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The Toronto Raptors (42 - 28) defeated the New York Knicks (14 - 56) 106 - 89 on Sunday in Toronto. The Raptors dominated the game from start to finish with DeMar DeRozan leading the way, scoring 23 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out five assists in 36 minutes. The performance marks the fifth consecutive game DeRozan has scored 20 - plus points and he has reached the threshold in all 11 games played in the month of March except one. Kyle Lowry missed his second straight game for Toronto with a back injury. In his absence Greivis Vasquez got his second straight start and scored 12 points on 5 - of - 8 shooting in 34 minutes. Jonas Valanciunas recorded a double - double of 17 points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes, and the effort was his third double - double in four outings. Tyler Hansbrough (18), Lou Williams (13) and Terrence Ross (11) round out the six Raptors who scored in double figures. The win leaves Toronto all alone in third place in the Eastern Conference with just a half - game lead over Chicago for that spot, and they are still three games behind the Cavaliers for second place. The Knicks continue to be the Knicks, as the loss was their third in a row and 10th in their last 12 outings, as they continue to boast the worst record in the NBA. Lance Thomas had his best game of the season, scoring 24 points on 9 - of - 12 shooting in 38 minutes. Andrea Bargnani was the only other New York player to score in double figures, posting 16 points on 6 - of - 13 shooting in 33 minutes. Up next, the Raptors will travel to Detroit on Tuesday to take on the Pistons, while New York will go up against the Grizzlies at home on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 28 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 18 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 42 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 56 Losses ,has 89 Total points ,has 14 Points in 3rd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G,'Lance Thomas') has 12 Assists ,has 9 3-pointers attempted ,has 38 3-pointers made ,has 24 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Andrea Bargnani') has 13 Assists ,has 6 3-pointers attempted ,has 33 3-pointers made ,has 16 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Terrence Ross') has 11 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jonas Valanciunas') has 27 Assists ,has 4 3-pointers attempted ,has 17 3-pointers made ,has 10 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'DeMar DeRozan') has 5 Assists ,has 1 3-pointers attempted ,has 1 3-pointers made ,has 15 Field goals attempted ,has 8 Field goals made ,has 36 Minutes played ,has 1 Offensive rebounds ,has 23 Personal fouls ,has 7 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Greivis Vasquez') has 8 Assists ,has 5 3-pointers attempted ,has 34 3-pointers made ,has 12 Field goals attempted ,has 4 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Lou Williams') has 11 Assists ,has 13 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tyler Hansbrough') has 18 Assists ,has 18 3-pointers attempted ."]

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 124 - 110, at Air Canada Centre on Thursday. Jonas Valanciunas has been toughing out an ankle injury in recent games, and the ailment had clearly affected his play before Thursday. However, the veteran big man bounced back against the Timberwolves, going for 20 points, 10 rebounds and an assist over 29 minutes. That effort served as an ideal complement to the production generated by Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who totaled 52 points. The trio of performances helped pave the way for a second 120 - point plus performance in the last three games for the Raptors (15 - 7). The Timberwolves (6 - 16) were led by Zach LaVine, who went for a game - high 29 points on 12 - of - 20 shooting, and who added six assists and two rebounds. Andrew Wiggins supplied 25 points, six rebounds and an assist while going 10 - of - 19 from the field himself. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed a 17 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and a block. Nemanja Bjelica pitched in with nine points, three rebounds and a steal. DeRozan paced Toronto overall with 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists while visiting the foul line a game - high 13 times. Lowry was close behind with a 25 - point, 11 - assist double - double that also included a pair of rebounds and a steal. DeMarre Carroll filled out the stat sheet with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Cory Joseph led the second unit with 12 points, two assists, a rebound and a block. The Timberwolves head back home to face off with the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, while the Raptors visit the Boston Celtics on Friday evening as well.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 7 Losses ,has 124 Total points ,has 15 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 16 Losses ,has 110 Total points ,has 6 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Andrew Wiggins') has 1 Assists ,has 19 Blocks ,has 10 Field goals attempted ,has 25 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Karl-Anthony Towns') has 1 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 17 Field goals attempted ,has 11 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Zach LaVine') has 6 Assists ,has 20 Blocks ,has 12 Field goals attempted ,has 29 Field goals made ,has 2 Free throws attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nemanja Bjelica') has 9 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'DeMarre Carroll') has 2 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ,has 5 Field goals attempted ,has 2 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'DeMar DeRozan') has 5 Assists ,has 13 Blocks ,has 27 Field goals attempted ,has 8 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kyle Lowry') has 11 Assists ,has 25 Blocks ,has 2 Field goals attempted ,has 1 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Cory Joseph') has 2 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 12 Field goals attempted ,has 1 Field goals made ."]

The Dallas Mavericks (43 - 25) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (37 - 20) 119 - 115 on Monday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The Mavericks picked up a big win Monday, as it moved them up to the fifth seed in the Western Conference standings. They now sit two games back from the Houston Rockets, and just a half game ahead of both the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers. It was also a really tough loss for the Thunder, who are positioned in the eighth and final projected playoff seed in the West. With the Pelicans also taking a loss Sunday, the Thunder were still able to hold onto a half game lead over New Orleans despite the loss. The Mavericks were down by 10 at half, but came out and had a monster second half. Chandler Parsons led the way, going 10 - for - 14 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 31 points, while also adding four rebounds. His shot has been absolutely locked in of late, combining to go 18 - for - 26 from the field and 8 - for - 11 from the three - point line to score 53 points over his last two games. Monta Ellis had a strong showing as well though, finishing with 24 points (8 - 20 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 11 FT), five rebounds and three steals. He forced his way to the free throw line in this game, matching a season - high of 11 attempts, while converting on eight of those 11 attempts. The third member of the starting lineup to surpass the 20 - point mark was Dirk Nowitzki. In 27 minutes, Nowitzki recorded 22 points (8 - 18 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and four rebounds. He had n't scored over 14 points in each of his last six games, so it was good to see him get some more points on the board. Rajon Rondo chipped in with 11 points (5 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt) and 13 assists as well. With Serge Ibaka (knee) out for the forseeable future, Steven Adams and Enes Kanter teamed up at the center and power forward positions. Each played well in the loss, with Adams posting 15 points (5 - 8 FG, 5 - 6 FT) and eight rebounds, while Kanter had 19 points (7 - 12 FG, 5 - 5 FT) and 13 rebounds. Kanter has posted three double - doubles in a row, a stretch where he's averaging 20 points and 15 rebounds, as he's really stepped up his production with Ibaka sidelined. Like we've grown accustomed to, Russell Westbrook came just shy of another triple - double. In 36 minutes, he finished with 24 points (7 - 17 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT), eight rebounds and 12 assists. While continuing to make his case for the league MVP, Westbrook has pushed his season averages to 28 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists per game. Mitch McGary added a double - double off the bench with 12 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 4 FT) and 13 rebounds, but made a rookie mistake in the closing few minutes, intentionally fouling Ellis when the Thunder had enough time left in the game to make a stop. The Mavericks' next game will come at home against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, while the Thunder will take on the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 25 Losses ,has 119 Total points ,has 43 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 115 Losses ." "PlayerStat(G,'Enes Kanter') has 12 Assists ,has 7 Defensive rebounds ,has 5 3-pointers attempted ,has 5 3-pointers made ,has 3 Field goals attempted ,has 19 Field goals made ,has 13 Free throws attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Steven Adams') has 3 Assists ,has 8 Defensive rebounds ,has 5 3-pointers attempted ,has 6 3-pointers made ,has 5 Field goals attempted ,has 15 Field goals made ,has 8 Free throws attempted ,has 3 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 12 Assists ,has 4 Defensive rebounds ,has 1 3-pointers attempted ,has 17 3-pointers made ,has 7 Field goals attempted ,has 10 Field goals made ,has 9 Free throws attempted ,has 36 Free throws made ,has 24 Minutes played ,has 8 Personal fouls ." "PlayerStat(G,'Mitch McGary') has 11 Assists ,has 5 Defensive rebounds ,has 4 3-pointers attempted ,has 2 3-pointers made ,has 12 Field goals attempted ,has 13 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Chandler Parsons') has 5 Assists ,has 3 Defensive rebounds ,has 14 3-pointers attempted ,has 10 3-pointers made ,has 31 Field goals attempted ,has 4 Field goals made ,has 2 Free throws attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dirk Nowitzki') has 7 Assists ,has 4 Defensive rebounds ,has 18 3-pointers attempted ,has 8 3-pointers made ,has 2 Field goals attempted ,has 2 Field goals made ,has 27 Free throws attempted ,has 22 Free throws made ,has 4 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Monta Ellis') has 3 Assists ,has 0 Defensive rebounds ,has 20 3-pointers attempted ,has 8 3-pointers made ,has 11 Field goals attempted ,has 8 Field goals made ,has 24 Free throws attempted ,has 5 Free throws made ,has 3 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rajon Rondo') has 13 Assists ,has 2 Defensive rebounds ,has 1 3-pointers attempted ,has 8 3-pointers made ,has 5 Field goals attempted ,has 11 Field goals made ."]

The Golden State Warriors defeated the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder, 96 - 88, in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals at Oracle Arena on Thursday to advance to the NBA Finals for the second year in a row. The Warriors became just the 10th team to win a series after trailing 3 - 1, and it came on the back of their MVP, Steph Curry. Game 7 went a similar way to Games 5 and 6, as it involved more competitive basketball, a closer final score and no clear winner through three quarters of play. Golden State fell behind in the first quarter, as Russell Westbrook ran the floor and found open looks for Andre Roberson, Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka. Steven Adams was playing big on the boards in the first half, and for the first 24 minutes of action, the Thunder were able to control the paint and keep possessions alive. Klay Thompson, who came off a NBA Playoffs record setting three - point performance in Game 6, rattled off five straight three - pointers in the second quarter and kept his team within striking distance. The final two possessions of the first half will grace the highlight reel, as Russell Westbrook went coast - to - coast and finished in traffic, while Curry responded with a layup that kissed the backboards highest point at the buzzer. Steph Curry was able to take over in the third quarter. Once his three - point shot got going, it created havoc for the Thunder defense. Curry was able to pull the defense out towards the perimeter regularly, and take advantage of high screens and attack the rim. The refs mostly stayed out of the game through the third quarter, but whistles started blowing in the fourth quarter, which included a handful of 50/50 calls on both ends of the floor. Before the Warriors were able to ice the game on a Curry trey with under :30 to play, Kevin Durant ripped off a herculean 70 scoring run, by himself, to pull Oklahoma City within four points. The Thunder’s biggest problem during the regular season was closing out games, it happened again in Game 6, but the Warriors will simply the better team in Game 7. Draymond Green lost possession of the ball with under two minutes to play, but was able to get enough possession to get a timeout called, instead of a jump - ball, as Westbrook pounced on the opportunity. The following possession, Ibaka fouled Curry behind the three - point line, and that was enough to ice the game. Curry finished with 36 points, five rebounds and eight assists, while Thompson added 21 points on 6 - of - 11 three - point shooting. Draymond Green was not very efficient from the field, but added 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots. Kevin Durant finished with 27 points, seven rebounds and three assists on 10 - of - 19 shooting. Russell Westbrook contributed 19 points, seven boards and 13 assists. The Golden State Warriors will welcome the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday at Oracle Arena.

["TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 96 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 88 Total points ,has 7 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kevin Durant') has 3 Assists ,has 19 Blocks ,has 10 3-pointers attempted ,has 27 3-pointers made ,has 7 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Steven Adams') has 5 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 13 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 19 3-pointers attempted ,has 7 3-pointers made ,has 2 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Draymond Green') has 4 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 11 3-pointers attempted ,has 9 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Klay Thompson') has 11 Assists ,has 6 Blocks ,has 21 3-pointers attempted ,has 5 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Stephen Curry') has 8 Assists ,has 36 Blocks ,has 5 3-pointers attempted ."]

The New York Knicks defeated the host Chicago Bulls 117 - 106 at United Center on Friday. Recent results from these teams would indicate a different outcome, but the Knicks showed some resiliency here on the road. New York actually led by 16 at times in the first quarter, before allowing the Bulls to take their first lead in the second quarter. The Knicks responded by recapturing the lead in the third and kept it for the entirety of the fourth quarter. New York shot 52 percent from the field and assisted on 31 of their 46 made baskets. They did that dominating the turnover differential as well, committing just five, while forcing 12 from the Bulls. The Knicks (2 - 3) got some great performance from their starters here, as all five scored at least 15 points. Kristaps Porzingis led the team, scoring 27 points to go along with his five boards. Carmelo Anthony was n't far behind, tallying 25 points, six rebounds and four assists of his own. Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose both played great in their return to Chicago. Noah tallied 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists, while Rose finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and a season - high 11 assists. The Bulls (3 - 2) had a tough task here against some former Chicago players and they simply did n't play well enough to win. Dwyane Wade did all he could though, scoring a game - high 35 points on 12 - of - 20 shooting. He also provided 10 rebounds and hit five more three - pointers in the loss. Jimmy Butler was the only starter in double figures, dropping 26 points of his own. Nikola Mirotic was a nice spark off the bench, totaling 14 points and six boards. The Knicks return to action on Sunday when they host the Utah Jazz, while Chicago travels to Indiana on Saturday to play the Pacers.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 2 Percentage of field goals ,has 12 Losses ,has 3 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 52 Percentage of field goals ,has 3 Losses ,has 5 Turnovers ,has 2 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Carmelo Anthony') has 4 Assists ,has 25 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kristaps Porzingis') has 27 Assists ,has 5 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Joakim Noah') has 4 Assists ,has 16 3-pointers made ,has 9 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Derrick Rose') has 11 Assists ,has 15 3-pointers made ,has 7 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jimmy Butler') has 26 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dwyane Wade') has 5 Assists ,has 20 3-pointers made ,has 12 Field goals attempted ,has 35 Field goals made ,has 10 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nikola Mirotic') has 14 Assists ,has 6 3-pointers made ."]

The host Portland Trail Blazers took down the visiting Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, 102 - 89, in a battle of eighth - seed contenders. Portland (14 - 20) entered the game having lost six straight, but came away with a convincing win on Wednesday. Despite the absence of injured star Damian Lillard, the Trail Blazers were able to score effectively. Six Blazers scored in double digits, with C.J. McCollum posting a team - high 20 points. It was an excellent offensive night for the Blazers, who shot over 47 percent from the field and hit 12 three - pointers. Surprisingly, though, it was an even better night on the defensive end, a domain in which Portland has struggled all season. The Blazers managed to hold their opponents to just 39 percent from the field and only nine three - pointers on 32 percent from beyond the arc. Sacramento (14 - 18) saw a tough night on offense, as only center DeMarcus Cousins seemed to be able to find the basket. Cousins finished with a team - high 28 points and had eight rebounds and six assists. Only two other players scored in double figures, however, as the team struggled to score. The Kings also had an off night on the boards, being out - rebounded 45 - 39 by a generally fairly weak Portland frontcourt. On Friday, the Blazers will visit San Antonio, while the Kings will see the Grizzlies on Saturday.

["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 47 Percentage of field goals ,has 20 Losses ,has 102 Total points ,has 45 Rebounds ,has 14 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 18 Percentage of field goals ,has 89 Losses ,has 39 Total points ,has 14 Rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'DeMarcus Cousins') has 6 Assists ,has 28 Points ,has 8 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'CJ McCollum') has 20 Assists ."]

The Brooklyn Nets (10 - 12) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (6 - 17) 114 - 87 on Saturday. Brooklyn has won two straight, and they earned Saturday's win without several of their frontcourt players. Brook Lopez remains out indefinitely with a lower back injury, while Kevin Garnett sat out to rest his foot on the second night of a back - to - back, and Mirza Teletovic missed a third straight game with a hip pointer. Mason Plumlee played well as the starting center, recording his second straight double - double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Cory Jefferson earned the first start of his career and put 11 points and five rebounds in 23 minutes. Charlotte has lost two straight, and despite the Nets rolling out their third - string frontcourt, Charlotte was unable to capitalize on the opportunity. Brooklyn shot an absurd 58 percent from the field and 70 percent from beyond the arc to decimate the Hornets' defense, while Charlotte shot just 39 percent from the field and 63 percent from the free - throw line. The Nets have two days off before they'll host the Miami Heat on Monday. Charlotte will go on the road to play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 39 Percentage of 3 points ,has 17 Percentage of field goals ,has 87 Losses ,has 6 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 70 Percentage of 3 points ,has 58 Percentage of field goals ,has 12 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 10 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Cory Jefferson') has 23 Minutes played ,has 11 Points ,has 5 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Mason Plumlee') has 11 Minutes played ,has 13 Points ."]

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 113 - 111 at Moda Center on Sunday. The Warriors (41 - 7) came away with a road win even without reigning MVP Stephen Curry (illness) for the first time this season. The Blazers (21 - 28) pulled off a wild 20 - 2 run to close out the first half, bringing the game within striking distance, as the back - and - forth ensued for the second half. Evan Turner proved his worth on the defensive end and caused problems for the Golden State back court throughout the game. Turner also dunked home the transition layup to cut the Warriors lead to just two points with under :10 remaining in the fourth quarter. Durant was called for an offensive foul on the following inbound pass, and Turner missed the game winning three as time expired. Durant went on to lead all scorers with 33 points, to go along with 10 rebounds, six assists, one block and seven turnovers on 13 - of - 26 shooting. Thompson was fed most of his shots on off - ball screens where he was dominant around the perimeter in the second half and made his way to the foul line for additional damage. The Warriors all - star shooting guard finished with 27 points on 6 - of - 21 shooting, which included 13 - of - 15 from the charity stripe. McCollum continued his strong scoring streak and finished with 28 points, which led all Blazers scorers, on 10 - of - 16 shooting, while Lillard scored 19 points alongside eight assists in 36 minutes. Neither team shot well behind the three point line, rare for two squads who utilize the three - point line for much of their scoring and game plan, as both fell below 40 percent. Next up, the Blazers host the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, while the Warriors host the Hornets on the second game of a back - to - back for Kemba Walker's team.

["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 28 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 21 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 7 Losses ,has 113 Total points ,has 41 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kevin Durant') has 6 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 26 Field goals attempted ,has 13 Field goals made ,has 33 Minutes played ,has 10 Personal fouls ,has 7 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Evan Turner') has 3 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'CJ McCollum') has 16 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ,has 28 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Damian Lillard') has 8 Assists ,has 36 Blocks ,has 19 Field goals attempted ."]

The Chicago Bulls (34 - 33) defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets (19 - 49) 118 - 102, Thursday evening at United Center. Chicago got out to a great start, with a 55 - 37 first half but Brooklyn came out and scored as many points as they did in the entire first half, in the third quarter alone, bringing it to a five - point game heading into the fourth. However, Doug McDermott and the Bulls had the answer in the fourth as they out - scored the Nets 39 - 28. McDermott scored 10 of his 25 points in the final quarter, as he notched his third straight game with more than 20 points. This was a big win for the Bulls as they are bunched up with the Pistons and the Wizards in the battle for eighth in the East. Chicago has now won seven of their last nine home games, while the Nets have lost four - straight on the road. In the absence of Pau Gasol (knee), Chicago's bench accounted for an impressive 60 points. Doug McDermott led the way with 25 points (8 - 16 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), along with three rebounds and one assist, in 28 minutes off the bench. Jimmy Butler had a strong outing, with 22 points (7 - 12 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 8 - 8 FT), seven assists, three rebounds and one steal, in 32 minutes, while Bobby Portis logged a double - double with 12 points and 14 rebounds, in 28 minutes off the bench. The Bulls shot 49 percent form the field, 46 percent from long range and an impressive 15 - 15 from the free throw line. Bojan Bogdanovic followed up his career - high 44 - point performance with another strong game, this time finishing with a team - high 26 points (10 - 17 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), along with five assists, three rebounds and one steal, in 29 minutes. Thaddeus Young tallied a double - double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, along with two steals, two blocked shots and one assist, in 31 minutes. The Nets struggled shooting from deep, going 6 - 21, but shot a decent 47 percent from the field overall. Next, the Nets will head to Detroit to face off against the Pistons on Saturday. The Bulls will look to keep their playoff hopes alive as they host the Jazz on Saturday, in what will be the second of a four - game home stand.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 46 Percentage of 3 points ,has 49 Percentage of field goals ,has 33 Losses ,has 118 Total points ,has 39 Points in 4th quarter ,has 9 Turnovers ,has 34 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 47 Percentage of 3 points ,has 49 Percentage of field goals ,has 102 Losses ,has 28 Total points ,has 9 Points in 4th quarter ,has 19 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Bojan Bogdanovic') has 5 Assists ,has 5 Blocks ,has 2 3-pointers attempted ,has 17 3-pointers made ,has 10 Field goals attempted ,has 4 Field goals made ,has 4 Free throws attempted ,has 29 Free throws made ,has 26 Minutes played ,has 3 Points ,has 1 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Thaddeus Young') has 1 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 31 3-pointers attempted ,has 16 3-pointers made ,has 14 Field goals attempted ,has 2 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jimmy Butler') has 7 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 0 3-pointers attempted ,has 12 3-pointers made ,has 7 Field goals attempted ,has 8 Field goals made ,has 8 Free throws attempted ,has 32 Free throws made ,has 22 Minutes played ,has 3 Points ,has 1 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Doug McDermott') has 1 Assists ,has 8 Blocks ,has 5 3-pointers attempted ,has 16 3-pointers made ,has 8 Field goals attempted ,has 4 Field goals made ,has 4 Free throws attempted ,has 25 Free throws made ,has 3 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Bobby Portis') has 28 Assists ,has 12 Blocks ,has 14 3-pointers attempted ."]

The visiting Phoenix Suns beat the host Dallas Mavericks, 102 - 95, on Thursday. Phoenix (12 - 25) has now won two straight after an awful stretch towards the end of December. On Thursday, point guard Eric Bledsoe led the way with 26 points, while sophomore guard Devin Booker added 22 of his own. While guard play was key for Phoenix's offense, the team was able to pull away on the backs of strong rebounding. Veteran center Tyson Chandler pulled down 18 boards, contributing to a 53 - 31 Phoenix advantage in the rebounding column. The Suns shot almost 45 percent on the night and only made seven three - pointers. Dallas (11 - 25) has begun to turn things around after an abysmal start to the season, but Thursday's loss was not promising. Forward Harrison Barnes continued to be a reliable scoring option for the Mavericks, as he poured in 19 points. Point guard Deron Williams, meanwhile, scored 20 with six assists. However, the team could not keep up on the glass and only hit nine three - pointers, making it difficult to keep up with Phoenix. Dallas will host the Hawks on Saturday, while the Suns will host Cleveland on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 25 Percentage of field goals ,has 95 Losses ,has 31 Total points ,has 11 Rebounds ." "TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 45 Percentage of field goals ,has 25 Losses ,has 102 Total points ,has 53 Rebounds ,has 12 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tyson Chandler') has 18 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Devin Booker') has 22 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Eric Bledsoe') has 26 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Harrison Barnes') has 19 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Deron Williams') has 6 Assists ,has 20 Points ."]

