minutes in a near wire - to - wire win. Rebounding was a huge factor in the win for the Jazz, as they won that battle, 45 - 31. Shooting was also a big difference, as Utah hit 54 percent of their shots to Houston's 44 percent. The Rockets three - point shooting left them down too, as they went just 8 - of - 32 from long distance. The Jazz (41 - 24) had to play this game without Derrick Favors (knee) and George Hill (toe), but they still escaped with an impressive road win. Gordon Hayward tallied 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Rudy Gobert also scored 23 points, adding 10 rebounds on 7 - of - 8 shooting. Rodney Hood finished third on the team, accruing 19 points and six rebounds. Joe Johnson got a rare start and provided 16 points, two rebounds and two assists. On deck for Utah is a road matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. The Rockets (44 - 21) had won eight of 11 headed into this game, but a date with this Jazz defense is one of the toughest in the league. James Harden did all he could for Houston, totaling 35 points, four rebounds and six assists. Clint Capela recorded a double - double, amassing 19 points and 12 rebounds. Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell each scored 12 points off the bench. Houston will look to bounce back on Friday in a road matchup with the Chicago Bulls.

["TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 44 Percentage of field goals ,has 21 Losses ,has 108 Total points ,has 44 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 54 Percentage of field goals ,has 24 Losses ,has 115 Total points ,has 41 Wins ."]

The Detroit Pistons (21 - 32) routed the Charlotte Hornets (22 - 30) 106 - 78 on Tuesday at the Time Warner Cable Arena. In a game between two teams fighting for one of the last playoff spots in the East, Detroit dominated the third quarter to give the Pistons a decisive advantage. The Pistons entered the game ranked 21st in the league in scoring, but that was n't evident as they were able to top 100 points for the fifth time in six games. Detroit did n't only have an excellent offensive showing, it also played suffocating defense, holding Charlotte under 80 points. With Tuesday's victory, Detroit has now won four of its last six games. The Pistons got another big game from Greg Monroe, who finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds for another double - double. Detroit will host San Antonio on Wednesday before heading into the All-Star Break. Charlotte had quietly been playing very well of late, but dropped its third straight game Tuesday. The Hornets were missing Michael Kidd-Gilchrist again, as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury he suffered Saturday against Philadelphia. On the bright side, P.J Hairston had a career - high 16 points in 26 minutes on the floor. The Hornets head into the All-Star break sitting in the eighth spot in the East.

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 30 Losses ,has 78 Total points ,has 22 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 32 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 23 Points in 4th quarter ,has 21 Wins ."]

Russell Westbrook's 32nd career triple - double vaulted him into second place on the all - time leaderboard and led the Thunder. He compiled 33 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds. The Jazz posted respective success rates of 48 percent from the floor and 45 percent from behind the arc, and the Thunder shot 50 percent overall. Utah was outrebounded, 43 - 36, with Rudy Gobert (knee) out. No Jazz starter scored in double digits. Dante Exum's 22 points led the way and Alec Burks followed with 21. Trey Lyles posted 10 points. George Hill and Gordon Hayward turned in matching nine - point efforts. Rodney Hood, Joe Johnson and Jeff Withey combined for 11. Victor Oladipo contributed 22 points and Taj Gibson had 15. Steven Adams produced a near double - double of 11 points and nine rebounds. Enes Kanter's 16 points led the bench.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 50 Percentage of 3 points ,has 43 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 45 Percentage of 3 points ,has 48 Percentage of field goals ,has 36 Rebounds ."]

The Golden State Warriors (3 - 2) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (2 - 3) ,104 - 91, on Sunday at the Oracle Arena to win Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Golden State's Stephen Curry has had some up - and - downs throughout this series, but he reminded everyone on Sunday why he was the league MVP this season. Curry's stat line of 37 points on 56 percent shooting, including 7 - for - 13 from three point range, and seven rebounds does n't fully do his performance justice. The timeliness and degree of difficulty with which Curry buried his shots changed Game 5 and swung the momentum in Golden State's favor. When LeBron James gave Cleveland a lead midway through the fourth quarter on a 34 - foot three pointer, Golden State needed an immediate answer with the game hanging in the balance. Curry delivered, canning a deep three pointer of his own the next time down the floor to reclaim the lead. The Cavaliers now face elimination and will look to extend the series with a win in Game 6 on Tuesday at the Quicken Loans Arena. History is on Golden State's side after Sunday's win, however, as the winner of Game 5 when the series is tied 2 - 2 in the Finals have gone on to win the series 71 percent of the time. Cleveland attempted to match Golden State's undersized lineup with a small lineup of its own, but could n't sustain that style of play for the full 48 minutes. Coach David Blatt played center Timofey Mozgov just nine minutes on Sunday after Mozgov went for 28 points and 10 rebounds in Game 4. LeBron James turned in another incredible effort Sunday with his second triple - double of the series and sixth of his career in the Finals. James finished with 40 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists over 45 minutes of action. Despite James' unbelievable game, the Cavaliers had trouble finding another viable option on offense. J.R Smith got off to a hot start with 14 points in the first half, but went scoreless in the final two quarters. The Cavaliers will need to hold serve at home on Tuesday to extend the series to a seventh game. Golden State traded punches with Cleveland for much of the game Sunday, but its play in the fourth quarter allowed it to pull away and capture a pivotal win. In addition to Curry's undeniable shooting, role players like Leandro Barbosa, Andre Iguodala, and Draymond Green all turned in solid all - around efforts. Those contributions helped Golden State win the rebounding battle and also hold Cleveland to just 40% shooting as a team. The Warriors are now poised to win their first championship in 40 years and will have home court advantage for the decisive Game 7 if necessary.

["TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 2 Percentage of 3 points ,has 3 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 34 Percentage of 3 points ,has 40 Percentage of field goals ,has 3 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 2 Wins ."]

The Detroit Pistons (21 - 16) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (10 - 26) 103 - 89 on Saturday. The game featured a showdown between two of the more offensive - minded centers in the NBA, Brook Lopez and Andre Drummond. The two big men did not disappoint, with each tallying or equaling the highest score on their respective teams. However, the frontcourt undercard was n't bad either, as Thaddeus Young and Ersan Ilyasova waged a fascinating battle of their own down low. When all was said and done, the Detroit tandem was able to claim victory, as the Pistons outscored the Nets 60 - 48 in the paint, and outrebounded the visitors 47 - 38 as well. Lopez managed 19 points, seven rebounds, an assist and three blocks to lead the Nets' offensive charge. Joe Johnson followed with another double - digit scoring performance, pitching in 14 points, four rebounds and four assists. Young was just a rebound shy of a double - double with 12 points, nine boards and a steal. Shane Larkin was a bit lackluster again in another start at point guard, contributing eight points, three assists and a rebound. He was outperformed by backup Donald Sloan, who managed a double - double off the bench with 15 points, 10 rebounds and two rebounds over 24 minutes, and might be making progress towards securing the top job. Brooklyn fell to 10 - 26 and remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head back home to face the Spurs on Monday night. The Pistons were co - led in scoring by Drummond and Reggie Jackson, who each managed 23 points. The former added 11 rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocks, while the latter contributed eight assists and three rebounds. Ilyasova turned in one of his most impressive performances to date in a Detroit uniform, posting 19 points, hauling in 13 boards, and adding an assist, a steal and a block. Rookie Stanley Johnson posted a modest eight points, four rebounds, an assist, a pair of steals and a block in a start in Marcus Morris' (knee) stead. Anthony Tolliver led the reserves with a 10 - point, three - rebound effort that also included a pair of assists, a steal and a block. Detroit improved to 21 - 16 but remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They now await the Spurs for a Tuesday night showdown at the Palace.

["TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 16 Losses ,has 103 Total points ,has 23 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 47 Rebounds ,has 21 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 89 Losses ,has 38 Total points ."]

