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The Charlotte Hornets defeated the visiting Miami Heat, 96 - 80, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs Saturday at Time Warner Cable Arena. Miami leads the series, 2 - 1. Charlotte took its home court by storm, leading throughout the first half and quickly pulling away to start the second. Point guard Kemba Walker, this year's runner - up in Most Improved Player voting, played a crucial role in the team's first playoff victory. Walker had 17 points and was a major distributor, dishing out seven dimes. Forward Marvin Williams also came up big, delivering a 12 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. Jeremy Lin came off the bench for a team - high 18. Six players scored in double - digits for the Hornets, as the team clearly came out with a must - win mindset as they took the court in Charlotte. The team protected the ball at a ridiculously high level, turning it over just three times in total on the night. Miami, meanwhile, struggled mightily on the offensive end. The team shot just 34 percent from the field and turned it over 14 times, a stark contrast from the high - powered offense they displayed in Games 1 and 2. Center Hassan Whiteside delivered a massive 18 rebounds and four blocked shots. Whiteside was the second runner - up in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season, finishing behind Kawhi Leonard and Draymond Green. Forward Luol Deng also impressed, scoring 19 points. Ultimately, neither performance was enough, as Miami simply looked stagnant on Saturday. Game 4 will be held in Charlotte on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 96 Percentage of field goals ,has 3 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 34 Percentage of field goals ,has 1 Losses ,has 80 Total points ,has 14 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 14 Turnovers ,has 2 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Luol Deng') has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Hassan Whiteside') has 4 Blocks, has 18 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marvin Williams') has 12 Points, has 14 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kemba Walker') has 7 Assists, has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeremy Lin') has 18 Points"]

The Utah Jazz (20 - 25) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (22 - 24) 102 - 73 at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Wednesday. The Hornets fell behind early in the contest and were not able to cut into the lead after the Jazz went up by 12 point before the half. Charlotte was banged up heading into the matchup, but the return of Nicolas Batum (toe), who missed three consecutive games, was a bright spot. Jeremy Lin (ankle) exited the game after logging 17 minutes with a right ankle sprain, but the severity of the injury is unknown until further evaluation. Lin scored four points and grabbed two rebounds before exiting. Batum was strong on the defensive glass, as shown by his 10 rebounds, to go along with six points in just under 30 minutes in his return to the starting lineup. Kemba Walker shot efficiently from the floor, but the volume of shots was not available to keep the Hornets in contention, as he finished with 15 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting, in addition to five rebounds and one assist. The Hornets will visit the Portland Trail Blazers (21 - 26) on Friday. Utah overpowered their opponent in the second quarter and did not look after building a 12 point lead into a 20 - plus lead by the end of the third quarter. The team stats went in favor of the Jazz, specifically the rebounding battle, which they won 45 - 35, and scoring points off turnovers, which Charlotte coughed up 20, as compared to Utah’s 10 total. Rodney Hood and Gordon Hayward poured in 24 and 22 points, respectively, and combined for 11 rebounds and nine assists. Derrick Favors came off the bench in his second game back from injury and logged an equal 20 minutes to his performance on Monday. The Jazz were in need of Favors to return to health, which helps stretch the depth of their squad. Favors finished with 12 points, three rebounds and two assists on 6 - of - 9 shooting. Rudy Gobert was too much for Charlotte to handle on the defensive end of the floor, where he totalled 12 rebounds and three blocks in the contest. The Jazz will host the Minnesota Timberwolves (14 - 33) on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 25 Number of team assists ,has 102 Losses ,has 45 Total points ,has 10 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 20 Rebounds ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 10 Number of team assists ,has 24 Losses ,has 73 Total points ,has 20 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 35 Rebounds ,has 22 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Nicolas Batum') has 30 Minutes played, has 6 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kemba Walker') has 1 Assists, has 11 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 15 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeremy Lin') has 1 Assists, has 17 Minutes played, has 4 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gordon Hayward') has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gobert') has 3 Blocks, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rodney Hood') has 24 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Derrick Favors') has 2 Assists, has 9 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 12 Points, has 3 Total rebounds"]

Nikola Vucevic, posted an impressive 24 - point, 14 - rebound double - double while doing battle with impressive third - year man Joel Embiid. Meawhile, frontcourt mate Serge Ibaka's 21 points were the most he's notched in a Magic uniform and his two free throws with a second remaining sealed the win. However, Orlando did struggle from three - point range, tallying only a 24 percent success rate (6 - for - 25).. Despite still sporting a winless record, the Sixers are seeing some encouraging play from a mix of young players and vets. Sergio Rodriguez once again impressed Tuesday with a 12 - point, 11 - assist double - double, while Embiid continued fulfilling his considerable potential with an 18 - point, 10 - rebound performance. In all, four - fifths of Philadelphia's first unit shot 50 percent or better, with Rodriguez and Embiid joined in that category by Gerald Henderson and team - high scorer Dario Saric (21 points).

["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 24 Percentage of 3 points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Serge Ibaka') has 21 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Vucevic') has 2 Free throws made, has 24 Points, has 14 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dario Saric') has 21 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Joel Embiid') has 4 Blocks, has 50 Field goal percentage, has 18 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 4 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gerald Henderson') has 4 Free throws made, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Sergio Rodriguez') has 11 Assists, has 12 Points, has 4 Turnovers"]

Boston posted success rates of 56 and 47 percent from the field and three - point range, respectively, and six players posted double - digit scoring. They played superbly on defense also, holding the Magic to just 65 points through three quarters. Isaiah Thomas' 21 points led the way. Rookie Jaylen Brown totaled a career - high 20 points in another start for Avery Bradley (Achilles). Jae Crowder contributed 19 points, and Amir Johnson managed 10 points while drawing the start for Al Horford (groin). Kelly Olynyk (16 points) paced the bench, while Tyler Zeller provided 10 in his first game since Dec. 29. Nikola Vucevic's and Damjan Rudez's 14 - point efforts led Orlando. Aaron Gordon went for 13 points, while Bismack Biyombo generated 10 points from the bench. C.J. Watson went for nine points, four assists, a rebound and a steal.

["TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 47 Percentage of 3 points ,has 56 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Aaron Gordon') has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Vucevic') has 14 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'C.J. Watson') has 4 Assists, has 9 Points, has 1 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Bismack Biyombo') has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Damjan Rudez') has 14 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jae Crowder') has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Amir Johnson') has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jaylen Brown') has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Isaiah Thomas') has 21 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tyler Zeller') has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kelly Olynyk') has 16 Points"]

The Boston Celtics defeated the host Detroit Pistons, 94 - 92, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday. Al Horford had missed the previous nine games due to some concussion issues, but he made an epic return here. In a tied ball game, Horford snatched down an offensive rebound with 1 seconds left and tipped in a game - winner to get Boston a much - needed win. In the next possession, he blocked a jump shot at the buzzer to seal the victory. While most statistics were even, the free - throw shooting was not. In fact, the Celtics went 16 - of - 17 from the charity stripe, while the Pistons went just 11 - of - 16. Both teams struggled from the field, with Boston shooting 40 percent and Detroit shooting 43 percent on their end. There were 19 lead changes and nine ties in a hard - fought battle. Boston (7 - 6) was missing the defensive presences of Jae Crowder and Al Horford, but both players made their returns here from a nine - game absence. Horford was the star, as he tallied 18 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks, in addition to his game - winner. Isaiah Thomas led the team in scoring, totaling 24 points, four rebounds and eight assists on 7 - of - 22 shooting. Avery Bradley was the only other Boston player in double figures, accumulating 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. The Celtics next game will be on Monday against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road. Detroit (6 - 8) was undefeated at home coming into this game, but they could n't quite hold off a revived Celtics squad. Marcus Morris led the team, dropping 24 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting. Andre Drummond recorded another double - double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 17 rebounds in the loss. Ish Smith tallied 12 points, four rebounds and seven assists of his own. Detroit will remain at home for their next game, when they host the Houston Rockets on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 43 Percentage of field goals ,has 8 Losses ,has 92 Total points ,has 6 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 40 Percentage of field goals ,has 6 Losses ,has 94 Total points ,has 7 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Jae Crowder') has 9 Field goals attempted, has 9 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Al Horford') has 5 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 9 Defensive rebounds, has 18 Points, has 11 Total rebounds, has 1 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Avery Bradley') has 3 Assists, has 13 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Isaiah Thomas') has 8 Assists, has 22 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 24 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Morris') has 16 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 24 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Drummond') has 20 Points, has 17 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ish Smith') has 7 Assists, has 12 Points, has 4 Total rebounds"]

The Orlando Magic (15 - 27) defeated the Houston Rockets (27 - 12) 120 - 113 on Wednesday at the Amway Center in Orlando. After ending the third quarter down 85 - 84, the Magic took off in the fourth quarter, out - scoring the Rockets 36 - 28 to seal the victory in front of their home crowd. The Magic were able to force the Rockets into 21 turnovers, which may have been the difference in this game. The Magic were led by Victor Oladipo, who went 12 - for - 19 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 32 points, while also adding six rebounds, six assists and three steals. He's averaging 33 points over his last two games, as he's taken it on himself to lead this team against two very tough opponents in the Rockets and Chicago Bulls. Nikola Vucevic was another huge reason for the Magic's succes. He finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds, despite being matched up with Dwight Howard, one of the most intimidating defensive players in the league. It marked his sixth double - double over his last six games. Rookie Elfrid Payton had one of his better outings of the season. He came one point shy of matching a season - high in points with 15, while also recording six rebounds and four assists. Channing Frye was effective as well with 15 points (5 - 10 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt) and five assists. Despite taking the loss, the Rockets had all five starters finish in double figures in points. James Harden led the way, going 10 - for - 16 from the field and 1 - for - 5 from the three - point line for a team - high of 26 points. He found his teammates at a high rate as well with 10 assists, while also notching five steals. The double - double marked his ninth of the season. Dwight Howard had a big game as well, finishing with 23 points (8 - 15 FG, 7 - 7FT) and eight rebounds. While he's known for struggling with his free throws, he made them count in this one, converting on all seven of his attempts. Uncharacteristically, Patrick Beverley was very impressive shooting the ball. He went 7 - for - 11 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 17 points in 34 minutes. Both Trevor Ariza and Donatas Motiejunas reached double - digit points as well with 15 and 12 points respectively. The Rockets' next game will be at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, while the Magic will be at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 27 Losses ,has 120 Total points ,has 36 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 15 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 12 Losses ,has 113 Total points ,has 33 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 33 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 28 Points in 4th quarter ,has 27 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Trevor Ariza') has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Donatas Motiejunas') has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwight Howard') has 1 Blocks, has 6 Defensive rebounds, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 7 Free throws attempted, has 7 Free throws made, has 23 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Harden') has 10 Assists, has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 26 Points, has 5 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Patrick Beverley') has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 11 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 34 Minutes played, has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Channing Frye') has 5 Assists, has 9 3-pointers attempted, has 5 3-pointers made, has 10 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Vucevic') has 1 Blocks, has 25 Points, has 12 Total rebounds, has 1 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Victor Oladipo') has 6 Assists, has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 19 Field goals attempted, has 12 Field goals made, has 2 Offensive rebounds, has 32 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Elfrid Payton') has 4 Assists, has 15 Points, has 6 Total rebounds"]

The visiting Charlotte Hornets took down the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, 109 - 104. Both teams entered the game struggling, but Charlotte (26 - 34) was able to pull out the win in the game's final minute. The Hornets are just 3 - 8 in their last 11 games, but saw some life on Tuesday. All-Star point guard Kemba Walker led the team with a stellar 30 points while dishing out seven assists. One of those assists came on a three - pointer from Marvin Williams to seal the win. Sophomore big man Frank Kaminsky, meanwhile, scored an impressive 24 points and pulled down a team - high 12 rebounds. One of the major factors for Charlotte in the win was three - point shooting, as the team shot 41 percent from beyond the arc for 16 triples. Los Angeles (19 - 42), meanwhile, is in the midst of a five - game losing streak. The loss was actually fairly promising for the Lakers, as five players scored in double figures including 23 apiece for sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell and third - year big man Julius Randle. However, trading Sixth Man of the Year front - runner Lou Williams has left a vacancy in the Lakers' bench production. While guard Jordan Clarkson saw 16 points, it was a fairly unproductive night for the remainder of LA's second unit. As a team, LA shot 49 percent from the field but could not match Charlotte's three - point shooting and reached the free - throw line just 13 times. The Hornets will visit the Suns on Thursday, while LA will visit their historic rival, the Boston Celtics on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 49 Percentage of 3 points ,has 42 Percentage of field goals ,has 104 Losses ,has 19 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 41 Percentage of 3 points ,has 34 Percentage of field goals ,has 109 Losses ,has 26 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Frank Kaminsky') has 24 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kemba Walker') has 7 Assists, has 30 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Julius Randle') has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'D'Angelo Russell') has 5 3-pointers made, has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jordan Clarkson') has 16 Points"]

Both the Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks shot beyond efficiently from the field, and it is a shame that the 53 percent effort from Dallas was not enough to secure their second road win of the year. The Nuggets, on the other hand, shot 57 percent as a unit in the impressive performance, led by Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets power forward finished with 27 points, which led all scorers, to go along with 15 rebounds and nine assists on 13 - of - 17 shooting. Jamal Murray saw 14 minutes of action after dealing with soreness in his foot, but only contributed three points on four shots. All five starters for the Nuggets finished in double figures scoring, including a 24 point performance from Gary Harris, and an 18 point contribution from Emmanuel Mudiay. Danilo Gallinari was the only Nuggets starter to shoot under 50 percent from the field.

["TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 24 Points in 4th quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Gary Harris') has 24 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Emmanuel Mudiay') has 18 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jamal Murray') has 4 Field goals attempted, has 14 Minutes played, has 3 Points"]

The Los Angeles Clippers (29 - 16) defeated the Indiana Pacers (23 - 22) 91 - 89 on Tuesday. The Clippers found out earlier in the day that superstar forward Blake Griffin will be sidelined for much longer than originally anticipated, but his problematic quadriceps tendon is n't the cause. Instead, it's a broken right hand allegedly suffered during an altercation with a team employee in Toronto that will apparently keep him out 4 - 6 additional weeks. His continued absence keeps the spotlight squarely on Chris Paul, who has more often than not already served as the team's scoring leader during the time Griffin has already missed. The All-Star point guard did not disappoint in that role Tuesday, scoring a team - high 26 points and adding seven assists, six rebounds and a steal. With only J.J. Redick joining him as a starter with double - digit points, Paul's contributions were integral in a tough road victory. Redick was solid himself with 19 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal. DeAndre Jordan cleaned up on the glass, particularly on the defensive end, tallying 19 boards, 15 which were off missed Pacers shots. He also added nine points, two assists and three blocks. Wesley Johnson paced the Clippers bench with 15 points, and supplemented it with an assist and a steal. With the victory, Los Angeles remains in second place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They now head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Wednesday. Indiana was unsurprisingly led by Paul George, who tallied 31 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Ten of those points came in the fourth quarter, when George managed to get the Pacers within their final two - point margin of defeat by draining a three - pointer with 28 seconds remaining. George Hill posted 15 points, two assists, a rebound and a steal. Ian Mahinmi returned from a three - game absence due to ankle and heel ailments to post a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, which he complemented with a pair of assists and a pair of steals. Standout rookie Myles Turner managed to extend his stretch of impressive play despite Mahinmi's return, registering 16 points, six rebounds and a block over a highly efficient 18 minutes to lead the Indiana reserves. With the loss, the Pacers currently reside in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They await the Atlanta Hawks for a Thursday matchup at home.

["TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 22 Losses ,has 89 Total points ,has 23 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 16 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 29 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'DeAndre Jordan') has 2 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 15 Defensive rebounds, has 9 Points, has 19 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'JJ Redick') has 2 Assists, has 19 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Wesley Johnson') has 1 Assists, has 15 Points, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul George') has 3 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 31 Points, has 11 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ian Mahinmi') has 2 Assists, has 3 Personal fouls, has 12 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'George Hill') has 2 Assists, has 3 3-pointers made, has 15 Points, has 1 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Myles Turner') has 1 Blocks, has 18 Minutes played, has 16 Points, has 6 Total rebounds"]

The Toronto Raptors (11 - 6) defeated the Washington Wizards (6 - 8) 84 - 82 on Saturday. These days, it seems as if the Wizards ca n't buy a victory. Losers of three straight entering Saturday's contest, Washington was trying to bounce back on their home court after enduring a 33 - point loss to the Celtics on Friday in which they'd mustered a season - low 78 points. Although their offensive output was barely any better versus the Raptors, the Wizards had ridden an outstanding defensive effort to a 68 - 62 lead entering the final quarter. During that fourth period, the Raptors benefited from the hot shooting stroke of offensive linchpin Kyle Lowry, who scored eight of his game - high 27 points during that span and helped close the deficit to a razor - thin 82 - 81 with three seconds remaining. Then, on Toronto's final possession, it was DeMar DeRozan who alertly was able to feed Cory Joseph in the left corner for a game - winning three - point shot as time expired. Lowry sunk six three - pointers as part of his offensive barrage, and kicked in seven rebounds, three assists, a pair of steals and a block in a highly productive 34 minutes against the normally stout defense of John Wall. In addition to his game - winning assist, DeRozan pitched in with 23 points after a slow first half, and added three rebounds and two assists. The performance marked the third consecutive game the standout shooting guard has scored 20 points or more. The rest of the Toronto starters were notably quiet with respect to points, but Bismack Biyombo provided what was likely one of the most productive scoreless outings in NBA history by hauling in 16 boards (15 on the defensive glass), and posting four blocks, a pair of assists and a steal. Joseph paced the Raptors' bench with nine points, including his game - winning bucket from beyond the arc. Notably, Toronto escaped with the win despite committing 22 turnovers and having a slightly better shooting percentage from three - point range (46) than from the field (43). The Raptors improved to 11 - 6 and currently have sole posession of first place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Divison. They head home for a date with the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. The Wizards once again were hampered by a lack of overall offense, despite the fact that four of their starting five tallied double - digit scoring nights. Bradley Beal led the way with a 20 - point effort that also featured six rebounds, six assists and three steals over 41 minutes. The boards equaled a season - high for Beal, while the assists were his second - best total on the year in that category. John Wall was able to contribute 18 points and supplement it with three rebounds, five assists and three steals. Marcin Gortat pitched in with a 16 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while Otto Porter poured in 13 points. The sole holdout in single digits was spot starter Jared Dudley, who tallied seven points, four rebounds and two assists while taking Kris Humphries' place in the lineup. The Wizards' reserves could offer no help on this night however, with Humphries' four points representing the bench's highest scoring output. Washington fell to 6 - 8 and currently resides in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head to Cleveland to face the Cavs on Tuesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 8 Percentage of 3 points ,has 82 Percentage of field goals ,has 6 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 46 Percentage of 3 points ,has 43 Percentage of field goals ,has 6 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 22 Turnovers ,has 11 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Bismack Biyombo') has 2 Assists, has 4 Blocks, has 15 Defensive rebounds, has 1 Field goals attempted, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 16 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMar DeRozan') has 2 Assists, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Lowry') has 3 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 6 3-pointers made, has 3 Free throws made, has 34 Minutes played, has 27 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Cory Joseph') has 1 Blocks, has 34 Minutes played" "PlayerStat(G, 'Otto Porter') has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jared Dudley') has 2 Assists, has 7 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcin Gortat') has 16 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Bradley Beal') has 6 Assists, has 41 Minutes played, has 20 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'John Wall') has 5 Assists, has 18 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kris Humphries') has 4 Points"]

The Portland Trail Blazers (31 - 28) defeated the Chicago Bulls (30 - 28) 103 - 95 on Saturday. Portland was able to secure a win for the 16th time in the last 20 games on the strength of a typically stellar effort from offensive linchpin Damian Lillard, along with strong performances from two of their best bench players. After a dead - even first period, Portland forged ahead in the second quarter to build a 10 - point lead by halftime. Both teams played relatively mistake - free basketball, with only 19 turnovers between them, but the Trail Blazers managed to stay a step ahead of the Bulls on the night to secure the relatively comfortable victory. Lillard's 31 points paced Portland, and he added four rebounds and four assists. Mason Plumlee was next with a near double - double, amassing 16 points, nine rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. No other starter managed double - digit scoring, including sharpshooter C.J. McCollum, who was notably limited to six points and seven assists. Gerald Henderson paced the reserves with 13 points, four rebounds and a pair of assists, while Allen Crabbe was right behind him with 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. The Trail Blazers are currently in second place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division, and in possession of the seventh seed in the conference as well. They head to Indiana for a Sunday evening showdown with the Pacers. The Bulls were led by a remarkable triple - double from Pau Gasol, who totaled 22 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists. E'twaun Moore bounced back from a lackluster effort on Friday to produce 19 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Doug McDermott continued his recent stretch of impressive play with 18 points, a rebound, an assist and a steal in 32 minutes off the bench. Mike Dunleavy pitched in with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists. Chicago remains in third place in the Eatern Conference's Central Division and has vaulted into the eighth seed in the conference as well. They head to Miami to face the Heat on Tuesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 28 Number of team assists ,has 95 Losses ,has 20 Total points ,has 22 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 30 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 20 Number of team assists ,has 28 Losses ,has 103 Total points ,has 31 Points in 2nd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Mason Plumlee') has 2 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 16 Points, has 9 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ McCollum') has 7 Assists, has 6 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Damian Lillard') has 4 Assists, has 31 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Allen Crabbe') has 2 Assists, has 11 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gerald Henderson') has 2 Assists, has 13 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mike Dunleavy') has 5 Assists, has 13 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Pau Gasol') has 14 Assists, has 22 Points, has 16 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'E'Twaun Moore') has 3 Assists, has 19 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Doug McDermott') has 1 Assists, has 32 Minutes played, has 18 Points, has 1 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals"]

The Indiana Pacers (19 - 14) defeated the Detroit Pistons (18 - 16) 94 - 82 on Saturday. Indiana came into Saturday's contest as one of the top defensive units in the Eastern Conference, tied for fourth - best in points allowed (99 per game). However, this same Pistons squad had gotten the best of them when they'd last faced off, Dec. 12 at the Palace in Detroit. The Pacers had been touched up for 118 points that night, and Indiana was apparently ready to exact some revenge Saturday. Their suffocating defense negated any possibility of an encore performance by limiting Detroit to 36 percent shooting from the field and an astoundingly minuscule 15 percent (3 - for - 20) from beyond the arc. They allowed a high scorer of only 16 points (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope) and also wore the visitors down in the second half, taking the final two quarters by a margin of 53 - 40 to close out the victory. Caldwell-Pope supplemented his team - high point total with a season - high 10 rebounds and one assist. Reggie Jackson and Ersan Ilyasova followed with a pair of 12 - point efforts, with the former adding five assists and three rebounds and the latter pitching in seven rebounds, an assist and a steal. Andre Drummond did contribute yet another double - double, posting 11 points, 18 rebounds, a pair of blocks and a steal. Marcus Morris helped make it a perfect 5 - for - 5 in terms of double - digit scoring for the starters, collecting 11 points of his own and adding four assists and a pair of rebounds. Aron Baynes paced the Detroit bench with 10 points and three boards. The Pistons dropped to 18 - 16 and remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head home to face the Orlando Magic on Monday. For Indiana, Paul George encouragingly continued his resurgent play, tallying a huge 32 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that he supplemented with a trio of assists and a steal. After a slump in late December, George now has back - to - back 30 - point - plus performances. George Hill extended his own streak of strong offensive play by posting 18 points and adding four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Monta Ellis was the third starter in double digits with 13 points, while C.J. Miles and Jordan Hill managed matching eight - point outings to lead the reserves. The starting frontcourt duo of Ian Mahinmi and Lavoy Allen notably underwhelmed with a combined three points, but did haul in 11 boards between them. The Pacers improved to 19 - 14 and continue in third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They now head to Miami for a Monday showdown versus the Heat.

["TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 14 Percentage of 3 points ,has 94 Percentage of field goals ,has 19 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 15 Percentage of 3 points ,has 36 Percentage of field goals ,has 16 Losses ,has 82 Total points ,has 18 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Morris') has 4 Assists, has 11 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ersan Ilyasova') has 1 Assists, has 12 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Drummond') has 2 Blocks, has 11 Points, has 18 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kentavious Caldwell-Pope') has 1 Assists, has 16 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Reggie Jackson') has 5 Assists, has 12 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Aron Baynes') has 10 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul George') has 32 Points, has 14 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'George Hill') has 1 Assists, has 18 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jordan Hill') has 8 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ Miles') has 8 Points"]

The Detroit Pistons (34 - 32) trampled the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 57) 125 - 111 on Saturday. A Sixers squad that came into the game with a significantly depleted frontcourt nevertheless once again hung tough for almost all four quarters against a considerably superior opponent. Philadelphia learned on Friday that standout rookie Jahlil Okafor would miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus, and also knew that both Jerami Grant and Robert Covington would be sidelined Saturday under the concussion protocol after a scary collision with each other on Friday. Reserve forward Richaun Holmes was ruled out Saturday as well, after having departed the contest versus the Nets the night prior with Achilles soreness. This left Nerlens Noel and veteran Carl Landry to log heavy time against the Pistons' talented duo of Andre Drummond and Tobias Harris, and they largely responded. However, an impressively balanced Pistons offense saw all five starters post double - digit scoring, and manage 50 percent or better success rates from both the field and three - point range. Detroit was spearheaded by Reggie Jackson's 24 - point, 10 - assist double - double, which also included three rebounds and a steal. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was next, posting 23 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals. Harris followed with 21 points, eight rebounds and an assist. Drummond posted a 19 - point, 15 - rebound double - double, and added an assist and a steal. Marcus Morris matched Drummond's point total, and complemented it with seven rebounds, four assists and a block. The Pistons are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and currently have a hold on the eighth seed in the conference as well. They head to Washington to take on the Wizards on Monday night. Isaiah Canaan led the starters with 22 points, and added a rebound, an assist and two steals. Landry pitched in with 18 points, six rebounds, an assist and a steal. Ish Smith followed with 16 points, four rebounds and two assists. Noel managed 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. Nik Stauskas paced the bench with 15 points, four assists, two rebounds and a steal. The Sixers remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They now head to Brooklyn to face the Nets on Tuesday night.

["TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 57 Percentage of 3 points ,has 111 Losses ,has 9 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 50 Percentage of 3 points ,has 32 Losses ,has 125 Total points ,has 34 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Tobias Harris') has 1 Assists, has 21 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Morris') has 4 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Drummond') has 1 Assists, has 19 Points, has 15 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kentavious Caldwell-Pope') has 6 Assists, has 23 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Reggie Jackson') has 10 Assists, has 24 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Carl Landry') has 1 Assists, has 18 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nerlens Noel') has 4 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 12 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Isaiah Canaan') has 1 Assists, has 22 Points, has 1 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ish Smith') has 2 Assists, has 16 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nik Stauskas') has 4 Assists, has 15 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals"]

The San Antonio Spurs (38 - 23) defeated the Chicago Bulls (39 - 24) 116 - 105 on Sunday. The Bulls looked sloppy throughout the game, forcing passes and mishandling the basketball. Without offensive stand - outs Jimmy Butler (elbow) and Derrick Rose (knee), the Bulls were forced to rely on Aaron Brooks (22 points) and Pau Gasol (23 points). While they led the team in scoring, Brooks and Gasol also combined for six of the team's 20 turnovers. The Spurs defense created chaos all over the court, racking up 15 steals. While both teams shot around 50 percent from the field, the Spurs got off 17 more shots as a result of the Bulls' turnovers. Tony Parker had a monster day, finishing with a season - high 32 points (13 - 19 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt) in 30 minutes. Small forward Kawhi Leonard contributed 20 points (9 - 20 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt) in 27 minutes. The Bulls and Spurs finished their season series at 1 - 1. They last met on Jan. 22, when the Bulls won 104 - 81 at the United Center in Chicago. That night, Rose was the high - scorer with 22 points, and Butler second - highest with 17. Sunday's game demonstrates how much the Bulls need their stars back in the lineup if they have any hopes of a deep playoff run. Taj Gibson (ankle) also missed the game for the Bulls. The Spurs are currently the seven seed in the Western Conference, enjoying a five - game winning streak. The Spurs will host the Raptors on Tuesday, and the Bulls will return home to face the Grizzlies on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 116 Total points ,has 7 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 105 Total points ,has 20 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Pau Gasol') has 6 Free throws attempted, has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Aaron Brooks') has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kawhi Leonard') has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 0 3-pointers made, has 20 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tony Parker') has 1 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 19 Field goals attempted, has 13 Field goals made, has 30 Minutes played, has 32 Points"]

The Washington Wizards (34 - 35) defeated the New York Knicks (28 - 42) 99 - 89 on Saturday. The game between the two conference rivals turned in a pivotal third quarter that the Wizards won handily, 33 - 13. Washington was able to maximize the value of their starting five, with each member of the first unit managing double - digit scoring. The Wizards were particularly effective on defense after a first quarter in which the Knicks prevailed in, 29 - 20. They elicited 17 turnovers from the visitors, while only committing eight themselves. They also drastically outperformed New York in the paint, 48 - 24. The Knicks were led by a pair of 20 - point efforts from Kristaps Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony. The former added seven rebounds, two assists and three blocks, while the latter hauled in seven boards, dished out five assists and recorded a steal. Jose Calderon was the only other starter that scored in double digits, tallying 10 points, two assists and a rebound. Arron Afflalo paced the bench with 10 points, three rebounds and an assist. New York remains in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, and is eight games behind the eighth - seeded Detroit Pistons. They head home to take on the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. The Wizards' attack was led by John Wall, who posted a 24 - point, 10 - assist double - double which also consisted of two rebounds, a steal and a block. Markieff Morris followed with 17 points, four rebounds, an assist and three steals. Otto Porter and Marcin Gortat contributed a pair of 15 - point outings, with the former adding six rebounds and an assist, and the latter supplying 11 boards, two assists and a block. Bradley Beal rounded things out for the first team with 10 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal. The Wizards are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and 2 games behind the eighth - seeded Detroit Pistons. They head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 35 Losses ,has 99 Total points ,has 20 Points in 1st quarter ,has 33 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 8 Turnovers ,has 34 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 42 Losses ,has 89 Total points ,has 29 Points in 1st quarter ,has 13 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 17 Turnovers ,has 28 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Carmelo Anthony') has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kristaps Porzingis') has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jose Calderon') has 2 Assists, has 10 Points, has 1 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Arron Afflalo') has 1 Assists, has 10 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Otto Porter') has 1 Assists, has 15 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Markieff Morris') has 1 Assists, has 17 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcin Gortat') has 2 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 15 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Bradley Beal') has 6 Assists, has 10 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'John Wall') has 10 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 24 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals"]

The host Los Angeles Lakers beat the visiting Brooklyn Nets, 125 - 118, on Tuesday. Tuesday's match was an exhibition of the young talent that Los Angeles (7 - 5) has, as third - year forward Julius Randle and sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell helped guide the team to victory. Randle earned his second career triple - double, posting 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. Russell, meanwhile, scored a season - high 32 points and hit a whopping seven three - pointers. Another youngster, guard Jordan Clarkson, had a near double - double off the bench, scoring 12 points and coming away with nine rebounds. Overall, the Lakers were able to ride solid rebounding to a narrow victory, as they came away with an eight - board advantage at the end of the day. Brooklyn (4 - 7) suffered its second loss in two days at Staples Center, after being demolished by the Clippers on Monday. Center Brook Lopez was able to rest in Monday's matchup and showed off his fresh legs with a 30 - point, 10 - rebound double - double against the Lakers. Guard Bojan Bogdanovic, meanwhile, built on a solid performance on Monday to deliver an impressive 29 - point outing in the second half of Brooklyn's back - to - back. Minimal bench contributions were seen for Brooklyn, however, as the team fell to two games below .500. The Nets will visit the Thunder on Friday, while the Lakers will host the Spurs on that same day.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 5 Losses ,has 125 Total points ,has 7 Points in 1st quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 7 Losses ,has 118 Total points ,has 29 Points in 1st quarter ,has 4 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Brook Lopez') has 30 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Bojan Bogdanovic') has 29 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Julius Randle') has 10 Assists, has 17 Points, has 14 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'D'Angelo Russell') has 7 3-pointers made, has 32 Points"]

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the visiting Atlanta Hawks, 100 - 97, at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday evening. The Bucks (37 - 35) led by eight after a strong first quarter, but the Hawks pushed back to make it a two - point game heading into half time. The Hawks (37 - 35) continued to apply pressure, as they jumped ahead by two heading into the fourth. The game went right down to the wire, as the teams traded buckets and the lead throughout the fourth, until it was tied up at 96 with 29 seconds to go. Greg Monroe put the Bucks up by two with a layup with 17 seconds left, before Dwight Howard was fouled and made 1 - of - 2 at the line, making it a one - point game. Khris Middleton then nailed two free throws, to take the three - point lead and ultimately seal the win. This was a huge win for the Bucks, as they are now tied with the Hawks for fifth place in the East. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for Milwaukee, with 34 points on 13 - of - 22 shooting, to go along with 13 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals, in 36 minutes. Malcolm Brogdon and Greg Monroe chipped in 14 points each, while Tony Snell added 13. This marked the third straight win for the Bucks, who now look ahead to Sunday, when they play host to the Bulls. Meanwhile, three players topped 20 points for Atlanta, while no one else scored in double digits. Dennis Schroder was the high - point man with 28, while Tim Hardaway Jr. followed up with 25 points. Dwight Howard double - doubled with 20 points and 12 rebounds, in 32 minutes of action. This marked the sixth straight loss for the Hawks, as their struggles only worsened when Paul Millsap went down with a knee injury four games ago. The Hawks will look to break the ugly streak when they play host to the Nets on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 35 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 8 Turnovers ,has 37 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 35 Losses ,has 97 Total points ,has 37 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwight Howard') has 32 Minutes played, has 2 Offensive rebounds, has 2 Personal fouls, has 20 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tim Hardaway Jr.') has 25 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dennis Schroder') has 28 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 5 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 22 Field goals attempted, has 13 Field goals made, has 36 Minutes played, has 34 Points, has 13 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tony Snell') has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Malcolm Brogdon') has 14 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Greg Monroe') has 2 Personal fouls, has 14 Points"]

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 116 - 80 at Target Center on Tuesday. The Grizzlies (2 - 2) had essentially conceded the game before tip - off, as they rested both Marc Gasol and Mike Conley on the front end of a back - to - back. This resulted in some major offensive struggles for the Grizzlies, with four of their five starters failing to score in double figures, despite all of them playing at least 20 minutes. Additionally, as a team, Memphis shot a lowly 37 percent from the field and 17 percent from behind the arc. Rookie power forward Deyonta Davis led the way for the Grizzlies, scoring 17 points and grabbing six rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench. Troy Williams and Andrew Harrison were the only other Memphis players to score in double figures, scoring 14 and 12 points respectively in extended action. For the Timberwolves (1 - 2), they notched their first win of the season in effortless fashion. Zach LaVine shined in the outing, scoring a game - high 31 points in just 29 minutes. LaVine could n't miss, shooting a scorching 11 - of - 18 from the field and 5 - of - 9 from long range. Rookie point guard Kris Dunn also stood out in his rookie debut with Ricky Rubio out with a sprained right elbow, recording 10 points, six assists, four rebounds and five steals in 29 minutes. Everything else was the status quo for Minnesota, as Andrew Wiggins managed to record 17 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns posted a double - double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. For the Grizzlies, they'll head home Wednesday to take on the Pelicans, while the Timberwolves will return to action on Thursday against the Nuggets.

["TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 2 Percentage of 3 points ,has 116 Losses ,has 1 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 17 Percentage of 3 points ,has 2 Losses ,has 80 Total points ,has 2 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Troy Williams') has 14 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andrew Harrison') has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Deyonta Davis') has 26 Minutes played, has 17 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andrew Wiggins') has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Karl-Anthony Towns') has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Zach LaVine') has 9 3-pointers attempted, has 5 3-pointers made, has 18 Field goals attempted, has 11 Field goals made, has 29 Minutes played, has 31 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kris Dunn') has 6 Assists, has 29 Minutes played, has 10 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 5 Steals"]

The Phoenix Suns (17 - 46) earned a road win over the Memphis Grizzlies (37 - 25) Sunday afternoon at FedExForum, 109 - 100. The Grizzlies led for much of the first half and took a six - point advantage into the halftime break. But the Suns exploded out of the break with a 25 - 6 run that included a four - minute scoreless drought by the Grizzlies. The Suns took an 11 - point lead into the final frame and the Grizzlies couldn’t even trim the deficit below five points in the fourth quarter. Suns guard Devin Booker led all scorers with 27 points (8 - 17 FG, 4 - 11 3PT, 7 - 7 FT) and added nine assists as he powered the Phoenix offense. Alex Len notched a double - double with 19 points (5 - 12 FG, 9 - 13 FT) and 16 rebounds to go with six assists and a pair of blocks. Mirza Teletovic scored 18 in just 20 minutes off the bench behind 4 - 7 shooting on three - pointers. He was just part of Phoenix’s lights out shooting, as they shot 52 percent from the floor and a sharp 12 - 28 (42 percent) from deep. Mike Conley’s 22 points (7 - 13 FG, 3 - 5 3PT, 5 - 6 FT) led the Grizzlies. Matt Barnes was the only other Memphis starter in double figures with 17 points (6 - 11 FG, 4 - 6 3PT). The Grizzlies offense sputtered despite a solid 10 - 22 (46 percent) shooting performance from three - point land, as they just couldn’t get it going inside. Memphis shot just 22 - 58 (38 percent) on two - point shots. Conley, Barnes and Jeff Green, who scored 17 points on 5 - 7 shooting off the bench, were the only Grizzlies to shoot at least 50 percent. The Suns return home to host the Knicks on Wednesday. The Grizzlies head on the road for a Monday matchup against the Cavaliers.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 46 Percentage of 3 points ,has 25 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 37 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 46 Percentage of 3 points ,has 109 Losses ,has 17 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Alex Len') has 6 Assists, has 2 Blocks, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 13 Free throws attempted, has 9 Free throws made, has 19 Points, has 16 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Devin Booker') has 9 Assists, has 11 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 7 Free throws attempted, has 7 Free throws made, has 27 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mirza Teletovic') has 20 Minutes played, has 18 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Matt Barnes') has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 11 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 50 Free throw percentage, has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mike Conley') has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 13 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 5 Free throws made, has 22 Points"]

Marcus Morris poured in a career - high 36 points on 12 - of - 19 shooting, including 5 - of - 9 from long range and 7 - of - 11 from the foul line, to go along six rebounds, two assists and one steal, in 38 minutes. Jon Leuer followed up with 24 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting, including 4 - of - 7 from long range. Andre Drummond double - doubled with 12 points and 18 rebounds, while adding two steals and three blocked shots, as he owned the paint. Three other players scored in double digits for Detroit, including Reggie Jackson, Tobias Harris and Ish Smith. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the Timberwolves, with 24 points and 11 rebounds, in 33 minutes. Andrew Wiggins followed up with 21 points, while Zach LaVine added 20 points. Ricky Rubio was also solid, as he finished with 16 points, seven assists, two rebounds and two steals, but gave up an ugly six turnovers.

["TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 24 Points in 3rd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Andrew Wiggins') has 21 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Karl-Anthony Towns') has 33 Minutes played, has 24 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Zach LaVine') has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ricky Rubio') has 7 Assists, has 16 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals, has 6 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Morris') has 2 Assists, has 9 3-pointers attempted, has 5 3-pointers made, has 19 Field goals attempted, has 12 Field goals made, has 11 Free throws attempted, has 7 Free throws made, has 38 Minutes played, has 36 Points, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jon Leuer') has 7 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 24 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Drummond') has 3 Blocks, has 12 Points, has 18 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals"]

The Minnesota Timberwolves (22 - 46) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (39 - 29) Wednesday night at FedExForum, 114 - 108. The final score made this one look closer than it was, as the Timberwolves opened up a 17 - point lead with a 42 - 25 first quarter, and the Grizzlies did n't pull any closer than nine points until late in the fourth quarter. Minnesota's largest lead was 20 in the third quarter as Memphis's lineup was exceptionally thin - - with Mike Conley, P.J. Hairston and Marc Gasol already out long - term, Zach Randolph (knee), Chris Andersen (shoulder) and Vince Carter (calf) were unable to suit up, and Lance Stephenson had to play 36 minutes despite suffering a wrist injury over the weekend. Zach LaVine led all scorers with 28 points, tying his second - highest output this season, as he knocked down six three - pointers and shot 11 - 19 from the floor. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 18 points (5 - 8 FG, 8 - 9 FT), grabbed 10 rebounds, dished four assists, nabbed two steals and blocked a shot. The Wolves ran ragged over the Grizzlies defense, as they shot 56 percent from the floor and 10 - 21 (48 percent) from the three - point line and assisted on 31 of their 40 made baskets. Stephenson's 24 points off the bench led the Grizzlies, and he added 11 rebounds and seven assists in a valiant effort. Memphis got double - doubles from Jeff Green (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Matt Barnes (14 points, 10 rebounds) and managed to grab an absurd 27 offensive rebounds on 56 missed shots. Their work on the boards almost fueled an unlikely comeback, but their poor shooting from deep (4 - 20, 20 percent) was too much to overcome. The Timberwolves continue their road trip Friday against the Rockets. The Grizzlies take off for a Thursday matchup against the Bucks.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 20 Percentage of 3 points ,has 29 Losses ,has 108 Total points ,has 25 Points in 1st quarter ,has 39 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 46 Percentage of 3 points ,has 114 Losses ,has 42 Total points ,has 22 Points in 1st quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Karl-Anthony Towns') has 4 Assists, has 8 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 9 Free throws attempted, has 8 Free throws made, has 18 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Zach LaVine') has 6 3-pointers made, has 28 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Matt Barnes') has 14 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Lance Stephenson') has 7 Assists, has 36 Minutes played, has 24 Points, has 11 Total rebounds"]

The visiting Orlando Magic took down the Phoenix Suns on Friday, 109 - 103. Orlando (25 - 45) avoided a five - game losing streak by beating the Suns on Friday. Center Nikola Vucevic led the team with a whopping 17 rebounds on top of an efficient 18 points. Vucevic's monster contribution was necessary, as Orlando actually lost the team battle on the boards, 49 - 43. The Magic were able to squeak by with the win, though, on the basis of a superior three - point shooting night. Despite sinking only seven threes of their own, Orlando's perimeter defense was stifling, holding Phoenix to just 2 - of - 14 from three - point range. Orlando's Evan Fournier led the effort for the Magic from beyond the arc, as he sank three three - pointers on the night. Phoenix (22 - 47) has had a rough time this season, and recently shut down veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe for the season to increase the role of its young players. On Friday, that strategy seemed to work, as rookie point guard Tyler Ulis went for 19 points and eight assists in a starting role. Third-year forward T.J. Warren also continued his strong production. Warren shot 8 - of - 13 and went 10 - of - 10 from the free - throw line en route to a team - high 26 points. However, the two youngsters were not enough to propel Orlando to victory. The Suns will visit Detroit on Sunday, while the Magic host the 76ers on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 47 Losses ,has 103 Total points ,has 49 Rebounds ,has 22 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 45 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 43 Rebounds ,has 25 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Vucevic') has 18 Points, has 17 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Evan Fournier') has 3 3-pointers made" "PlayerStat(G, 'TJ Warren') has 13 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 10 Free throws attempted, has 10 Free throws made, has 26 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tyler Ulis') has 8 Assists, has 19 Points"]

The Milwaukee Bucks (10 - 15) pulled off a big upset and ended a historic streak by beating the undefeated Golden State Warriors (24 - 1) 108 - 95 on Saturday. The Bucks have now stopped the two - longest streaks in NBA history and they did it in dominating fashion on Saturday. It was clear there was an extra fire in the building and the Warriors just couldn’t muster up enough energy in the second half of a back - to - back to keep on winning. Milwaukee outshot the Warriors 49 percent to 41 percent and made just as many threes in 12 less attempts. The Warriors played a double - overtime thriller on Friday and that really hampered them here. Golden State looked extremely tired and just didn’t have their legs underneath them, by shooting just 6 - for - 26 from three - point range. They were also outassisted 31 - 23 and that's even more rare to see from this Golden State team. Steph Curry was still spectacular though, as he tallied 28 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the loss. Klay Thompson also made his return from a one - game absence and that's a silver lining in a tough result. The 24 - game winning streak is over, but it's time to reflect and appreciate how special of a run that actually was. Golden State wo n't play again until Wednesday when they host the Phoenix Suns to start a new winning - streak. The Bucks have had a rough season, but this win could be a springboard for a needed run. This shows how good this team can be at times, but the inconsistency is just so frustrating. Four players scored at least 17 points in the win, with the high - scorer being Greg Monroe with 28. Giannis Antetokounmpo had his first career triple - double as well and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The team also combined for an incredible 31 assists on 44 made baskets and that's a Warriors-esque stat. This is a much needed win for this young team, but it wo n't matter unless they keep this form going into their next game. They'll look to build off this win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 31 Number of team assists ,has 49 Percentage of field goals ,has 15 Losses ,has 108 Total points ,has 10 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 23 Number of team assists ,has 1 Percentage of field goals ,has 95 Losses ,has 24 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Klay Thompson') has 1 Defensive rebounds, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Stephen Curry') has 5 Assists, has 28 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Greg Monroe') has 28 Points"]

The Toronto Raptors (33 - 16) handed the Phoenix Suns (14 - 36) a 104 - 97 loss in the Suns' first game since firing coach Jeff Hornacek. The Raptors have been among the NBA's hottest teams since the turn of the new year. On Monday, Toronto saw a season - high 11 - game win streak finally come to a close with a loss to Denver. The disappointment seemed not to carry into Tuesday, however, as the Raptors dealt a loss to the struggling Suns. Toronto's All-Star backcourt - mates Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan shared Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors for January, as the duo helped lead the team to within three games of the Cavaliers for control of the East. Unsurprisingly, the tandem posted the Raptors' two highest scoring totals on Tuesday, with Lowry going for 26 and DeRozan scoring 22. It was an overall strong offensive showing for the Raps, as the team shot a combined 48 percent and turned the ball over just 12 times. Phoenix, meanwhile, has been in a tailspin since losing point guard Eric Bledsoe to a torn meniscus. The team has won just two of their last 22 games, and will now face the challenge of finding a new coach in addition to righting their sinking ship. One bright spot, however, has been rookie standout Devin Booker. The former Kentucky Wildcat exploded for 27 points on Tuesday, including six makes from beyond the arc. Booker has assumed heavy minutes and a starting role due to the absences of Bledsoe and injured shooting guard Brandon Knight. Phoenix will host Houston on Thursday. Toronto will also face off Thursday, traveling to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers.

["TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 36 Losses ,has 97 Total points ,has 14 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 16 Losses ,has 104 Total points ,has 26 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 26 Points in 4th quarter ,has 33 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMar DeRozan') has 3 Assists, has 2 Defensive rebounds, has 3 Personal fouls, has 22 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 3 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Lowry') has 2 Defensive rebounds, has 26 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals"]

Very little separated these teams in the box score, as they stayed close all evening long. Ball movement was key for Milwaukee, as they assisted on nearly 75 percent of their made baskets. Giannis Antetokounmpo continues his great play, as he is averaging 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists a game so far this season. Anthony Davis is putting those numbers to shame though, as this game lowered his averages to 36 points and 13 rebounds per game. Tim Frazier continues to fill in admirably for Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday, as his 20 points and nine dimes were also on pace with his season averages. The Pelicans need more from their bench, as they got just 19 points on 7 - for - 17 shooting. There were some huge swings in the middle of this game, as the Bucks outscored the Pelicans 34 - 22 in the second quarter, while New Orleans countered with a 32 - 21 third quarter of their own.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 22 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 32 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 34 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 21 Points in 3rd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 9 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Anthony Davis') has 9 Field goals made" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tim Frazier') has 9 Assists, has 20 Points"]

The Cleveland Cavaliers (27 - 9) beat the Dallas Mavericks (22 - 17) 110 - 107 in an overtime thriller on Tuesday. Dallas has made a living off winning the turnover battle this season, but it was dominated in that department Tuesday. The Mavericks committed 16 turnovers to the Cavaliers' nine and that was ultimately the difference in the game. The Mavericks actually shot nearly 50 percent from the field which far outweighed the 41 percent Cleveland shot, but the Cavs simply made more big plays in overtime to pull out the big win. Cleveland is happy to have Kyrie Irving back in the fold and that couldn’t have been more evident than with this performance here. Not only did he hit a huge three late in OT, he finished the game with 22 points and nine assists. LeBron James was the star of the show though, as he tallied 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in another MVP-type performance. Only four bench players played for the Cavs, but the three who played at least 20 minutes all scored in double - figures. On deck for the Cavaliers is a fantastic matchup, in which they'll stay in Texas to take on a San Antonio Spurs team that has yet to lose at home this season. The Mavericks continue to be an undervalued team and they nearly pulled off a huge win here. In fact, the last six times they have been an underdog by six or more points, they have covered five of those games including this one here. It was the starters that carried the load for this deep Dallas team, as the five of them combined for 83 points. Chandler Parsons scored a season - high 25 points and also grabbed eight rebounds in a great game. Deron Williams, Dirk Nowitzki and Zaza Pachulia all recorded double - doubles in what's been bounce - back years for all three of these veterans. This does go down as a loss in the record book, but other teams are surely taking note of the Mavs continuous quality play. Dallas will look to keep up the good ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday in their next game. Keep in mind that that matchup will be the second half of a back - to - back and some starters may be rested after this overtime loss.

["TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 17 Percentage of field goals ,has 107 Losses ,has 16 Total points ,has 22 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 41 Percentage of field goals ,has 9 Losses ,has 110 Total points ,has 9 Turnovers ,has 27 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 7 Assists, has 27 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 9 Assists, has 3 3-pointers made, has 3 Free throws made, has 22 Points, has 3 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Chandler Parsons') has 25 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dirk Nowitzki') has 3 Assists, has 3 3-pointers made, has 3 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Zaza Pachulia') has 3 Assists" "PlayerStat(G, 'Deron Williams') has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 3 Personal fouls"]

The Wizards continued their dominance at home, limiting New Orleans to just eight points in the fourth quarter to seal the win. The Pelicans posted just a 29 percent success rate from three - point range and also committed 15 turnovers. John Wall generated a 24 - point, 13 - assist double - double that also featured three rebounds, five steals and one block. Markieff Morris collected 18 points. Marcin Gortat was a force on the boards once again, totaling 12 points, 17 rebounds and one block. Otto Porter and Bradley Beal both equaled Gortat's scoring total, and Kelly Oubre, Jr. led the second unit with 10 points. Anthony Davis posted a 25 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Terrence Jones got the start at power forward and provided 15 points. Tyreke Evans equaled his scoring total to lead the bench. Jrue Holiday posted a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 29 Percentage of 3 points ,has 8 Points in 4th quarter ,has 15 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Terrence Jones') has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Anthony Davis') has 25 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jrue Holiday') has 13 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Markieff Morris') has 18 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcin Gortat') has 1 Blocks, has 12 Points, has 17 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'John Wall') has 13 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 24 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 5 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kelly Oubre Jr.') has 10 Points"]

In a game between two poor defenses, offense was on display. In fact, both teams shot over 50 percent from the field, with Phoenix leading the way at 54 percent. Rebounding was the difference for the Nuggets, as they won that battle, 46 - 28. Denver also took advantage of the whistle, going 30 - of - 35 from the free - throw line. Eric Bledsoe carried the load for Phoenix, accumulating 28 points, four rebounds and five assists. Devin Booker was second on the team, scoring 24 points and handing out six assists. T.J. Warren finished with 21 points and eight rebounds. Nikola Jokic continued his ridiculous 2017, collecting 19 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Danilo Gallinari was second on the team, totaling 25 points and seven rebounds. Wilson Chandler was a huge spark off the bench for Denver, amassing 16 points, two rebounds and four assists. These teams will face off again on Saturday in Phoenix.

["TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 54 Percentage of field goals ,has 28 Points in 4th quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'TJ Warren') has 21 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Devin Booker') has 6 Assists, has 24 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Eric Bledsoe') has 5 Assists, has 28 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Danilo Gallinari') has 25 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Jokic') has 8 Assists, has 14 Total rebounds"]

The Golden State Warriors (66 - 7) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 65) 117 - 105 on Sunday. While backcourt mate Stephen Curry rightfully gets the majority of press, Klay Thompson has made sure that he's not a forgetten man by any stretch, averaging 37 points over the last three contests. Sunday saw the talented two - guard explode for 40 points for a second straight game, while also hauling in a pair of rebounds and recording a block. His standout performance was part of a remarkable night from the field for the Warriors, who managed a 53 percent success rate from the field, and a 42 percent figure from beyond the arc. The Sixers were led by Carl Landry, who garnered a third straight start in place of Nerlens Noel (knee). Landry managed 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a steal. Ish Smith followed with a 20 - point, 10 - assist double - double that also featured three rebounds and three steals. Isaiah Canaan managed 15 points and two assists. Robert Covington paced the reserves with a second straight double - double off the bench, totaling 16 points and 11 rebounds. Elton Brand was also productive off the bench, amassing 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and three blocks. Philadelphia remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They're back home on Tuesday to face the Charlotte Hornets. Stephen Curry followed Thompson's stellar effort with 20 points, eight assists, three rebounds and four steals. Draymond Green was next with a triple - double, totaling 13 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, a steal and three blocks. Harrison Barnes managed 10 points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal. Mareese Speights paced the bench with 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists. The Warriors continue to have a hold of the top seed in the Western Conference, and currently have a five - game lead over the second - seeded San Antonio Spurs. They're home again on Tuesday versus the Washington Wizards.

["TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 42 Percentage of 3 points ,has 53 Percentage of field goals ,has 7 Losses ,has 117 Total points ,has 66 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 65 Percentage of 3 points ,has 105 Percentage of field goals ,has 9 Losses ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Carl Landry') has 3 Assists, has 22 Points, has 8 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Isaiah Canaan') has 2 Assists, has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Ish Smith') has 10 Assists, has 20 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Robert Covington') has 16 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Elton Brand') has 2 Assists, has 10 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Harrison Barnes') has 1 Assists, has 10 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Draymond Green') has 11 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 13 Points, has 11 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Klay Thompson') has 3 Free throws attempted, has 3 Free throws made" "PlayerStat(G, 'Stephen Curry') has 8 Assists, has 3 Defensive rebounds, has 20 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 4 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marreese Speights') has 3 Assists, has 17 Points, has 7 Total rebounds"]

The Sacramento Kings saw a bevy of strong performances in their first game since trading star center DeMarcus Cousins. Rookie shooting guard Buddy Hield scored 16 while shooting 6 - of - 10 in his debut with Sacramento. It was sophomore center Willie Cauley-Stein who made the biggest impression on Thursday, though. Cauley-Stein scored a team - high 29 points on 14 - of - 22 shooting and pulled down 10 rebounds. As a team, Sacramento shot 52 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc. Denver's sophomore center, meanwhile, saw an off night. Nikola Jokic was limited to just four points on 2 - of - 7 shooting, albeit with 10 rebounds. The team shot only 44 percent and was out - rebounded 49 - 42. Shooting guard Gary Harris was the team's high scorer, shooting 9 - of - 19 for 23 points.

["TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 50 Percentage of 3 points ,has 52 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Jokic') has 7 Field goals attempted, has 2 Field goals made, has 4 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gary Harris') has 19 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Willie Cauley-Stein') has 22 Field goals attempted, has 14 Field goals made, has 29 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Buddy Hield') has 10 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 16 Points"]

The Chicago Bulls (36 - 33) defeated the visiting Sacramento Kings (27 - 43) 109 - 102, Monday evening at United Center. After a back - and - forth start the Bulls amassed a 10 - point lead early in the third, but the Kings responded by outscoring Chicago 38 - 25, to gain their first lead with 8:40 left in the final quarter. The Bulls would not fold and kept pressing in order to grind out the victory at home, where they are now 24 - 12 this season. This marks the Bulls' third win in a row, a trend they will need to continue due to the close race for the bottom few spots in the East. Meanwhile, the Kings fall to 2 - 8 in their last 10 games and have almost no chance of making a push for eighth. Chicago used a balanced team effort to come out victorious. They totaled 28 assists on 41 field goals, with five players scoring in double figures. The Bulls limited themselves to nine turnovers and forced a whopping 20 turnovers by Sacramento. Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose both tallied 18 points, while Pau Gasol added 11 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Jimmy Butler was also very impactful with 11 points, eight assists, five steals and three rebounds. Ten players logged at least 15 minutes for Chicago, while E'Twaun Moore sat out with a sore hamstring. The Kings also had five players score in double figures and utilized their bench, with 10 players logging at least 10 minutes. Willie Cauley-Stein played only five minutes after being questionable to play due to illness. DeMarcus Cousins put up solid numbers with 19 points and 18 rebounds, but gave up eight turnovers. Darren Collison chipped in 19 points as well, while Rudy Gay added 18. The Kings struggled from deep, despite Gay who shot 3 - 4 and Collison 4 - 5, the rest of the team was 2 - 20 from downtown. Next, the Kings will head to Minnesota, where they will wrap - up their current four - game road trip, on Wednesday. The Bulls will finish up a four - game home stand when they play the Knicks on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 28 Number of team assists ,has 33 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 9 Turnovers ,has 36 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 43 Number of team assists ,has 102 Losses ,has 27 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gay') has 18 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMarcus Cousins') has 19 Points, has 18 Total rebounds, has 8 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Willie Cauley-Stein') has 5 Minutes played" "PlayerStat(G, 'Darren Collison') has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Taj Gibson') has 18 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Pau Gasol') has 3 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 14 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jimmy Butler') has 8 Assists, has 11 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 5 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Derrick Rose') has 18 Points"]

The Denver Nuggets (26 - 38) defeated the visiting New York Knicks (26 - 39) on Tuesday, 110 - 94. Denver was bolstered by strong play from forward Kenneth Faried, who exploded for an efficient 24 points while pulling down 10 rebounds. Faried had an unusually strong performance, hitting 10 of 16 shots from the field and leading the Nuggets in scoring. Rookie Nikola Jokic also played a huge part in the Denver win, scoring 20 points and grabbing nine boards while dishing out three assists. The rookie has played few minutes thus far this season, but has shown signs of high potential, as evidenced by his strong showing on Tuesday. 30 points from Carmelo Anthony was not enough for the Knicks to secure a win, as no other starter reached double digits in scoring. Melo hit all of his 11 free - throws while going 9 - for - 18 from the floor, putting the team on his shoulders in an otherwise sloppy performance by the struggling Knicks. Anthony also led the team in rebounding with seven and assists with four, in what was an impressive individual showing. The Knicks forced just six total turnovers from Denver, allowing the Nuggets a 21 - shot advantage in attempts from the field. New York will face the Suns on Wednesday, while Denver will also take on the Suns this Thursday.

["TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 38 Number of team assists ,has 110 Losses ,has 6 Total points ,has 26 Turnovers ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 21 Number of team assists ,has 39 Losses ,has 94 Total points ,has 26 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Carmelo Anthony') has 4 Assists, has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 18 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 11 Free throws attempted, has 11 Free throws made, has 30 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 4 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kenneth Faried') has 16 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 24 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Jokic') has 3 Assists, has 20 Points, has 9 Total rebounds"]

The Los Angeles Clippers (11 - 5) defeated the Utah Jazz (5 - 12) 112 - 96 Saturday at EnergySolutions Arena. Los Angeles extended their winning streak to four games on the back of 28 points from Blake Griffin and 22 points from Jamal Crawford in his familiar sixth man role. Crawford hit four shots from three - point range in his 28 minutes. Chris Paul handed out 10 assists, while DeAndre Jordan was a presence on the boards with 12 rebounds and blocked three shots to boot. The Clippers host the Minnesota Timberwolves back at Staples Center on Monday looking to keep their winning streak intact. Utah also kept their streak intact, losing for the fifth consecutive game, despite Gordon Hayward's game - high 30 points. Like Crawford, Hayward hit four three - pointers, but struggled yet again from the free - throw line, going 4 - for - 8. Hayward began the season hitting 35 of his first 36 shots from the charity stripe, but has proceeded to go 43 - for - 64 since. Trevor Booker was a spark plug off the bench, scoring 15 points with nine rebounds and three steals in 24 minutes, while starting center Enes Kanter struggled his way to six points and two rebounds in 18 largely ineffective minutes. As a team, the Jazz shot 45 percent from the field, compared the Clippers' stellar 56 percent, a telling difference. The Jazz host the Denver Nuggets on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 45 Percentage of field goals ,has 12 Losses ,has 96 Total points ,has 5 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 56 Percentage of field goals ,has 5 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 28 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 22 Points in 4th quarter ,has 11 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Blake Griffin') has 4 Defensive rebounds, has 28 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeAndre Jordan') has 3 Blocks, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Chris Paul') has 10 Assists, has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jamal Crawford') has 4 3-pointers made, has 28 Minutes played, has 22 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 4 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gordon Hayward') has 4 3-pointers made, has 18 Field goals attempted, has 8 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 36 Minutes played, has 30 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Enes Kanter') has 18 Minutes played, has 6 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Trevor Booker') has 24 Minutes played, has 15 Points, has 9 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals"]

The visiting Cleveland Cavaliers took down the Sacramento Kings on Friday, 120 - 108. Cleveland (29 - 10) snapped a surprising two - game losing streak with the convincing win on Friday. The Cavs had dropped both games since trading for veteran sharpshooter Kyle Korver, but picked up the win against the middling Kings. The Cavaliers' big three played to each of their strengths on Friday. Kevin Love posted a double - double and led the team with a whopping 18 rebounds, while LeBron James dished out 15 assists and Kyrie Irving scored a team - high 26 points. Five Cavaliers scored in double figures, including Korver, who came off the bench for 18. Sacramento (16 - 23) has struggled lately, having now lost six of its last eight games. On Friday, the Kings were once again led by superstar DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins scored 26 points and dished out 11 assists while pulling down eight rebounds. As a whole, the Kings were superb when shooting the ball, hitting 52 percent of their shots. However, they could not match the Cavs from deep, hitting only nine three - pointers to Cleveland's 15. Turnovers were also an issue for Sacramento, as the Kings coughed the ball up 21 times in the game. The Kings will host the Thunder on Sunday, while the Cavs will take on the Warriors on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 23 Losses ,has 108 Total points ,has 15 Points in 1st quarter ,has 21 Turnovers ,has 16 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 10 Losses ,has 120 Total points ,has 29 Points in 1st quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 15 Assists" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 26 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Korver') has 18 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMarcus Cousins') has 11 Assists, has 26 Points"]

The Miami Heat defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 97 - 90, in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs to even the series 3 - 3 on Friday at Time Warner Cable Arena. In a must win game, Dwyane Wade showed up big time. Not only did Wade hit two huge shots late, he made the game sealing block on Kemba Walker in the final seconds. Miami's defense was key, as they held Charlotte to 42 percent shooting from the field and 29 percent from three - point range. The rebounding was a big difference as well, with the Heat snatching down 46 boards to the Hornets 31. The Heat had everything to play for in this Game 6 do or die and they left it all on the floor. Wade was the star, as he finished the game with 23 points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks in the win. Luol Deng provided 21 points and four rebounds of his own. Hassan Whiteside tallied 12 points, seven rebounds and four blocks before prematurely fouling out. The Hornets had a prime opportunity to win a playoff series in their home building, but couldn’t get much help outside Kemba Walker. The star point guard scored a game - high 37 points, while also recording three rebounds and five assists. Al Jefferson was the only player to score more than 12, as he collected 18 points and nine rebounds in the loss. The other three starters combined for just nine points, with seven of those coming from Frank Kaminsky. The Hornets will have to travel to Miami for Game 7 on Sunday with the Heat being a projected four - point favorite.