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Atlanta Hawks 109 - 102 Wednesday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Both teams had all five of their starters finish with double - digits points. Al Horford made his regular season return to the court after sitting out the majority of last season with a torn pectoral muscle. He played 31 minutes as the Hawks' starting center and put up 12 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks. Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver both finished with 20 points, but despite the impressive individual performances, the Hawks did n't have enough wind to carry them to victory. The Raptors spread the ball around, and seven players finished with double - digits points. Third-year center Jonas Valanciunas played just 21 minutes despite starting the game but collected 17 points, eight rebounds, and a block in his limited minutes. The Raptors' next game is on the road against the Orlando Magic on Saturday. The Hawks's next game will be at home against the Idiana Pacers on Saturday as well.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 109 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 102 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Al Horford') has 3 Blocks ,has 31 Minutes played ,has 12 Points ,has 13 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kyle Korver') has 20 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jeff Teague') has 20 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jonas Valanciunas') has 1 Blocks ,has 21 Minutes played ,has 17 Points ,has 8 Total rebounds ."]

The Brooklyn Nets defeated the New York Knicks, 121 - 110, at Madison Square Garden on Thursday evening. The Nets (13 - 54) have been the NBA's worst team, and have especially struggled on the road. Coming into Thursday, they'd won only four times in 33 games away from Barclays Center, but their prospects were n't as grim as usual against the Knicks (27 - 42), which they had already defeated 120 - 112 just five days prior. Brooklyn proved to once again have New York's number, as all five members of their first unit hit double digits in the scoring column, and the Nets shot a collective 48 percent from the floor. The Knicks were also notably without Kristaps Porzingis (thigh), which left them devoid of their best rim protector and shot blocker. The visitors earned the victory in the second half, during which they outscored their hosts by a 67 - 49 margin. Brook Lopez led the way for Brooklyn with 24 points, six rebounds, three assists and one block. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson posted 20 points, 10 rebounds and one block. Jeremy Lin supplied another full stat line of 15 points, eight assists, four rebounds and two steals. Rookie Caris LaVert continued to offer strong production, compiling 13 points and seven rebounds. Randy Foye submitted 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal. K.J. McDaniels and Quincy Acy provided matching nine - point efforts to lead the bench. Kyle O'Quinn checked in as the leading scorer for the Knicks with 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 26 minutes off the bench. Derrick Rose led the starting five with 22 points, two rebounds and two assists. Carmelo Anthony posted 17 points, six rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. Lance Thomas was outstanding in filling in for Porzingis, as he registered a 15 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included one assist. Willy Hernangomez ran into early foul trouble and it besieged him throughout the game, as he played only 19 minutes, which facilitated O'Quinn's extended opportunity. The Nets head back home to face the Boston Celtics on Friday night, while the Knicks head to the West Coast to tangle with the Los Angeles Clippers next Monday evening.

["TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 42 Percentage of field goals ,has 110 Losses ,has 33 Total points ,has 23 Points in 1st quarter ,has 27 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 48 Percentage of field goals ,has 54 Losses ,has 121 Total points ,has 13 Points in 1st quarter ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rondae Hollis-Jefferson') has 1 Assists ,has 20 Blocks ,has 10 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Caris LeVert') has 13 Assists ,has 7 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Brook Lopez') has 3 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 24 Minutes played ,has 6 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Randy Foye') has 2 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ,has 4 Minutes played ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jeremy Lin') has 8 Assists ,has 15 Blocks ,has 4 Minutes played ,has 2 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'KJ McDaniels') has 9 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Quincy Acy') has 9 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Carmelo Anthony') has 5 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 17 Minutes played ,has 6 Points ,has 1 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Lance Thomas') has 1 Assists ,has 15 Blocks ,has 10 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Willy Hernangomez') has 19 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Derrick Rose') has 2 Assists ,has 22 Blocks ,has 2 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kyle O'Quinn') has 3 Assists ,has 26 Blocks ,has 23 Minutes played ,has 8 Points ,has 1 Total rebounds ."]

The Nets (22 - 31) knocked off the Lakers (13 - 41) 114 - 105 behind 22 points and 14 rebounds from Brook Lopez. Brooklyn trailed by one at half but broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring the Lakers 40 - 20. Lopez’s 22 led the way, while Deron Williams added 12 points and 15 rebounds in 40 minutes. Bojan Bogdanovic had 18 points in 37 minutes, and Joe Johnson chipped in 23 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting. The Nets shot 47 percent as a team and knocked down 10 - of - 21 attempts from beyond the arc. The Lakers, meanwhile, shot just 4 - of - 23 from deep but managed 46 percent shooting overall. Los Angeles placed three starters in double - figures, led by by 13 points and seven rebounds from Robert Sacre. Ryan Kelly and Jordan Clarkson each added 12 points, while Ed Davis added 16 points and 14 boards off the bench. Jeremy Lin chipped in 18 points, and Jordan Hill had 12 points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes. Up next, the Lakers play host to the Celtics on Sunday. Brooklyn is off until when they take on the Nuggets in Denver.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 46 Percentage of field goals ,has 41 Losses ,has 105 Total points ,has 20 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 13 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 47 Percentage of field goals ,has 31 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 22 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 40 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 22 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Bojan Bogdanovic') has 37 Defensive rebounds ,has 18 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Joe Johnson') has 11 Defensive rebounds ,has 6 Field goals attempted ,has 23 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Deron Williams') has 40 Defensive rebounds ,has 12 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Brook Lopez') has 22 Defensive rebounds ,has 14 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ryan Kelly') has 12 Defensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Robert Sacre') has 3 Defensive rebounds ,has 3 Field goals attempted ,has 13 Field goals made ,has 7 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jordan Clarkson') has 12 Defensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jordan Hill') has 29 Defensive rebounds ,has 12 Field goals attempted ,has 10 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ed Davis') has 16 Defensive rebounds ,has 14 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jeremy Lin') has 18 Defensive rebounds ."]

The Golden State Warriors (110) beat the Brooklyn Nets (1 - 9) 107 - 99 at Oracle Arena on Saturday. The Brooklyn Nets entered the game as 19 point underdogs and fought every second of regulation as an unlikely foe looking to end the Warriors perfect start. Brook Lopez was inches away from securing a victory with :5 left in regulation, but the ball banged off the back of the rim as time expired, sending the game to overtime. From there, the Warriors dominated the final five minutes, outscoring Brooklyn 10 - 2. The Nets received explosive performances from Jarrett Jack and Thaddeus Young, who finished with 28 points and 26 points, respectively. Jack added nine assists, four rebounds and two steals, as he willed his way to the free throw line towards the end of regulation, where he finished 8 - for - 8 from the charity stripe. The Nets continue to improve upon a very poor start to the season, although they have only one win to show for their efforts. Brooklyn lost by two points in a competitive game with the the Kings on Friday and followed up by taking the nearly unstoppable Golden State Warriors to the brink on Saturday. Andre Iguodala (15 points, six rebounds, six assists) nailed a clutch, off balance, 3 - point shot with :5 remaining in regulation, and took the momentum into overtime where he added three assists and two points to his quality 37:53 off the bench. Draymond Green rounded out the stat sheet with his second career triple - double, as he finished with 16 points, 10 rebound and 12 assists on 7 - for - 18 shooting. Stephen Curry led all scorers with 34 points, to go along with three rebound and six assists. The reigning league MVP shot 5 - for - 16 from the 3 - point line and passed his father, Dell Curry (1,245), on the all time 3 - point field goals list. Brandon Rush started in place of the injured Klay Thompson (back) and finished with eight points, most of which in the first quarter, and four rebounds in 20:46. Both teams have home games Tuesday, with the Nets hosting the Atlanta Hawks (8 - 3), while the Warriors will look to win their twelfth straight game against the Toronto Raptors (7 - 3).

["TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 107 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 9 Losses ,has 99 Total points ,has 1 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Thaddeus Young') has 26 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jarrett Jack') has 9 Assists ,has 8 3-pointers attempted ,has 8 3-pointers made ,has 28 Field goals attempted ,has 4 Field goals made ,has 2 Free throws attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Draymond Green') has 12 Assists ,has 18 3-pointers attempted ,has 7 3-pointers made ,has 16 Field goals attempted ,has 10 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Brandon Rush') has 8 Assists ,has 4 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Stephen Curry') has 6 Assists ,has 16 3-pointers attempted ,has 5 3-pointers made ,has 34 Field goals attempted ,has 3 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Andre Iguodala') has 6 Assists ,has 15 3-pointers attempted ,has 6 3-pointers made ."]

The Washington Wizards (21 - 8) defeated the Boston Celtics (10 - 18) 101 - 88 on Saturday. Washington is on a two - game win streak. They jumped out to a 30 - 12 lead after the first quarter and held the Celtics at a distance the rest of the game. The Wizards shot 50 percent from the field and 39 percent from beyond the arc. Andre Miller finished with seven assists in 18 minutes off the bench, earning a few extra minutes of run with the game in hand. Washington will embark on a five - game Western Conference road trip that begins against the Houston Rockets on Monday. Boston has lost four straight games as their commitment to rebuilding following the trade of Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks has them on a downward spiral. Marcus Smart made a second straight start at point guard, but he played just 14 minutes. The Celtics were beat in several ways. They shot just 41 percent from the field, lost the rebound battle 48 - 36 and gave up 22 points on 18 turnovers. They will return home and have three days off before hosting the Sacramento Kings on Wendesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 39 Percentage of 3 points ,has 50 Percentage of field goals ,has 8 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 30 Points in 1st quarter ,has 48 Rebounds ,has 21 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 41 Percentage of 3 points ,has 18 Percentage of field goals ,has 88 Losses ,has 12 Total points ,has 36 Points in 1st quarter ,has 18 Rebounds ,has 10 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marcus Smart') has 14 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Andre Miller') has 7 Assists ,has 18 Minutes played ."]

The Indiana Pacers (20 - 15) defeated the Orlando Magic (19 - 17) for a big Eastern Conference road win Wednesday at Amway Center, 95 - 86. It looked over with three minutes left in the fourth quarter when the Pacers took a 86 - 76 lead on a pair of Paul George free throws, but five straight points from Magic guard Victor Oladipo made it an 89 - 86 game with 58 seconds left. It would n't be enough, however, as the Pacers managed to ice the game from the free throw line. Paul George's 20 points led the Pacers, as he made up for a poor night from deep (1 of 6 from three) with a perfect 9 - of - 9 night at the free - throw line. Monta Ellis scored 19 points and finished with game highs in assists (seven) and steals (four). The Pacers struggled shooting from the field, as they managed just 42 percent from the floor and 27 percent from three. They won the game at the free throw line, where they went 25 - 29 and scored nine more points than the Magic. Oladipo scored 20 points and tied George for the game high, as he was on fire from the three - point line (4 of 7). Nikola Vucevic scored 17 points but was unusually quiet on the boards, as he grabbed just four. Evan Fournier was the only other Magic starter in double digits, as he scored 13 points, but he went just 1 - 6 from three - point land and was part of the Magic's brutal 19 - percent night from the three - point line. The Pacers have won two of three and will look to keep it going Friday night at New Orleans. The Magic have now lost four straight and will look to right the ship Friday at the Nets.

["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 19 Percentage of 3 points ,has 17 Percentage of field goals ,has 86 Losses ,has 19 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 27 Percentage of 3 points ,has 42 Percentage of field goals ,has 15 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 20 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Paul George') has 3 Assists ,has 6 Defensive rebounds ,has 1 3-pointers attempted ,has 5 3-pointers made ,has 9 Field goals made ,has 9 Free throws attempted ,has 3 Free throws made ,has 20 Personal fouls ,has 5 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Monta Ellis') has 7 Assists ,has 19 Defensive rebounds ,has 4 3-pointers attempted ,has 4 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nikola Vucevic') has 17 Assists ,has 4 Defensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Evan Fournier') has 13 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Victor Oladipo') has 4 Assists ,has 7 Defensive rebounds ,has 4 3-pointers attempted ,has 20 3-pointers made ,has 5 Field goals made ."]

The Atlanta Hawks (42 - 30) demolished the Washington Wizards (35 - 35) 122 - 101 on Wednesday in Washington D.C. Sixth man Dennis Schroder was a difference - maker for the Hawks, leading the team with 23 points off the bench. Schroder also dished out eight assists in what was an impressive showing all - around for the young guard. All-Star big man Paul Millsap was also able to stuff the stat sheet, scoring 17 points while pulling nine rebounds, dishing six assists, and grabbing three steals. The Hawks ran away with the game in the fourth quarter, expanding upon their lead with a 41 - 26 rout of the home team. The win leaves Atlanta in a three - way tie with Miami and Boston for the third seed in the Eastern Conference. For the Wizards, meanwhile, playoff hopes are starting to fade as the team remains 3 games away from eighth in the conference. The crushing loss came at the worst possible time for the team who is fighting to extend its season into late May. Turnovers were a major issue for the Wizards on Wednesday, as the team coughed up the ball 18 times in total. Sub-par perimeter defense also played a major role in the defeat, as the Hawks were able to drain 17 three - pointers on the night. All-Star John Wall, meanwhile, was one of the main issues in what was a poor shooting night for the team. Wall was just 6 - for - 17 from the field. Both teams will have home games on Friday, with the Wizards hosting the Timberwolves and the Hawks hosting the Bucks.

["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 101 Losses ,has 26 Total points ,has 18 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 30 Losses ,has 122 Total points ,has 41 Points in 4th quarter ,has 42 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Paul Millsap') has 6 Assists ,has 17 Blocks ,has 9 3-pointers made ,has 3 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dennis Schroder') has 8 Assists ,has 23 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'John Wall') has 1 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 17 3-pointers made ,has 6 Field goals attempted ."]

The Portland Trail Blazers (12 - 3) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (4 - 12) 105 - 97 on Wednesday. Portland has won nine straight games and have n't shown any fatigue as a result of their early - season win sprints. LaMarcus Aldridge struggled with his shot Wednesday, shooting 3 - of - 18 from the field, but he got work done on defense, collecting 14 rebounds and three blocks. Damian Lillard appeared to suffer minor foot injury but played through the injury and finished with 22 points in 36 minutes. Wesley Matthews scored a season - high 28 points. The Blazers return home to host the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. Charlotte fought to stay in the game down the stretch but could n't hit enough shots to make a complete comeback. While P.J. Hairston (ankle) returned to action, Marvin Williams suffered a shoulder injury that forced him out of Wednesday's game. The severity of the injury was unknown at the time of publication. They've dropped seven straight games, and three playoff teams next up on their schedule, the Hornets will have to dig deep if they hope to turn things around soon. The Golden State Warriors will visit Charlotte on Friday to take on the Hornets.

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 12 Losses ,has 97 Total points ,has 4 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 3 Losses ,has 105 Total points ,has 12 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 3 Blocks ,has 18 Field goals attempted ,has 3 Field goals made ,has 14 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Wesley Matthews') has 28 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Damian Lillard') has 36 Blocks ,has 22 Field goals attempted ."]

The Spurs shot 56 percent from the field and 42 percent from long range, as well as 18 - of - 19 from the foul line. They were out - rebounded and out - scored in the paint but dished 30 assists to find the open shots they needed to earn the win. Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge both scored 23 points, while Pau Gasol and Tony Parker each added 16. Leonard added 12 rebounds and tied a career - high with seven assists. Danny Green tallied seven assists as well, along with his 10 points, four rebounds and two steals. The Lakers had 57 bench points led by Lou Williams with 24 and Jordan Clarkson with 20. Nick Young scored 22 points in 28 minutes as a starter. No player assisted or rebounded in double digits and Nick Young was the only player to record a block.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 24 Number of team assists ,has 24 Percentage of 3 points ." "TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 30 Number of team assists ,has 42 Percentage of 3 points ,has 56 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kawhi Leonard') has 7 Assists ,has 23 Blocks ,has 12 Minutes played ,has 2 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 23 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Pau Gasol') has 16 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Danny Green') has 10 Assists ,has 4 Blocks ,has 2 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tony Parker') has 16 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nick Young') has 1 Assists ,has 28 Blocks ,has 22 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Lou Williams') has 24 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jordan Clarkson') has 20 Assists ."]

The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the host Memphis Grizzlies, 95 - 91, at FedEx Forum on Wednesday. These teams have gone to overtime the last three times they faced one another and this matchup nearly hit extra time once again. The Pelicans actually led for the final 38 minutes, as it took a 30 - 18 fourth quarter for the Grizzlies to make it a game. New Orleans got it done with defense, as they held Memphis to 37 percent from the field (33 - of - 89) and 18 percent from three - point range (6 - of - 33). The Pelicans shot 49 percent from the field and 44 percent from three - point range on their end, despite being dominated in rebounding and second - chance points. The Pelicans (23 - 34) are battling to remain in the playoff hunt and road wins like this are necessary to achieve that goal. Solomon Hill was the surprising hero, as he led the team with 23 points, five rebounds and two steals on 8 - of - 11 from the field. Jrue Holiday was second on the team, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists on 8 - of - 13 shooting. Anthony Davis scored just four points in the first half, but still accrued 18 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks for the game. Alexis Ajinca was the only other Pelican in double figures, as he amassed 12 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. The Grizzlies (34 - 24) have been disappointing on offense all season and they were let down by it once again here. Mike Conley led Memphis in scoring, as he collected 17 points, two rebounds and four assists. Zach Randolph was second on the team, providing 16 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Marc Gasol was the only other Memphis player in double figures, as he accumulated 15 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in a near triple - double.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 18 Percentage of 3 points ,has 37 Percentage of field goals ,has 24 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 30 Points in 4th quarter ,has 34 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 44 Percentage of 3 points ,has 49 Percentage of field goals ,has 34 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 18 Points in 4th quarter ,has 23 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Solomon Hill') has 11 Assists ,has 8 Blocks ,has 23 Field goals attempted ,has 5 Field goals made ,has 2 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Alexis Ajinca') has 2 Assists ,has 12 Blocks ,has 10 Field goals attempted ,has 3 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Anthony Davis') has 2 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 18 Field goals attempted ,has 7 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jrue Holiday') has 7 Assists ,has 13 Blocks ,has 8 Field goals attempted ,has 19 Field goals made ,has 7 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marc Gasol') has 9 Assists ,has 15 Blocks ,has 12 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Mike Conley') has 4 Assists ,has 17 Blocks ,has 2 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Zach Randolph') has 16 Assists ,has 9 Blocks ."]

The host Los Angeles Lakers demolished the Miami Heat on Friday, 127 - 100. The Lakers (14 - 26) are finally operating at full health after suffering injuries to key players throughout the month of December. The team saw dominance on both ends of the floor on Friday, starting with the glass. Los Angeles held a 62 - 41 rebounding advantage, recording 18 offensive boards on the night. On the offensive end, the team shot a strong 50 percent from the field and drained 10 three - pointers. Veteran forward Luol Deng scored 19 points and had a team - high 14 rebounds. Sixth man Lou Williams, meanwhile, led the team with 24 points off the bench. The Heat (11 - 27), on the other hand, were shorthanded on Friday, missing star center Hassan Whiteside. Big man Willie Reed once again stepped up in a starting role, tying a career high with 22 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. However, the team saw struggles on the offensive end, hitting just 41 percent of its shots with only eight threes. Forward James Johnson provided some spark off the bench, though, scoring 20 on 7 - of - 11 from the field. The Heat will face the Clippers on Sunday, while the Lakers will host the Magic.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 26 Losses ,has 127 Total points ,has 62 Rebounds ,has 14 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 27 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 41 Rebounds ,has 11 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Willie Reed') has 22 Field goals attempted ,has 12 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'James Johnson') has 11 Field goals attempted ,has 7 Field goals made ,has 20 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Luol Deng') has 19 Field goals attempted ,has 14 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Lou Williams') has 24 Field goals attempted ."]

The Pelicans (18 - 18) knocked off the Grizzlies (25 - 11) 106 - 95 in New Orleans on Friday. New Orleans jumped out to a 31 - 19 advantage after the first quarter and never looked back, as the lead did not dip below seven points in the second half. The victory was key for a Pelicans team fighting to stay in playoff contention after dropping two straight to Washington and Charlotte. On a relatively quiet night for Anthony Davis – 20 points, nine rebounds – the Pelicans got contributions off the bench from Tyreke Evans and Ryan Anderson. Evans finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while Anderson added 20 points, including four three - pointers, to go with six rebounds. Jrue Holiday led all scorers with 23 points in 36 minutes. The Pelicans shot 46 percent from the floor and knocked down 10 - of - 20 three - point attempts. Memphis, which has now dropped two straight and three of its last four, shot 44 percent from the floor, converting only 6 - of - 17 attempts from beyond the arc. Marc Gasol and Mike Conley led the way with 19 points apiece, and Zach Randolph, who returned from injury after missing nine games, was the only other Grizzlies player in double - figures, finishing with 11 points and 11 boards in 31 minutes. Up next, Memphis returns home to host the Suns on Sunday. New Orleans, meanwhile, heads north to Boston to take on the Celtics on Monday night.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 46 Percentage of field goals ,has 18 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 31 Points in 1st quarter ,has 18 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 44 Percentage of field goals ,has 11 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 19 Points in 1st quarter ,has 25 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Zach Randolph') has 9 Assists ,has 31 3-pointers made ,has 11 Field goals attempted ,has 11 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marc Gasol') has 19 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Mike Conley') has 19 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Anthony Davis') has 20 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jrue Holiday') has 36 Assists ,has 23 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tyreke Evans') has 5 Assists ,has 9 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ryan Anderson') has 4 Assists ,has 20 3-pointers made ,has 6 Field goals attempted ."]

The Chicago Bulls defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 101 - 99, at United Center on Wednesday. The normally porous Nets (8 - 23), they of the lone road victory on the season, did n't give an inch Wednesday, holding the Bulls (16 - 16) to sub - 40 percent tallies from the field and three - point range and eliciting 18 turnovers from their hosts. However, as time wound down, the one player they'd failed to hold down throughout the night, Jimmy Butler, ultimately did them in. His jumper as time expired snapped a 99 - 99 deadlock and capped off a 40 - point effort, while carrying Chicago back to .500 on the season. Brook Lopez had a remarkable night of his own for the visitors, tallying 33 points, four assists and three rebounds. Sean Kilpatrick was a distant second with 18 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal. Bojan Bogdanovic went for 10 points, two assists and two rebounds. Trevor Booker mustered a modest six points but hauled in 14 boards and added two assists and a block. Randy Foye led the bench with 11 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Butler added 11 boards, four assists and four steals to round out his spectacular stat line. Dwyane Wade went for 16 points, four boards and an assist. Robin Lopez turned in 12 points, while Rajon Rondo collected only five points but also supplied 12 assists, nine rebounds and a pair of steals. The Nets head to the Nation's Capital to take on the Wizards on Friday evening, while the Bulls visit the Indiana Pacers on Friday night as well.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 40 Percentage of field goals ,has 16 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 18 Turnovers ,has 16 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 23 Percentage of field goals ,has 99 Losses ,has 8 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Bojan Bogdanovic') has 2 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ,has 2 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Trevor Booker') has 2 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 6 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Brook Lopez') has 4 Assists ,has 33 Blocks ,has 3 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Sean Kilpatrick') has 6 Assists ,has 18 Blocks ,has 3 3-pointers made ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Randy Foye') has 1 Assists ,has 11 Blocks ,has 5 3-pointers made ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jimmy Butler') has 4 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 40 3-pointers made ,has 4 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Robin Lopez') has 12 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dwyane Wade') has 1 Assists ,has 16 Blocks ,has 4 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rajon Rondo') has 12 Assists ,has 5 Blocks ,has 9 3-pointers made ,has 2 Points ."]