The Washington Wizards defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 112 - 105, at Verizon Center on Friday. The Wizards (17 - 18) came in to the contest with a superb 13 - 6 home mark, while the Timberwolves (11 - 25) had only mustered five wins in 17 tries on the road. This alone gave Washington a built - in edge going in, but Andrew Wiggins did his best to try and buck the odds Friday. The standout forward scored a game - high 41 points, which he supplemented with two assists, two steals and a rebound. However, the hosts countered with a balanced attack, as all five members of the first unit scored in double digits. Those efforts led to a stellar 58 percent success rate from the field, and a 55 percent mark from three - point range. A 32 - 20 edge in the fourth quarter propelled the Wizards to victory, after they'd entered the period facing an 85 - 82 deficit. Karl-Anthony Towns was a distant second on the Timberwolves with an 18 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included five assists, a steal and a block. Gorgui Dieng also accomplished the feat, posting 15 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals. Zach LaVine endured a difficult shooting night as his 3 - for - 14 tally led to an eight - point effort. He also hauled in five boards and dished out three assists. Brandon Rush paced the bench with 10 points. Bradley Beal led the way for the Wizards with 22 points, three assists and two rebounds. Marcin Gortat turned in a customary stat line of 19 points, 10 boards, an assist and three blocks. John Wall turned in a 18 - point, 18 - assist double - double that also included two rebounds and two steals. Otto Porter supplied 17 points, six boards, two assists, two blocks and a steal. Markieff Morris rounded out matters for the starting five with 15 points, six rebounds and an assist. Jason Smith had a productive night off the bench, totaling 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and a pair of blocks, one of those a highlight - worthy stuff of Karl-Anthony Towns. The Timberwolves head back home for a Saturday night showdown with the Utah Jazz, while the Wizards visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday afternoon.

["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 18 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 32 Points in 4th quarter ,has 17 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 25 Losses ,has 105 Total points ,has 20 Points in 4th quarter ,has 11 Wins ."]

The Milwaukee Bucks (24 - 33) defeated the visiting Los Angeles Lakers (11 - 47) 108 - 101, Monday night at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee led the whole way en route to their fourth win in five games. The Bucks came in averaging 110 points per game in their last three wins and almost reached that number again, which is surprising considering their offense was ranked bottom - five in the league for much of the season before the All-Star break. The Bucks have now won two in a row and improve to 16 - 9 at home. Seven players scored in double digits for Milwaukee, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, who tallied a triple - double as he led the way with a game - high 27 points (12 - 17 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 6 3Pt), along with 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Antetokounmpo also blocked four shots and nabbed three steals, in 41 minutes. Khris Middleton chipped in 18 points (5 - 15 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), six assists, two rebounds and two steals, in 35 minutes, while Jabari Parker added 15 points (7 - 15 FG, 1 - 2 FT), nine rebounds and four assists, in 36 minutes. The Bucks shot 51 percent from the field thanks largely to their excellent job moving the ball, which resulted in 32 assists on 44 made field goals. The Lakers struggled to formulate any consistent offense as only 36 percent of their shots were successful. Nick Young tallied a team - high 19 points (5 - 12 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT), along with three rebounds, in 23 minutes off the bench. Jordan Clarkson scored 15 points, along with three assists, three rebounds and two steals, in 24 minutes. Kobe bid fairwell to the city of Milwaukee by dropping 15 points (3 - 12 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT), along with five rebounds and two assists, in 24 minutes, while fans chanted his name in the final minutes of the game. The Lakers gave up a sloppy 17 turnovers, leading to 20 points for the opponent. The Lakers will play next on Thursday, in Boston. The Bucks will head to Memphis for a date with the Grizzlies on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 32 Number of team assists ,has 51 Percentage of field goals ,has 33 Losses ,has 108 Total points ,has 44 Rebounds ,has 24 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 47 Number of team assists ,has 101 Percentage of field goals ,has 17 Losses ,has 11 Total points ."]

In the first of four games in their season series, the Toronto Raptors (30) remained undefeated against the Milwaukee Bucks (0 - 3) at home. The Raptors, rallying around a well - rounded performance from All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry in which he posted 15 points, 7 assists, and four steals, were able to maintain a steady lead on the visting Bucks throughout the game. Toronto thrived on the defensive end, forcing their opponents to turn the ball over 18 times and holding them to just 26 percent shooting from beyond the three - point line. The Raptors, despite being a bottom - 10 defense in 2014 - 15, have allowed an average of just 96 points to opponents in their first three games. Against the Bucks, the Raptors were able to effectively limit outside shooting, making it difficult for Milwaukee, a team that sometimes struggles with spacing, to pile up points. Despite the loss, the Bucks were able to take away strong performances from some young up - and - coming players. Third-year forward Giannis Antetenkoumpo posted his second 20 - point performance in as many games, while also recording 9 rebounds and a block. Offseason addition Greg Monroe also impressed, putting up 14 points, six rebounds, five assists, and missing only two shots. However, as a team, Milwaukee struggled mightily from beyond the arc and had overall issues with efficiency, shooting just 42 percent from the field. While the Raptors will look to keep their good fortunes going on Tuesday in Dallas, Milwaukee will be in need of better luck. The Bucks will hope to snap a three - game losing streak as they travel to Brooklyn on Monday to face the Nets.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 3 Percentage of 3 points ." "TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 26 Percentage of 3 points ,has 42 Percentage of field goals ,has 3 Losses ,has 30 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 18 Turnovers ,has 0 Wins ."]

The Memphis Grizzlies (30 - 20) defeated the New York Knicks (23 - 30) 91 - 85 on Friday. The Knicks found out before the contest that they would be significantly short - handed at small forward, with both Lance Thomas and Carmelo Anthony bowing out of the game with a concussion and sore knee, respectively. New York was neverthless ready to give the Grizzlies a battle, and saw two previously slumping players step to the forefront in the effort. Rookie Kristaps Porzingis, who'd been going through a difficult stretch over the last several games, bounced back with a double - double, while veteran Jose Calderon equaled his second - best scoring total of the season in his second game back from a groin ailment. Despite the valiant effort, New York was unable to muster enough offense in Anthony's absence to keep up with Memphis, as they shot 38 percent from the field overall. Memphis' top two scorers came from the second unit. Jeff Green led the way by pouring in 16 points, along with five rebounds, two assists and a steal in 29 minutes. Matt Barnes was close behind with 12 points of his own, which he supplemented with seven rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. The frontcourt tandem of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph were close behind with a pair of 10 - point efforts. Gasol also posted seven rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block, while Randolph pitched in with four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Mike Conley managed a near double - double, supplying eight points, dishing out nine assists, and adding a pair of rebounds and a steal. The Grizzlies remain in second place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They head home to take on the Mavericks on Saturday. Calderon spearheaded the Knicks' attack with 18 points, which he complemented with eight rebounds, five assists and a steal. Porzingis' aforementioned double - double consisted of 17 points, 10 boards and six of his trademark blocks. Arron Afflalo had a productive night himself with 14 points, five rebounds and a pair of assists. Veteran sharpshooter Sasha Vujacic paced the reserves with 10 points, four rebounds and an assist. The Knicks remain in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They're home again on Sunday to tangle with the Denver Nuggets.

["TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 38 Percentage of field goals ,has 30 Losses ,has 85 Total points ,has 18 Points in 1st quarter ,has 23 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 20 Percentage of field goals ,has 91 Losses ,has 30 Total points ."]

The Toronto Raptors (3 - 1) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (1 - 4) 100 - 88 on Tuesday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The Thunder turned the ball over 21 times compared to only 10 from the Raptors. They were also outscored 27 - 18 in the fourth quarter, which allowed the Raptors to secure the 12 - point victory. With Andre Roberson going down in Monday's game with a foot injury, the Thunder figured had to hope that would be the end of their bad luck. It turns out, that's not the case. After playing in 17 minutes, Perry Jones went down with a right knee contusion and had to be carried off the floor. Early reports have said it is n't too serious, but more should be known in the future. Serge Ibaka finished with his first double - double of the year, going for 25 points and 11 rebounds. With the mounting injuries, Lance Thomas got the start at small forward, and he went 6 - for - 11 from the field for 14 points and five rebounds. Nick Collison, Kendrick Perkins, and Sebastian Telfair were the only three players available to come off the bench in this, game and they combined for 22 points, but it was n't enough to keep the Thunder in the game. The Raptors were again led by DeMar DeRozan. He scored 16 points to go along with three rebounds and is now averaging 24 points and 7 rebounds on the year. With Amir Johnson (ankle) being held out again, Patrick Patterson got the start and found his stroke, going 5 - for - 9 from the field and 2 - for - 2 from beyond the arc for 14 points and eight rebounds. Tyler Hansbrough came off the bench and got to the line 10 times, converting on eight of his attempts. He had 12 points and seven rebounds. Suffering a facial contusion, Jonas Valanciunas had to leave the game after only 12 minutes, and he finished with six points and two rebounds in the limited time. The Thunder's next game will be at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, while the Raptors will go on the road to Boston to play the Celtics on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 1 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 27 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 10 Points in 4th quarter ,has 3 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 4 Losses ,has 88 Total points ,has 22 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 18 Points in 4th quarter ,has 1 Turnovers ."]