The Portland Trail Blazers (38 - 19) beat the Oklahoma City Thunder (32 - 27) 115 - 112 on Friday. In a game of amazing performances, the Trail Blazers were led by LaMarcus Aldridge with 29 points, 16 rebounds, five assists one steal and one block. He got into a small spat with Serge Ibaka late in the fourth quarter and a double - technical was handed out. Damian Lillard had 29 points of his own on 10 - of - 22 shooting. Newly acquired guard Arron Afflalo came off the bench and scored 18 points. Portland outscored the Thunder by 14 in the fourth to win a tough game that came down to the wire and may go down as one of the most entertaining games of the season. The Blazers own the fourth best record in the Western Conference. Russell Westbrook became the first player since LeBron James to record three triple - doubles in a row. Westbrook had one of the best performances by any player this season. He finished with 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. In February he is averaging an Oscar Robertson-esque 30 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds a game. Mitch McGary came off the bench and put up 20 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes. The Thunder were without Enes Kanter (thigh). Nick Collison started in his place and played 12 minutes and scored six points with three rebounds. After a rough start to the season, Oklahoma City is currently in the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference standings. The Thunder will head to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Sunday, as the Trail Blazers will travel to Sacramento for a matchup with the Kings.

["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 19 Losses ,has 115 Total points ,has 38 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 27 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 32 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nick Collison') has 12 Assists ,has 6 Blocks ,has 3 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 11 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 1 3-pointers attempted ,has 40 Field goals attempted ,has 13 Field goals made ,has 1 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Mitch McGary') has 28 Assists ,has 20 Blocks ,has 9 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 5 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 29 3-pointers attempted ,has 16 Field goals attempted ,has 1 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Damian Lillard') has 22 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ,has 29 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Arron Afflalo') has 18 Assists ."]

The Houston Rockets took down the visiting Washington Wizards on Monday, 101 - 91. Houston (27 - 9) may be the league's hottest team, as the Rockets are now 9 - 2 in their last 11. Much of the credit for the team's success is due to All-Star guard James Harden, who has led the league in assists and churned out triple - doubles at a ridiculous rate through the early part of the season. Harden followed a career - best performance against New York on New Year's Eve with his third straight triple - double on Monday against the Wizards. Despite shooting just 6 - of - 24, Harden scored 23 points to go with 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Sharpshooting sixth man Eric Gordon, meanwhile, led the team with 31 points off the bench, including six three - pointers. Washington (16 - 17) had been on a hot streak, going 7 - 3 in its last 10 games before Monday. Point guard John Wall was crowned Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the final week of 2016, and continued his strong play in Houston. Wall scored 18 points and dished out 12 assists. Shooting guard Bradley Beal led the team with 27 points. However, the Wizards struggled to find their shot from beyond the arc, going just 6 - of - 26 from long - range. The Wizards will travel to Dallas on Tuesday, while the Rockets will host OKC on Thursday.

["TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 9 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 27 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 17 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 16 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Bradley Beal') has 27 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'John Wall') has 12 Assists ,has 18 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'James Harden') has 10 Assists ,has 24 3-pointers made ,has 6 Field goals attempted ,has 23 Field goals made ,has 10 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Eric Gordon') has 6 Assists ,has 31 3-pointers made ."]

The visiting New Orleans Pelicans took down the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, 119 - 103. A massive fourth quarter lifted New Orleans (19 - 24) to victory. The Pelicans outscored their opponents by 25 in the second half, building on the strong play of Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday. Davis, the 23 - year - old superstar forward, pulled down a season - high 22 rebounds on the night, five of which came on the offensive end. His big contribution on the glass helped the Pelicans establish a 54 - 44 edge in the rebounding column. Tenacity on the boards combined with up - tempo, three - point heavy offense for rapid scoring in the second half. The team drained 13 three - pointers on the night, with Jrue Holiday knocking down three and assisting on several more. San Antonio (36 - 10) is not a team familiar with being blown out, so Friday came as a surprise to most. Despite coming into the half with a sturdy lead, ice - cold shooting led the Spurs to a tough end result. The team shot under 39 percent from the field and saw sub - standard shooting even from its stars, as Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge combined for just 12 - of - 36 on the night. On top of the poor shooting, it was an off night for the usually air - tight San Antonio defense. The team managed to force a fair number of turnovers, but still allowed the Pelicans to shoot at over 51 percent on the night. New Orleans will host the Wizards on Sunday, while San Antonio will host the Mavericks.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 119 Losses ,has 25 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 10 Losses ,has 103 Total points ,has 36 Points in 2nd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G,'Anthony Davis') has 5 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jrue Holiday') has 3 Blocks ,has 3 3-pointers made ."]

Indiana Pacers (15 - 9) dominate in second half to defeat Dallas Mavericks (14 - 12) 107 - 81 on Wednesday. It's not too often that a veteran team like the Mavericks will just collapse in the second half, but they did that on Wednesday. In fact, they were outscored 62 - 34 in the final 24 minutes and the game was decided early in the fourth quarter. The shooting for Dallas was terrible, as they shot 37 percent to Indiana's 48 percent. The Pacers also had 28 assists to the Mavericks 16, so it was just poor offense from the Mavs all night long. Dallas actually had a small lead at halftime, but came out flat in the second half. There were only two starters who scored into double - figures and nobody scored more than 16 points. Raymond Felton led the team with 16 points and Zaza Pachulia led the team with 14 rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki, Wesley Matthews and Deron Williams combined to shoot 11 - for - 36 from the field in the loss and that simply wo n't get it done. Dallas will look to bounce - back when they host the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. The Pacers had no player score more than 20 points on Wednesday, but played some great team - ball. They assisted on 28 of their 43 baskets and had three players score between 19 and 20 points. Those three players include Paul George, C.J. Miles, and Monta Ellis, who played against his former team. The starters committed just four turnovers as well and that's always a good recipe for a blowout. Indiana will look to build off this win when they take on the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 28 Number of team assists ,has 48 Percentage of field goals ,has 9 Losses ,has 107 Total points ,has 20 Points in 1st quarter ,has 15 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 16 Number of team assists ,has 37 Percentage of field goals ,has 12 Losses ,has 81 Total points ,has 14 Points in 1st quarter ." "PlayerStat(G,'Zaza Pachulia') has 14 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Raymond Felton') has 16 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Paul George') has 3 Assists ,has 3 Free throws attempted ,has 3 Free throws made ,has 3 Points ."]

Fans had the pleasure of witnessing a career night from a bright young star on Wednesday, as Utah's Rudy Gobert scored a personal - best 35 points on the night. Gobert shot an absurd 13 - of - 14 from the field and went 9 - of - 12 at the free - throw line. While delivering this incredible offensive output, Gobert maintained the defensive excellence for which he is known. On the night, Gobert blocked four shots and stole the ball once while pulling down a team - high 13 rebounds. The Jazz as a whole shot 46 percent from the field but hit just 7 - of - 28 from beyond the three - point arc. On the Knicks' end, things were a little bleaker. The team committed four more turnovers and 15 more personal fouls than its opponent, a slate of errors that ultimately cost them the win. Sophomore big man Kristaps Porzingis had five of those fouls, but still managed a team - high 24 points on 8 - of - 17 shooting.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 46 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kristaps Porzingis') has 5 Blocks ,has 17 Defensive rebounds ,has 8 Field goals attempted ,has 5 Field goals made ,has 5 Free throws attempted ,has 24 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rudy Gobert') has 4 Blocks ,has 12 Defensive rebounds ,has 9 Field goals attempted ,has 35 Field goals made ."]

The Orlando Magic enjoyed a big night on offense on Friday, shooting 49 percent from the field including over 55 percent from beyond the arc. Center Nikola Vucevic led the offensive charge with 30 points on 13 - of - 18 shooting. Vucevic also posted 10 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. Veteran forward Serge Ibaka added another double - double, scoring 13 along with 10 rebounds. Third-year point guard Elfrid Payton scored 19 points along with seven assists. Five Magic players scored in double - digits, including two off the bench. For Portland, star Damian Lillard led the way with 34 points and eight rebounds. Lillard shot 12 - of - 27 on the night. Guard C.J. McCollum scored 26 points on 10 - of - 21 shooting and recorded a surprising three blocks. The team as a whole, however, struggled a bit, shooting just 40 percent and 29 percent from three.

["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 49 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Serge Ibaka') has 13 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nikola Vucevic') has 4 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 18 Field goals attempted ,has 13 Field goals made ,has 30 Points ,has 10 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Elfrid Payton') has 7 Assists ,has 19 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'CJ McCollum') has 3 Assists ,has 21 Blocks ,has 10 Field goals attempted ,has 26 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Damian Lillard') has 34 Assists ,has 8 Blocks ."]

The Chicago Bulls (26 - 12) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (20 - 19), 95 - 87. Derrick Rose was held out of action due to knee soreness, and Tony Snell started in his absence. Kenyon Martin exited after colliding with Jimmy Butler and did n't return. Both teams combined to shoot 7 - of - 28 from downtown. Pau Gasol scored a career - high 46 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in 39 minutes. Kirk Hinrich was the only other Bull to score in double - digits, adding 16 points. Jimmy Butler recorded a career - high 10 assists as the de facto point guard. Giannis Antetokounmpo and John Henson each picked up five fouls. Brandon Knight scored a team - high 20 points, grabbed five rebounds, and recorded five assists in 34 minutes. Jared Dudley supplied 15 points off the bench. The Bulls take on the Orlando Magic this Monday, and the Bucks have four days off before they face the New York Knicks in London next Thursday.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 12 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 19 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 26 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 19 Losses ,has 87 Total points ,has 20 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 20 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 5 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Brandon Knight') has 5 Assists ,has 34 Minutes played ,has 20 Personal fouls ,has 5 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'John Henson') has 5 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jared Dudley') has 15 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Pau Gasol') has 39 Assists ,has 46 Minutes played ,has 18 Personal fouls ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jimmy Butler') has 10 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kirk Hinrich') has 16 Assists ."]

The Chicago Bulls (26 - 19) took care of business against the Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 39) on Thursday in a 114 - 91 win. Chicago got off to a hot start and they never looked back after that. They took a 32 - 15 lead in the first quarter and the game never seemingly got close after that point. The defense was key for the Bulls on Thursday, as they held the Lakers to just 38 percent shooting and drew 14 turnovers in the win. Chicago also dominated the rebounding as they snatched down 51 rebounds to the Lakers 41. The shooting was a big difference as well, with the Bulls shooting 50 percent and scoring 56 points in the paint while allowing the Lakers to score just 26 paint points. The Bulls have been struggling recently, but this date with the Lakers is just what the doctor ordered. Derrick Rose didn’t have a huge game statistically with just 16 points and five assists, but he had a burst that was undeniable and a great sign for Bulls fans for the future. Jimmy Butler was once again the hero, as he tallied 26 points, five rebounds and 10 assists in the win. Pau Gasol also played great, as he amassed 21 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in the victory. The Bulls will look to keep this momentum going on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers. This marked the Lakers 12th loss in their last 13 games and their seventh loss in their last eight games by at least 13 points. Lou Williams sat out this game with an illness and it was clear they really missed them with no Lakers player having a big night. Jordan Clarkson led the team with 16 points, but had the worst plus - minus at a - 29. Julius Randle had a solid game as well, as he scored 14 points to go along with eight rebounds. Up next for the Lakers is a date against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 38 Percentage of field goals ,has 39 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 15 Points in 1st quarter ,has 41 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 14 Rebounds ,has 9 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 50 Percentage of field goals ,has 19 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 32 Points in 1st quarter ,has 26 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 51 Rebounds ,has 26 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Pau Gasol') has 7 Assists ,has 21 Points ,has 12 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jimmy Butler') has 10 Assists ,has 26 Points ,has 5 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Derrick Rose') has 5 Assists ,has 16 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Julius Randle') has 14 Assists ,has 8 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jordan Clarkson') has 16 Assists ."]

As the Raptors jockey for position in the Eastern Conference playoff race without Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan has taken the reigns. DeRozan followed up a 43 - point outing against Boston with a team - high 33 in Toronto's win over Portland on Sunday. DeRozan shot a stellar 9 - of - 16 and a very impressive 15 - of - 16 from the free - throw line. Newly-acquired Raptor Serge Ibaka, meanwhile, shot 8 - of - 15 for 18 points and came away with 10 rebounds, two steals, and a blocked shot. The Raps as a whole shot a very impressive 54 percent from the field. Portland, meanwhile, saw a nice 28 points and eight assists from star point guard Damian Lillard. Lillard shot 10 - of - 20 from the field and knocked down four three - pointers. Backcourt partner C.J. McCollum had another 17 points but shot just 6 - of - 19. As a team, the Blazers hit only 44 percent of their shots.

["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 44 Percentage of field goals ,has 28 Points in 1st quarter ,has 28 Points in 3rd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G,'CJ McCollum') has 19 Assists ,has 6 Blocks ,has 17 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Damian Lillard') has 8 Assists ,has 4 Blocks ,has 20 3-pointers made ,has 10 Field goals attempted ,has 28 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Serge Ibaka') has 1 Assists ,has 15 Blocks ,has 8 3-pointers made ,has 18 Field goals attempted ,has 10 Field goals made ,has 2 Free throws attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'DeMar DeRozan') has 16 Assists ,has 9 Blocks ,has 16 3-pointers made ,has 15 Field goals attempted ,has 33 Field goals made ."]

The Boston Celtics defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 112 - 109 in overtime Tuesday at FedExForum. The Celtics (16 - 12) needed big comeback effort in the fourth quarter to force overtime, and it was clear once they managed to reach overtime basketball, star point guard Isaiah Thomas was not going to let them lose. Thomas finished with a season - high 44 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals in 38 minutes, as he point guard was on fire from every spot on the floor, shooting 10 - of - 16 from the field, 7 - of - 10 from behind the arc and 17 - of - 17 from the free throw line. Thomas carried the team on his back for all 53 minutes, while Al Horford finished with a double - double of 17 points and 14 rebounds and Jae Crowder posted a solid line of 13 points and seven rebounds. In the end, Boston won by making the most of their trips to the charity stripe, hitting 32 of their 34 free throw attempts Tuesday. While Boston managed to win their third straight game, the Grizzlies found a way to lose their third straight as they've reached a rough patch in their otherwise hot start to the regular season. Marc Gasol put together a great all - around performance despite fading offensively down the stretch, as he posted a team - high 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Mike Conley 19 points, five rebounds and eight assists himself. Additionally, just a game removed from a scoreless performance, Troy Daniels rebounded nicely with 24 points in 35 minutes off the bench for Memphis. Up next, the Celtics will head to Indiana on Thursday to take on the Pacers, while the Grizzlies will have an opporunity to end their win streak Wednesday in Detroit.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 109 Percentage of 3 points ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 32 Percentage of 3 points ,has 12 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 16 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jae Crowder') has 13 Assists ,has 7 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Al Horford') has 17 Assists ,has 14 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Isaiah Thomas') has 6 Assists ,has 10 3-pointers attempted ,has 7 3-pointers made ,has 16 Field goals attempted ,has 10 Field goals made ,has 17 Free throws attempted ,has 17 Free throws made ,has 38 Minutes played ,has 44 Points ,has 3 Total rebounds ,has 2 Steals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marc Gasol') has 6 Assists ,has 24 3-pointers attempted ,has 7 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Mike Conley') has 8 Assists ,has 19 3-pointers attempted ,has 5 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Troy Daniels') has 35 Assists ,has 24 3-pointers attempted ."]

Though Friday's matchup between the Suns and Lakers was expected to be a showcase of some of the league's rising stars, a few veterans stood out the most. For the Suns, point guard Eric Bledsoe scored 30 points and dished out nine assists while also stealing the ball three times. Veteran guard Leandro Barbosa came off the bench to drop in five three - pointers en route to 21 points. The combo accounted for eight of Phoenix's 13 three - point makes on the night. Youngster Alex Len, meanwhile, was a standout as well, scoring 14 points and pulling down 13 rebounds off the bench. Len added five blocks on the defensive end. For the Lakers, former Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams continued to fill the void left by the injured D'Angelo Russell and Nick Young. Williams had six three - pointers and scored a team - high 35 points. The 30 - year - old is making a strong case for his second Sixth Man award, having scored 35 or more in three of his last four games.

["TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 30 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 30 Points in 4th quarter ." "PlayerStat(G,'Eric Bledsoe') has 9 Assists ,has 3 3-pointers made ,has 30 Points ,has 3 Steals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Alex Len') has 14 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Leandro Barbosa') has 5 Assists ,has 21 3-pointers made ."]

The New York Knicks (13 - 51) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (17 - 47) 101 - 94 on Thursday at the Staples Center. It's rare to see the Lakers and Knicks match up this late in the season with a combined winning percentage under 30, but that's the way this season is going for both teams. Tim Hardaway Jr. hit a three pointer to give the Knicks a 46 - 45 lead that they would retain for the rest of the game. Hardaway led the way for the Knicks with 22 points, including 5 - for - 7 on three pointers, as they notched their first win in the month of March. The Lakers New York won just its third game since the All-Star break despite a - 18 rebound margin. Hardaway Jr. was excellent in his return after missing two games with back spasms. Alexey Shved was in the starting lineup again on Thursday and finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Knicks continue their five - game Western Conference road trip on Saturday against the Warriors. Los Angeles was unable to maintain the momentum from Tuesday's win over Detroit as it fell to New York for the second and final time this season. Jordan Hill led the way with 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Ed Davis added 10 boards off the bench, but it was n't enough for the Lakers to close the gap. The Lakers are off until Sunday when they host the Hawks.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 47 Losses ,has 94 Total points ,has 17 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 51 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 13 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Alexey Shved') has 14 Assists ,has 11 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tim Hardaway Jr.') has 2 Assists ,has 7 3-pointers attempted ,has 5 3-pointers made ,has 22 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jordan Hill') has 19 Assists ,has 10 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ed Davis') has 10 Assists ."]

The Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 31) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (11 - 26) 95 - 91 on Tuesday night. In a battle between two horrible defenses, the offenses really struggled. The two teams combined for just 79 points in the first half and shot horrendously. The Pelicans actually outshot the Lakers 42 percent to 37 percent in the game, but fouled far too often. The Lakers got to the free - throw line 32 times while the Pelicans got there just 14 times. The three - point shooting was horrible all - around, as the two teams combined to go 12 - for - 52 from long distance. What won it for the Lakers was a 28 - point fourth quarter in which they trailed by four heading in. New Orleans had to play this game without Anthony Davis and they clearly miss him when he's not in the lineup. They are now 0 - 5 without Davis starting and the offense simply looks bad without him. Six players scored in double - figures for New Orleans tonight, but the other four players who appeared combined for just six points. Tyreke Evans was once again the best player, as he tallied 21 points, five rebounds and four assists, despite missing two three's late that ended up being huge. The Pelicans will have to play on Wednesday in their next game in a back - to - back against the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers have been playing better ball as of late and this result shows why. The defense has taken a complete 180 over recent weeks and this marks the fourth time in their last seven games where they have allowed 97 or less points. Kobe Bryant was dealing with Achilles soreness coming in and failed to return after the half due to a recurrence of the injury. Lou Williams has been the best player over recent weeks for the Lakers and he was here once again, as he finished with 19 points, eight assists and four rebounds. He went 10 - for - 10 from the free - throw line and Williams has been making a living from there all season long. Jordan Clarkson hadn’t scored for the first 20 minutes or so of this game, but ended up finishing with 18 points and seven boards in a great second half. Los Angeles will need to keep playing well in their next game, when they travel to Oakland to take on the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 37 Percentage of field goals ,has 31 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 28 Points in 4th quarter ,has 9 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 42 Percentage of field goals ,has 26 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 11 Points in 4th quarter ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tyreke Evans') has 4 Assists ,has 21 Free throws attempted ,has 5 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Lou Williams') has 8 Assists ,has 10 Free throws attempted ,has 10 Free throws made ,has 19 Points ,has 4 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jordan Clarkson') has 18 Assists ,has 7 Free throws attempted ."]

The Memphihs Grizzlies (10 - 8) almost got caught sleeping by the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 18) but woke up just in time get the 92 - 84 win. Philadelphia led 76 - 71 with 7:38 left in the fourth quarter but Memphis sprung to life and went on a 21 - 8 run from that point on. The 6ers have now tied the worst start ever by an NBA team, 0 - 18. Phili was moving the ball well as a team and finished with 23 assists for 30 made field goals. Isaiah Canaan led the way in scoring for the 76ers, with 16 points, although on poor 5 - 15 shooting. Jahlil Okafor struggled shooting as well, going 3 - 11 from the field but still finished with nine points and a big 13 rebounds. Robert Covington contributed 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a greedy seven steals. Covington however, had eight turnovers. The Grizzlies' late surge propelled them to the win and allowed them to remain comfortably in the top eight in the West. Mike Conley led the way in scoring with 20 points, five assists, four rebounds and two blocked shots. Zach Randolph posted a double double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Matt Barnes came up big off the bench, helping to spark the Grizzlies' late rally and finished with 13 points, five assists, eight rebounds and two steals. Marc Gasol chipped in nine points, 12 rebounds, three assists and four blocks. Next up Memphis will be playing in New Orleans on Tuesday night. The 76ers will look to avoid making history on Tuesday when they host the Los Angeles Lakers. A loss would leave the 76ers with the worst start in NBA history.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 8 Losses ,has 92 Total points ,has 10 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 18 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 0 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Robert Covington') has 4 Assists ,has 12 Blocks ,has 7 Points ,has 7 Total rebounds ,has 8 Steals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jahlil Okafor') has 9 Assists ,has 13 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Isaiah Canaan') has 16 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Zach Randolph') has 17 Assists ,has 11 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marc Gasol') has 3 Assists ,has 4 Blocks ,has 9 Points ,has 12 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Mike Conley') has 5 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 20 Points ,has 4 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Matt Barnes') has 5 Assists ,has 13 Blocks ,has 8 Points ,has 2 Total rebounds ."]

The Portland Trail Blazers (43 - 20) defeated the Detroit Pistons (23 - 42), 118 - 99. Joel Freeland and Shawne Williams were ejected in the fourth quarter after a head - butting kerfuffle. The Trail Blazers were up 64 - 46 at halftime, allowing them to bench LaMarcus Aldridge in the fourth quarter. Damian Lillard scored a game - high 28 points, recorded a nine assists and hit five three - pointers in 29 minutes. Meyers Leonard scored a season - high 15 points. Alonzo Gee didn’t play after getting his wisdom teeth pulled, but coach Terry Stotts believes Gee can play Sunday. Even though the Pistons committed just six turnovers, they hit 7 - of - 25 three - pointers. Andre Drummond accumulated 16 points and 17 rebounds in 34 minutes. Jodie Meeks hit at least one three - pointer for the eighth straight game, scoring 14 points in 25 minutes. Reggie Jackson tallied his second double - double with the Pistons, finishing with 11 points and 10 assists in 28 minutes. The Trail Blazers start a five - game road trip Sunday against the Toronto Raptors. The Pistons conclude a four - game road trip Saturday against the Utah Jazz.

["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 20 Losses ,has 118 Total points ,has 43 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 42 Losses ,has 99 Total points ,has 6 Turnovers ,has 23 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Andre Drummond') has 34 Assists ,has 16 3-pointers made ,has 17 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Reggie Jackson') has 10 Assists ,has 28 3-pointers made ,has 11 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jodie Meeks') has 1 Assists ,has 25 3-pointers made ,has 14 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Damian Lillard') has 9 Assists ,has 5 3-pointers made ,has 29 Minutes played ,has 28 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Meyers Leonard') has 15 Assists ."]