The New York Knicks defeated the Orlando Magic, 101 - 90, at Amway Center on Wednesday evening. Kristaps Porzingis made a somewhat surprising return to the starting lineup after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury, and did so at center, where Joakim Noah remains out following a procedure to clear out loose bodies in his left knee. The move paid dividends, as the seven - footer scored a team - high 20 points, which he supplemented with nine rebounds, two assists and one steal. The Knicks (25 - 36) were solid on the defensive side of the ball as well, limiting the Magic (22 - 39) to 41 percent shooting overall and 20 percent (5 - for - 25) from behind the arc. They were particularly stingy coming out of halftime, as they stymied their hosts to the tune of only 16 points in the third period. Derrick Rose was right behind Porzingis with 19 points, seven boards, four assists and one steal. Carmelo Anthony tallied a near double - double with 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals. Lance Thomas remained in the starting five at power forward despite Porzingis' return and produced 11 points, five rebounds, one assist and two steals. Justin Holiday led the second unit with 14 points, one rebound, one steal and one block. Evan Fournier paced Orlando with 22 points, which he supplemented with two boards and two assists. D.J. Augustin followed with a bench - leading 15 points, along with four rebounds and one assist. Nikola Vucevic supplied a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included one steal. Aaron Gordon shook off a quad contusion to register 10 points and five boards. Jeff Green was productive as a reserve as well with 11 points, two rebounds, two blocks and one steal. The Knicks travel back north for a Friday night showdown with the Philadelphia 76ers, while the Magic remain home to tangle with the Miami Heat on Friday evening as well.

["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 20 Percentage of 3 points ,has 41 Percentage of field goals ,has 39 Losses ,has 90 Total points ,has 16 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 22 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 36 Percentage of 3 points ,has 101 Percentage of field goals ,has 25 Losses ."]

The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Indiana Pacers in overtime, 109 - 105, on Friday at Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers (1 - 7) had taken the Pacers (4 - 5) to the limit just two nights prior before succumbing in overtime, 122 - 115. However, their second consecutive foray into an extra period against Indiana went much better, culminating in Philadelphia's first victory of the season. Joel Embiid led the way by playing a game - high 26 minutes and posting 25 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a block. While he shot just 33 percent (6 - of - 18) from the field, he successfully parlayed 12 of 14 visits to the free - throw line into points. The impressive third - year man helped spearhead a sizable advantage for the Sixers down low, as they outrebounded the Pacers by a 54 - 40 margin. Indiana was led by Paul George, who despite leaving the game in the first half temporarily with a left thumb sprain, totaled 26 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals. Monta Ellis was actually second in line despite coming off the bench, amassing 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals over 36 minutes. C.J. Miles, who drew the start at shooting guard, turned in 13 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Jeff Teague was modestly involved on offense over 35 minutes, supplying 13 points, four assists, a rebound and three steals. Thaddeus Young had a near double - double with 11 points, nine boards, an assist and a steal. Myles Turner supplied only five points, five rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block over 21 minutes, but Al Jefferson chipped in with 10 points, three boards and two assists over 22 minutes. Philadelphia also saw Gerald Henderson compile 12 points, four rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. Robert Covington checked in with 10 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Ersan Ilyasova and Nik Stauskas paced the bench with a pair of 14 - point efforts, with the former also bringing in 11 rebounds, two assists and a block, while the latter also dished out an assist and recorded a block. The Pacers head back home to tangle with the Boston Celtics on Saturday night, while the Sixers now head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Saturday evening as well.

["TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 109 Losses ,has 54 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 5 Losses ,has 105 Total points ,has 40 Rebounds ,has 4 Wins ."]

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

["TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 27 Number of team assists ,has 33 Percentage of 3 points ,has 25 Percentage of field goals ,has 100 Losses ,has 9 Total points ,has 36 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 29 Number of team assists ,has 38 Percentage of 3 points ,has 31 Percentage of field goals ,has 95 Losses ,has 28 Total points ."]

The New York Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 104 - 94, at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. The Hawks (9 - 4) checked in to Sunday winners in six of their last seven, but the Knicks (5 - 7) were able to cool them off with a standout effort from Carmelo Anthony and strong production from the remainder of the starting five. New York came in handicapped down low, as Joakim Noah missed the game with an illness, but the duo of Kyle O'Quinn and Willy Hernangomez combined for 15 points and 15 rebounds, helping to make up for his absence. The Knicks were also able to post a solid 48 percent success rate from the field overall while limiting the Hawks to just 40 percent shooting. Atlanta was led by Paul Millsap's 19 points, which he complemented with seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Dwight Howard turned in another monster effort with 18 points, 18 boards and two blocks. Kyle Korver equaled a season - high with 17 points, and added four rebounds, an assist and two steals. Kent Bazemore registered 12 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal, while Tim Hardaway, Jr. paced the bench with 12 points. Anthony equaled a season high with 31 points and supplemented his scoring total with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Kristaps Porzingis continued to serve as a highly effective wing man for Anthony, posting a 19 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. The backcourt duo of Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee turned in a pair of 14 - point efforts, with the former also compiling seven assists and three rebounds and the latter providing five rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals. The Hawks return home to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday evening, while the Knicks are home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday evening as well.

["TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 48 Percentage of field goals ,has 7 Losses ,has 104 Total points ,has 6 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 40 Percentage of field goals ,has 4 Losses ,has 94 Total points ,has 9 Wins ."]

The Portland Trail Blazers (20 - 6) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (13 - 13) 104 - 97 on Wednesday. Portland is on a three - game win streak, but Wednesday's win came with a special meaning for the Blazers as it was the first game they've played this season without Robin Lopez. Lopez is expected to miss up to two months with a broken right hand. LaMarcus Aldridge shifted over to center so that Thomas Robinson could step into the starting lineup at power forward. Robinson put up 15 points and 16 rebounds in 29 minutes. Aldridge put up a 23 - point, 15 - rebound double - double, and Damian Lillard scored a game - high 29 points. Milwaukee saw their two - game win streak snapped, and they too were playing without one of their key starters due to injury. Jabari Parker suffered torn ACL in his left knee in Monday's 96 - 94 win over the Phoenix Suns and will miss the rest of the season. To make matters worse, Giannis Antetokounmpo sprained his left ankle after 18 minutes of action and was not able to continue. The severity of the injury was not available after the game. Jared Dudley moved into the starting lineup with Parker out, and Brandon Knight finished with a team - high 24 points in 33 minutes. Portland will embark on a four - game road trip that begins in San Antonio on Friday against the Spurs. Milwaukee will continue their road trip in Sacramento on Thursday against the Kings.

["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 6 Losses ,has 104 Total points ,has 20 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 13 Losses ,has 97 Total points ,has 13 Wins ."]

The Miami Heat (32 - 36) improved their playoff odds with a 108 - 91 win over the Denver Nuggets (26 - 44), running their winning streak to three games. Hassan Whiteside tallied his third straight double - double, compiling 14 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 33 minutes. He hasn’t recorded an assist since the first game after the All-Star break. Michael Beasley played 34 minutes off the bench and nearly totaled a triple - double with nine points, eight rebounds, seven assists, three steals, one block and one three - pointer. Recently acquired Goran Dragic nearly matched Beasley’s night, scoring 18 points, grabbing eight rebounds, dishing five assists, snatching two steals and blocking one shot in a team - high 35 minutes. Dwyane Wade, the leading 4th quarter scorer at 7 per, was held to four points in the final period, finishing with 22 points overall. Danilo Gallinari sat the second game of a back - to - back. Jusuf Nurkic claimed Gallinari’s spot in the starting lineup, recording 16 points, seven rebounds, two steals and one block in 30 minutes. As a team, the Nuggets shot 7 - of - 27 from downtown, led by Randy Foye’s 4 - of - 11 performance. Ty Lawson registered 12 assists, tying Chris Paul for second with 34 games of at least 10 assists. Kenneth Faried continued his second half surge, posting 20 points, six rebounds, four steals, two assists and two blocks in 35 minutes. The Heat embarks on a three - game road trip Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After a day off, the Nuggets finish up a two - game road trip against the Orlando Magic.

["TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 36 Losses ,has 108 Total points ,has 32 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 44 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 26 Wins ."]

Dwyane Wade was the most effective Bulls player on the floor Monday, and stepped up even with superstar Jimmy Butler sidelined because of a heel injury. Wade's 31 points came with six rebounds, three assists and one steal on 12 - of - 18 shooting, while Michael Carter-Williams, who drew the start in favor of Butler, went on to score 21 points, grab six rebounds and dish out four assists. DeMarcus Cousins needed more than his 18 points and poor shooting effort to make it a closer contest, but was a monster on the rebounding effort, evidenced by his 18 points and 14 rebounds. Cousins' 5 - of - 16 shooting fell far below his season average. Both teams shot efficiently from the floor as a unit, but the Bulls finished with a slightly better night, going for 53 percent shooting, compared to the Kings' 52 percent effort.

["TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 52 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 53 Percentage of field goals ."]

The Dallas Mavericks (21 - 15) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (11 - 23) 100 - 91 on Wednesday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Despite a close game throughout, the Mavericks ended up as the better shooters Wednesday, going 43 percent from the floor and 25 percent from the three - point line, while the Pelicans finished at 37 percent from the field and just 23 percent from deep. The Mavericks also dominated the boards, though, finishing with a 41 to 36 advantage. It was Raymond Felton who did the majority of the work for the Mavericks on Wednesday. Felton finished with a team - high of 22 points (6 - 14 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), to go along with six assists and a pair of rebounds. His points total came just one point shy of a season - high for the 10th - year pro out of North Carolina. Chandler Parsons also put up some impressive numbers. He went off for 21 points (9 - 16 FG, 0 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), while also adding eight rebounds and six assists. Parsons is averaging just 9 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists so far this season, so it was a step in the right direction for him. Notching a double - double was Dwight Powell, who came off the bench for 13 points (4 - 9 FG, 5 - 6 FT) and 10 rebounds over 29 minuteus off the bench. For the Pelicans, superstar Anthony Davis did everything he could to keep the Pelicans alive. He went off for a game - high of 26 points (11 - 25 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), to go along with 12 rebounds, seven assists and three blocked shots. Davis came just shy of a triple - double, but it was n't enough to propel the Pelicans to the victory. Tyreke Evans chipped in with 16 points (6 - 12 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), nine rebounds and five assists over 35 minutes as well. The Mavericks' next game will be on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, while the Pelicans will take on the Pacers at home in New Oreleans at the Smoothie King Center on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 23 Percentage of 3 points ,has 37 Percentage of field goals ,has 23 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 11 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 25 Percentage of 3 points ,has 43 Percentage of field goals ,has 15 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 21 Wins ."]

The Los Angeles Lakers losing streak was extended to seven games, but Louis Williams also busted his scoring streak after failing to hit the 20 - point mark for a sixth consecutive game. Williams was keeping the Lakers in games, even though they were failing to come away with wins during the streak that the former Raptors' Sixth Man of the Year winner was enduring. The Lakers shooting guard finished with 14 points on 3 - of - 12 shooting in 26 minutes off the bench, although starting point guard D'Angelo Russell looked stronger after playing the second game of a back - to - back. Russell finished with 17 points, two rebounds and four assists on 6 - of - 10 shooting. Los Angeles did not have an answer for the remarkable stat line DeMarcus Cousins dropped on them, especially during the third quarter, as the Kings all - star center finished with 31 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks.

["TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 31 Points in 1st quarter ."]

The Miami Heat (9 - 4) defeated the New York Knicks (8 - 7) Monday 95 - 78 at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami. The Heat pulled together a collective team effort, with five different players scoring in double figures, and they took control of the game from there very start. The lead ultimately opened up in the second quarter, where a huge scoring drought led the Knicks to lose to period 26 - 11. Miami was led by the play of starting point guard Goran Dragic, who scored 13 points, grabbed nine rebounds, dished out five assists and managed three steals in 31 minutes. Hassan Whiteside recorded yet another double - double of 11 points and 11 rebounds on top of five blocks, while both Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade added 16 points each. Tyler Johnson gave solid minutes off the bench as well, scoring 12 points in 21 minutes. Even in defeat, Kristaps Porzingis still shined for the Knicks, scoring 20 points and grabbing a game - high 14 rebounds in 37 minutes. It was the rookie’s second straight game with at least 20 points and 14 boards. Carmelo Anthony added a game - high 21 points and eight rebounds, while the rest of the Knicks combined to score just 37 points. Up next, the Heat will head to Detroit Wednesday to take on the Pistons, while the Knicks will travel a short way to Orlando to play the Magic Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 4 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 26 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 9 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 7 Losses ,has 78 Total points ,has 11 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 8 Wins ."]

Anthony Davis continues to post career numbers in his fifth season in the league. Davis scored 41 points to go with 16 rebounds, four steals, and two blocks in Tuesday's blowout win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The young superstar shot 14 - of - 27 from the field and 12 - of - 14 from the free - throw line. The game marked Davis's 11th outing with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds this season, and his fourth game of at least 40 points. Davis leads the league in scoring at 32 points per game. His strong play was complemented on Tuesday by Jrue Holiday, who scored 22 points and dished out five assists. Despite Davis's strong shooting, however, many Pelicans struggled from the field, as the team shot just 43 percent overall. On the Lakers side, no player recorded over 29 minutes played. The team saw contributions down the bench, as only three players actually ended up scoring in double - digits. Sixth man Lou Williams led the team with 16 points, while starter Julius Randle had a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 43 Percentage of field goals ."]

The Utah Jazz (36 - 37) defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves (24 - 49) 93 - 84, Saturday evening at Target Center. This was a much - needed victory for the Jazz as they came into this game tied with Dallas for the eighth seed and only a half - game behind seventh place Houston. Their opponent, the Timberwolves, despite their record, have been a formidable foe over their last seven games, winning won four - of - seven, as well as their last two in a row. Minnesota started out terribly slow, with a 10 - point first quarter, but managed to cut the deficit to one by half time. The teams matched each other in the third quarter, leaving the fourth to decide the game. Utah used a 90 run, culminating at the 8:30 mark in the fourth quarter, in order to create some separation, which they were then able to maintain until the final buzzer. The Jazz used a balanced team effort to emerge victorious, as four players scored 15 or more points, while the team played solid defense and rebounded well. Gordon Hayward was solid, with 18 points, five rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots, in 39 minutes, while Derrick Favors added 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks, in 34 minutes. Rodney Hood finished with 15 points, four rebounds and four assists, in 33 minutes. The Jazz shot 47 percent from the field and 43 percent from long range, en route to their 14th victory on the road. The Timberwolves were not able to win their third straight, but still managed to put up a good fight, as they shot 38 percent from the field, 36 percent from deep and hit 16 - of - 19 free throws. Ricky Rubio led the Timberwolves in points, assists and steals, as he finished with 23 points, six assists, five rebounds, four steals and one blocked shot, in 30 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Andrew Wiggins added 13 points, four rebounds and two assists. No other Timberwolves players scored in double digits, as the rest of the team accounted for only 34 points. Next, the Timberwolves will host the Suns on Monday. The Jazz have an opportunity to grab another win and get closer to securing a spot in the top eight, when they host the Lakers on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 36 Percentage of 3 points ,has 38 Percentage of field goals ,has 49 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 10 Points in 1st quarter ,has 24 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 43 Percentage of 3 points ,has 47 Percentage of field goals ,has 37 Losses ,has 93 Total points ,has 36 Points in 1st quarter ."]

The Milwaukee Bucks (26 - 36) secured a 116 - 101 home win against the young Minnesota Timberwolves (19 - 43) on Friday. The Bucks have had a disappointing season thus far, after a surprising trip to the playoffs in 2014 - 15. However, the young core of Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jabari Parker have steadily gained experience over the course of the season. Middleton was a force to be reckoned with on Friday, leading the game with 32 points on 11 - for - 16 shooting. Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, approached a triple - double with 27 points, nine rebounds, 12 assists, three steals, and two blocks. The "Greek Freak" stuffed the stat sheet on Friday, just a week after his first career triple - double. Despite stellar shooting, 25 team turnovers killed the young and rising Timberwolves on Friday. Rookie of the Year frontrunner Karl-Anthony Towns led the team with 21 points on 10 - of - 14 shooting. However, the 20 - year - old star also contributed four turnovers in what was a messy offensive game for the Wolves. It was a similar story for sophomore Zach LaVine, who had 20 points but turned the ball over six times. The Wolves will play host to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, while the Bucks will have a home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 36 Losses ,has 116 Total points ,has 26 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 43 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 19 Wins ."]