The Utah Jazz (40 - 40) earned a much - needed 100 - 84 win over the Denver Nuggets (33 - 48) on Sunday. Utah now holds a full game lead over Houston for eighth in the Western Conference. Utah finished out the third quarter on a massive 240 run, helping to establish a double - digit lead over the struggling Nuggets. Center Rudy Gobert was seemingly unmovable on the defensive end, blocking six shots and pulling down 14 rebounds. Forward Gordan Hayward, meanwhile, led the offensive push with 22 points. Rookie Trey Lyles also chipped in 22. The Jazz were able to snap an ill - timed two - game slide with the big win, potentially securing a spot in the postseason after Sunday. Denver, meanwhile, had its playoff hopes dashed weeks ago and currently sits well below .500. Denver's big men could seemingly do nothing to stop the Stiffle Tower, as Gobert proved to be an absolute nightmare for the Nuggets. Denver was outrebounded 49 - 41 and also hit just six three - pointers to Utah's 12. Rookies Nikola Jokic and Emmanuel Mudiay tied for the team lead in points with 19. Utah will face Dallas on Monday in a matchup with major playoff implications.

["TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 48 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 41 Rebounds ,has 33 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 40 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 49 Rebounds ,has 40 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Gordon Hayward') has 22 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Trey Lyles') has 22 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rudy Gobert') has 6 Blocks ,has 6 Free throws made ,has 14 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nikola Jokic') has 19 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Emmanuel Mudiay') has 19 Blocks ."]

In one of the season's most hotly - anticipated matchups, the Cleveland Cavaliers (17 - 7) snapped the Oklahoma City Thunder's (17 - 9) six - game win streak. The Cavs themselves advanced to 11 - 1 at home on the season. Cleveland fans were on the edge of their seats, as the Thunder were able to pull the Cavs' lead down to just three with a minute remaining. However, LeBron James and the Cavs did n't go down easy, as James sealed the deal with a clutch free throw to put it away. King James narrowly missed a triple - double, posting 33 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists en route to the nationally - televised victory. However, James's performance may be overshadowed by an accidental collision with a courtside fan which left the spectator badly injured. The win came at a vital time for Cleveland, as they are still without All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving. The 23 - year - old has yet to see the floor in the 2015 - 16 season, and although many expected the matchup against OKC to be his debut, Irving himself confirmed via twitter a day before the game that he would be out once again. For the Thunder, meanwhile, the loss comes amid a surge of momentum. OKC had the longest winning streak in the NBA as they travelled to Cleveland, and had quickly been solidifying themselves as the Western Conference's third seed. However, with guard Anthony Morrow out due to a personal matter and sixth man Dion Waiters unable to get his shot to fall, the Thunder struggled to get their offense flowing well enough to secure the win. While Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Serge Ibaka scored 27, 25, and 23 respectively, no other Thunder player scored more than six points. The Thunder, equipped with two of the most talented superstars in the league, should be able to withstand a loss to the reigning Eastern Conference champions. For the Cavs, meanwhile, the lead on the Eastern Conference begins to grow, a positive sign as Kyrie Irving has yet to log a single minute. The two powerhouses each face off against their respective conference's weakest team in their next game, with the Thunder taking on the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland facing the Philadelphia 76ers.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 7 Number of team assists ,has 17 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 23 Number of team assists ,has 9 Losses ,has 17 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kevin Durant') has 25 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Serge Ibaka') has 23 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 27 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'LeBron James') has 11 Assists ,has 33 Points ,has 9 Total rebounds ."]

The Memphis Grizzlies (10 - 8) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (4 - 14) 113 - 104 on Tuesday night. In a battle of one of the worst offenses against one of the worst defenses, the bad offense prevailed. Memphis shot 48 percent from the field in this game, while attempting just 10 three - pointers. The big differences in the game were the free - throw shooting and rebounding. The Grizzlies went 25 - for - 26 from the free - throw line, while the Pelicans made the same amount in 33 attempts. Memphis also outrebounded New Orleans 49 - 37, which is a good sign with their rebounding struggles this season. Memphis got a much needed win here against a struggling New Orleans team. What is even better about this result is that it may give their offense a much needed boost. Marc Gasol had a fantastic game on Tuesday, as he tallied 38 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and four blocks in the win. The bench was effective as well, as three players scored in double - figures. This is a team hitting its stride after a terrible start to the season and that's a scary sight for the rest of the Western Conference. The Grizzlies will look to build off this win when they take on the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday. The Pelicans defense let them down once again, as they allowed another 110 - plus point game. The loss now makes them 1 - 10 on the road this season and it's starting to look like a lost year for the playoff hopefuls. The Pelicans did get some nice performances in this game though. Anthony Davis set a season - high with nine blocks in the loss and also recorded a double - double. Tyreke Evans also made his season debut and played brilliantly, totaling 20 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in the defeat. Evans is a great talent and this team should be much better off with him in the lineup. It remains to be seen if he'll play in New Orleans next game, as it's the second half of a back - to - back against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 33 Percentage of 3 points ,has 14 Percentage of field goals ,has 104 Losses ,has 37 Total points ,has 4 Rebounds ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 48 Percentage of 3 points ,has 113 Percentage of field goals ,has 49 Losses ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marc Gasol') has 6 Assists ,has 4 Blocks ,has 38 Points ,has 13 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Anthony Davis') has 9 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tyreke Evans') has 10 Assists ,has 20 Blocks ,has 5 Points ."]

The Oklahoma City Thunder (33 - 12) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (25 - 20) 109 - 106, on Friday night at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The Thunder managed to extend their win steak to seven games despite having lost their previous three games in Dallas. Oklahoma City was up by as many as 17 in the fourth quarter but the Mavericks battled back to bring themselves within one, with one minute remaining. Kevin Durant responded with a clutch jumper to put the Thunder up by three. The Mavs missed their next shot but an offensive foul called on Serge Ibaka gave them a second chance to go for the tie. They ended up getting three attempts from long range, thanks to some offensive rebounding but missed all three. Oklahoma had six players score in double digits, three of them off the bench. Kevin Durant led the way in scoring, with 24 points (10 - 21 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), seven assists, three rebounds and two blocked shots, in 38 minutes. Russell Westbrook was busy filling the stat sheet, as he finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block, in 34 minutes. Enes Kanter tallied 16 points (7 - 10 FG) and nine rebounds, in 24 minutes off the bench. The Thunder were missing Steven Adams, who sat out with a sore elbow. The Mavericks had their two - game win streak halted by this loss. Chandler Parsons, who was big in those previous two games, finished with a team - high 26 points (8 - 16 FG. 4 - 6 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), along with five rebounds and three assists, in 36 minutes. Deron Williams added 22 points (9 - 16 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), five assists, two rebounds and two steals, in 36 minutes. Dirk Nowitzki returned to the line up after missing a game with a sore knee and tallied 14 points (6 - 15 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt), two rebounds, two blocked shots, one assist and one steal, in 29 minutes. The Mavericks will begin a three - game road trip in Houston on Sunday. The Thunder will enter the second game of their current four - game road trip when they face the Nets on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 20 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 25 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 12 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 33 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kevin Durant') has 7 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 3 Defensive rebounds ,has 8 3-pointers attempted ,has 2 3-pointers made ,has 21 Field goals attempted ,has 10 Field goals made ,has 2 Free throws attempted ,has 2 Free throws made ,has 38 Minutes played ,has 24 Points ,has 3 Total rebounds ,has 3 Steals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 7 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 16 Defensive rebounds ,has 8 3-pointers attempted ,has 2 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Enes Kanter') has 10 Assists ,has 7 Blocks ,has 24 Defensive rebounds ,has 16 3-pointers attempted ,has 9 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Chandler Parsons') has 16 Assists ,has 8 Blocks ,has 26 Defensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dirk Nowitzki') has 1 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 8 Defensive rebounds ,has 2 3-pointers attempted ,has 15 3-pointers made ,has 6 Field goals attempted ,has 29 Field goals made ,has 14 Free throws attempted ,has 2 Free throws made ,has 1 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Deron Williams') has 5 Assists ,has 6 Blocks ,has 2 Defensive rebounds ,has 16 3-pointers attempted ,has 9 3-pointers made ,has 2 Field goals attempted ,has 2 Field goals made ,has 36 Free throws attempted ,has 22 Free throws made ,has 2 Minutes played ,has 2 Points ."]

The loss of double - double machine Pau Gasol has seemingly had little impact on the Bulls in the rebounding department, as Chicago has posted big numbers on the glass through three games. Monday saw the Bulls' highest total yet, as they edged out the Nets 58 - 45 on the glass. The Bulls saw contributions on the boards from the top to the bottom of the lineup, with rebounding leader Taj Gibson posting just 11, but eight players recording at least three boards. Rebounding was n't the only major advantage the Bulls saw, as the team hit over 50 percent of its shots from the floor while holding the Nets to below 35 percent. Efficient performances from Gibson (7 - for - 9), Jimmy Butler (6 - for - 10), and Rajon Rondo (5 - for - 8) helped lift the Bulls to a superb shooting percentage overall.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 3 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jimmy Butler') has 10 Field goals attempted ,has 6 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Taj Gibson') has 9 Field goals attempted ,has 7 Field goals made ,has 11 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rajon Rondo') has 8 Field goals attempted ,has 5 Field goals made ."]

Sacramento posted superb 49 - and - 50 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, but turned the ball over a whopping 19 times in the loss. DeMarcus Cousins and Darren Collison led the way with matching 26 - point efforts, with the former also notably hauling 16 boards. Arron Affalo turned in 15 points, while Kosta Koufos supplied nine points and 12 rebounds. Ty Lawson's 16 points led the bench, and Anthony Tolliver poured in 10 point on the second unit as well. Paul George's 33 points led the Pacers, a total that included a pair of game - tying free throws late in regulation. C.J. Miles registered 18 points, and Jeff Teague tallied a full stat line of 17 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and a steal. Myles Turner managed 14 points, and Thaddeus Young contributed eight.

["TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 50 Percentage of field goals ,has 19 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'DeMarcus Cousins') has 26 Assists ,has 16 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kosta Koufos') has 9 Assists ,has 12 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Arron Afflalo') has 15 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Darren Collison') has 26 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ty Lawson') has 16 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Anthony Tolliver') has 10 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Paul George') has 33 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Thaddeus Young') has 8 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Myles Turner') has 14 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'CJ Miles') has 18 Assists ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jeff Teague') has 8 Assists ,has 17 Points ,has 8 Total rebounds ,has 1 Steals ."]

The Cleveland Cavaliers (7 - 1) defeated the Utah Jazz (4 - 3) 118 - 114 on Tuesday night. In a battle of two of the best defenses in the NBA, offense was at full force. Both teams shot right around 50 percent from the field and the Jazz failed to record a block for the first time all year. Utah did out - rebound and out - assist the Cavs while tallying 50 points in the paint, but that simply wasn’t enough to escape with a victory. The Jazz put together quite the game on Tuesday, but fell just short in the waning seconds. They had six players who scored at least 15 points, but nobody who scored more than 24. Utah was led by Derrick Favors, who totaled 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals in the loss. He did however miss two crucial free - throws in the final 30 seconds that very well may have cost the Jazz a chance to win the game. Utah also got 24 points off the bench from Alec Burks, who is slowly making an early season run for sixth man of the year. In any case, this is a quality performance against some of the best competition in the league. The Jazz will take on the Chicago Bulls in their next game on Thursday in a battle of two of the best frontcourts in the NBA. LeBron James was his typical self here, as he carried the load late to secure a victory for the Cavaliers. The former MVP tallied 31 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in the victory. The Cavs also got a great performance from Mo Williams who continues to fill - in admirably for the inured Kyrie Irving. He totaled 29 points, six rebounds and six assists in the win. J.R. Smith also made his return from a knee injury in this matchup and amassed seven points and three assists in 22 minutes of action. Cleveland's next match will come on Friday against the New York Knicks in a game where they'll surely be favored.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 1 Number of team assists ,has 118 Losses ,has 7 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 30 Number of team assists ,has 3 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 4 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Derrick Favors') has 4 Assists ,has 17 Minutes played ,has 9 Points ,has 2 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Alec Burks') has 24 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'JR Smith') has 3 Assists ,has 22 Minutes played ,has 7 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Mo Williams') has 6 Assists ,has 29 Minutes played ,has 6 Points ."]

The Oklahoma City Thunder (32 - 12) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (19 - 23) 109 - 95, at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City on Wednesday. The odds were stacked against the Hornets in this one. They had lost their last nine road games and have not won a game in Oklahoma City since the franchise moved there from Seattle. In addition to those negative stats, the Thunder came into this game having won 20 of their last 24 games and boasting a very strong home record. With this win the Thunder have won their last six, improved their home record to 21 - 5 and have won their last 11 against Charlotte. Oklahoma City led just about the whole way in this game. Despite mediocre shooting, Kevin Durant was the high - point man in the game, with 26 (9 - 20 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 10 FT). Durant also contributed five assists and five rebounds, in 30 minutes. Russell Westbrook continued his amazing play and came close to another triple - double. He finished with 16 points (5 - 14 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), along with a huge 15 assists, eight rebounds and five steals, in 27 minutes. Steven Adams logged a double - double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, in 27 minutes. Despite giving up 20 turnovers, the Thunder managed to stay in control, in part by hitting 22 of 30 free throws and out - rebounding the Hornets 51 - 34. Charlotte got 57 points from its bench but unfortunately the starters could not match that same production. Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 21 points (8 - 15 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), two rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 30 minutes. Jeremy Lin chipped in 16 points (6 - 11 FG) and two assists, in 27 minutes off the bench. Frank Kaminsky was a factor in 31 minutes off the bench, as he finished with 15 points (6 - 12 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt), six rebounds and four assists. Jeremy Lamb sat this one out, making it now four games that he has missed due to a sprained toe. Next the Hornets will host the Magic on Friday. The Hornets sit 2 games behind the Magic and 3 games out of eighth in the East. The Thunder will begin a four - game road trip with a game in Dallas on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 12 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 51 Rebounds ,has 20 Turnovers ,has 32 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 23 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 34 Rebounds ,has 19 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kemba Walker') has 2 Assists ,has 4 Blocks ,has 2 Defensive rebounds ,has 15 3-pointers attempted ,has 8 3-pointers made ,has 3 Field goals attempted ,has 3 Field goals made ,has 30 Free throws attempted ,has 21 Free throws made ,has 2 Minutes played ,has 2 Offensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jeremy Lin') has 2 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 1 Defensive rebounds ,has 11 3-pointers attempted ,has 6 3-pointers made ,has 4 Field goals attempted ,has 4 Field goals made ,has 4 Free throws attempted ,has 16 Free throws made ,has 1 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Frank Kaminsky') has 4 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 4 Defensive rebounds ,has 2 3-pointers attempted ,has 12 3-pointers made ,has 6 Field goals attempted ,has 1 Field goals made ,has 31 Free throws attempted ,has 1 Free throws made ,has 15 Minutes played ,has 6 Offensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kevin Durant') has 5 Assists ,has 5 Blocks ,has 1 Defensive rebounds ,has 20 3-pointers attempted ,has 9 3-pointers made ,has 10 Field goals attempted ,has 7 Field goals made ,has 30 Free throws attempted ,has 26 Free throws made ,has 5 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Steven Adams') has 10 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 15 Assists ,has 3 Blocks ,has 0 Defensive rebounds ,has 14 3-pointers attempted ,has 5 3-pointers made ,has 7 Field goals attempted ,has 6 Field goals made ,has 27 Free throws attempted ,has 16 Free throws made ,has 8 Minutes played ,has 5 Offensive rebounds ."]

The Cleveland Cavaliers (2 - 1) defeated the Golden State Warriors (1 - 2), 96 - 91, on Tuesday at the Quicken Loans Arena to take Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Cleveland yet again imposed its will for the majority of the game, led by LeBron James and company. James was n't the only Cavaliers player to change the game Tuesday, however, as Matthew Dellavedova again made a number of plays that are n't easily noticed from glancing at the box score. In addition to his career playoff best 20 points, Dellavedova was a defensive force and made a number of plays on loose balls. The Cavaliers took a 20 point lead in the third quarter and the game appeared to be in hand, but the Warriors battled back in the fourth. Stephen Curry, who was ice cold for most of the first three quarters, found his shot and had 17 points in the fourth quarter. The game could have swung in Golden State's favor after Curry drilled a three to pull the Warriors within one point, but Cleveland's Dellavedova answered with a three point play of his own. The Cavaliers now have an opportunity to take a 3 - 1 lead in the series with a win at home Thursday in Game 4. For Golden State, it was too little too late. Stephen Curry put forth a Herculean effort in the fourth quarter to keep the Warriors in the game, but the Warriors simply did not make enough plays at crucial times to get the edge. One statistic that underlies Golden State's lack of efficiency through the first three quarters is that it was held under 60 points through that time frame for just the second time all season. The only other time was in Game 2 of the Finals. Thompson and Curry combined for just nine points at halftime. David Lee saw his first action since Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against Houston. Lee was effective with 11 points in 13 minutes, which could warrant him some playing time in the next game. The Warriors will need get into an offensive rhythm more quickly in Game 4 to avoid going back to their home court facing elimination. Cleveland ground Golden State's offense to a halt and imposed its own will on offense. James notched his second 40 - point game of this series and added 12 rebounds and eight assists. There were some defensive miscues down the stretch that allowed the Warriors to storm back, but in the end, the Cavaliers survived to notch another victory. Tristan Thompson put up a double - double with 10 points and 13 rebounds over 44 minutes on the floor, continuing to show how valuable he is on the glass. Iman Shumpert was limited to just three points in 32 minutes after suffering a shoulder injury early in the contest. The Cavaliers can dramatically shift the direction of the series with a win Thursday, but they will have to continue their stalwart defensive efforts to ensure that they avoid a similar charge from Golden State in the fourth quarter of Game 3.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 1 Losses ,has 96 Total points ,has 20 Points in 1st quarter ,has 2 Points in 2nd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 2 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 20 Points in 1st quarter ,has 1 Points in 2nd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G,'Klay Thompson') has 4 Assists ,has 4 Defensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Stephen Curry') has 4 Assists ,has 3 Defensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'David Lee') has 4 Assists ,has 4 Defensive rebounds ,has 13 Field goals attempted ,has 11 Field goals made ,has 4 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'LeBron James') has 8 Assists ,has 40 Defensive rebounds ,has 12 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tristan Thompson') has 44 Assists ,has 10 Defensive rebounds ,has 13 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Iman Shumpert') has 32 Assists ,has 3 Defensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Matthew Dellavedova') has 3 Assists ,has 20 Defensive rebounds ."]

The Toronto Raptors (12 - 7) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (12 - 9) Wednesday 96 - 86 at Phillips Arena in Atlanta. The Raptors entered the the fourth quarter in a nine - point hole, as the Hawks managed to have control for majority of the game. However, a monster fourth quarter from the team, which they won 39 - 20, allowed them to pull away and win with relative ease. Kyle Lowry was at the head of Toronto’s comeback effort, as he finished with a game - high 31 points, five rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes. The team rode Lowry for the entire game, as beyond the point guard, the rest of the team struggled offensively for the most part. DeMar DeRozan (17) and Cory Joseph (10) were the only other players to score in double figures. The Hawks had a much more balanced offensive attack, as all five starters managed to score in double figures. However, they got nothing from their bench players, as the team’s reserves scored just 24 points between the six of them. Jeff Teague recorded a double - dobule of 11 points and 10 assists, while Paul Millsap and Al Horford scored 14 and 12 points respectively and each grabbed nine rebounds on the night. Thabo Sefolosha (13) and Kyler Korver (12) round out the starters in double figures. Up next, the Raptors will head home Thursday to take on the Nuggets, while the Hawks will stay home Friday and play the Lakers.

["TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 9 Losses ,has 86 Total points ,has 20 Points in 4th quarter ,has 12 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 7 Losses ,has 96 Total points ,has 39 Points in 4th quarter ,has 12 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'DeMar DeRozan') has 17 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kyle Lowry') has 5 Assists ,has 37 Field goals attempted ,has 31 Minutes played ,has 5 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Cory Joseph') has 10 Assists ,has 10 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Thabo Sefolosha') has 12 Assists ,has 13 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Paul Millsap') has 14 Assists ,has 9 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Al Horford') has 12 Assists ,has 9 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kyle Korver') has 12 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jeff Teague') has 10 Assists ,has 11 Field goals attempted ."]

The host Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the visiting Boston Celtics, 99 - 96, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Sunday. The Thunder (15 - 9) have won seven of their last eight after Sunday's contest. The team saw a scare early in the game as shooting guard Victor Oladipo hit the floor hard trying to contest a shot and was unable to return to the game after going to the locker room. Oklahoma City trailed for the majority of the game, but was able to launch a comeback in the game's final minutes on the strong play of Russell Westbrook. Westbrook scored a whopping 37 points on 14 - of - 26 shooting and pulled down 12 rebounds. Center Steven Adams, meanwhile, shot 7 - of - 8 from the floor and had 16 points with eight rebounds. The Celtics (13 - 11) struggled once again due to the absence of All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas (groin). On Sunday, the team divided the scoring load very evenly, with four starters scoring in double - digits. Center Al Horford scored 19 points and pulled down four rebounds and had six assists. Fill-in point guard Marcus Smart scored 11 points and dished nine assists. The Celtics once again held a major disadvantage at the free - throw line, shooting only eight free - throws to Oklahoma City's 27. The Thunder will play in Portland on Tuesday against the Trail Blazers, while the Celtics will travel to San Antonio on Wednesday to play the Spurs.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 9 Losses ,has 99 Total points ,has 15 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 11 Losses ,has 96 Total points ,has 13 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Al Horford') has 6 Assists ,has 19 Field goals attempted ,has 4 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marcus Smart') has 11 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Steven Adams') has 8 Assists ,has 7 Field goals attempted ,has 16 Field goals made ,has 8 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 26 Assists ,has 14 Field goals attempted ,has 37 Field goals made ,has 12 Points ."]

Devin Booker was the high - point man in the contest, finishing with 39 points on 12 - of - 22 shooting, in 37 minutes. It was the second straight 39 - point game for Booker, both taking place in Mexico City. Only two other players scored in double digits for the Suns, as Eric Bledsoe finished with 17 points, to go along with 10 assists, six rebounds and one steal, in 38 minutes, while T.J. Warren added 12 points, two steals and one rebound, in 26 minutes. Kawhi Leonard led the way for the Spurs, with 38 points on 12 - of - 20 shooting, in 32 minutes, while Manu Ginobili was the next highest scorer for San Antonio, with 16 points, in 25 minutes off the bench. Pau Gasol grabbed 10 rebounds, but only added three points and two assists, in 27 minutes. The Spurs other big man LaMarcus Aldridge was also relatively quiet, as he finished with 13 points, four rebounds and two assists, in 34 minutes.

["PlayerStat(G,'Kawhi Leonard') has 20 Assists ,has 12 Field goals attempted ,has 32 Field goals made ,has 38 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 2 Assists ,has 34 Field goals attempted ,has 13 Field goals made ,has 4 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Pau Gasol') has 2 Assists ,has 27 Field goals attempted ,has 3 Field goals made ,has 10 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Manu Ginobili') has 25 Assists ,has 16 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'TJ Warren') has 26 Assists ,has 12 Field goals attempted ,has 1 Field goals made ,has 2 Minutes played ,has 2 Offensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Devin Booker') has 22 Assists ,has 12 Field goals attempted ,has 37 Field goals made ,has 39 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Eric Bledsoe') has 10 Assists ,has 38 Field goals attempted ,has 2 Field goals made ,has 2 Minutes played ,has 17 Offensive rebounds ,has 6 Personal fouls ,has 1 Points ."]

The Memphis Grizzlies (6 - 6) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (6 - 5) Monday 122 - 114 at the FedExForum in Memphis. After what was a slow start to the season, the Grizzlies have now won three straight games, none bigger than this one against the Thunder. They used a high - scoring, 43 - point fourth quarter to ultimately pull away. Mike Conley was as great a floor leader as one could ask for, finishing with 22 points and nine assists in 31 minutes, but it was Conley’s backup that really stole the show. The newly - acquired Mario Chalmers came off the bench to score an incredibly efficient 29 points in just 23 minutes, and he did most of his damage at the charity stripe, where he shot 13 - of - 15 for the game. Zach Randolph played big on the block, managing a double - double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. For the Thunder, they dropped their second consecutive game as Kevin Durant continues to nurse a hamstring injury. In his absence, Westbrook exploded for a game - high 40 points and 14 assists in 39 minutes, but it wasn’t nearly enough as OKC simply didn’t have an answer for the Grizzlies’ offensive attack. Serge Ibaka managed 18 points and nine rebounds in 35 minutes, while Enes Canter had 16 points and seven rebounds despite only playing 17 minutes off the bench. Up next, the Grizzlies will stay home Friday to take on the Rockets, while the Thunder head home Wednesday to play the Pelicans.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 6 Losses ,has 122 Total points ,has 43 Points in 4th quarter ,has 6 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 5 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 6 Points in 4th quarter ." "PlayerStat(G,'Serge Ibaka') has 35 Assists ,has 18 Free throws attempted ,has 9 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 14 Assists ,has 39 Free throws attempted ,has 40 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Enes Kanter') has 17 Assists ,has 16 Free throws attempted ,has 7 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Zach Randolph') has 12 Assists ,has 10 Free throws attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Mike Conley') has 9 Assists ,has 31 Free throws attempted ,has 1 Free throws made ,has 1 Minutes played ,has 22 Offensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Mario Chalmers') has 15 Assists ,has 13 Free throws attempted ,has 23 Free throws made ,has 29 Minutes played ."]

The Hawks held Orlando to a 35 percent success rate from the floor, and 26 percent from three - point range. They also won the rebounding battle by a 48 - 33 margin and built an insurmountable 65 - 39 halftime lead. Matching 21 - point efforts from Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Paul Millsap led Atlanta. Dennis Schroder stepped up with a 17 - point, 10 - assist double - double. Dwight Howard managed an 11 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, and Malcolm Delaney paced the second unit with 12 points. Orlando was led by a modest 16 - point effort from Aaron Gordon. Elfrid Payton was the only other double - digit scorer among the starting five, posting 12 points. Evan Fournier supplied nine points, while Nikola Vucevic contributed eight points. Jeff Green provided a bench - leading 12 points, and C.J. Watson and D.J. Augustin were also productive on the second unit, tallying matching eight - point efforts.

["TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 48 Percentage of 3 points ." "TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 26 Percentage of 3 points ,has 35 Percentage of field goals ,has 33 Rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Aaron Gordon') has 16 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nikola Vucevic') has 8 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Evan Fournier') has 9 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Elfrid Payton') has 12 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'D.J. Augustin') has 8 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jeff Green') has 12 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tim Hardaway Jr.') has 21 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Paul Millsap') has 21 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dwight Howard') has 11 Assists ,has 13 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dennis Schroder') has 10 Assists ,has 17 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Malcolm Delaney') has 12 Assists ."]

The Hornets utilized a 50 - 41 rebounding advantage and Frank Kaminsky's 23 - point, 13 - rebound double - double to cruise to the double - digit road win. It was the talented big man's fifth straight double - digit scoring effort and third double - double in the last seven contests. Marvin Williams followed Kaminsky with 16 points, while Nicolas Batum was right behind with 15 of his own. Marco Belinelli paced the bench with 13 points, and Kemba Walker, taking more of a back seat on offense with Kaminsky's strong game, contributed 12. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist hauled in 12 boards. Ben McLemore's 18 points led the way for Sacramento, while newly - acquired Buddy Hield posted a bench - leading 15 points. Anthony Tolliver and Tyreke Evans produced matching 11 - point efforts. Darren Collison submitted a modest 10 points. Promising rookie Skal Labissiere supplied eight points, 13 rebounds in 23 bench minutes.

["TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 18 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 41 Rebounds ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 50 Points in 3rd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G,'Michael Kidd-Gilchrist') has 12 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marvin Williams') has 16 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Frank Kaminsky') has 23 Field goals attempted ,has 13 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nicolas Batum') has 15 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kemba Walker') has 12 Field goals attempted ,has 12 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marco Belinelli') has 13 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tyreke Evans') has 11 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Anthony Tolliver') has 11 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ben McLemore') has 18 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Darren Collison') has 10 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Buddy Hield') has 15 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Skal Labissiere') has 23 Field goals attempted ,has 8 Minutes played ,has 13 Points ."]

The visiting Utah Jazz steamrolled the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, 112 - 82. Utah (46 - 29) had no trouble getting a win on Wednesday, easily blowing out the Kings. Star center Rudy Gobert helped the team establish dominance inside, posting 16 points and a team - high 15 rebounds. As a team, it was a dominant offensive night, as the Jazz shot over 53 percent from the field while knocking down 13 three - pointers. Utah also held a steady advantage on the boards, out - rebounding the Kings 43 - 32. The win was integral in the Jazz's playoff push, as they maintain a lead over the Clippers for fourth place in the Western Conference. Sacramento (29 - 46) had won two in a row coming into Wednesday's matchup but was stopped flat in its tracks by the Jazz. Points did not come easily for the Kings, as they shot just 45 percent and made only two three - pointers on the night. Only three players scored in double figures for Sacramento, and only one player scored more than 12. Shooting guard Ben McLemore led the team with 22 points on 9 - of - 12 shooting. He added four rebounds. Utah will host the Wizards on Friday, while the Kings will visit the Pelicans.

["TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 45 Percentage of field goals ,has 46 Losses ,has 82 Total points ,has 32 Rebounds ,has 29 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 53 Percentage of field goals ,has 29 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 43 Rebounds ,has 46 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rudy Gobert') has 16 Field goals attempted ,has 15 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ben McLemore') has 12 Field goals attempted ,has 9 Field goals made ,has 22 Points ,has 4 Total rebounds ."]

The Los Angeles Clippers were led to victory by their stars on Friday, as they narrowly edged out the Miami Heat. All-Star forward Blake Griffin had 20 points and nine rebounds as well as four assists. Meanwhile, DeAndre Jordan, the reigning All-NBA First Team center, pulled down a whopping 19 rebounds to help the Clippers earn a positive differential on the glass. Though Chris Paul saw below his usual output, the star still contributed 17 points and six assists while turning the ball over just once. Miami, meanwhile, also saw strong play from its star players. Guard Goran Dragic had a 21 - point, 11 - assist double - double. Meanwhile, center Hassan Whiteside pulled down 17 boards in what was a duel on the glass between him and Jordan. The team protected the ball exceptionally, turning it over just four times as a unit, but could not find the basket enough for the win.

["PlayerStat(G,'Blake Griffin') has 4 Assists ,has 20 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'DeAndre Jordan') has 19 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Chris Paul') has 6 Assists ,has 17 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Hassan Whiteside') has 17 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Goran Dragic') has 11 Assists ,has 21 Points ."]

Russell Westbrook recorded yet another triple - double, as he led the way for Oklahoma City, with 32 points, 17 rebounds and 11 assists. Cameron Payne chipped in eight points on 3 - of - 4 shooting, including 2 - of - 3 from long range, along with two rebounds and one assist, in 13 minutes off the bench. The Thunder's big men were solid, as Steven Adams finished with 16 points, six rebounds, four blocks, two assists and one steal, while Enes Kanter continued his strong play with 14 points and six rebounds, in 21 minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, six players scored in double digit for Denver, led by Wilson Chandler, who finished with 24 points, along with seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Will Barton added 21 points, while Danilo Gallinari chipped in 15 points and seven rebounds, in 35 minutes.

["PlayerStat(G,'Danilo Gallinari') has 35 Assists ,has 15 Blocks ,has 7 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Will Barton') has 21 Assists ,has 7 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Wilson Chandler') has 2 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 24 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Steven Adams') has 2 Assists ,has 4 Blocks ,has 16 3-pointers attempted ,has 1 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 11 Assists ,has 32 Blocks ,has 17 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Enes Kanter') has 21 Assists ,has 14 Blocks ,has 6 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Cameron Payne') has 1 Assists ,has 3 Blocks ,has 2 3-pointers attempted ,has 4 3-pointers made ,has 3 Field goals attempted ,has 13 Field goals made ,has 8 Minutes played ,has 2 Points ."]

The Sacramento Kings (12 - 17) defeated the Indiana Pacers (16 - 12) by a score of 108 - 106, Wednesday night, in Indianapolis. The Kings buckled down in the last two minutes, scoring four points straight to go from down by two, to up by two and hold on for the victory. Paul George had a decent last - second jumper attempt but it did not fall. DeMarcus Cousins was a beast as usual and had 18 points and 11 rebounds before half time. He finished with 25 points (8 - 19 FG, 9 - 10 FT), along with 16 rebounds, three blocked shots and one assist, in 35 minutes. Cousins also sunk two clutch, last - minute free throws, which gave the Kings the win. Darren Collison played 35 minutes off the bench and finished with a productive 24 points (11 - 17 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt), four rebounds and five assists. Rajon Rondo was dropping dimes as he finished with 13 points (6 - 10 FG), 16 assists and eight rebounds, however his nine turnovers tarnish the beautiful stat line. Omri Casspi continued his strong play, finishing with 15 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) and 11 rebounds, in 41 minutes. Monta Ellis had an efficient shooting night and led the Pacers, with 21 points on 8 - 13 shooting from the field and 3 - 5 from deep, along with six assists, two rebounds and three steals. George Hill dropped 20 points (7 - 14 FG, 4 - 10 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), five assists, four rebounds and three steals. C.J. Miles also chipped in 20 points (7 - 15 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt), along with three assists and three rebounds. Paul George struggled shooting, going 5 - 19 from the field but still stacked up a double - double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, as well as five assists and one steal. The Pacers scored well enough but could not slow down the Kings, who shot 51 percent from the field, mostly on inside scoring. Next up for the Pacers will visit Minnesota for a game on Saturday, where they will look to break their current three - game losing streak. The Kings will have a long rest before they host the Trail Blazers on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 12 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 16 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 17 Losses ,has 108 Total points ,has 12 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Omri Casspi') has 5 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 11 3-pointers attempted ,has 6 3-pointers made ,has 41 Field goals attempted ,has 15 Field goals made ,has 11 Free throws attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'DeMarcus Cousins') has 1 Assists ,has 3 Blocks ,has 19 3-pointers attempted ,has 8 3-pointers made ,has 10 Field goals attempted ,has 9 Field goals made ,has 35 Free throws attempted ,has 2 Free throws made ,has 25 Minutes played ,has 16 Personal fouls ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rajon Rondo') has 10 Assists ,has 6 Blocks ,has 13 3-pointers attempted ,has 8 3-pointers made ,has 9 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Darren Collison') has 5 Assists ,has 5 Blocks ,has 2 3-pointers attempted ,has 17 3-pointers made ,has 11 Field goals attempted ,has 35 Field goals made ,has 24 Free throws attempted ,has 4 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'CJ Miles') has 3 Assists ,has 9 Blocks ,has 4 3-pointers attempted ,has 15 3-pointers made ,has 7 Field goals attempted ,has 20 Field goals made ,has 3 Free throws attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Paul George') has 5 Assists ,has 12 Blocks ,has 10 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Monta Ellis') has 6 Assists ,has 21 Blocks ,has 2 3-pointers attempted ,has 3 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'George Hill') has 5 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ,has 4 3-pointers attempted ,has 14 3-pointers made ,has 7 Field goals attempted ,has 2 Field goals made ,has 2 Free throws attempted ,has 20 Free throws made ,has 4 Minutes played ,has 3 Personal fouls ."]

New York have been disappointing this season, but this was one of their best performances of the year. In fact, they led for the entirety of the second half, while holding a double - digit lead for the majority of it. Defense was key, as they held Detroit to 43 percent shooting, while forcing them to commit 18 turnovers. The Knicks ended up recording 26 assists, while committing just 12 turnovers on 54 percent shooting. Marcus Morris led Detroit in scoring, as he dropped 20 points. Andre Drummond played just 24 minutes, but totaled 12 points, 15 rebounds and three assists. Ish Smith started at point guard and accumulated 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. Derrick Rose was the player of the game, as he collected 27 points, four rebounds and six assists on 12 - of - 17 from the field. Kristaps Porzingis finished with 25 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks. Carmelo Anthony made his return from a knee injury to accrue 21 points, three rebounds, five assists and three steals.

["TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 26 Number of team assists ,has 54 Percentage of field goals ,has 12 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 43 Number of team assists ,has 18 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marcus Morris') has 20 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Andre Drummond') has 3 Assists ,has 15 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ish Smith') has 5 Assists ,has 15 Blocks ,has 6 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Carmelo Anthony') has 5 Assists ,has 21 Blocks ,has 3 Field goals attempted ,has 3 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kristaps Porzingis') has 3 Assists ,has 3 Blocks ,has 25 Field goals attempted ,has 8 Field goals made ,has 2 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Derrick Rose') has 6 Assists ,has 17 Blocks ,has 12 Field goals attempted ,has 27 Field goals made ,has 4 Points ."]

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the host Detroit Pistons, 119 - 94, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Wednesday. It's rare to see a road team dominate from start to finish in an NBA game, but that was just the case here. Not only did the Bucks win each individual quarter, they outscored the Pistons by 26 points over the final 29 minutes. Detroit was really let down by their defense, as they allowed Milwaukee to shoot 57 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range. In addition, the Bucks recorded 36 assists, while committing just seven turnovers. Milwaukee (15 - 15) have riden their two youngsters all season and they were special once again here. Jabari Parker was the player of the game, as he scored a game - high 31 points on 13 - of - 18 shooting. In addition, he added nine rebounds and seven assists to one of his best lines of his career Giannis Antetokounmpo was n't far behind, as he accumulated 23 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Greg Monroe was the only other player with more than 11 points, as he accrued 14 points, five rebounds and six assists off the bench. Milwaukee will look to keep rolling on Friday in a road matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Detroit (15 - 19) has now lost six of their last seven games and losses like this show just how bad their struggling. Tobias Harris did continue his great form off the bench though, as he led the team with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Andre Drummond led the starters in scoring, totaling 16 points and nine rebounds. Reggie Jackson played a season - high 33 minutes and accrued 14 points, three rebounds and six assists. The Pistons will look to get out of this slide on Friday, when they play the Atlanta Hawks on the road for their next game.

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Anthony Davis finished with a game - high 42 points on 16 - of - 22 shooting, to go along with 13 rebounds in 36 minutes. Jrue Holiday followed up with 25 points, 12 assists, six rebounds and five steals, in 38 minutes. Holiday's amazing line was tarnished by nine turnovers. Buddy Hield was efficient from the field, as he hit 7 - of - 10 on his way to 17 points, in 22 minutes. The Pelicans were very efficient as a team, hitting 60 percent from the field, including 48 percent from long range, while they dished 27 assists. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the T-Wolves, with 36 points on 13 - of - 22 shooting, to go along with eight rebounds, in 38 minutes. Andrew Wiggins followed up with 29 points on 11 - of - 17 shooting, and added four rebounds, three steals and two assists, in 37 minutes. The Timberwolves' bench only added nine points to the cause.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 27 Number of team assists ,has 48 Percentage of 3 points ,has 60 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Anthony Davis') has 22 Assists ,has 16 Field goals attempted ,has 36 Field goals made ,has 42 Minutes played ,has 13 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Buddy Hield') has 10 Assists ,has 7 Field goals attempted ,has 22 Field goals made ,has 17 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jrue Holiday') has 12 Assists ,has 38 Field goals attempted ,has 25 Field goals made ,has 6 Minutes played ,has 5 Points ,has 9 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Andrew Wiggins') has 2 Assists ,has 17 Field goals attempted ,has 11 Field goals made ,has 37 Minutes played ,has 29 Points ,has 4 Total rebounds ,has 3 Steals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Karl-Anthony Towns') has 22 Assists ,has 13 Field goals attempted ,has 38 Field goals made ,has 36 Minutes played ,has 8 Points ."]

The Memphis Grizzlies (10 - 1) flexed their muscles, knocking off the Houston Rockets (9 - 2) 119 - 93 at the FedExForum in Memphis on Monday night. The Grizzlies have officially shown us that they are the real deal, if any doubters were left out there. The talented Houston Rockets came to town on Monday, but the Grizzlies were ready to defend their home court. Memphis not only won the game, but dominated in impressive fashion. Memphis won with production from across the board, as eight players scored nine or more points. Mike Conley led the way by scoring 19 points (6 - 10 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and dishing out six assists. Beno Udrih led the bench in a big way, scoring 13 points (5 - 8 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), to go along with six assists and one rebound. Memphis looks like a force to be reckoned with currently, and next they'll head to Toronto to take on the Raptors on Wednesday night. For the Rockets, it's safe to say that the sky did n't come falling down with this loss, but it was definitely a game they wanted to make a statement with. Houston was just out - played in this game, and while Trevor Ariza and Dwight Howard had solid games, James Harden was surprisingly quiet, and struggled from the field. Ariza scored 16 points (4 - 13 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), with four assists, three rebounds and one steal, while Howard had 15 points (6 - 11 FG, 3 - 4 FT), along with nine rebounds and two assists. Harden on the other hand, struggled with just six points (1 - 8 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), but added five rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block. Houston now heads back home to take on the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 1 Losses ,has 119 Total points ,has 10 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 2 Losses ,has 93 Total points ,has 9 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Trevor Ariza') has 4 Assists ,has 7 Blocks ,has 1 3-pointers attempted ,has 13 3-pointers made ,has 4 Field goals attempted ,has 7 Field goals made ,has 7 Free throws attempted ,has 16 Free throws made ,has 3 Points ,has 1 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dwight Howard') has 2 Assists ,has 11 Blocks ,has 6 3-pointers attempted ,has 4 3-pointers made ,has 3 Field goals attempted ,has 15 Field goals made ,has 9 Free throws attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'James Harden') has 4 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 4 3-pointers attempted ,has 0 3-pointers made ,has 8 Field goals attempted ,has 1 Field goals made ,has 5 Free throws attempted ,has 4 Free throws made ,has 6 Points ,has 5 Total rebounds ,has 2 Steals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Mike Conley') has 6 Assists ,has 3 Blocks ,has 1 3-pointers attempted ,has 10 3-pointers made ,has 6 Field goals attempted ,has 6 Field goals made ,has 6 Free throws attempted ,has 19 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Beno Udrih') has 6 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 0 3-pointers attempted ,has 8 3-pointers made ,has 5 Field goals attempted ,has 3 Field goals made ,has 3 Free throws attempted ,has 13 Free throws made ,has 1 Points ."]

Matching 24 - point efforts from Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala led Golden State, while Atlanta's 19 turnovers hurt their case. Curry added nine assists and four rebounds. Iguodala also supplied five rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block in 35 minutes. Klay Thompson contributed 13 points, while Draymond Green filled out the stat sheet with 12 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. David West and Ian Clark each poured in 10 points off the bench. Dennis Schroder's 23 points paced the Hawks. Paul Millsap posted a 20 - point, 10 - rebound double - double and Tim Hardaway, Jr. provided a bench - leading 19 points. Kent Bazemore managed 18 points and Ersan Ilyasova was productive off the bench as well with 15 over 27 minutes. Dwight Howard mustered just eight points but hauled in a whopping 19 rebounds.

["TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 24 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 24 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 19 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Draymond Green') has 6 Assists ,has 12 Blocks ,has 8 Field goals attempted ,has 4 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Klay Thompson') has 13 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Stephen Curry') has 9 Assists ,has 24 Blocks ,has 4 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Andre Iguodala') has 4 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 35 Field goals attempted ,has 24 Minutes played ,has 5 Points ,has 3 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ian Clark') has 10 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'David West') has 10 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Paul Millsap') has 20 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dwight Howard') has 8 Assists ,has 19 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kent Bazemore') has 15 Assists ,has 18 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dennis Schroder') has 23 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tim Hardaway Jr.') has 19 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ersan Ilyasova') has 27 Assists ,has 15 Blocks ."]

The Portland Trail Blazers (36 - 17) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (13 - 40) 102 - 86 on Wednesday at the Moda Center in Portland. The Trail Blazers got off to a quick start in this one, out - scoring the Lakers 32 - 24 in the first quarter alone. They also shot better in this game, going 41 percent from the field, while the Lakers went just 37 percent. The Trail Blazers managed to secure a 52 - 48 rebounding advantage as well, helping to further their lead. With the quick start and superior shooting, the Trail Blazers were able to coast to an easy win. The Trail Blazers' big three of Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews all had very impressive performances Wednesday. Matthews led the team, going 7 - for - 14 from the field and 3 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score 20 points, while adding five rebounds as well. After shooting just 22 percent (2 - 9 FG) from the field in Sunday's game against the Rockets, it was good to see him get dialed back in and have a strong performance. Aldridge was also big in this game, recording a double - double with 18 points (6 - 20 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and 12 rebounds in 28 minutes. He's now posted a double - double in seven of his last eight games, as he continues to be a force for the Blazers. Playing a factor in the win as well, Lillard posted 15 points (5 - 8 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and eight assists. He's now averaging 22 points and 6 assists on the season. Coming off the bench, both Meyers Leonard and C.J. McCollum reached double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively. The Lakers got the bulk of their production from their backcourt duo of Jordan Clarkson and Wayne Ellington. In 27 minutes, Clarkson finished with 17 points (6 - 14 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), six rebounds and four assists, as he was one of the few bright spots in the loss. While he has n't been extremely consistent as a starter, he still has scored 14 points or more in three of his last four games. Ellington, on the other hand, went 6 - for - 14 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 16 points, while adding eight rebounds and a steal. It was his second strong showing in a row, a stretch where he's combined for 34 points and 12 rebounds. Coming off the bench, Wesley Johnson had the biggest contribution. In 23 minutes, he finished with 12 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt) and two rebounds. It was his third straight game in double figures, despite averaging 9 points per game on the season. The Trail Blazers' next game will be on the road against the Utah Jazz on Friday after the All-Star break, while the Lakers will be at home against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday after the All-Star break as well.

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The Indiana Pacers defeated the Chicago Bulls, 111 - 101, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Friday afternoon. The Pacers (16 - 18), and particularly Paul George, may have had some redemption on their minds against the Bulls (16 - 17) on Friday. The All-Star forward had been limited to just 14 points last Monday at United Center in a 90 - 85 loss, his lowest scoring total since Nov. 14. He made sure the tables were turned this go - around, as he went for a game - high 32 points, 11 of which came in the final 4:30 of the game, and he complemented the offense with four rebounds, an assist and two steals. It was his second straight 30 - point game, and with another perfect 9 - of - 9 effort from the foul line, he upped his tally in that category to 17 - of - 17 over the last two contests. His stellar performance spearheaded a Pacers squad that managed a 48 percent success rate from the field, and a serviceable 37 percent figure from behind the arc. Chicago was led by their own standout forward in Jimmy Butler, who went for 25 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Dwyane Wade came back successfully from the migraines that had caused an early exit for him on Wednesday, posting 20 points, five assists, two rebounds and two steals. Taj Gibson compiled 10 points, five boards, an assist and a steal. Cristiano Felicio and Michael Carter-Williams supplied matching 12 - point totals off the bench, with the former also hauling in 12 rebounds, dishing out a pair of assists and recording a steal, and the latter also registering eight boards and recording an assist and a block. Doug McDermott was productive in a reserve role as well with 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Rajon Rondo notably played only 11 minutes, going scoreless and providing only a rebound and an assist. Thaddeus Young was second on Indiana with 17 points, six rebounds and two assists. Myles Turner amassed 15 points, three boards and four blocks. Glenn Robinson III posted a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and a steal. Jeff Teague mustered only seven points on 2 - of - 13 shooting but handed out 17 assists, brought down six rebounds and notched a pair of steals. Aaron Brooks and C.J. Miles paced the bench with a pair of eight - point contributions. The Bulls head back home to face off with the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday evening, while the Pacers remain home and await the Orlando Magic for a New Year's Day showdown.