The Charlotte Hornets (11 - 8) won on the road Saturday, defeating the Chicago Bulls (11 - 6) by a score of 102 - 96. The Bulls' loss came just one night after they rose to the top of the Eastern Conference. The East remains tightly bunched, with the first and tenth seeds separated by less than three games. Despite the continued absence of big man Al Jefferson (calf), the Hornets had no problem competing with Chicago's loaded frontcourt, as forward Cody Zeller (17 points, eight rebounds) and reserve center Spencer Hawes (14 points, seven rebounds, four assists) both had big nights. The real star of the show, however, was small forward Nicolas Batum, who led the team in both points and rebounds, posting 24 and 11 respectively. Batum has settled nicely into a prominent role in his first year in Charlotte, averaging 17 points and 6 rebounds per game on the season, The Bulls, meanwhile, saw a disappointing loss in what has been an otherwise strong season thus far. Despite impressive efforts from the backcourt of Derrick Rose (19 points, seven rebounds, five assists) and Jimmy Butler (25 points, eight rebounds, two steals), the Bulls simply could n't get it done. A large part of the team's woes came at the free - throw line, where they shot just 68 percent on the night. Second-year forward Nikola Mirotic also struggled, shooting just 3 - for - 11 and recording only seven points. The Bulls will look for a bounceback performance as they prepare to take on the Suns on Monday. With the Eastern Conference seemingly up for grabs, Chicgo will be jocking for position with the conference's other heavy hitters. Charlotte, meanwhile, will look to carry the momentum from beating the top seed into their next game, a visit from Andre Drummond and the Pistons on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 6 Losses ,has 96 Total points ,has 25 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 11 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 8 Losses ,has 102 Total points ,has 11 Points in 3rd quarter ."]

The Rockets (53 - 24) took down the Thunder (42 - 35) 115 - 112 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on Sunday. The game was a showdown between two of the most prolific scorers in the league. Houston’s James Harden put up 41 points (12 - 22 FG, 6 - 9 3Pt, 11 - 13 FT), to go with six rebounds, six assists and three steals in 38 minutes. Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook had yet another tripe - double, with 40 points (12 - 29 FG, 4 - 11 3 Pt, 12 - 15 FT), 11 rebounds and 13 assists in 41 minutes. The Rockets were in control for most of the game, but, late in the fourth quarter, the Thunder staged a comeback. They tied the game 100 - 100 on a Westbrook three - pointer with 3:12 on the clock. Harden responded by scoring the Rockets’ next eight points, bringing the score to 108 - 101. Westbrook continued to hit shots from beyond the arc to keep his team in the game, but was unable to sink a three that would’ve tied the game as time expired. Harden’s supporting cast included Dwight Howard, who had 22 points (10 - 15 FG), eight rebounds and two steals in 23 minutes. Josh Smith had 14 points (7 - 17 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt), four rebounds, four assists and two steals in 27 minutes. Oklahoma City’s Enes Kanter had 21 points (9 - 19 FG), 17 rebounds and one block in 38 minutes. Kanter is averaging 27 points and 17 rebounds in 36 minutes over his last three games. Anthony Morrow came off the bench and scored 22 points (8 - 15 FG, 6 - 8 3Pt), four rebounds, two assists and one steal in 36 minutes. The Rockets are second in the Western Conference, 11 games behind the Warriors. The Thunder are currently eighth in the West, only a half - game ahead of the ninth place Pelicans. The Rockets have swept the Thunder in their season series 30.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 35 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 30 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 30 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 42 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 24 Losses ,has 115 Total points ,has 53 Points in 2nd quarter ."]

It was a statistical down night for superstar James Harden, though matching his typical stat line is quite a high bar. Harden followed an impressive triple - double against the Warriors on Thursday with 20 points, six rebounds, and seven assists in Denver. Forwards Ryan Anderson and Trevor Ariza complemented Harden's offensive output by combining for 34 points and eight three - pointers. Bench players Eric Gordon and Sam Dekker combined for an additional 35. Overall, the Rockets' three - heavy offense was on full display, as the team shot over 50 percent and had 17 three - pointers. The Nuggets, meanwhile, characteristically won the rebounding battle, 52 - 42. However, the team struggled from three - point range, hitting just nine three - pointers. The team also turned the ball over 16 times, while forcing only 11 from the Rockets. Forward Wilson Chandler led the team in scoring off the bench with 24, while guard Will Barton slid into a starting role to provide 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.

["TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 11 Turnovers ."]

The Los Angeles Clippers (37 - 19) defeated the Phoenix Suns (14 - 43) 124 - 84 at Staples Center on Monday. The Clippers were able to exploit the Suns defensive breakdowns which eventually led to a 40 points blowout win. Los Angeles burst out the gate and opened up a 19 point lead by the end of the first quarter. Phoenix was held under 20 points in both the first third quarters, as every matchup was a mismatch. The Suns shot 35 percent as a whole, and were led in scoring by Archie Goodwin, who came off the bench. Goodwin’s 20 points in 37 minutes were far from enough to soften the deficit. Ronnie Price totaled 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Devin Booker pitched in a lowly five points to round out the backcourt. Alex Len started at the center position and added 14 points and eight rebounds, but simply got abused by DeAndre Jordan throughout the matchup. The Clippers strolled to victory behind Chris Paul and his 16 points and 14 assists. Paul almost out assisted the entirety of the Suns (20 - 14), as he showcased supreme ball movement and spacing. JJ Reddick was on the receiving end of many of Paul’s dimes, and he turned the easy looks into 22 points on 7 - of - 14 shooting, including four baskets from behind the arc. DeAndre Jordan dominated the paint and added 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Paul Pierce pitched in 11 points in his starting role. None of the Clippers starters needed more than 27 minutes of game time, as the bench was able to hold the strong lead. Newcomer Jeff Green contributed 18 points, five rebounds and two assists on 6 - of - 10 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench, as he highlighted his ability to create off the dribble. The Clippers will continue their homestand and host the Denver Nuggets (22 - 34) on Wednesday, while the Suns host the Brooklyn Nets (15 - 41) on Thursday.

["TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 19 Percentage of field goals ,has 124 Losses ,has 37 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 35 Percentage of field goals ,has 43 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 14 Wins ."]

Boston were expected to win this game against a shorthanded Memphis team and they did n't disappoint. The biggest discrepancy in the game was free - throw shooting, with the Grizzlies hitting just 69 percent of their free - throws to the Celtic's 91 percent. Rebounding was also key, as Boston won that battle, 47 - 37, in their victory. Marc Gasol did all he could to keep Memphis hanging around, as he accumulated 26 points, four rebounds, nine assists, two steals and three blocks in the defeat. Zach Randolph recorded a double - double off the bench, totaling 16 points and 10 rebounds. Avery Bradley was the Celtics best player, as he tallied 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Isaiah Thomas provided 21 points and seven assists of his own. Gerald Green and Marcus Smart were huge off the bench, as they combined for 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 26 Points in 4th quarter ."]

Carmelo Anthony equaled a season high with 31 points while Kristaps Porzingis continued to serve as his highly effective wing man, posting a 19 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. The backcourt duo of Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee turned in a pair of 14 - point efforts, while the duo of Kyle O'Quinn and Willy Hernangomez combined for 15 points and 15 rebounds in Joakim Noah's stead. The Knicks were also able to post a solid 48 percent success rate from the field overall while limiting the Hawks to just 40 percent shooting. Paul Millsap's 19 points led the Hawks, while Dwight Howard turned in another monster effort with 18 points, 18 boards and two blocks. Kyle Korver equaled a season high with 17 points and Kent Bazemore registered 12 points, a total matched by Tim Hardaway, Jr. off the bench.

["TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 48 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 40 Percentage of field goals ."]

The New York Knicks (4 - 4) defeated the Toronto Raptors (5 - 3) 111 - 109 on Tuesday. The Knicks held off the Raptors in a nail - biter on Tuesday thanks to some great bench performances. The Raptors shot 39 free - throws in the game compared to the Knicks 18, but New York still prevailed with some late heroics. It was a relatively clean game, as there were only 20 combined turnovers. The Knicks got 17 points from Lance Thomas and 15 points from Langston Galloway off the bench en route to a big victory. The team was led by superstar Carmelo Anthony, who tallied 25 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals in the win. They also got a nice performance from Robin Lopez, who neared a double - double with four blocks. They'll look to keep this momentum up against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday in the second half of a back - to - back set. Toronto started off the season 50, but have proceeded to lose three - straight since. The team was led by its guards on Tuesday, as Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan put in great performances once again. Lowry tallied 23 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, while DeRozan totaled 29 points and five rebounds in the loss. They also got a nice performance off the bench from Cory Joseph, who amassed 12 points, eight assists and six rebounds in the defeat. The Raptors will look to break this losing streak in a favorable matchup on Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 3 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 5 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 4 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 4 Wins ."]