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The Washington Wizards (13 - 14) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (16 - 15) 100 - 91 on Wednesday. A solid playoff team last season, the Wizards endured a rough first quarter of their season, struggling to a 9 - 12 record over their first 21 games. To make matters worse, standout shooting guard Bradley Beal was diagnosed with the initial stages of a stress reaction in his lower right fibula back on Dec. 12 and starting small forward Otto Porter, Jr. was sidelined with a thigh bruise on Dec. 16, potentially setting the stage for further difficulties. However, Washington has found a way to band together over the last six contests, amassing a 4 - 2 record over that span, including a current streak of three straight victories. They've done so largely on the strength of valiant efforts from stalwart veterans John Wall and Marcin Gortat, and admirable performances from bench players thrown into starting roles due to the aforementioned injuries. Wednesday's victory exemplified the Wizards' textbook teamwork, with all five starters tallying double - digit scoring, including current fill - ins Garrett Temple and Kelly Oubre, Jr. The Grizzlies received strong outings from three of their most dependable players, but also were hampered by considerably lackluster efforts from the remaining members of their starting five. The ever - steady Mike Conley led the way for the visitors with a game - high 21 points, along with a trio of rebounds and assists. Marc Gasol managed a modest 11 points, but hauled in six rebounds and added a pair of assists and a pair of blocks. Jeff Green posted his first double - double of the season, accumulating 19 points and adding 12 boards over 38 minutes. However, Matt Barnes (two points on 1 for 6 shooting) and Courtney Lee (eight points), who'd been productive contributors as of late, were not able to get on track. Zach Randolph continued his strong play from the bench, pacing the Grizzlies' reserves with 16 points and five rebounds. Memphis fell to 16 - 15 and currently resides in third place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They head to Charlotte to take on the Hornets on Saturday. Wall shook off a rib injury that he'd sustained in the final minute of Monday's victory over the Kings to impressively post a fourth consecutive double - double with 14 points and 14 assists. The All-Star point guard's shooting was perhaps at least partially affected by his ailment, as he could only muster a 28 percent accuracy rate from the field, his second straight sub - par game in that department following a 27 percent showing Monday. Temple continued his stellar tenure as a starter in Beal's stead, posting his third consecutive performance with at least 20 points. The six - year pro pitched in 20 points, six rebounds and an assist. Oubre was solid in his own right in place of Porter, pouring in 10 points and hauling in seven boards. Gortat continued to prove his ability to take on a sizable offensive load while Beal is sidelined, managing his second straight double - double (12 points, 12 rebounds), and fifth in the last eight contests. Jared Dudley rounded out a productive night for the starting five with a stat - sheet - filling tally of 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal. Ramon Sessions paced the Wizards bench with 16 points over 30 minutes. Washington improved to 13 - 14 but remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head to Brooklyn to face off with the Nets on Saturday.

["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 14 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 13 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 15 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 16 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jeff Green') has 38 Assists ,has 19 Blocks ,has 12 Defensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Matt Barnes') has 6 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 2 Defensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marc Gasol') has 2 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 11 Defensive rebounds ,has 6 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Courtney Lee') has 8 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Mike Conley') has 21 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Zach Randolph') has 16 Assists ,has 5 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kelly Oubre Jr.') has 10 Assists ,has 7 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jared Dudley') has 3 Assists ,has 5 Blocks ,has 11 Defensive rebounds ,has 6 Field goals attempted ,has 1 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marcin Gortat') has 8 Assists ,has 12 Blocks ,has 12 Defensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Garrett Temple') has 5 Assists ,has 20 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'John Wall') has 14 Assists ,has 28 Blocks ,has 14 Defensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ramon Sessions') has 30 Assists ,has 16 Blocks ."]

The Oklahoma City Thunder (37 - 13) defeated the Washington Wizards (21 - 25) 114 - 98 on Monday night. The Thunder got off to a double - digit lead in the first quarter and never looked back after that. In fact, they never lost a single quarter and never relinquished their lead after the first. Oklahoma City was dominant on the boards, as they nearly doubled up the Wizards rebounding 53 to 27. The Thunder also shot lights out, as they hit 52 percent of their field goal attempts in the win. This marks Washington’s fourth loss in their last five games. Only four players scored in double - figures, with Bradley Beal leading the team with 18 points off the bench. John Wall had an up - and - down game, as he tallied 17 points, eight assists, four rebounds, two steals and three blocks, but turned the ball over six times and missed all four of his three - point attempts. It wo n't get much easier in the Wizards next game, as they take on the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. There haven’t been many games this season when all three of the Thunder studs have been at full force, but that was the case on Monday. Russell Westbrook out together yet another triple - double, as he accumulated 17 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists en route to his seventh triple - double of the year in the win. Kevin Durant led the team with 28 points and snatched down nine rebounds as well. The most promising performance came from Serge Ibaka though, as he double - doubled in a 19 - point outing. Oklahoma City will look to keep up their winning ways against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, in a matchup where they should be double - digit favorites.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 52 Percentage of 3 points ,has 13 Percentage of field goals ,has 114 Losses ,has 53 Total points ,has 37 Rebounds ." "TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 27 Percentage of 3 points ,has 25 Percentage of field goals ,has 98 Losses ,has 27 Total points ,has 21 Rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'John Wall') has 8 Assists ,has 3 Blocks ,has 4 Defensive rebounds ,has 4 3-pointers attempted ,has 4 Free throws attempted ,has 17 Points ,has 4 Total rebounds ,has 2 Steals ,has 6 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Bradley Beal') has 18 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kevin Durant') has 28 Assists ,has 9 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Serge Ibaka') has 19 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 11 Assists ,has 17 Blocks ,has 13 Defensive rebounds ."]

The Utah Jazz (14 - 26) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (12 - 29) 94 - 85 on Friday. Gordon Hayward poured in 31 points on 12 - of - 18 shooting from the field. He also led his team with seven assists. Derrick Favors continued his dominant month of January, where he has averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds, 1 blocks and 1 steals in 31 minutes per game. He had 18 points, ten rebounds, three assists and two blocks against the Lakers. Enes Kanter had seven points, five rebounds and three steals in his third game back from an ankle injury. He has put up averages of 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals in 26 minutes per game since his return. Nick Young scored a team - high 23 points coming off the bench in 25 minutes against the Jazz. Kobe Bryant (rest) sat out Friday after putting up 19 points, six rebounds and a career - high 17 assists in 32 minutes against the Cavaliers on Thursday. Jeremy Lin jumped into the starting lineup without Bryant and Ronnie Price (elbow), who also sat out Friday. Jordan Hill had 16 points on 8 - of - 15 from the field, 11 rebounds, one steal and one block in 29 minutes. The Jazz face off with the Spurs on Sunday, and the Lakers will play the Suns on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 26 Losses ,has 94 Total points ,has 14 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 29 Losses ,has 85 Total points ,has 12 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jordan Hill') has 1 Assists ,has 15 Blocks ,has 8 Field goals attempted ,has 29 Field goals made ,has 16 Minutes played ,has 11 Points ,has 1 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nick Young') has 25 Assists ,has 23 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Gordon Hayward') has 7 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 18 Field goals attempted ,has 12 Field goals made ,has 31 Minutes played ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Derrick Favors') has 3 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 18 Field goals attempted ,has 10 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Enes Kanter') has 26 Assists ,has 7 Blocks ,has 5 Field goals attempted ,has 3 Field goals made ."]

The Brooklyn Nets (21 - 51) defeated the Indiana Pacers (38 - 34) 120 - 110 at Barclays Center on Saturday. Brooklyn rallied in the fourth quarter to overcome a double - digit deficit, behind Sean Kilpatrick’s willingness to get the free throw line and Brook Lopez’s leadership in the paint. After Jordan Hill extended the Pacers lead to 10 points with 9:26 left in regulation, Kilpatrick rallied off four quick points and Lopez started to flex his post moves with hook shots and midrange jumpers to chip away at the lead. Bogdan Bogdanovich put the game away when he buried a three with 39 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The loss puts some extra stress on the Pacers in terms of playoff seeding, as they currently hold the 7 - seed with the looming Detroit Pistons only 1 games behind them. Indiana was playing effective team basketball through most of the game, and were selfless when it came to shooting, which was reflected by the 24 assists as a unit, which the Nets managed to match by the end of the game. Paul George attempted to shoot the Pacers back into contention late in the fourth, but the shot selection became questionable. George finished with 27 points, four rebounds, one assist and three steals on 8 - of - 21 shooting. George Hill started in the backcourt alongside Monta Ellis, and contributed 17 points on 7 - of - 8 shooting. The Nets were led by Brook Lopez, who took a while to heat up, but once he got hot from the post, he was able to get the game back within striking distance, which his teammates followed up on. Lopez added 23 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks to round out the box score, while Bogdan Bogdanovich pitched in 14 points on 50 percent shooting. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s return to the Nets lineup has been a big boost in team morale, as the rookie was a plus - minus all - star amongst his rookie class before his ankle injury. Jefferson was efficient off the bench, where he logged 16 minutes and pitched in six points, three boards and one assist. The Pacers will host the Houston Rockets (36 - 37) on Sunday, while the Nets will visit the Miami Heat (42 - 30) on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 24 Number of team assists ,has 51 Losses ,has 120 Total points ,has 21 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 24 Number of team assists ,has 34 Losses ,has 110 Total points ,has 38 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Paul George') has 1 Assists ,has 21 Defensive rebounds ,has 8 Field goals attempted ,has 27 Field goals made ,has 4 Minutes played ,has 3 Offensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'George Hill') has 8 Assists ,has 7 Defensive rebounds ,has 17 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jordan Hill') has 3 Assists ,has 4 Defensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Brook Lopez') has 4 Assists ,has 3 Defensive rebounds ,has 23 Field goals attempted ,has 9 Field goals made ,has 2 Minutes played ,has 4 Offensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rondae Hollis-Jefferson') has 1 Assists ,has 16 Defensive rebounds ,has 6 Field goals attempted ,has 3 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Sean Kilpatrick') has 3 Assists ,has 3 Defensive rebounds ,has 4 Field goals attempted ,has 4 Field goals made ."]

Giannis Antetokounmpo break out of a recent slump, tallying 24 points, eight assists, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks. After shooting 9 - for - 26 over the previous two contests, the Greek Freak went 10 - for - 13 and Milwaukee shot 55 percent overall. The Clippers turned the ball over a whopping 23 times, with Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford guilty of a team - high five each. Greg Monroe matched Antetokounmpo's scoring total, while Khris Middleton totaled 19 points, nine assists and four rebounds. Matthew Delladedova supplied 15 points off the bench and Malcolm Brogdon totaled 12 points. Griffin co - led Los Angeles wit 21 points, which he supplemented with nine rebounds and eight assists. Chris Paul matched Griffin's scoring total and DeAndre Jordan posted a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. J.J. Redick contributed 10 points, and Crawford paced the second unit with nine points.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 55 Number of team assists ." "TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 23 Number of team assists ,has 23 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Blake Griffin') has 8 Assists ,has 21 Blocks ,has 9 Field goals attempted ,has 5 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'DeAndre Jordan') has 14 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'JJ Redick') has 10 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jamal Crawford') has 5 Assists ,has 9 Blocks ,has 5 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Khris Middleton') has 9 Assists ,has 19 Blocks ,has 4 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 8 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 24 Field goals attempted ,has 5 Points ,has 2 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Malcolm Brogdon') has 12 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Matthew Dellavedova') has 8 Assists ,has 15 Blocks ."]

John Wall's 26 - point, 14 - assist double - double helped overcome a feisty and short - handed Bulls squad that was without Jimmy Butler (illness) and Dwyane Wade (rest). His 16 - foot basket with five seconds remaining snapped a 99 - 99 deadlock and provided the home team with the final margin of victory. Bradley Beal and Markieff Morris each went for 19 points, and Otto Porter, Jr. registered 11. Marcin Gortat posted a 10 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. Jason Smith led the second unit with seven points, six rebounds and three blocks. Denzel Valentine's 19 points in 30 minutes off the bench led the Bulls. Robin Lopez and Michael Carter-Williams followed with matching 14 - point efforts, while Bobby Portis offered 13 points. Rajon Rondo totaled 12 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals in 27 minutes, his most extensive game action in some time.

["PlayerStat(G,'Robin Lopez') has 14 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Michael Carter-Williams') has 14 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Denzel Valentine') has 30 Assists ,has 19 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rajon Rondo') has 6 Assists ,has 27 Blocks ,has 12 Minutes played ,has 4 Points ,has 3 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Bobby Portis') has 13 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Markieff Morris') has 19 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marcin Gortat') has 10 Assists ,has 12 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Bradley Beal') has 19 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'John Wall') has 14 Assists ,has 26 Blocks ,has 5 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jason Smith') has 3 Assists ,has 7 Blocks ,has 6 Minutes played ."]

Paul George's game - high 32 points, 11 of which came in the final 4:30, led the way for Indiana. His stellar performance spearheaded a Pacers squad that managed a 48 percent success rate from the field. Thaddeus Young followed with 17 points, while Myles Turner amassed 15 points and added four blocks. Glenn Robinson III posted a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double and Jeff Teague offset 2 - of - 13 shooting with 17 assists. Aaron Brooks' and C.J. Miles' matching eight - point contributions led the second unit. Jimmy Butler's 25 points led Chicago, while Dwyane Wade bounced back from some migraine issues in his last game to tally 20 points. Rajon Rondo was benched after only compiling 11 minutes, paving the way for a 12 - point effort off the bench for Michael Carter-Williams. Cristiano Felicio matched that scoring total and added 12 boards.

["TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 48 Percentage of field goals ,has 11 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jimmy Butler') has 25 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dwyane Wade') has 20 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rajon Rondo') has 11 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Michael Carter-Williams') has 12 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Cristiano Felicio') has 12 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Paul George') has 32 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Thaddeus Young') has 17 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Myles Turner') has 4 Assists ,has 15 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Glenn Robinson III') has 12 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jeff Teague') has 17 Assists ,has 13 Blocks ,has 2 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'CJ Miles') has 8 Assists ."]

The Washington Wizards (31 - 35) obliterated the Detroit Pistons (34 - 33) in a key game in the race for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot Monday night at Verizon Center, 124 - 81. The Wizards rattled off a 26 - 3 run to take a 30 - 7 lead late in the first quarter and never looked back. They took a 21 - point lead into halftime and never led by fewer than 20 points in the entire second half. Nene's 20 points off the bench led all scorers in an ultra - efficient performance, as the Wizards center knocked down eight of nine shots and grabbed three rebounds and dished three assists. John Wall distributed a game - high 12 assists to go with 15 points (6 - 12 FG) and Marcin Gortat (8 - 13 FG) scored 16 to lead Washington's starting unit. The Wizards faced no resistance, as they shot a stellar 57 percent from the floor (51 - 90). Kentavius Caldwell-Pope's 18 points led the Pistons, as he was the only Pistons starter to reach double - digits. Darrun Hilliard was the only one to do so off the bench, as he shot 3 - 5 from the floor (4 - 4 FT) to score 10 points in 12 minutes. The Pistons shot a brutal 41 percent from the floor and 3 - 23 (13 percent) and committed more turnovers (20) than assists (17) as they never had a chance. The Pistons host the Hawks at home on Wednesday. The Wizards remain at home to host the Bulls on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 57 Number of team assists ,has 35 Percentage of 3 points ,has 124 Percentage of field goals ,has 31 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 17 Number of team assists ,has 13 Percentage of 3 points ,has 41 Percentage of field goals ,has 33 Losses ,has 81 Total points ,has 18 Points in 4th quarter ,has 20 Turnovers ,has 34 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kentavious Caldwell-Pope') has 1 Assists ,has 1 3-pointers attempted ,has 1 Field goals attempted ,has 18 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Darrun Hilliard') has 1 Assists ,has 4 3-pointers attempted ,has 4 Field goals attempted ,has 12 Field goals made ,has 10 Free throws attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marcin Gortat') has 13 Assists ,has 8 3-pointers attempted ,has 16 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'John Wall') has 12 Assists ,has 12 3-pointers attempted ,has 6 Field goals attempted ,has 15 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nene') has 3 Assists ,has 9 3-pointers attempted ,has 8 Field goals attempted ,has 20 Field goals made ,has 3 Free throws attempted ."]

The Oklahoma City Thunder (32 - 25) defeated the Indiana Pacers (23 - 34) 105 - 92 on Tuesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. The Thunder got off to a quick start, out - scoring the Pacers 30 - 20 right away in the first quarter. While they were n't able to pull away in the second, they took off again after halftime, out - scoring them 57 - 50 over the course of the second half. While they both shot nearly identical percentages from the field and three - point line, the Thunder took advantage at the free throw line, converting on 16 - of - 18 from the line, while the Pacers made just 7 - of - 11. The Thunder also secured a 57 - 48 rebounding advantage. Russell Westbrook was again an absolute animal in this game. He was able to notch a triple - double before the fourth quarter even started. In just 28 minutes of time, he finished with 20 points (8 - 19 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and he could've put up some even higher numbers if the Thunder were n't up by so much during the fourth. Serge Ibaka had himself a game as well, posting 23 points (9 - 11 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. He's really turned it on over his last four games, posting three double - doubles during that span. Over that four game stretch, he's averaged 20 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks. Recently aquired from the Jazz, Enes Kanter continued his strong play with the Thunder, finishing with 15 points (6 - 10 FG, 3 - 4 FT) and five rebounds in just 23 minutes. With the Thunder so far, he's averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds over three games. The Thunder also saw a couple of strong contributions from the bench, with both Dion Waiters and Anthony Morrow finishing in double figures. Waiters had 14 points (5 - 18 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt) and two rebounds, while Morrow totaled 12 points (5 - 9 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt) and five rebounds. The Pacers had four starters finish in double figures, but were n't able to slow down the Thunder offense. C.J. Miles did the most damage, going 9 - for - 14 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to finish with a team - high of 21 points. He's really stepped it up following the All-Star break, averaging 17 points and 5 rebounds over his last three games. Coming just shy of a double - double, George Hill recorded 13 points (5 - 12 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), eight assists and three steals. He had gone a combined 5 - for - 7 from the three - point line in the two previous games coming into Tuesday, but he could n't stay hot and really struggled with his shot in this one. After posting back - to - back 30 - point games, Rodney Stuckey came back down to earth and finished with just five points (2 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt) and five assists. It's nothing new for Stuckey, as he's been very inconsistent with his scoring all season long. Solomon Hill (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and David West (5 - 13 FG, 1 - 2 FT) each added 11 points apiece. The Thunder's next game will be on the road against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, while the Pacers will be at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 25 Losses ,has 105 Total points ,has 30 Points in 1st quarter ,has 57 Rebounds ,has 32 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 34 Losses ,has 92 Total points ,has 20 Points in 1st quarter ,has 48 Rebounds ,has 23 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Solomon Hill') has 3 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 8 Defensive rebounds ,has 4 3-pointers attempted ,has 2 3-pointers made ,has 1 Field goals attempted ,has 11 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'David West') has 13 Assists ,has 5 Blocks ,has 2 Defensive rebounds ,has 1 3-pointers attempted ,has 11 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'CJ Miles') has 5 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 14 Defensive rebounds ,has 9 3-pointers attempted ,has 21 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'George Hill') has 8 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 5 Defensive rebounds ,has 1 3-pointers attempted ,has 12 3-pointers made ,has 5 Field goals attempted ,has 2 Field goals made ,has 2 Free throws attempted ,has 2 Free throws made ,has 13 Minutes played ,has 2 Personal fouls ,has 3 Points ,has 1 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rodney Stuckey') has 5 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 1 Defensive rebounds ,has 8 3-pointers attempted ,has 2 3-pointers made ,has 5 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Serge Ibaka') has 3 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 1 Defensive rebounds ,has 11 3-pointers attempted ,has 9 3-pointers made ,has 4 Field goals attempted ,has 4 Field goals made ,has 4 Free throws attempted ,has 23 Free throws made ,has 10 Minutes played ,has 3 Personal fouls ." "PlayerStat(G,'Enes Kanter') has 3 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ,has 6 Defensive rebounds ,has 4 3-pointers attempted ,has 3 3-pointers made ,has 23 Field goals attempted ,has 15 Field goals made ,has 5 Free throws attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 10 Assists ,has 3 Blocks ,has 1 Defensive rebounds ,has 19 3-pointers attempted ,has 8 3-pointers made ,has 3 Field goals attempted ,has 3 Field goals made ,has 28 Free throws attempted ,has 20 Free throws made ,has 11 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dion Waiters') has 9 Assists ,has 4 Blocks ,has 18 Defensive rebounds ,has 5 3-pointers attempted ,has 14 3-pointers made ,has 2 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Anthony Morrow') has 3 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 9 Defensive rebounds ,has 5 3-pointers attempted ,has 12 3-pointers made ,has 5 Field goals attempted ."]

Oklahoma City dominated this game from start to finish, as they led for the final 45 - plus minutes. In fact, the Thunder won all of the first three quarters by at least six points, taking a 22 - point lead into the final frame. Shooting was the key difference, with Oklahoma City shooting 56 percent, while Chicago barely cracked 40 percent. Russell Westbrook fell a rebound shy of a triple - double, accumulating 21 points, nine rebounds and 14 assists. Steven Adams led the team in scoring, dropping 22 points and five rebounds on 11 - of - 14 shooting. Enes Kanter recorded a double - double off the bench, totaling 20 points and 11 rebounds. Dwyane Wade was a lone bright spot for Chicago, accruing 22 points, four rebounds and six assists. Jimmy Butler (sickness) really struggled, going 0 - of - 6 from the field to contribute one point, two rebounds and seven assists. Cristiano Felicio came off the bench to record an 11 - point, 11 - rebound double - double.

["PlayerStat(G,'Steven Adams') has 14 Assists ,has 11 Field goals attempted ,has 22 Field goals made ,has 5 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 14 Assists ,has 21 Field goals attempted ,has 9 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Enes Kanter') has 20 Assists ,has 11 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jimmy Butler') has 7 Assists ,has 6 Field goals attempted ,has 0 Field goals made ,has 1 Points ,has 2 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dwyane Wade') has 6 Assists ,has 22 Field goals attempted ,has 4 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Cristiano Felicio') has 11 Assists ,has 11 Field goals attempted ."]

The Sacramento Kings (19 - 34) defeated the Boston Celtics (20 - 32) 109 - 101 on Friday. DeMarcus Cousins put up another monster game. He recorded 31 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block to help solidify George Karl's first win as the head coach of the Kings. Rudy Gay pitched in with 28 points and three blocks. The recently acquired Andre Miller played well down the stretch, finishing Friday's game with eight points, four assists and four rebounds. Sacramento likely would have blown out the Celtics if it were n't for 24 turnovers, including nine by Cousins alone. The Celtics got a good all - around performance from Avery Bradley. In 41 minutes Bradley had 28 points, six assists, four steals, three rebounds and one block. Boston was without big men Kelly Olynyk (ankle) and Jared Sullinger (foot) on Friday due to injuries. Sullinger could miss extended time with a stress fracture. Isaiah Thomas was acquired in a trade deadline deal on Thursday. However, he was not available to play Friday The Celtics will head to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Sunday in a lackluster matchup of historic rivals. The Kings will play the Clippers in Los Angeles on Saturday.

["TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 34 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 24 Turnovers ,has 19 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 32 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 20 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Avery Bradley') has 6 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 41 Free throws attempted ,has 28 Minutes played ,has 3 Points ,has 4 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rudy Gay') has 3 Assists ,has 28 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'DeMarcus Cousins') has 3 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 9 Free throws attempted ,has 31 Minutes played ,has 15 Points ,has 2 Total rebounds ,has 9 Steals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Andre Miller') has 4 Assists ,has 8 Blocks ,has 4 Free throws attempted ."]

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 119 - 114, at Spectrum Center on Wednesday. The Spurs (12 - 3) have long been renowned for their defense, and rightfully so. However the Hornets (8 - 6) were able to pierce San Antonio's armor Wednesday, touching up Gregg Popovich's crew for a season - high 114 points. Charlotte had eight players hit double digits in the scoring column and tallied 51 and 55 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Their second unit compiled 45 points overall, but the Spurs countered with standout efforts from Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, which were pivotal in keeping the Spurs' road record unblemished at 80. Leonard collected 30 points, five rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block to lead the visitors. Aldridge followed with 23 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. Danny Green was solid with his best effort since returning seven games ago, posting a season - best 16 points and adding three rebounds, two assists and a block. Tony Parker totaled a modest 11 points, three assists, a rebound and a steal, and hit a clutch 23 - foot three - pointer with 22 seconds remaining to extend San Antonio's advantage to 115 - 110. Davis Bertans paced the bench with 11 points. Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 26 points and supplemented them with nine rebounds and seven assists. Nicolas Batum was next with 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Roy Hibbert, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marvin Williams posted a trio of 10 - point efforts and also combined for 10 rebounds. Frank Kaminsky III led the second unit with 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Marco Belinelli and Spencer Hawes supplied 12 and 11 points, respectively, off the bench as well. The Spurs head to Boston to tangle with the Celtics on Friday afternoon, while the Hornets go up north for a Friday evening tussle with the New York Knicks.

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 55 Percentage of 3 points ,has 51 Percentage of field goals ,has 6 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 8 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 3 Percentage of 3 points ,has 119 Percentage of field goals ,has 12 Losses ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kawhi Leonard') has 4 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 30 3-pointers attempted ,has 5 Field goals attempted ,has 1 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 2 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 7 3-pointers attempted ,has 23 Field goals attempted ,has 7 Free throws made ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Danny Green') has 2 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 7 3-pointers attempted ,has 16 Field goals attempted ,has 3 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tony Parker') has 3 Assists ,has 11 Blocks ,has 1 3-pointers attempted ,has 1 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Davis Bertans') has 11 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Michael Kidd-Gilchrist') has 10 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marvin Williams') has 10 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Roy Hibbert') has 10 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nicolas Batum') has 5 Assists ,has 13 Blocks ,has 7 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kemba Walker') has 7 Assists ,has 26 Blocks ,has 9 3-pointers attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Frank Kaminsky') has 5 Assists ,has 12 Blocks ,has 13 3-pointers attempted ,has 8 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Spencer Hawes') has 11 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marco Belinelli') has 12 Assists ."]

The Utah Jazz (37 - 37) defeated the visiting Los Angeles Lakers (15 - 59) 123 - 75, Monday evening at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Rodney Hood sparked the Jazz with an amazing 30 - point first half, including a franchise - high eight three - pointers, leading to another much - needed victory as Utah looks to secure its spot in the top eight. The Jazz have now won two in a row and increase their advantage over the Houston Rockets for seventh place in the West. The Jazz out - scored the Lakers in every quarter by at least eight points, as they cruised to the 48 - point, home victory. The Jazz shot 52 percent from the field and 53 percent from long range, including a franchise - best 17 - made three - pointers in a game; while their defense held the Lakers to only 31 percent from the field. Rodney Hood led the Jazz with a game - high 30 points, shooting 11 - 13 from the field and 8 - 9 from long range. Rudy Gobert hauled in 19 rebounds, to go along with eight points, four assists, and two blocked shots, while Shelvin Mack and Trevor Booker both chipped in 17 points. Lou Williams was the only player to score in double digits while shooting better than 30 percent from the field for Los Angeles, as he finished with 16 points on 4 - 6 shooting. The only other Lakers player to score in double figures was Jordan Clarkson, who finished with 12 points, on 5 - 18 shooting. The Lakers squad really struggled in this one, as Williams and Clarkson were the only two players to score more than three baskets. The Lakers will now return to Los Angeles to host the Heat on Wednesday. The Jazz host the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, in what could be a first - round preview.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 53 Percentage of 3 points ,has 52 Percentage of field goals ,has 37 Losses ,has 123 Total points ,has 30 Points in 1st quarter ,has 37 Points in 2nd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 31 Percentage of 3 points ,has 59 Percentage of field goals ,has 75 Losses ,has 16 Total points ,has 17 Points in 1st quarter ,has 15 Points in 2nd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jordan Clarkson') has 2 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 2 Defensive rebounds ,has 1 3-pointers made ,has 1 Field goals made ,has 12 Free throws attempted ,has 2 Free throws made ,has 1 Personal fouls ." "PlayerStat(G,'Lou Williams') has 1 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 3 Defensive rebounds ,has 4 3-pointers made ,has 6 Field goals made ,has 16 Free throws attempted ,has 1 Free throws made ,has 1 Personal fouls ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rudy Gobert') has 4 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 8 Defensive rebounds ,has 19 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Rodney Hood') has 8 Assists ,has 30 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Shelvin Mack') has 17 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Trevor Booker') has 17 Assists ."]

The young trio of Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine and Karl-Anthony Towns have been putting the league on notice with their stellar play. Their impressive talents were on display again Wednesday, with LaVine's season - high 37 points leading the way. Wiggins and Towns went for another 49 combined points, while Tyus Jones and Shabazz Muhammad posted another 23 to lead the bench. The Timberwolves' ball security was exceptional, as they committed only six turnovers, and they shot 52 percent from the field and 57 percent from three - point range. Nikola Vucevic paced the Magic with a 24 - point, 14 - rebound double - double, while Elfrid Payton (18 points), Evan Fournier (13 points) and Serge Ibaka (11 points) posted solid performances as well. However, the Magic's 45 shooting percentage, while solid, still was n't enough to keep up with a red - hot Minnesota offense.

["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 45 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 52 Percentage of field goals ,has 45 Rebounds ,has 6 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Zach LaVine') has 37 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Serge Ibaka') has 11 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nikola Vucevic') has 24 Points ,has 14 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Evan Fournier') has 13 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Elfrid Payton') has 18 Points ."]

The Chicago Bulls (39 - 38) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (32 - 45) 102 - 98 on Sunday. This game meant much more to the Bulls than Bucks and it was evident by the result. The second quarter is when Chicago made their mark, as they outscored Milwaukee 33 to 17. The shooting was on point for the Bulls, as they made 53 percent of their shots and assisted on 30 of their 39 made baskets. This win brings the Bulls within two games of the eight - seed in the east, so it was obviously a crucial win. Jimmy Butler once again carried the torch, as he scored a team - high 25 points and also provided five rebounds and eight assists. Pau Gasol flirted with a triple - double, as he accumualted 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Nikola mirotic gave the team a nice spark off the bench with 19 points and six rebounds. Up next for Chicago is a matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. Milwaukee has been dominant at home, but these meaningless games are tough to get up for. Giannis Antetokonmpo was clearly game though, as he scored a game - high 34 points, while dishing out nine assists and grabbing five boards. Jabari Parker recorded a double - double, as he amassed 24 points and 11 rebounds. On deck for Milwaukee is a matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 45 Number of team assists ,has 98 Percentage of field goals ,has 17 Losses ,has 32 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 30 Number of team assists ,has 53 Percentage of field goals ,has 38 Losses ,has 102 Total points ,has 33 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 39 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Pau Gasol') has 8 Assists ,has 16 Points ,has 8 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jimmy Butler') has 8 Assists ,has 25 Points ,has 5 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nikola Mirotic') has 19 Assists ,has 6 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 9 Assists ,has 34 Points ,has 5 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jabari Parker') has 24 Assists ,has 11 Points ."]

The New Orleans Pelicans (31 - 27) beat the Miami Heat (25 - 32) 104 - 102 on Friday. Alexis Ajinca has put together a nice three - game stretch, averaging 17 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks in 23 minutes a game over that span. He recorded 24 points, eight rebounds and three blocks against the Heat. He led all bench players in those three categories. Tyreke Evans has been dealing with a sore left foot but was able to play and start. He recorded 19 points and 11 assists in 33 minutes. Dante Cunningham has been starting at power forward for the Pelicans while Anthony Davis is out with a shoulder injury. Cunningham had a 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double performance. New Orleans is now 20 - 10 at home this season and have won four straight games overall. The Miami Heat beat the Magic in overtime in miraculous fashion on Wednesday. They came back from a seven - point deficit with under a minute remaining to send the game into overtime and handled the Magic in the final five minutes. This time it was the Heat trying to keep their opponent from attaining a comeback victory. They led by nine heading into the fourth quarter, but could n't hold on as Ajinca and Evans led the Pelicans to victory in the final period. Michael Beasley was signed to a 10 - day contract and was made available to play in New Orleans. He played 10 minutes and scored seven points on 3 - of - 7 shooting from the field. The Heat will host the Eastern Conference leading Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. The Pelicans will head to the Pepsi Center to take on the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 27 Losses ,has 104 Total points ,has 10 Turnovers ,has 31 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 32 Losses ,has 102 Total points ,has 25 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Michael Beasley') has 7 Assists ,has 3 Blocks ,has 10 Field goals attempted ,has 7 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dante Cunningham') has 10 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tyreke Evans') has 11 Assists ,has 9 Blocks ,has 33 Field goals attempted ,has 19 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Alexis Ajinca') has 3 Assists ,has 9 Blocks ,has 24 Field goals attempted ,has 8 Field goals made ."]

Andrew Wiggins looked like he was turning into a superstar before Timberwolves fans' eyes given his hot start to his 2016 - 17 campaign. He went through a six - game stretch where he averaged 33 points per game, which included a game against the Lakers with a career - high 47 points. But following his peak, he's possibly entered a slump, as Monday's poor shooting performances was his second in a row. After shooting just 5 - of - 18 from the field for 14 points against Boston, Wiggins has now shot just 7 - of - 29 from the field and 0 - of - 8 from behind the arc in his last two games to combine for just 21 points. It should not be considered a slump yet, as Wiggins has shot under 40 percent from the field just four times all season, but if Wiggins wants to prove he can be an All-Star in this league, he'll have to prove he can be a model of consistency as well.

["PlayerStat(G,'Andrew Wiggins') has 4 Defensive rebounds ,has 18 Field goals attempted ,has 5 Field goals made ,has 6 Free throws attempted ,has 4 Free throws made ,has 14 Points ,has 4 Total rebounds ,has 2 Turnovers ."]

San Antonio became the first team to four wins in this game, and its 30 road record is the best mark in the league through the early stages of the season. Despite playing without LaMarcus Aldridge, the Spurs still got near double - doubles from veterans David Lee and Dewayne Dedmon. The pair combined for 17 points and 19 rebounds in 40 minutes of play. After failing to play more than 21 minutes in any of his three previous games, Pau Gasol was able to record his first double - double in a Spurs uniform in 31 minutes of action in the win. Tony Parker's struggles continued, though, as he's yet to score in double figures or hand out more than four assists in any game this season. Aside from Tyler Johnson, the Miami bench accumulated just two points, six rebounds and four assists between three players. Three-point shooting was huge for the Spurs, as they took two fewer three - pointers than the Heat but made three more. These two teams will meet again in just over two weeks, as they are scheduled for a November 14 rematch in San Antonio.

["TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 2 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 4 Losses ." "PlayerStat(G,'Pau Gasol') has 3 Assists ,has 31 Free throws attempted ,has 3 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tony Parker') has 4 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tyler Johnson') has 3 Assists ,has 3 Free throws attempted ."]

After a poor first quarter, the Nets (17 - 23) rebounded to beat the Wizards (27 - 13) 102 - 80 in Washington on Friday. Brooklyn fell behind 24 - 18 after one but responded with a strong second quarter and took a 43 - 40 advantage at the half. They carried the momentum into the third quarter, outscoring Washington by 10 points in the period. With a 13 - point lead heading into the fourth, Brooklyn traded baskets with the Wizards before going on an 11 - 4 run midway through the quarter that slammed the door on any hopes of a Washington comeback. The Nets, who shot 46 percent from the floor, were led by 26 points and seven assists from Jarrett Jack (12 - 18 FG). Mason Plumlee added 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Bojan Bogdanovic had 12 points in 32 minutes. Joe Johnson struggled, finishing with just six points on 2 - of - 11 shooting. Brook Lopez, who returned to the bench with Kevin Garnett back from suspension, put up 26 points in just 23 minutes. Garnett had four points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in 18 minutes. Washington placed only two players in double - figures, as John Wall and Kris Humphries scored 13 and 12 points, respectively. Wall also had six assists and two steals, while Humphries added eight rebounds. Nene was held to just six points, and Marcin Gortat finished with nine points and five boards. The Wizards made only 31 field goals as a team and committed a whopping 19 turnovers. The teams meet again Saturday night in Brooklyn.

["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 13 Percentage of field goals ,has 80 Losses ,has 24 Total points ,has 19 Points in 1st quarter ,has 27 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 46 Percentage of field goals ,has 23 Losses ,has 102 Total points ,has 18 Points in 1st quarter ,has 17 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Joe Johnson') has 11 Assists ,has 2 Field goals attempted ,has 6 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kevin Garnett') has 2 Assists ,has 18 Field goals attempted ,has 4 Field goals made ,has 5 Free throws attempted ,has 2 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Mason Plumlee') has 11 Assists ,has 10 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Bojan Bogdanovic') has 32 Assists ,has 12 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jarrett Jack') has 7 Assists ,has 18 Field goals attempted ,has 12 Field goals made ,has 26 Free throws attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Brook Lopez') has 23 Assists ,has 26 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nene') has 6 Assists ,has 5 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marcin Gortat') has 9 Assists ,has 5 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'John Wall') has 6 Assists ,has 2 Field goals attempted ,has 2 Field goals made ,has 13 Free throws attempted ,has 2 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kris Humphries') has 2 Assists ,has 2 Field goals attempted ,has 2 Field goals made ,has 12 Free throws attempted ,has 8 Free throws made ."]

The New York Knicks defeated the Orlando Magic, 106 - 95, at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. While this scoreline appears to be close, the Knicks were in control for the majority of this game. In fact, Orlando had just one lead in the first quarter and trailed every other minute, Rebounding was a huge beneficiary for the Knicks, as they won that battle, 52 - 41. In addition, three - point shooting was a key difference as well, with New York going 9 - of - 20 and Orlando hitting just 5 - of - 27 from long distance. New York's bench really carried the load, as they outscored the Magic's bench, 44 - 34. Orlando (13 - 18) continues to struggle on offense and a 95 - point effort against the Knicks is another poor showing. Serge Ibaka was the Magic's best player, as he tallied 23 points and 10 rebounds en route to a double - double. Evan Fournier was the only other starter in double figures, as he accumulated 21 points, five rebounds and four assists. Elfrid Payton, Jeff Green and Nikola Vucevic each scored 10 points a piece off the bench. On deck for Orlando is a home matchup against the Los Angels Lakers on Friday. New York (16 - 13) got some great bench performances here, as that was the difference in the game. Kyle O'Quinn was especially good off the bench, as he totaled 14 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks in the win. In addition, Guillermo Hernangomez scored 15 points off the bench, while Brandon Jennings dished out 12 assists. Derrick Rose led the starters in scoring, as he accrued 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. New York will look to keep rolling, as they host the Boston Celtics on Sunday for their next game,

["TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 13 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 16 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 18 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 23 Points in 4th quarter ,has 13 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Serge Ibaka') has 23 Assists ,has 10 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Evan Fournier') has 4 Assists ,has 21 Blocks ,has 5 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Elfrid Payton') has 10 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nikola Vucevic') has 10 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jeff Green') has 10 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Derrick Rose') has 3 Assists ,has 19 Blocks ,has 5 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kyle O'Quinn') has 5 Assists ,has 14 Blocks ,has 16 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Willy Hernangomez') has 15 Assists ,has 5 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Brandon Jennings') has 12 Assists ."]

The Indiana Pacers (29 - 25) defeated the host Oklahoma City Thunder (40 - 15) 101 - 98, on Friday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Pacers had lost their last five games in Oklahoma prior to this contest, however they did not let the past dictate the future as they fought hard to earn the road victory against a very tough host. Indiana was down by nine entering the fourth quarter but drained four three - pointers in the last 2:28 in order to emerge victorious. Thus the Pacers snapped the Thunder's nine - game home winning streak and also held them to less than 106 points, a mark which OKC had reached in their previous 12 games. Monta Ellis led the way for Indiana, finishing with 27 points (10 - 16 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 7 FT), three assists, three steals and two rebounds, in 38 minutes. Paul George had a strong game as well, as he logged a double - double with 22 points (6 - 14 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT) and 10 assists, along with five rebounds and one steal, in 34 minutes. Ian Mahinmi took care of business in the paint, as he tallied a double - double with 19 points (9 - 18 FG, 1 - 1 FT) and 11 rebounds, along with three assists, two steals and two blocks, in 35 minutes. Jordan Hill was back in the line - up after missing games before the break with a dislocated finger, while Rodney Stuckey remained out due to a sore right foot. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were both in top form as they combined for 54 points, 21 assists and 11 rebounds, but it was not enough to halt the Pacers. Westbrook tallied 23 points (10 - 17 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and an impressive 18 assists, as well as three rebounds, two steals and one block, in 37 minutes, while KD offered 31 points (13 - 26 FG, 2 - 9 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), eight rebounds and three assists, in 38 minutes. Enes Kanter chipped in a healthy 13 points and 10 rebounds, in 20 minutes off the bench. As a team the Thunder shot a dismal 5 - 26 from distance, which can be seen as a difference - maker compared to Indiana's 9 - 22 from long - range. Next the Thunder will host the Cavaliers, on Sunday, and will look to avoid losing two in a row at home. The Pacers will be in Orlando on Sunday to take on the Magic.

["TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 15 Losses ,has 98 Total points ,has 40 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 25 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 29 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Paul George') has 10 Assists ,has 7 Blocks ,has 2 3-pointers attempted ,has 14 3-pointers made ,has 6 Field goals attempted ,has 9 Field goals made ,has 8 Free throws attempted ,has 34 Free throws made ,has 22 Minutes played ,has 5 Points ,has 1 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ian Mahinmi') has 3 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 18 3-pointers attempted ,has 9 3-pointers made ,has 1 Field goals attempted ,has 1 Field goals made ,has 35 Free throws attempted ,has 19 Free throws made ,has 11 Minutes played ,has 2 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Monta Ellis') has 3 Assists ,has 5 Blocks ,has 3 3-pointers attempted ,has 16 3-pointers made ,has 10 Field goals attempted ,has 7 Field goals made ,has 4 Free throws attempted ,has 38 Free throws made ,has 27 Minutes played ,has 2 Points ,has 3 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 18 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 4 3-pointers attempted ,has 1 3-pointers made ,has 17 Field goals attempted ,has 10 Field goals made ,has 2 Free throws attempted ,has 2 Free throws made ,has 37 Minutes played ,has 23 Points ,has 3 Total rebounds ,has 2 Steals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Enes Kanter') has 20 Assists ,has 13 Blocks ,has 10 3-pointers attempted ."]

The visiting Houston Rockets defeated the Detroit Pistons, 99 - 96, at Palace at Auburn Hills on Monday. The Rockets (8 - 5) shook off a 25 - 18 deficit after one quarter to outscore the Pistons by an 81 - 71 margin the rest of the way. However, overtime was a possibility until the final buzzer, when Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's 50 - foot three - point attempt failed to find the net and sent the Pistons (6 - 8) to their second home defeat in as many games. James Harden and Clint Capela led the way for Houston with respective double - doubles, and the Rockets posted a 45 percent tally from the field overall. Harden paced the visitors with 28 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds and a block. Capela contributed a 15 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and two blocks. Trevor Ariza was next with a solid line of 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal. Ryan Anderson collected 10 points, six rebounds, an assist and a block. Sam Dekker led the second unit with 12 points, four rebounds and an assist. Caldwell-Pope led the way for the Pistons with 26 points, two assists, a rebound and two steals. Andre Drummond and Marcus Morris followed with a pair of 13 - point efforts, with the former also hauling in 16 boards, an assist and four steals, while the latter totaled two rebounds and a block. Ish Smith produced a full stat sheet of 10 points, eight assists, four rebounds and a block. Jon Leuer paced the second unit with 12 points, eight rebounds and a block. The Rockets head back home to take on the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, while the Pistons take on the Miami Heat at home in a Wednesday evening tilt as well.

["TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 96 Percentage of field goals ,has 25 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 45 Percentage of field goals ,has 99 Total points ,has 18 Points in 1st quarter ." "PlayerStat(G,'Trevor Ariza') has 3 Assists ,has 14 Blocks ,has 6 3-pointer percentage ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ryan Anderson') has 1 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 10 3-pointer percentage ,has 6 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Clint Capela') has 2 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 15 3-pointer percentage ,has 12 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'James Harden') has 11 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 28 3-pointer percentage ,has 8 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Sam Dekker') has 1 Assists ,has 12 Blocks ,has 4 3-pointer percentage ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marcus Morris') has 1 Assists ,has 13 Blocks ,has 2 3-pointer percentage ." "PlayerStat(G,'Andre Drummond') has 1 Assists ,has 13 Blocks ,has 16 3-pointer percentage ,has 4 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kentavious Caldwell-Pope') has 2 Assists ,has 50 Blocks ,has 26 3-pointer percentage ,has 1 Points ,has 2 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Ish Smith') has 8 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 10 3-pointer percentage ,has 4 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jon Leuer') has 1 Assists ,has 12 Blocks ,has 8 3-pointer percentage ."]

The San Antonio Spurs (7 - 4) knocked off the Cleveland Cavaliers (5 - 5) 92 - 90 on Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena. San Antonio has gotten off to a fairly slow start to the 2014 season, but all eyes were on them for this game against LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Spurs responded with an impressive road win, and the type of team effort that we're used to seeing from San Antonio. Tim Duncan led the way with 19 points (7 - 17 FG, 5 - 7 FT) and 10 rebounds, while also adding three assists, two steals and two blocks. Kawhi Leonard had an impressive night of his own, posting a double - double with 12 points (4 - 11 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and 10 rebounds. The biggest surprise for the Spurs on Wednesday had to be Boris Diaw, who played 39 minutes, while scoring 19 points (8 - 14 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), and contributing seven assists, six rebounds, three steals and one block. The Spurs will head to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves on Friday night. With the Spurs up by two in the final seconds, the ball was in James' hands, but he turned it over late, leaving the Cavaliers with another loss. James did n't have the type of night that we're used to seeing, as he scored just 15 points (6 - 17 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT). He also had nine assists, six rebounds, one steal and one block. Anderson Varejao was the one who led the charge for the Cavs on Wednesday, posting a double - double with 23 points (11 - 16 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 3 FT) and 11 rebounds. The Cavaliers now get a night off before facing a strong Washington Wizards team on the road on Friday night.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 5 Losses ,has 90 Total points ,has 5 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 4 Losses ,has 92 Total points ,has 7 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kawhi Leonard') has 4 Assists ,has 0 Blocks ,has 11 3-pointers attempted ,has 4 3-pointers made ,has 6 Field goals attempted ,has 4 Field goals made ,has 12 Free throws attempted ,has 10 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tim Duncan') has 3 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 17 3-pointers attempted ,has 7 3-pointers made ,has 7 Field goals attempted ,has 5 Field goals made ,has 19 Free throws attempted ,has 10 Free throws made ,has 2 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Boris Diaw') has 7 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 2 3-pointers attempted ,has 1 3-pointers made ,has 14 Field goals attempted ,has 8 Field goals made ,has 2 Free throws attempted ,has 2 Free throws made ,has 39 Minutes played ,has 19 Offensive rebounds ,has 6 Points ,has 3 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'LeBron James') has 9 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 3 3-pointers attempted ,has 2 3-pointers made ,has 17 Field goals attempted ,has 6 Field goals made ,has 1 Free throws attempted ,has 1 Free throws made ,has 15 Minutes played ,has 6 Offensive rebounds ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Anderson Varejao') has 1 Assists ,has 0 Blocks ,has 16 3-pointers attempted ,has 11 3-pointers made ,has 3 Field goals attempted ,has 1 Field goals made ,has 1 Free throws attempted ,has 23 Free throws made ,has 11 Minutes played ."]

The New Orleans Pelicans (29 - 27) beat the Toronto Raptors (37 - 19) 100 - 97 on Monday. The Pelicans learned Sunday that they will be without superstar forward Anthony Davis for a week or two, while he deals with a nagging shoulder injury. On Monday, Dante Cunningham got the start at power forward in place of Davis. Cunningham played 31 minutes, recording five points and six rebounds. New Orleans got big performances off the bench from Luke Babbitt and Alexis Ajinca. They combined for 34 points on 14 - of - 20 shooting from the floor and 17 rebounds. Recent addition Norris Cole had 15 points and six assists off the bench as well. Tyreke Evans put up his third double - double over his last five games, during which he's averaging 13 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds. The Raptors have dropped two straight to follow up a four - game win streak and are now 4 - 4 in the month of February. Jonas Valanciunas put up 17 points and 14 rebounds in Monday's loss. Toronto was led in scoring by All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry with 22 points to go along with three steals. Louis Williams also played 25 minutes Monday, as he's been bothered by an ankle injury and missed the Raptors previous game Saturday against the Rockets, a 98 - 76 loss. Toronto still holds the second - best overall record in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors will head to Dallas to face the Mavericks on Tuesday. The Pelicans will host the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 27 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 29 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 19 Losses ,has 97 Total points ,has 37 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jonas Valanciunas') has 17 Assists ,has 14 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kyle Lowry') has 22 Assists ,has 3 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Lou Williams') has 25 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dante Cunningham') has 31 Assists ,has 5 Field goals made ,has 6 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tyreke Evans') has 5 Assists ,has 13 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Norris Cole') has 6 Assists ,has 15 Field goals made ."]

The Milwaukee Bucks (30 - 39) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (39 - 30) 96 - 86 on Thursday. It's bizarre to see a team well under .500 favored by double - digits over a team well above .500, but circumstances made that the case in this matchup. Memphis is without their top - three scorers and two point guards and have now lost their fourth - straight game. The Bucks took care of business in the fourth quarter though, as they held the Grizzlies to 13 points, while scoring 28 on their end. The key in this game was the Milwaukee defense, as they held the Grizzles to 37 percent shooting and forced 15 turnovers. Another huge key was the low - post defense, as the Bucks combined for 17 blocks in their win. Memphis had to play this game without Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Mario Chalmers and Mike Conley and those injuries are just too difficult to overcome. Lance Stephenson does continue to play well though, as he tallied 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the loss. Matt Barnes led the team with 20 points, while also snatching down seven rebounds before an altercation in the final seconds that may get him suspended. The Grizzlies will look to get out of this slump on Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers. This now gives Milwaukee four wins in their last five and they appear to be making one final push at the postseason. Giannis Antetokonmpo continued his emergence here, as he accumulated 15 points, 11 assists and six rebounds in the win. Greg Monroe recorded a double - double, as he scored 14 points while bringing down 10 boards. The Bucks will look to keep the momentum up on Sunday against the Utah Jazz in their next matchup.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 39 Percentage of field goals ,has 96 Losses ,has 28 Total points ,has 30 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 37 Percentage of field goals ,has 30 Losses ,has 86 Total points ,has 13 Points in 4th quarter ,has 15 Turnovers ,has 39 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Matt Barnes') has 20 Assists ,has 7 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Lance Stephenson') has 6 Assists ,has 19 Points ,has 7 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 11 Assists ,has 15 Points ,has 6 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Greg Monroe') has 14 Assists ,has 10 Points ."]

The Toronto Raptors (8 - 2) defeated the Utah Jazz (4 - 7) 111 - 93 on Saturday. Toronto was coming off a 100 - 93 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday. The Raptors shot 51 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc to help them secure the win Saturday. DeMar DeRozan scored a game - high 27 points in 36 minutes. Toronto has two more games remaining on their seven - game homestand. They'll face off against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. Utah had all five starters finish with double - digit scoring. Enes Kanter, who played only 12 minutes Friday, scored a team - high 18 points. Alec Burks rebounded well from the shooting guard position to record a double - double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Jazz return home to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 38 Percentage of 3 points ,has 51 Percentage of field goals ,has 2 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 8 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 7 Percentage of 3 points ,has 93 Percentage of field goals ,has 4 Losses ." "PlayerStat(G,'Enes Kanter') has 18 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Alec Burks') has 10 Minutes played ,has 10 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'DeMar DeRozan') has 36 Minutes played ,has 27 Points ."]

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Utah Jazz 97 - 95 at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Monday. Russell Westbrook buried a 20 - foot jumper with :1 remaining to put the Thunder up two points with barely enough time for Alec Burkes to miss the three point attempt, which put an end to Utah's (29 - 17) six game winning streak. The Thunder (26 - 19) improved to 11 - 13 on the road, while Westbrook notched his 22nd triple - double of the season. The back and forth affair was kept close from start to finish, and the Thunder did not let the Jazz run away with a lead towards the end of the second quarter, as Oklahoma City ripped off a 12 - 1 run to go into the half down just three points. Gordon Hayward did bury a three pointer to pull the Jazz even with just over :10 remaining, but Hayward left just a few too many seconds left on the clock. Westbrook finished with 38 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists on 11 - of - 29 shooting, while Victor Oladipo and Enes Kanter were the only other Thunder players to score in double figures, as each went for 18 points and 14 points, respectively. The Jazz spread their scoring out amongst both the starters and the bench, as players like Hayward went for a team high 17 points, Derrick Favors scored 10 points and Alec Burkes was good for 13 points off the bench. Next up, the Jazz play the second game of a back - to - back when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, while the Thunder visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 17 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 29 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 19 Losses ,has 97 Total points ,has 26 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Victor Oladipo') has 18 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 10 Assists ,has 29 Field goals attempted ,has 11 Field goals made ,has 38 Free throws attempted ,has 6 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Enes Kanter') has 14 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Gordon Hayward') has 17 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Derrick Favors') has 10 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Alec Burks') has 6 Assists ,has 13 Field goals attempted ."]

The Brooklyn Nets (15 - 40) disposed of the New York Knicks (23 - 33) on Friday, 109 - 98. Although New York jumped out to a 32 - 23 lead after one quarter, Brooklyn worked its way back and eventually took a lead they would n't relinquish through a balanced effort from their starting five, as well as a notable performance off the bench. All members of the first unit managed double - digit scoring totals, led by Brook Lopez's 33 points. Donald Sloan also recorded only his second double - double in a Nets uniform, while Bojan Bogdanovic paced the reserves with a 16 - point effort that included four three - pointers. Brooklyn additionally outperformed the Knicks in several major offensive categories. They outshot New York from the field 49 percent to 44 percent, and also bested them from three - point range, 47 percent to 39 percent. Just as important, they took significantly better care of the ball, committing only seven turnovers while eliciting 16 from their crosstown divisional rivals. New York's offense was led by Carmelo Anthony's 22 points, to which he added seven rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block. Standout rookie Kristaps Porzingis supplied 18 points, eight rebounds, two assists, a steal and three blocks. Arron Afflalo contributed 17 points, and supplemented them with a pair of rebounds, a pair of assists and a steal. Robin Lopez got the short end of the stick in the battle with his brother, totaling a modest 10 points and hauling in seven boards. Langston Galloway paced the reserves with nine points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal. The Knicks remain in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They now travel to Minnesota for a Saturday night tussle with the Timberwolves. Lopez added eight rebounds, two assists, a steal and four blocks to his game - high scoring tally. Sloan's aforemented double - double consisted of 14 points, 10 boards, four assists, two steals and a block. Thaddeus Young was right on his tail with 13 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals. The ageless Joe Johnson registered 12 points, six rebounds and six assists, while Wayne Ellington rounded out the first unit's productive night with 11 points, two assists, a rebound and a steal. Bogdanovic's bench - leading scoring haul was complemented with a rebound, an assist and a steal. The Nets remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They're home again Sunday afternoon for a date with the Charlotte Hornets.

["TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 47 Percentage of 3 points ,has 49 Percentage of field goals ,has 40 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 23 Points in 1st quarter ,has 7 Points in 4th quarter ,has 15 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 39 Percentage of 3 points ,has 44 Percentage of field goals ,has 33 Losses ,has 98 Total points ,has 32 Points in 1st quarter ,has 22 Points in 4th quarter ,has 16 Turnovers ,has 23 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Carmelo Anthony') has 6 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 22 3-pointers made ,has 7 Points ,has 3 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kristaps Porzingis') has 2 Assists ,has 3 Blocks ,has 18 3-pointers made ,has 8 Points ,has 1 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Robin Lopez') has 10 Assists ,has 7 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Arron Afflalo') has 2 Assists ,has 17 Blocks ,has 2 3-pointers made ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Langston Galloway') has 4 Assists ,has 9 Blocks ,has 5 3-pointers made ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Joe Johnson') has 6 Assists ,has 12 Blocks ,has 6 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Thaddeus Young') has 5 Assists ,has 13 Blocks ,has 9 3-pointers made ,has 2 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Brook Lopez') has 33 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Wayne Ellington') has 2 Assists ,has 11 Blocks ,has 1 3-pointers made ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Donald Sloan') has 4 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 14 3-pointers made ,has 10 Points ,has 2 Total rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Bojan Bogdanovic') has 1 Assists ,has 4 Blocks ,has 16 3-pointers made ,has 1 Points ,has 1 Total rebounds ."]

The Oklahoma City Thunder (46 - 22) took down the Boston Celtics (39 - 29) in style on Wednesday, winning 130 - 109. In an unsurprising turn of events, All-Stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook led the push from OKC. The pair scored 28 and 24 respectively, with Durant also dishing out a team - high nine assists. Westbrook, meanwhile, had an uncharacteristically strong shooting night, sinking four three - pointers. The dynamic duo has been doing it all this season, with both averaging over 24 points and nearing the top of the league in all measures of performance and efficiency. OKC remains third in the West despite a late - season push from the rising Los Angeles Clippers. Boston has now lost four of its last five outings after a strong 9 - 3 showing in February. The Celtics are without standout small forward Jae Crowder, and the wing's absence has been felt over the last week. While All-Star Isaiah Thomas contributed 29 points, the Celtics had a poor shooting night on the whole, going just 43 percent from the field. Forward Amir Johnson also had a big night, recording an 11 - point, 12 - rebound double - double with five assists as well. The Thunder will play in Philadelphia on Friday night, while the Celtics will travel to Toronto.

["TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 43 Percentage of field goals ,has 29 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 39 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 22 Percentage of field goals ,has 130 Losses ,has 46 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kevin Durant') has 9 Assists ,has 28 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 4 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Amir Johnson') has 5 Assists ,has 11 3-pointers made ,has 12 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Isaiah Thomas') has 29 Assists ."]

Cleveland shot an excellent 55 percent from the field overall and the Big Three combined for 73 points to spearhead the tough road victory. LeBron James led the way with a near triple - double with 32 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. Irving followed with 26 points. Love posted a 15 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. J.R. Smith tallied nine points and two rebounds, while Tristan Thompson provided eight points and seven boards. Kyle Korver led the second unit with eight points over 20 minutes. Kemba Walker went toe - to - toe with Irving and posted 28 points. Marco Belinelli was next with a bench - leading 22 points. Nicolas Batum totaled 19 points and Cody Zeller posted a 15 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and two blocks. Marvin Williams accomplished the feat as well, managing 11 points and 11 boards.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 55 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G,'LeBron James') has 11 Assists ,has 32 Blocks ,has 9 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kevin Love') has 15 Assists ,has 12 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Tristan Thompson') has 8 Assists ,has 7 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'JR Smith') has 9 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kyrie Irving') has 26 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kyle Korver') has 20 Assists ,has 8 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marvin Williams') has 11 Assists ,has 11 Blocks ." "PlayerStat(G,'Cody Zeller') has 3 Assists ,has 2 Blocks ,has 15 Minutes played ,has 11 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Nicolas Batum') has 19 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kemba Walker') has 28 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marco Belinelli') has 22 Assists ."]

The Bulls were a heavy favorite in this game against a shorthanded Lakers team, but they clearly looked rusty with five days off. In fact, no player on the Bulls roster shot above 50 percent, with the team shooting just 35 percent in total. Bench production was the big difference, with the Lakers getting 56 bench points to the Bulls 16. Despite being the second - best rebounding team, Chicago lost that battle, 60 - 46, in their defeat. Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson led the Lakers in scoring, dropping 18 points a piece off the bench. Julius Randle was the only starter to play well, as he totaled 13 points and 20 rebounds. In fact, the five Los Angeles starters combined to go 12 - of - 39 from the field. Robin Lopez had one of his best games for the Bulls, accumulating 10 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. All five starters scored in double figures for Chicago, with Jimmy Butler leading the team with 22 points on 4 - of - 18 shooting.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 35 Percentage of field goals ,has 46 Rebounds ." "TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 60 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Julius Randle') has 13 Assists ,has 20 Field goals attempted ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jordan Clarkson') has 18 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Lou Williams') has 18 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jimmy Butler') has 18 Assists ,has 4 Field goals attempted ,has 22 Field goals made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Robin Lopez') has 1 Assists ,has 10 Field goals attempted ,has 9 Field goals made ,has 1 Points ."]

Despite Milwaukee leading for the entirety of the second half, this game was decided in the final seconds. Brooklyn simply could n't get stops though, with the Bucks recording 27 assists on 57 percent shooting. Milwaukee took advantage of the turnover differential as well, recording 26 steals en route to a 17 - 10 turnover margin. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for Milwaukee, as he collected 33 points, nine rebounds, three assists and four steals. Khris Middleton and Greg Monroe were huge off the bench, as they combined for 45 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Middleton's 20 points, seven assists and 25 minutes were all season - highs, as he continues to recover from his hamstring injury. Brook Lopez carried the Nets, as he accumulated 36 points, four rebounds and eight blocks. Spencer Dinwiddie had one of his best games of his career, totaling 19 points, five rebounds and eight assists.

["TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 17 Number of team assists ." "TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 27 Number of team assists ,has 57 Percentage of field goals ,has 33 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 10 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G,'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 3 Assists ,has 33 Blocks ,has 9 3-pointers attempted ,has 4 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Greg Monroe') has 1 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Khris Middleton') has 7 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 1 3-pointers attempted ,has 20 3-pointers made ,has 1 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Brook Lopez') has 1 Assists ,has 8 Blocks ,has 36 3-pointers attempted ,has 4 3-pointers made ,has 1 Free throws made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Spencer Dinwiddie') has 8 Assists ,has 1 Blocks ,has 1 3-pointers attempted ,has 19 3-pointers made ,has 5 Free throws made ."]

On Sunday, the Mavericks upset their divisional rival San Antonio Spurs. Point guard Seth Curry led the team with 24 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Veteran star Dirk Nowitzki, meanwhile, pulled down 10 rebounds of his own while scoring 15 points. Two other starters scored in double digits, as Wesley Matthews scored 17 while Harrison Barnes poured in 19. The Mavericks excelled at controlling the ball on Sunday, only committing six turnovers on the night. For the Spurs, superstar Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points to lead the team. Leonard pulled down seven rebounds and knocked down three three - pointers on the night. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge, meanwhile, scored 16 to go with seven rebounds and four assists. As a team, San Antonio shot a stellar 47 percent from the field but knocked down only 65 percent of its free - throws.

["TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 47 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 6 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G,'Wesley Matthews') has 17 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Harrison Barnes') has 19 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Dirk Nowitzki') has 15 Assists ,has 10 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Seth Curry') has 24 Assists ,has 10 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kawhi Leonard') has 3 Assists ,has 24 3-pointers made ,has 7 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 4 Assists ,has 16 3-pointers made ."]

DeMar DeRozan is on a mission as he continues to go on a scoring rampage to start the regular season. On Wednesday, he scored a game - high 37 points and is now averaging 34 points per game through seven games. But, while the scoring average is higher than anyone imagined, what might be most impressive about DeRozan's hot start is the fact that he is shooting 54 percent from the field. Meanwhile, the Thunder are continuing to ride on the coattails of All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook, whose numbers, as expected are jumping off the box score. However, Westbrook did have eight turnovers in Wednesday's game and that has been a problem for the point guard all season. Westbrook is currently averaging 5 turnovers per game and has recorded at least six in a game four times this season. So, while he has amped up his production with more of the burden on his shoulders, he'll have to work to increase his efficiency at the same time.

["PlayerStat(G,'DeMar DeRozan') has 37 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Russell Westbrook') has 8 Points ."]

The Milwaukee Bucks (21 - 32) edged the Boston Celtics (31 - 23) 112 - 111 on Tuesday. Both teams came into the game heading in opposite directions, making the final result all the more improbable. The Celtics had won nine of their last 10 games, and were riding a four - game winning streak that included a last - second victory over the Cavaliers. Meanwhile, Milwaukee came in as losers of five straight, and opted to shake up their starting five in advance of their tilt with Boston. Michael Carter-Williams and Greg Monroe headed to the second unit for the night, replaced at point guard and center by O.J. Mayo and Miles Plumlee, respectively. The first quarter went as expected, with visitors emerging with a 30 - 26 lead. However, the Bucks hung tough in the second period, and came out of intermission a different team. They doubled up the Celtics 40 - 20 in the third quarter, allowing them to take a seemingly safe 93 - 74 lead into the final 12 minutes. Boston had different ideas, turning the tables on Milwaukee in the fourth period, and managing to finally knot the game up at 111 with one second left after a pair of Kelly Olynyk free throws. Against all odds, Milwaukee found themselves with a chance to avoid overtime just four - tenths of a second later, in the form of Khris Middleton standing at the foul line. In an ironic twist, Avery Bradley, Boston's hero in the aformentioned win over Cleveland, fouled Middleton as he tried to defend his last - second desperation shot, and the Bucks' shooting guard sank the first free throw to seal the one - point win. The Celtics were led by a pair of 18 - point efforts from Bradley and Jae Crowder, who continues to play through a high ankle sprain. The former added four rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals, while the latter provided five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Isaiah Thomas registered 15 points, and supplemented it with a pair of assists and a pair of steals. Jared Sullinger only pitched in four points, but did add 11 rebounds and five assists. The bench was also highly productive on the night, with three players tallying double - digit scoring. Olynyk led the reserves with 15 points, three rebounds and a steal, while Jonas Jerebko managed 13 points and five boards. Marcus Smart collected 12 points of his own, and complemented it with four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Boston remains in second place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head back home to face off with the Clippers on Wednesday. Middleton was both the hero and the Bucks' leading scorer among the starting five, posting 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo was next with 14 points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals and a trio of blocks. Jabari Parker bounced back from two sub - par outings with 10 points, three boards, two assists and a steal. Monroe responded to his demotion with a breakout 29 - point, 12 - rebound double - double off the bench that also included three assists, a steal and a pair of rejections. Carter-Williams also appeared motivated by his ouster from the first unit, contributing 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and a steal over 26 minutes. Jerryd Bayless was the third reserve with double - digit scoring, totaling 14 points, a rebound and two assists. Milwaukee remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division despite the win. They're home again Thursday for a showdown with the Washington Wizards.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 32 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 40 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 21 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 23 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 20 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 31 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jae Crowder') has 18 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jared Sullinger') has 5 Assists ,has 4 Defensive rebounds ,has 11 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Avery Bradley') has 18 Assists ." "PlayerStat(G,'Isaiah Thomas') has 2 Assists ,has 15 Defensive rebounds ,has 2 3-pointers made ." "PlayerStat(G,'Marcus Smart') has 2 Assists ,has 12 Defensive rebounds ,has 4 3-pointers made ,has 2 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kelly Olynyk') has 1 Assists ,has 1 Defensive rebounds ,has 15 3-pointers made ,has 3 Minutes played ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jonas Jerebko') has 13 Assists ,has 5 Defensive rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G,'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 2 Assists ,has 14 Defensive rebounds ,has 3 3-pointers made ,has 2 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jabari Parker') has 2 Assists ,has 2 Defensive rebounds ,has 10 3-pointers made ,has 3 Minutes played ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Khris Middleton') has 5 Assists ,has 4 Defensive rebounds ,has 20 3-pointers made ,has 5 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Michael Carter-Williams') has 5 Assists ,has 26 Defensive rebounds ,has 16 3-pointers made ,has 6 Minutes played ,has 1 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Greg Monroe') has 3 Assists ,has 29 Defensive rebounds ,has 12 3-pointers made ,has 1 Minutes played ." "PlayerStat(G,'Jerryd Bayless') has 2 Assists ,has 14 Defensive rebounds ,has 1 3-pointers made ."]

The Boston Celtics (26 - 21) secured their fourth win in a row, defeating the visiting Denver Nuggets (17 - 29) 111 - 103 on Wednesday. Boston led by as much as 20, comfortably winning their fourth in what has now been a string of victories for the young and rising team. Avery Bradley was the shining light on Brad Stevens' deep squad on Wednesday, going for 27 points inculding 21 in the first half. Bradley, who has gained a reputation as a solid perimeter defender, also tacked on four steals. The Celtics' ball movement as a team was noteworthy, with the squad recording 29 total assists. Points in the paint remained fairly even despite a 5 - rebound advantage for Denver on the night. Denver has had a season marked by extremely high highs and unfortunately low lows, and the team that has dealt losses to powerhouses like Golden State was forced to add yet another tally to their growing loss column. The Nuggets managed to stay with Boston the entire game, losing by single - digits in the end. Sixth man Will Barton continued to provide a spark for Denver off the bench, scoring 23 points and hitting 3 three - pointers on the night. Power forward Kenneth Faried also showed off the tenacious rebounding that earned him his "Manimal" nickname, recording a 15 - point, 15 - rebound double - double. The Nuggets are scheduled for a back - to - back, and will travel to Washington on Thurday to take on the Wizards. Boston will continue its homestand on Friday, playing host to the faltering Orlando Magic.

["TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 29 Number of team assists ,has 21 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 29 Points in 1st quarter ,has 26 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 29 Number of team assists ,has 103 Losses ,has 20 Total points ,has 17 Points in 1st quarter ." "PlayerStat(G,'Kenneth Faried') has 15 3-pointers made ,has 15 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Will Barton') has 3 3-pointers made ,has 23 Points ." "PlayerStat(G,'Avery Bradley') has 27 3-pointers made ,has 4 Points ."]