The New Orleans Pelicans (3 - 11) defeated the Phoenix Suns (7 - 6) 122 - 116 on Sunday. This was an extremley high - scoring game and it was simply fun to watch, Both teams had well over 100 possessions in the game and the pace was at a ridiculously high level. There were also a ton of three - pointers taken, as both teams attempted a combined 66 threes. The biggest difference in the game was the shooting, as the Pelicans shot 46 percent while the Suns shot just 39 percent from the field. The Suns played good enough to win in this game, but they simply didn’t shoot well enough to keep up with the Pelicans. Their defense was lacking as well, as they allowed twice as many paint points as they scored (44 - 22). Eric Bledsoe put in another all - around great performance though, as he tallied 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the defeat. He did miss the majority of the third quarter for an unknown injury, but he was able to return for the final 12 minutes. An interesting development is that of Tyson Chandler’s playing time, as he saw just 16 minutes in the defeat. His minutes have been slowly dissipating as of late and it's mainly due to the fact that the Suns prefer to play small - ball. It will be interesting to see how this Chandler experiment will work in Phoenix. The Suns will have to play again on Monday in the second half of a back - to - back, as they'll have to travel to San Antonio to take on the Spurs. The Pelicans appear to be finally putting it all together and it's likely as simple as health. Anthony Davis played a full complement of minutes here and had a fantastic game. Davis totaled 32 points, 19 rebounds, four blocks and two steals in the victory. The bench also continued its recent success, as Ish Smith and Ryan Anderson put in some fine performances. In fact, Anderson had 29 points and that's his fourth consecutive 20 - point game, which is a fantastic sign considering he had just seven 20 - point outings all of last season. Smith flirted with a triple - double, as he collected 17 points, nine rebounds and eight assists off the bench. This is a very talented team and they are still feared no matter how bad their record looks. The Pelicans have now won two - straight and they'll look to add to that winning streak on Wednesday in a rematch with these Suns.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 46 Percentage of field goals ,has 11 Losses ,has 122 Total points ,has 3 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 39 Percentage of field goals ,has 6 Losses ,has 116 Total points ,has 7 Wins ."]

The Indiana Pacers used a big second - half comeback to defeat the host Sacramento Kings, 106 - 100, on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center. The Pacers (22 - 19), who trailed by as many as 22 in the first half, were down 60 - 41 at halftime before rallying behind Paul George and Jeff Teague to outscore the Kings, 65 - 40, in the second half. George finished with 24 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting while Teague totaled 22 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Teague, who was 11 of 11 from the free - throw line, hit two foul shots with 1:55 to play to give Indiana a 99 - 98 lead that it would not relinquish. Rudy Gay tore his left Achilles' tendon on a drive to the basket with 20 seconds left in the third quarter. He went down without contact and was carried off the floor. From that point, the Pacers outscored the Kings, 37 - 21. DeMarcus Cousins posted his fifth career triple - double, finishing with 25 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, but it was n't enough to keep the Kings (16 - 25) from losing for the eighth time in their last 10 games, including a 1 - 6 mark at home in that span. The Pacers travel to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Friday while the Kings start a season - high eight - game road trip in Memphis.

["TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 25 Number of team assists ,has 100 Losses ,has 16 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 22 Number of team assists ,has 19 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 22 Wins ."]

The Atlanta Hawks defeated the host Philadelphia 76ers, 99 - 92, at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday. This game meant much more to Atlanta than Philly and that proved to be the case in the final scoreline. Despite the Hawks leading for the final 44 minutes, this game was close throughout, with the Hawks never leading by more than 11 points. Three-point shooting really killed the Sixers, as they went just 11 - of - 39 from long distance, while the Hawks went 9 - of - 18. Atlanta also took care of the rebounding, winning that battle, 47 - 40. Getting to the free - throw line also boosted Atlanta, as they went 22 - of - 26 from the charity stripe, while Philly went just 9 - of - 11. The Hawks (39 - 36) now have two - straight wins after an ugly seven - game losing streak, as they are finally putting some things together. Dwight Howard was the player of the game, as he totaled 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Dennis Schroder finished with 14 points, three rebounds and five assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. accrued 19 points and three rebounds. Kent Bazemore was huge off the bench, providing 19 points, four rebounds and four assists. The Sixers (28 - 47) have struggled with the Hawks all season, as this marked a season sweep for Atlanta. Richaun Holmes got another start and he led the way with 25 points and eight rebounds on 11 - of - 16 shooting. Dario Saric accumulated 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists. T.J. McConnell tallied 13 points, three rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Nik Stauskas played well off the bench, amassing nine points, five rebounds and seven assists.

["TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 92 Losses ,has 40 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 36 Losses ,has 99 Total points ,has 47 Rebounds ,has 39 Wins ."]

The Utah Jazz (32 - 41) staved off a late rally to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder (41 - 32), 94 - 89, in Enes Kanter’s return to Salt Lake City. Derrick Favors was unable to play after injuring his back the night before. Treatment prior to the game did not alleviate the problem. Rodney Hood returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous two games with a stomach flu. Trey Burke continued his inefficient ways, scoring a team - high 22 points on 23 shots to go along with six rebounds, four assists and four steals in 33 minutes. Rudy Gobert, a nominee for Most Improved Player, supplied 13 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks, and three steals in 41 minutes without Favors to aid in frontcourt duties. Gordon Hayward was held to 4 - of - 16 shooting one night after scoring 24 points. The Thunder holds a two and a half game lead over the New Pelicans for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Russell Westbrook, the league’s leading scorer, continues to produce gross stats, even when his team loses. In 41 minutes, Westbrook was the first player the score at least 30 points against the Jazz since the All-Star break, contributing 37 points. He handed out six assists, all coming in the first quarter, and turned the ball over nine times. Former Jazz Enes Kanter notched his eighth straight double - double, compiling 18 points and 11 rebounds in 34 minutes. He was even hit with his fifth technical foul. The Jazz battle the Minnesota Timberwolves after a day off. The Thunder concludes a three - game road trip Sunday against the Phoenix Suns.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 41 Losses ,has 94 Total points ,has 18 Points in 4th quarter ,has 32 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 32 Losses ,has 89 Total points ,has 41 Points in 4th quarter ."]

These are two teams that have been polar opposites on the offensive end and that proved to be the case yet again here. Orlando took the early lead, but it fell apart in the middle of the second quarter. In fact, the Raptors outscored the Magic by 37 points after the first quarter. Three-point shooting is what really killed Orlando, as they went 3 - of - 21 from long distance in their defeat. DeMar DeRozan carried the load, as he dropped 31 points, five rebounds and four assists in just three quarters of action. Kyle Lowry also played well, providing 16 points and 10 assists. Evan Fournier was the only Magic starter with at least 10 points, as he accrued 15 points, three rebounds and three assists. Bismack Biyombo played well against his former team, as he totaled eight points, 12 rebounds and three blocks.

["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 15 Points in 4th quarter ."]

The Los Angeles Clippers (43 - 25) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (29 - 37) 99 - 92 on Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. This marked a tough loss for the Hornets, as they're now a full game behind the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics for the final projected playoff seed in the Eastern Conference standings. They still have plenty of time left in the season to make their way into playoff contention, but they're trending in the wrong direction with two losses in a row. The Clippers, on the other hand, moved into the fifth spot in the Western Conference standings, as they own the tie breaker over the Dallas Mavericks. If they can continue with their winning ways, they'll have the opportunity to move into the top half of the playoff field, especially if any of the top four teams struggle in the last 14 games or so of the regular season. The Clippers were led by their backcourt duo of J.J. Redick and Chris Paul. Redick went 10 - for - 17 from the field, but 0 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score a team - high 23 points. With both Matt Barnes and Jamal Crawford out, he was again able to get off a ton of shots. Over his last seven games, he's averaging 21 points, despite averaging just 15 points on the season. Paul was just as successful though and finished with 21 points (6 - 16 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and eight assists. He's riding a nice two - game stretch where he's combined for 44 points and 13 assists. Blake Griffin notched a double - double with 19 points (8 - 12 FG, 3 - 3 FT) and 11 rebounds. In the two games he's played since returning from the injury that costed him just over a month, he's posted two double - doubles and has combined for 30 points, 22 rebounds and 12 assists. DeAndre Jordan pitched in with a double - double of his own, finishing with 12 points (3 - 6 FG, 6 - 12 FT) and 14 rebounds. The Hornets had six players reach double figures in points Wednesday, including all five starters. Al Jefferson led the way offensively, posting a team - high of 21 points (9 - 19 FG, 3 - 5 FT), to go along with six rebounds. He had scored 10 points or less in each of his last two games, so it was good to see the center get back on track in this one. Mo Williams continued to play well for the Hornets and finished with 18 points (8 - 15 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt), four rebounds and eight assists. Since joining the Hornets 14 games ago, he's averaging 20 points, 3 rebounds and 8 assists, as he continues to establish himself as a very valuable player. Gerald Henderson also added 16 points (5 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT) and two steals as a starter. While the Hornets' bench only combined for a total of 17 points, it pretty much all came from Kemba Walker, as he recorded 15 points (3 - 8 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) and three rebounds in just 24 minutes off the bench. It was just his fourth game since returning from injury, so it was good to see him looking more comfortable out on the court. The Clippers' next game will be on the road against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, while the Hornets will travel to Sacramento to play the Kings on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 25 Losses ,has 99 Total points ,has 43 Points in 1st quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 37 Losses ,has 92 Total points ,has 20 Points in 1st quarter ,has 18 Points in 4th quarter ,has 29 Wins ."]

Charlotte are trying to keep their playoff hopes alive and road wins like this are crucial for that pursuit. Three-point shooting was the difference, with the Hornets going 16 - of - 32 from long range, while the Raptors went just 11 - of - 31. It took a late run by Charlotte to come back, as they outscored Toronto, 44 - 32, in the fourth quarter. Marco Belinelli led the way for Charlotte, as he dropped 21 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting off the bench. Marvin Williams recorded a double - double, totaling 18 points and 12 rebounds. Kemba Walker accrued 19 points, four rebounds and two assists. DeMar DeRozan once against carried Toronto, as he tallied 28 points, six rebounds and eight assists. Jonas Valanciunas amassed 14 points and 15 rebounds. Cory Joseph started for Kyle Lowry (wrist) once again and provided 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 28 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 32 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 44 Points in 2nd quarter ."]

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

["TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 22 Percentage of 3 points ,has 38 Percentage of field goals ,has 91 Total points ,has 21 Points in 2nd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 103 Percentage of 3 points ,has 25 Percentage of field goals ."]

The Cleveland Cavaliers (4 - 2) routed the Chicago Bulls (2 - 4), 94 - 73, on Thursday in Game 6 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls had a chance to bounce back on their home court to extend the series on Thursday, but the Cavaliers proved to be too much to handle. Cleveland was already missing Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving aggravated a knee injury, but its role players proved to be up to the challenge. Matthew Dellavedova filled in for Irving at point guard and was a key part of the Cavaliers pulling away in the second half. He finished with 19 points and two rebounds in 34 minutes off the bench, which made up for Irving's absence. With Thursday's win, LeBron James will play in the Eastern Conference Finals for the fifth straight season. The Conference Finals will begin Wednesday and the Cavaliers will face the winner of the Hawks-Wizards series. Cleveland built a sizeable lead by halftime and never relented. To emphasize how impressive the Cavaliers' victory was on Thursday, JeBron James was held to 15 points on 7 - of - 23 shooting and Kyrie Irving logged just 12 minutes of playing time. And yet, the Cavaliers still cruised to a 21 point victory. In addition to Dellavedova's big performance, J.R Smith added 12 points and Iman Shumpert scored 13 points. The Cavaliers will have nearly a week for their injured players to rest and rehab before taking the floor for the Eastern Conference Finals. Chicago's season came to an end on its home floor Thursday in blowout fashion. After an explosive 31 - point showing in the first quarter, the Bulls managed to score just 42 points over the last 36 minutes. Pau Gasol returned after a two game absence, but he was n't in his usual All-Star form. Gasol finished with just eight points and five rebounds over 24 minutes. Only two Bulls finished in double figures and no bench player scored more than seven points. This marks a disappointing end to the season for the Bulls, who viewed this series as one of their best opportunities in recent years to get past LeBron James to make the Conference Finals.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 4 Losses ,has 73 Total points ,has 31 Points in 1st quarter ,has 2 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 2 Losses ,has 94 Total points ,has 15 Points in 1st quarter ,has 21 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 4 Points in 4th quarter ."]

The Utah Jazz (34 - 41) beat the Denver Nuggets (28 - 47) 98 - 84 on Wednesday. Rudy Gobert keeps impressing as the season winds down in April. Only three times since Feb. 20 has he failed to record double - digit rebound totals. Against the Nuggets he coupled his spectacular rebounding ability with his first 20 - point game of the season. His scoring has vastly improved and has now put up six straight double - doubles. His frontcourt mate Derrick Favors was thought to be in jeopardy of missing Wednesday's tilt with a back injury, but he proved the doubters wrong and finished with 19 points and three blocks in 25 minutes of action. Dante Exum put on a passing display, recording 12 assists with three turnovers in 29 minutes. His counterpart Trey Burke came off the bench and had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes. The Jazz wo n't make the playoffs but their strong surge of late has really improved their feeling going into the offseason with a solid young core to build off of. The Nuggets had just one player finish with more than 30 minutes played and just three who reached double - digits in scoring. Kenneth Faried had his way on the boards as usual. He had 19 points and 10 rebounds, leading his team in both categories. Will Barton provided a spark off the bench for the Nuggets. In 23 minutes he recorded 13 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Denver's lost six of their last eight; like the Jazz they wo n't make the playoffs, but do n't seem to be heading in the right direction. The Nuggets will head to San Antonio to face the Spurs on Friday, as the Jazz will travel to Phoenix to face - off with the Suns on Saturday.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 41 Losses ,has 98 Total points ,has 34 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 47 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 6 Turnovers ,has 28 Wins ."]

The Memphis Grizzlies (47 - 20) defeated the Denver Nuggets (26 - 42) 92 - 81 on Monday at Fed Ex Forum Arena in Memphis. After winning each of their last four games, the Nuggets could n't hold onto it any longer, as the Grizzlies were just too much for them. While they have n't technically been eliminated from the playoffs yet, they're currently 12 games back from the Oklahoma City Thunder, who sit in the final projected playoff seed in the Western Conference standings. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, are currently the second projected playoff seed in the West, six games back from the Golden State Warriors. With the Trail Blazers losing to the Wizards earlier Monday, the Grizzlies have extended their lead to two games over them. The Grizzlies got the bulk of their offensive production from their frontcourt duo of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. Randolph finished with a team - high of 21 points (9 - 20 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), to go along with 16 rebounds. Randolph had gone four straight games without a double - double, so he was able to return to form Monday. He's now averaging 16 points and 11 rebounds on the season. Gasol recorded 14 points (4 - 13 FG, 6 - 8 FT) of his own, while adding eight rebounds and three blocked shots. He's scored less than his season average of 18 points in four of his last five games now, but the Grizzlies still keep on winning. The Grizzlies had some solid contributions from the bench as well, with both Tony Allen and Nick Calathes reaching double figures in points. Allen finished with 14 points (5 - 10 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and nine rebounds over 35 minutes, while Calathes posted 12 points (5 - 11 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and two steals. With Conley sitting out due to an ankle injury, Beno Udrih started at guard and finished with nine points (4 - 8 FG, 1 - 3 3PT) in 24 minutes. The Nuggets struggled to get much going offensively, as they held Kenneth Faried, Danilo Gallinari and Ty Lawson all out on a night of rest. Jameer Nelson was in the starting lineup for Lawson, as he went 11 - for - 18 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 24 points to go along with five rebounds. It was a new season - high in points for the guard, who's averaging an impressive 20 points over his last three games. Randy Foye was the starter at shooting guard and finished with 16 points (6 - 14 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) of his own, while also adding three steals in 33 minutes. He's had a nice two - game stretch, combining for 36 points and 11 assists over his last two outings. The only other Nugget to reach double figures in points was Wilson Chandler, who chipped in with 13 points (4 - 10 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 6 FT) and eight rebounds over 36 minutes. The Grizzlies' next game will be on the road against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, while the Nuggets will travel to Houston to play the Rockets on Thursday.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 20 Losses ,has 92 Total points ,has 18 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 47 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 42 Losses ,has 81 Total points ,has 26 Points in 3rd quarter ."]

Playing in their seventh game in 10 days, the Atlanta Hawks (7 - 1) were able to win their seventh straight, handily defeating the Washington Wizards (3 - 3) by a score of 114 - 99. Starter Kent Bazemore continued his impressive start to the season, leading the Hawks with 25 points while delivering an impressive performance on the defensive end. Bazemore, who many coming into the season considered a downgrade from last year's starter Demmare Carrol, has made a name for himself in the first eight games, helping to contribute to the Hawk's league - best seven wins thus far. As always, the Hawks were helped by their dynamic duo of big men, as both Paul Millsap (21 points, seven rebounds, six assists) and Al Horford (14 points, nine rebounds) had impressive nights. Breakout star Bradley Beal's hot start came to a screaching halt against the stingy Hawks' defense, as Beal scored just 11 points and turned the ball over a whopping eight times. Atlanta has been the only team to effectively keep Beal in check, as prior to Saturday the fourth - year guard had not scored fewer than 24 points in any game this season. Overall, Washington struggled to effectively control the ball, posting 25 turnovers as a team including seven more from All-Star point guard John Wall. Up-and-coming forward Otto Porter Jr. did provide a bright spot for Washington in the loss, as he posted 23 points on efficient 8 - for - 12 shooting. The Hawks have dominated through their first eight games, and currently sit atop the Eastern Conference. Atlanta wil hope to continue its seven - game win streak at home on Monday against Minnesota. Meanwhile, the Wizards prepare to take on the Thunder on Tuesday in Washington.

["TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 1 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 7 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 3 Losses ,has 99 Total points ,has 3 Wins ."]

The Spurs (2 - 1) had seven players in double - figures and got to the free throw line 38 times in Wednesday’s 94 - 92 win over the Hawks (1 - 2). San Antonio, coming off of a 94 - 89 loss to the Suns on Friday, jumped out to an early 27 - 15 first quarter lead. The Hawks would slowly claw back into the game, though, trimming the lead to six entering the fourth quarter. The Spurs opened the fourth on a quick 60 to vault the lead back into double - digits, but the Hawks would respond. An 80 run capped by a Dennis Schroder layup brought Atlanta to within two with 9:4 remaining, causing the Spurs to call a timeout. After the timeout, the teams traded buckets virtually the rest of the way. Three Manu Ginobili free throws put the Spurs up 91 - 90 with a minute remaining. Tim Duncan added a free throw to push the lead to two, but Jeff Teague hit a short jumper to knot the score at 92 with 13 seconds to play. Ginobili then drove to the hoop and drew a foul, knocking down both of what would end up being the game - winning free throws with three seconds on the clock. It was an all - around effort from both teams, as no player scored more than 17 points. Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll each had 17 for Atlanta, while Mike Scott chipped in 12 off the bench. Tim Duncan (17 points, 13 rebounds) and Tony Parker (17 points, seven assists, seven turnovers) led the way for San Antonio, with Boris Diaw adding 11 points and five rebounds in 34 minutes off the bench. The Spurs now turn around and head to Houston to face the Rockets on Thursday night. Atlanta has a night off Thursday before facing the Hornets in Charlotte on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 1 Losses ,has 94 Total points ,has 27 Points in 1st quarter ,has 2 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 2 Losses ,has 92 Total points ,has 15 Points in 1st quarter ,has 1 Wins ."]

The Boston Celtics (27 - 36) held the Orlando Magic (21 - 45) to 38 second - half points in their 95 - 88 victory. Evan Turner led all scorers with a season - high 30 points on 12 - 20 shooting as the Celtics pull to within a game of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Celtics are riding a three - game winning streak with contributions from the entire roster. Without Isaiah Thomas, Phil Pressey recorded his third career double - double with 10 points and 10 assists. Avery Bradley was held to 10 points on 4 - of - 16 shooting, and Kelly Olynyk provided 13 points, five rebounds and three three - pointers off the bench in 20 minutes. Nikola Vucevic left briefly after a flagrant foul from Tyler Zeller opened up a gash on his forehead requiring eight stitches. Even though it’s a team game, Elfrid Payton bears some responsibility for the loss. He shot 4 - of - 15 from the free - throw line after the Celtics decided to intentionally foul him in the second half, accounting for 11 of the team’s 14 misses at the charity stripe. It wasn’t all bad for the rookie, who finished with 20 points, nine assists, five rebounds, one steal, one block and a career - high two three - pointers. The Celtics travel to Indiana on Saturday night take battle the Pacers in order to buffer their playoff chances. The Magic host the Cleveland Cavaliers for a quick one - game homestand Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 95 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 88 Total points ."]

The Toronto Raptors (53 - 26) defeated the visiting Indiana Pacers (42 - 37) on Friday night, 111 - 98. The Pacers entered needing one win to clinch a playoff berth, but the Raptors made sure they left in the same position even though they played with mostly reserves. With Toronto, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, resting DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola, rookies Norman Powell and Delon Wright led the way. Powell scored a season - high 27 points, setting a team rookie record with 19 free - throw attempts. He converted 14 and hit 3 of 4 from three - point range. Wright added 19 points while Corey Joseph totaled 18 points and nine assists. Monta Ellis led the Pacers with 17 points, and Solomon Hill scored 16. Indiana entered as the league leader in 3 - point defense, allowing just 31 percent shooting from long range, but the Raptors shot 46 percent from distance. The Pacers will clinch a playoff berth with a Chicago Bulls loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, or a win Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets. The Raptors, who led by as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter, set a franchise record with 31 home wins.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 46 Percentage of 3 points ,has 26 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 53 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 37 Percentage of 3 points ,has 98 Losses ,has 42 Total points ."]

Since center Joel Embiid was lost for the season with a torn meniscus in his left knee, Dario Saric has taken over in the middle for the 76ers. Saric entered Sunday averaging 19 points and 8 rebounds in his last 14 games. He then went off for a career - high 29 points in Philadelphia's 118 - 116 win at the Lakers on Sunday. Embiid averaged 20 points and 8 rebounds in 31 games before his injury, and Saric has barely missed a beat in his place. Saric shot 10 of 20 from the field, including 3 of 7 from 3 - point range. He added seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a blocked shot in a do - everything performance. Jordan Clarkson also had a huge game, posting a career - high 30 points off the bench for the Lakers. He added six rebounds, eight assists, a steal and a block in 34 minutes and scored 10 of his points from the foul line. The 76ers killed the Larkers at the 3 - point line. Whereas Philadelphia shot 10 of 24 (42 percent) from beyond the arc, the Lakers finished 4 of 20 (20 percent).

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 20 Percentage of 3 points ,has 116 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 42 Percentage of 3 points ,has 118 Total points ."]

The New Orleans Pelicans (12 - 26) defeated the Sacramento Kings (15 - 23) 109 - 97 at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, CA on Wednesday. Anthony Davis made his return to the line up after missing two games with a bruised back. New Orleans lost both games without Davis but seemed completely rejuvenated by his return. Despite playing on the second night of a back - to - back and on the road, the Pelicans came out firing on all cylinders. They grabbed control of the game right from the start, with a 28 - 19 first quarter, followed up with 31 point second and third quarters. The Pelicans were up 90 - 65 going into the fourth. Sacramento responded with a big 32 - 19 fourth quarter but it was much too little, much too late. Anthony Davis led the way for the Pelicans as he logged 24 points (8 - 23 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals, in 37 minutes. Eric Gordon also finished with 24 points, while shooting an efficient 6 - 12 from distance. Gordon also chipped in six assists, five rebounds, three steals and one block, in 42 minutes. Ryan Anderson and Norris Cole tallied 18 points each, off the bench. The Pelicans did a very good job protecting the ball and only gave up seven turnovers. They also shot 48 percent from long range. Tyreke Evans left the game early with a sore right knee. DeMarcus Cousins led Sacramento in scoring and rebounding, with 32 points (13 - 30 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and 12 rebounds, in 36 minutes. Rajon Rondo had a point guard's double - double with 17 points (7 - 11 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and 10 assists, along with five rebounds, in 29 minutes. Rudy Gay finished with 12 points (5 - 9 FG) and six rebounds. Omri Casspi returned to the line up after missing games with a sore upper back and finished with seven points and six rebounds, in 29 minutes off the bench. The Kings will begin a three - game road trip in Utah on Thursday. Utah sits just ahead of them in the standings and will also be on the second night of a back to back, making for a tough match - up. The Pelicans will host the Hornets on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 23 Losses ,has 97 Total points ,has 19 Points in 1st quarter ,has 32 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 15 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 26 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 28 Points in 1st quarter ,has 31 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 31 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 19 Points in 4th quarter ,has 7 Turnovers ,has 12 Wins ."]