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 29 Percentage of 3 points ,has 42 Percentage of field goals ,has 3 Losses ,has 90 Total points ,has 31 Rebounds ,has 3 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 3 Percentage of 3 points ,has 97 Percentage of field goals ,has 46 Losses ,has 3 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Luol Deng') has 21 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Hassan Whiteside') has 4 Blocks, has 12 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwyane Wade') has 4 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 23 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Frank Kaminsky') has 3 Assists, has 7 Defensive rebounds, has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 7 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Al Jefferson') has 18 Points, has 9 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kemba Walker') has 2 Personal fouls, has 2 Steals, has 2 Turnovers"]

The Hornets had lost four games in a row after starting the season 8 - 3. They have now won their last two games thanks in large part to the explosive play of a now - healthy Jeremy Lamb, who scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the team's win over Memphis on Monday night. In his two games since making a full return to the Hornets' rotation, Lamb has posted a total of 39 points and 26 rebounds, which included a career - high 17 rebounds in their win over the Knicks. Impressive rebounding has n't been a key part of Lamb's game either, as the nine rebounds he recorded against the Grizzlies would have matched the second - highest rebounding total of his career. Above all, Lamb now gives a Charlotte bench that was already averaging 38 points per game - - the eighth highest average in the league - - an added punch of offense and a legitimate reserve backcourt player after they've been shuffling through some underwhelming talent at both shooting guard and point guard.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 21 Points in 3rd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeremy Lamb') has 2 3-pointers made, has 2 Offensive rebounds, has 21 Points, has 9 Total rebounds"]

The Dallas Mavericks (9 - 4) continued thier hot start to the season and grabbed their sixth win in a row Friday night as they beat the Utah Jazz (6 - 6) 102 - 93. It was a close game but Dallas' 35 - 17 second quarter gave them a big enough cushion to be able to maintain the lead for the whole second half. Utah was led by Gordon Hayward who finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Hayward shot a strong 8 - 14 from the field and 2 - 4 from deep. Derrick Favors had another big night for the Jazz with 18 points on 9 - 14 shooting, seven rebounds and two assists. Rudy Gobert was looking healthy in his third game back after being out with an ankle injury. Gobert tallied 12 rebounds and eight points in 35 minutes. Alec Burks did not shoot well, going 4 - 14 and 1 - 5 from deep, but went 6 - 6 from the free - throw line and finished with 15 points in 30 minutes off the bench. The Jazz as a team had a meagre 14 assists on 35 made field goals. Dirk Nowitzki had lots of help from his teammates but that did not stop him from putting in work of his own against the agile Utah big men on Friday night. Dirk finished with 19 points on efficient 8 - 12 shooting, including 3 - 3 from long range; he also had four rebounds, two assists and three blocks in 32 minutes. Deron Williams led the Mavs in scoring with 23 points, on 7 - 13 shooting, along with eight assists, six rebounds and three steals. Zaza Pachulia is still getting it done as he put up a formidable 15 points and 12 rebounds in 38 minutes for the Mavericks. Dirk and Zaza have to be one of the oldest starting front - courts in the league but that has not seemed to be a problem so far this season. Next up for Dallas is a visit to OKC on Sunday where they will look to prove their rank as one of the top dogs in the West. Meanwhile, Utah is going to catch OKC on the second night of a back to back as OKC visits on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 4 Number of team assists ,has 102 Losses ,has 35 Total points ,has 9 Points in 2nd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 14 Number of team assists ,has 6 Losses ,has 93 Total points ,has 17 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 22 Points in 4th quarter ,has 6 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Gordon Hayward') has 4 Assists, has 22 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Derrick Favors') has 2 Assists, has 18 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gobert') has 8 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Alec Burks') has 30 Minutes played, has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dirk Nowitzki') has 2 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 32 Minutes played, has 19 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals, has 1 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Zaza Pachulia') has 15 Points, has 12 Total rebounds, has 1 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Deron Williams') has 8 Assists, has 23 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals"]

The Oklahoma City Thunder earned a down - to - the - wire win over the San Antonio Spurs, 95 - 91, on Tuesday at AT & T Center, taking a 3 - 2 series lead in the Western Conference semifinals. Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook took control in Game 5, offering up late - game heroics to seal the deal and cap off a 35 - point, 11 - rebound, 9 - assist night. Westbrook was a major part of OKC's impressive effort on the boards, offering four of the Thunder's 15 offensive boards and contributing to the team's 54 - 36 overall rebounding advantage. Also impressing, per usual, was former MVP and superstar Kevin Durant, who offered 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Despite the key win and a big night for the dynamic duo, the Thunder struggled mightily with turnovers, coughing the ball up 20 times while forcing just seven turnovers on the defensive end. Regardless, the Thunder now have a chance to close out the series against the 67 - win Spurs in OKC in Game 6. For the Spurs, a more balanced approach built the team's offensive output, with three players scoring 20 points or more. All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard led the team with 26 points while also nabbing five steals on the defensive end. Sharpshooter Danny Green, meanwhile, busted out of a slump to deliver 20 points on an impressive 7 - for - 10 shooting. While the Spurs' young stars shined brightly, the veteran "big 3" of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker combined for just 17 points on 6 - of - 22 shooting from the field. The team also struggled to crash the glass, with no one reaching double - digit rebounding on the night. Game 6 will see the Thunder return to Chesapeake Energy Arena with a chance to close out the series at home.

["TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 3 Losses ,has 91 Total points ,has 36 Rebounds ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 2 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 54 Rebounds ,has 20 Turnovers ,has 3 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kevin Durant') has 5 Assists, has 23 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Russell Westbrook') has 9 Assists, has 4 Offensive rebounds, has 4 Personal fouls, has 35 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kawhi Leonard') has 26 Points, has 5 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tim Duncan') has 3 Free throws made, has 3 Personal fouls, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Danny Green') has 10 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tony Parker') has 3 Defensive rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Manu Ginobili') has 3 Points"]

The Detroit Pistons (27 - 44) topped the Toronto Raptors (42 - 29), 108 - 104, on Tuesday at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons exploded for 60 points in the first half to take a 12 point lead into the locker room. Toronto's Kyle Lowry gave it a go to start the game, but his back spasms flared back up and he was forced from the game. The Raptors went on a run and briefly took the lead in the fourth quarter until Reggie Jackson's free throws gave the Pistons the advantage. The Pistons and Raptors split the season series at two games apiece. Toronto made a game of it despite Lowry's injury, but could n't close it out for the win. Greivis Vasquez filled in a point guard with seven points and four assists and Louis Williams poured in 19 points off the bench. The Raptors have a big matchup Wednesday against the Bulls, who lead them by a half game for the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Detroit has now won three straight games to improve to 27 - 44 on the season. Reggie Jackson had another big game for the Pistons with 28 points, nine assists, and zero turnovers. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope continued his hot shooting stretch with 26 points, 15 of which came on three pointers. Greg Monroe sat out of this game but is reportedly nearing a return to the floor. The Pistons will return to action Friday against the Magic.

["TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 44 Losses ,has 108 Total points ,has 27 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 29 Losses ,has 104 Total points ,has 42 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Lou Williams') has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Greivis Vasquez') has 7 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kentavious Caldwell-Pope') has 26 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Reggie Jackson') has 9 Assists, has 28 Points"]

Paul George shot just 3 - of - 14 from the field, but the four other members of the starting five hitting double - digit scoring. Indiana also held the Magic to 40 percent shooting, including 26 percent from three - point range. C.J. Miles' 16 points led the way for the Pacers. Jeff Teague with a near double - double of 13 points and nine assists, while Thaddeus Young stepped up with 12 points. Myles Turner posted 11 of his own, and Glenn Robinson led the bench with 14 points and seven rebounds. Al Jefferson provided a full stat line of 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists in just 16 minutes. Serge Ibaka's 20 points led Orlando. Nicola Vucevic generated a 15 - point, 15 - rebound double - double. Evan Fournier and Elfrid Payton registered 12 and 11 points, respectively. D.J. Augustin's 10 points led the bench.

["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 40 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul George') has 14 Field goals attempted, has 3 Field goals made, has 5 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Thaddeus Young') has 11 Field goals attempted, has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Myles Turner') has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ Miles') has 16 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeff Teague') has 9 Assists, has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Al Jefferson') has 3 Assists, has 16 Minutes played, has 10 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Serge Ibaka') has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Vucevic') has 15 Points, has 15 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Evan Fournier') has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Elfrid Payton') has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'D.J. Augustin') has 10 Points"]

The Toronto Raptors (27 - 15) defeated the Boston Celtics (22 - 21) 115 - 109 in a game full of momentum swings Wednesday night. In a battle between two stout defenses, guarding your opponent became an optional aspect of this game. Not only did both teams shoot over 50 percent from the field, both squads nearly reached the century mark to start the fourth quarter. The two teams defensive natures took over after that though, as they combined for just 38 points in the final 12 minutes. It was truly a game of swings and that's evident by the box score. The Raptors won the first quarter 35 - 27 and the third quarter 40 - 28. The only reason the Celtics hung around is because they won the second quarter 35 - 21. Those are just bizarre scores from quarter - to - quarter and both coaches must've needed heavy doses of Ibuprofen after a game like this. The starting units are what made the difference for the Raptors, as they outscored the Celtics starting - five 90 - 62. This result is indicative of where this Celtics team is right now, as they are on the border of being a contender, but haven’t quite hurdled over that hump yet. Isaiah Thomas has been the teams best player this season and while he had the best night of any Boston player on Wednesday, he made two crucial turnovers late that ultimately helped the Raptors get their win. With that said, those were his only two turnovers on the night while recording a 21 - point 10 - assist double - double. The second - unit was spectacular for Boston tonight and single - handedly kept them in the game, as Kelly Olynyk, Marcus Smart and Evan Tuner all had at least six points, four rebounds and four assists in the defeat with Olynyk leading the group by dropping 18 points. This was still a good showing from this Boston team and they continue to battle elite teams in difficult environments. Up next for the Celtics is another tough task against the Chicago Bulls on Friday. Toronto has quietly been taking care of business over recent weeks and they now sit in the two - seed in the East at the midpoint of the year. Much of that has to be credited to DeMar DeRozan, who had yet another great game here. DeRozan finished with 34 points and six assists while hitting some daggers in the final minutes to cap off the win. Jonas Valanciunas also had an impressive outing, as he went 9 - for - 9 from the field to accumulate 19 points and 12 rebounds in the win. Luis Scola also put in an 18 - point, five - rebound line and he's been a darkhorse hero for this team all season. Toronto will look to keep the momentum going on Friday in their next game against the reeling Miami Heat.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 15 Losses ,has 115 Total points ,has 35 Points in 1st quarter ,has 21 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 40 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 27 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 21 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 27 Points in 1st quarter ,has 35 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 28 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 22 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Isaiah Thomas') has 10 Assists, has 21 Points, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Smart') has 4 Assists, has 6 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kelly Olynyk') has 4 Assists, has 18 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Luis Scola') has 18 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jonas Valanciunas') has 9 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 19 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMar DeRozan') has 6 Assists, has 34 Points"]

The Houston Rockets defeated the Utah Jazz, 111 - 102, on Saturday at Toyota Center. Despite the return of Patrick Beverly to the starting lineup, Eric Gordon is still finding ways to contribute. The veteran guard tallied a robust 37 minutes off the bench Saturday, parlaying them into a line of 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. The minutes were actually the second - highest of the season for Gordon, while his scoring total marked only his third time over the 20 - point mark on the campaign. He impressively drained half of his eight three - point attempts to share the team lead with James Harden, helping the Rockets (8 - 5) to their fourth home win in five tries. The Jazz (7 - 7) were led by a 25 - point outburst from Rodney Hood, his best scoring total since the opener. He also added four rebounds and three assists. Trey Lyles drew another start in place of Derrick Favors (knee), posting 21 points and five boards. Rudy Gobert put together a 12 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, four blocks and two steals. Dante Exum was in the first unit again in George Hill's (thumb) stead, supplying 10 points, a rebound and an assist. Harden paced the Rockets with a 31 - point, 10 - assist double - double, his ninth in the last 10 games. The Beard also provided three rebounds and two blocks. Clint Capela was next in line with 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists and a block, with his scoring total representing a season high. No other member of the starting five was able to tally double - digit scoring, but Nene Hilario joined Gordon in accomplishing the feat off the bench, registering 16 points, six boards and a steal. The Jazz continue on the road to Denver, where they'll take on the Nuggets on Sunday evening, while the Rockets head to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Monday night.

["TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 5 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 8 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 7 Losses ,has 102 Total points ,has 7 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Trey Lyles') has 21 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gobert') has 1 Assists, has 4 Blocks, has 12 Points, has 14 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rodney Hood') has 3 Assists, has 25 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dante Exum') has 1 Assists, has 10 Points, has 1 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Clint Capela') has 5 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 20 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Harden') has 10 Assists, has 10 3-pointers attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 31 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Eric Gordon') has 5 Defensive rebounds, has 8 3-pointers attempted, has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nene') has 5 Defensive rebounds, has 16 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals"]

Sacramento did start this game up 110, but it was all downhill from there. While things tightened up in the middle quarters, Utah outscored Sacramento 26 - 8 in the fourth to pull away and eventually win by 20. Defense was key once again, as they held the Kings to 39 percent shooting and outrebounded them, 54 - 34. DeMarcus Cousins was frustrated all night long by Rudy Gobert, as he finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds on 7 - of - 22 shooting. Rudy Gay was a lone bright spot for the Kings, tallying 20 points and five rebounds in the defeat. The aforementioned Rudy Gobert was a beast in this game, totaling 17 points, 14 rebounds and a season - high six blocks in the win. Gordon Hayward returned from a one - game absence to lead the team with 26 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 26 Points in 4th quarter ,has 54 Rebounds ." "TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 8 Points in 4th quarter ,has 34 Rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gay') has 20 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMarcus Cousins') has 22 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 16 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gordon Hayward') has 3 Assists, has 26 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gobert') has 6 Blocks, has 17 Points"]

Cleveland were expected to roll in this game and they looked like the far superior team, despite the close scoreline. The Cavaliers aggressiveness was key, as they attempted 43 free - throws to the Nets 19. In addition, Cleveland recorded 14 steals, winning the turnover battle, 19 - 12. LeBron James was the player of the game, accumulating 36 points, nine rebounds and six assists on 14 - of - 20 from the field. Kyrie Irving struggled with his shot, but finished second on the team with 32 points and four assists. Kevin Love totaled 17 points and 13 rebounds on his way to a double - double. Bojan Boganovic led the Nets in scoring, as he dropped 23 points and added four assists. Caris LeVert led the bench in scoring, accruing 19 points, four rebounds and five assists. Trevor Booker recorded another double - double, amassing 13 points and 12 rebounds in the defeat,

["TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 19 Number of team assists ,has 19 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 19 Number of team assists ,has 43 Percentage of field goals ,has 12 Points in 2nd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 6 Assists, has 20 Field goals attempted, has 14 Field goals made, has 36 Points, has 9 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kevin Love') has 17 Points, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 4 Assists, has 32 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Bojan Bogdanovic') has 4 Assists, has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Trevor Booker') has 13 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Caris LeVert') has 5 Assists, has 19 Points, has 4 Total rebounds"]

The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 107 - 85, at Spectrum Center on Wednesday. In a battle between two teams in the midst of losing streaks, the Hornets rode a huge fourth quarter en route to a 22 - point win. In fact, Charlotte won the fourth quarter, 28 - 13. The Hornets defense was huge, as they forced the Blazers to commit 15 turnovers and shoot just 35 percent from the field. They did that damage while dominating the assist ratio, with Charlotte recording 28 assists to Portland's 18. Despite the game being close throughout the first half, Charlotte led for the entirety of the second half. The Blazers (18 - 26) have now lost three - straight games, as their defense continues to let them down. Damian Lillard was a nice bright spot for Portland though, as he tallied 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists. C.J. McCollum was the only other Blazer in double figures, totaling 18 points, two rebounds and four steals. Evan Turner was the best player off the bench, providing eight points, nine rebounds and two assists. On deck for the Blazers is a road matchup against the revived Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. The Hornets (21 - 21) were back home after a nightmare five - game road trip, as they took care of business here to snap a five - game losing streak. Kemba Walker was the player of the game, as he accumulated 23 points, five assists and three steals. Nicolas Batum accrued 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, despite committing five turnovers. Roy Hibbert was a nice spark off the bench, dropping 16 points and six rebounds on 7 - of - 8 from the field. Frank Kaminsky and Marco Belinelli also scored in double figures off the bench, combining for 24 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals. The Hornets will host the Toronto Raptors on Friday for their next game

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 28 Number of team assists ,has 21 Percentage of field goals ,has 107 Losses ,has 28 Total points ,has 21 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 18 Number of team assists ,has 35 Percentage of field goals ,has 26 Losses ,has 85 Total points ,has 13 Points in 4th quarter ,has 15 Turnovers ,has 18 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ McCollum') has 18 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 4 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Damian Lillard') has 6 Assists, has 21 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Evan Turner') has 2 Assists, has 8 Points, has 9 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nicolas Batum') has 7 Assists, has 17 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 5 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kemba Walker') has 5 Assists, has 23 Points, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Roy Hibbert') has 8 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 16 Points, has 6 Total rebounds"]

The Los Angeles Clippers (39 - 20) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (17 - 43) 105 - 95 at Staples Center on Monday. The backcourt proved to be the difference maker for the Clippers, as Chris Paul, Jamal Crawford and JJ Reddick found themselves grooving in the second half. Crawford’s 26 points was good enough to lead all scorers in the contest, as Los Angeles found success through their three guard lineup, which paired remarkably well with Paul Pierce at power forward and DeAndre Jordan dominating the paint. Paul completed a double - double with 23 points and 12 assists, while JJ Reddick went 3 - of - 5 from behind the arc and totaled 19 points. The combination of the three guard system caused frequent mismatches and opened up Crawford to get hot through iso plays. When the iso - ball became stagnant, Jordan found himself with an open lane to the rim multiple times, leading to 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Brooklyn Nets competed with the Clippers through three quarters of play, and constantly frustrated their opponent behind the play of Brook Lopez. The fourth quarter proved to be dire for the Nets, as they failed to register a basket for the first half of that final period, opening the door for the Clippers to finally pull away. Lopez finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds and four assists on 9 - of - 17 shooting to lead Brooklyn in the overmatched contest. Three Nets starters matched Lopez in double figures (Donald Sloan, Wayne Ellington and Bojan Bogdanovich). Ellington left the game early after suffering what might be a possible concussion after colliding with Jordan. The Clippers host the Oklahoma City Thunder (42 - 18) on Thursday, while the Nets play the second game of a back - to - back and stay in Los Angeles to face the Lakers (11 - 49) on Tuesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 20 Losses ,has 105 Total points ,has 39 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 43 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 17 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Brook Lopez') has 4 Assists, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 25 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 3 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul Pierce') has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 3 Field goals made, has 3 Personal fouls" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeAndre Jordan') has 3 Personal fouls, has 10 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'JJ Redick') has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Chris Paul') has 12 Assists, has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jamal Crawford') has 3 3-pointers made, has 3 Free throws made, has 3 Turnovers"]

The visiting Washington Wizards took down the Los Angeles Lakers in a comeback win on Tuesday, 119 - 108. Washington (46 - 28) won its fourth straight game despite entering the fourth quarter with a double - digit deficit. The Wizards came back quickly, thanks in large part to strong play from star point guard John Wall. Wall continued his dominant season with 34 points, 14 assists, and four steals. Largely due to his offense, the Wizards were able to shoot over 51 percent from the field and scored 37 fourth - quarter points. The fourth quarter seemed to be the Wizards' territory on Tuesday, as they outscored LA 37 - 13 for the stunning comeback victory. Thanks to the win, Washington remains seated in third place in the Eastern Conference. Los Angeles (21 - 53) nearly pulled off a major upset but may be better off without it as they eye the upcoming draft lottery. The team simply fell apart late in the game, as their youthful lack of NBA experience began to show against one of the league's top teams. The star of the night for LA was sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell, who has had even more opportunity to flourish since the Lakers parted ways with sixth man Lou Williams at the trade deadline. Russell had a big night and showed the skill that made him the draft's second pick, scoring 28 points and dishing out a team - high nine assists. The Wizards will stay in LA and play the Clippers on Wednesday, while the Lakers will visit Minnesota on Thursday.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 53 Percentage of field goals ,has 108 Losses ,has 13 Total points ,has 21 Points in 4th quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 51 Percentage of field goals ,has 28 Losses ,has 119 Total points ,has 37 Points in 4th quarter ,has 46 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'John Wall') has 14 Assists, has 37 Minutes played, has 34 Points, has 4 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'D'Angelo Russell') has 9 Assists, has 28 Points"]

The Hornets entered intermission on the wrong side of a 53 - 46 score, but their 39 - point surge in the third quarter essentially put the game out of reach. The backcourt duo of Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum combined for 42 points on 14 - of - 29 shooting from the field, and Charlotte shot 49 percent overall from the field. Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky III also combined for 27 points in the absence of Roy Hibbert (knee). Richaun Holmes and Jahlil Okafor helped fill in for the resting Joel Embiid on Wednesday, combining for 23 points, although Philadelphia was nevertheless outrebounded by a 44 - 37 margin overall. Ersan Ilyasova provided a spark in his first game in a Sixers uniform with 14 points off the bench, but the visitors still managed just a 40 percent success rate from the field.

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 49 Percentage of field goals ,has 39 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 44 Rebounds ." "TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 37 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Ersan Ilyasova') has 14 Points"]

In Boston, Isaiah Thomas has been given the nickname "The King in the Fourth." On Monday, he showed why. The two - time All-Star scored 41, with 24 of those points coming in the fourth quarter. Thomas was a perfect 15 - of - 15 from the free - throw line and hit four three - pointers. The game marked Thomas's fourth career 40 - point game, all of which have come in the Celtics' last 21 outings. On top of the massive scoring output, Thomas dished a respectable eight assists. Also recording eight assists was bench guard Marcus Smart, who scored 13 but shot just 3 - of - 13 from the field. Veteran All-Star Al Horford scored 13 and added six rebounds and six assists, while forward Jae Crowder impressed with an efficient 21 points. For Detroit, star center Andre Drummond was dominant. Drummond led the Pistons with 28 points and pulled down a whopping 22 rebounds. Point guard Reggie Jackson, on the other hand, shot only 4 - of - 12 for 12 points and fouled out in 28 minutes.

["PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Drummond') has 28 Points, has 22 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Reggie Jackson') has 12 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 28 Minutes played, has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jae Crowder') has 21 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Al Horford') has 6 Assists, has 13 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Isaiah Thomas') has 8 Assists, has 4 3-pointers made, has 15 Free throws attempted, has 15 Free throws made" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Smart') has 8 Assists, has 13 Field goals attempted, has 3 Field goals made, has 13 Points"]

The Utah Jazz (22 - 35) defeated the Denver Nuggets (20 - 38) 104 - 82 on Friday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Jazz got off to a quick start Friday, out - scoring the Nuggets 28 - 17 in the first quarter, while eventually taking a 50 - 34 lead at half. Along with the strong start, the Jazz also shot much better, going 57 percent from the field and 43 percent from the three - point line, while the Nuggets finished at just 33 percent from the floor and a meager 25 percent from deep. Despite turning the ball over 23 times, the Jazz made up for it with a 43 - 36 rebounding advantage. Leading the way for the Jazz was Derrick Favors, who went 7 - for - 10 from the field and 7 - for - 8 from the free throw line to finish with a team - high of 21 points, while adding 10 rebounds and three blocked shots as well. The double - double marked his second over his last three games, a stretch where he's averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds. Coming off the bench, Trey Burke was a huge factor in the win, scoring 19 points (8 - 12 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt), to go along with four assists and four steals in 23 minutes. He continues to be a great source of points off the bench, averaging 17 points over last five games. Despite turning the ball over seven times, Gordon Hayward had a solid overall effort. In just 26 minutes, he recorded 15 points (5 - 12 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), five assists and two steals. He now boasts season averages of 20 ponts, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Also off the bench, Rodney Hood posted an efficient 14 points (5 - 8 FG, 3 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) in 19 minutes. Continuing his hot streak, Will Barton finished with a game - high of 22 points (8 - 15 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), to go along with two assists off the bench in 31 minutes. He's been a fantastic producer for the Nuggets ever since joing them through a trade at the deadline, as he's now averaging 15 points and three rebounds in the four games since coming over. He did n't reach double figures once in his time with the Trail Blazers, so it's great to see him have so much success with more of an opportunity. Another strong contribution from the bench came from Kenneth Faried, who posted 12 points (4 - 9 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and eight rebounds. He missed Wednesday's game with a thumb injury, so the Nuggets decided to bring him off the bench in his return. The only other Nugget to reach double figures in points was Danilo Gallinari. In 25 minutes as a starter, he finished with 13 points (5 - 15 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and two steals. The Jazz's next game will be at home against the Milwuakee Bucks on Saturday, while the Nuggets will be at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 25 Percentage of 3 points ,has 33 Percentage of field goals ,has 38 Losses ,has 82 Total points ,has 17 Points in 1st quarter ,has 36 Rebounds ,has 20 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 43 Percentage of 3 points ,has 57 Percentage of field goals ,has 35 Losses ,has 104 Total points ,has 28 Points in 1st quarter ,has 43 Rebounds ,has 22 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Gordon Hayward') has 5 Assists, has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 20 3-pointer percentage, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 5 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 26 Minutes played, has 15 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals, has 7 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Derrick Favors') has 3 Blocks, has 10 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 8 Free throws attempted, has 7 Free throws made, has 3 Offensive rebounds, has 21 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 3 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Trey Burke') has 4 Assists, has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 23 Minutes played, has 19 Points, has 4 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rodney Hood') has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 8 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 1 Free throws made, has 14 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Danilo Gallinari') has 8 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 1 Free throws made, has 13 Points, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kenneth Faried') has 9 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 4 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 12 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Will Barton') has 2 Assists, has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 5 Free throws made, has 31 Minutes played, has 22 Points"]

Made baskets were few and far between in Monday's Kings-Grizzlies game. For Sacramento, the team shot a respectable 46 percent from the field. However, the team shot the ball only 67 times due to lack of rebounding and struggles with turnovers. The Grizzlies were able to pull down 19 offensive rebounds on the night and held a 45 - 36 advantage on the glass in total. The Kings saw five players score in double digits in total, with Darren Collison posting a team - high 23 points to go along with seven assists. On the other end, Memphis point guard Mike Conley responded with 22 points and nine assists of his own. His teammates did not have the same luck, however, as the Grizzlies shot just 34 percent from the field and 19 percent from beyond the arc on the night.

["TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 46 Percentage of 3 points ,has 23 Percentage of field goals ,has 23 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 36 Points in 3rd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 19 Percentage of 3 points ,has 34 Percentage of field goals ,has 22 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 19 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 22 Points in 4th quarter ,has 45 Rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Mike Conley') has 9 Assists, has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Darren Collison') has 7 Assists, has 23 Points"]

The Portland Trail Blazers (37 - 19) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (34 - 23) 111 - 95 on Wednesday at the Moda Center in Portland. The Trail Blazers came out firing in this one, out - scoring the Spurs 32 - 16 right away in the first quarter. After the Spurs came all the way back to within one point going into halftime, the Trail Blazers took over in the second, out - scoring the Spurs 60 - 45 to finish the game. The Trail Blazers went 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three - point line, while the Spurs went just 44 percent from the field and 38 percent from deep. This loss marked the Spurs fourth in a row. For the Trail Blazers, Wesley Matthews was dialed in, going 11 - for - 18 from the field and 4 - for - 10 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 31 points, while also adding five rebounds and three steals. After missing all of his shots (0 - 7 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt) during Sunday's game against the Grizzlies, it was a night and day difference for the guard. Damian Lillard also did his part in the win, finishing with 18 points (7 - 15 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), seven rebounds and five assists. His scoring has dipped lately, scoring under his average in four straight games, but it did n't matter Wednesday, as the Blazers still secured the win. Nicolas Batum was also firing on all cylinders. He scored 15 points (6 - 8 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt), to go along with nine assists and two steals. He's been on a roll over his last two games, shooting a combined 13 - for - 21 from the field and 6 - for - 12 from deep to score 32 points. LaMarcus Aldridge added a double - double with 11 points (5 - 19 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and 13 rebounds. The Spurs got most of their production from both Danny Green and Tim Duncan. Green finished with 17 points (4 - 9 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and five rebounds, marking his first time in double figures over his last four games. Duncan, on the other hand, went 9 - for - 12 from the field to post a team - high of 20 points, while also adding eight rebounds. He's combined for 34 points and 18 rebounds over his last two games. Kawhi Leonard did n't shoot the best, but still recorded 14 points (5 - 13 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), eight rebounds and four steals. He's now averaging 15 points and 7 rebounds on the season. Tony Parker really struggled to get it going as well, shooting just 1 - of - 8 from the field for two points. The Trail Blazers' next game will be at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, while the Spurs will travel to Sacramento to play the Kings on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 50 Percentage of 3 points ,has 51 Percentage of field goals ,has 19 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 32 Points in 1st quarter ,has 37 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 38 Percentage of 3 points ,has 44 Percentage of field goals ,has 23 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 16 Points in 1st quarter ,has 34 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kawhi Leonard') has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 13 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 3 Free throws attempted, has 3 Free throws made, has 14 Points, has 8 Total rebounds, has 4 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tim Duncan') has 2 Assists, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 2 Free throws made, has 20 Points, has 8 Total rebounds, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Danny Green') has 7 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 9 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 6 Free throws made, has 17 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tony Parker') has 8 Field goals attempted, has 1 Field goals made, has 2 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nicolas Batum') has 9 Assists, has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 8 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 15 Points, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 1 3-pointers attempted, has 0 3-pointers made, has 19 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 1 Free throws made, has 11 Points, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Wesley Matthews') has 10 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 18 Field goals attempted, has 11 Field goals made, has 31 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Damian Lillard') has 5 Assists, has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 1 Free throws attempted, has 1 Free throws made, has 18 Points, has 7 Total rebounds"]

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 106 - 96 at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Saturday. In a battle between two defensive - minded teams, the Milwaukee offense played as well as they have all season. The Bucks actually shot 53 percent from the field and held the Grizzlies to just 45 percent on their end. Three-point shooting killed Memphis, as they went 6 - of - 30, while Milwaukee went 7 - of - 19. The Bucks dominated the points in the paint as well, scoring 50 to the Grizzlies' 38. Milwaukee actually led for the majority of this game, with Memphis never leading by more than one point. Memphis (4 - 5) have now lost three of four and one has to wonder if they have enough offense to make the playoffs. Marc Gasol ran the offense tonight through the post, as he tallied 18 points, five rebounds and six assists. Vince Carter was second on the team, as he scored a season - high 17 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting. Mike Conley finished the game with 15 points, five rebounds and three assists. Zach Randolph and Chandler Parsons were the only other Grizzlies in double figures, as they scored 12 a piece. Memphis will look to bounce back on Monday when they travel to Salt Lake City to play the Utah Jazz. Milwaukee (5 - 4) is quietly playing some great ball and it's the shoulders of Giannis Antetokounmpo whose carrying them there. Antetokounmpo stuffed the stat sheet in this win, accumulating 27 points, six rebounds, five assists, four steals and four blocks. Jabari Parker was the only other starter in double figures, amassing 16 points and four rebounds of his own. Michael Beasley had his best game in a Bucks uniform, scoring 19 points off the bench on 6 - of - 8 shooting. Milwaukee will look to remain above .500, as they travel to play the Atlanta Hawks for their next game on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 53 Percentage of field goals ,has 4 Losses ,has 106 Total points ,has 5 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 45 Percentage of field goals ,has 5 Losses ,has 96 Total points ,has 4 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Chandler Parsons') has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marc Gasol') has 6 Assists, has 18 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mike Conley') has 3 Assists, has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Vince Carter') has 11 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Zach Randolph') has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 5 Assists, has 4 Blocks, has 27 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 4 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jabari Parker') has 8 Free throws attempted, has 6 Free throws made, has 16 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Michael Beasley') has 8 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 19 Points"]

The visiting Orlando Magic took down the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, 115 - 109. Orlando (17 - 24) got off to a hot start in Portland, establishing a double - digit lead by the end of the first quarter. Center Nikola Vucevic helped power the Magic's stellar offense, scoring a team - high 30 points to go with 10 rebounds. It was an excellent night for the Magic on the offensive end, as the team shot over 49 percent from the field and 55 percent from beyond the arc. Five players scored in double digits, including two off the bench. Power forward Serge Ibaka added his own double - double, scoring 13 along with 10 rebounds. Portland (18 - 24) managed to take care of the ball effectively and force turnovers, but struggled when shooting the ball. The team hit just 40 percent of its shots and 29 percent of its three - pointers. Star Damian Lillard returned to peak form on Friday with 34 points and eight rebounds. Guard C.J. McCollum added a stellar 26 points. However, the rest of Portland's starting five struggled particularly badly on the offensive end, going a combined 8 - of - 26 from the field. The Magic will see Utah on Saturday, while the Trail Blazers will visit Washington on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 24 Percentage of field goals ,has 109 Losses ,has 18 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 49 Percentage of field goals ,has 24 Losses ,has 115 Total points ,has 17 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Serge Ibaka') has 13 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Vucevic') has 30 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ McCollum') has 26 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Damian Lillard') has 34 Points, has 8 Total rebounds"]

The Charlotte Hornets (12 - 24) defeated the Boston Celtics (11 - 21) 104 - 95 on Monday at the TD Garden in Boston. Behind a strong first half where the Hornets out - scored the Celtics 50 - 36, Charlotte was then able to coast to the victory in the second half as they shot a superior 49 percent from the field, while Boston shot just 40 percent from the floor. The Hornets were also able to out - rebound the Celtics by a wide margin of 48 - 33, despite turning the ball over 16 times. The Hornets were led by starting point guard Kemba Walker. Walker went 12 - for - 26 from the floor and 2 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 33 points, while also adding five assists. It was his second 30 - point outing in a row for the team, as he's now combined for 63 points over his last two games. The Hornets also received a solid contribution from Cody Zeller who went a perfect 8 - for - 8 from the field and 4 - for - 4 from the free throw line to finish with 20 points and seven rebounds. It was a season - high in points for Zeller and a surprising performance, as he's averaging just 8 points per game thus far in the season. Gerald Henderson came just shy of a double - double, recording 13 points (4 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and eight assists. The only other Hornet to reach double - digit points was Marvin Williams, who came off the bench for 10 points of his own. Jared Sullinger was the only member of the Celtics starting rotation to really get something going in this game. He went 8 - for - 16 from the field and 6 - for - 6 from the free throw line to score 22 points, while also chipping in eight rebounds. It was one point shy of a season - high for him, as he's now put together a very strong string of games over the last two weeks. The majority of the rest of the Celtics production came from the bench. Jae Crowder played 25 minutes and was able to record 13 points (5 - 10 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), while James Young recorded an efficient 13 points (5 - 7 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt) of his own, playing in only 17 minutes. Rookie Marcus Smart had nine points and four assists off the bench in 20 minutes as well. The Hornets' next game will be at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, while the Celtics will travel to Brooklyn to play the Nets on Wednesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 40 Percentage of field goals ,has 21 Losses ,has 95 Total points ,has 16 Points in 1st quarter ,has 33 Rebounds ,has 11 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 49 Percentage of field goals ,has 24 Losses ,has 104 Total points ,has 48 Points in 1st quarter ,has 12 Rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Cody Zeller') has 8 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 4 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 20 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gerald Henderson') has 8 Assists, has 1 3-pointers attempted, has 0 3-pointers made, has 9 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 5 Free throws made, has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kemba Walker') has 5 Assists, has 7 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 26 Field goals attempted, has 12 Field goals made, has 2 Personal fouls, has 33 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marvin Williams') has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jared Sullinger') has 16 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 6 Free throws made, has 22 Points, has 8 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcus Smart') has 4 Assists, has 9 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jae Crowder') has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 10 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 1 Free throws made, has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Young') has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 7 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 13 Points"]

The Kings shot eclipsed 40 percent from both the field and three - point range in a see - saw battle that came down to Terrence Ross' last - second three - pointer being waved off after further review on instant replay. Rudy Gay's 23 points led Sacramento, which partly consisted of an outstanding 9 - of - 13 shooting tally. DeMarcus Cousins was right behind him with a 19 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Darren Collison posted 15 points and nine assists while drawing a start, and Arron Afflalo paced the reserves with 14 points over 20 minutes. The Raptors were led by Kyle Lowry's 25 points, while Jonas Valanciunas was right behind him with a 23 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. DeMarre Carroll also furnished 17 points, his best scoring total of the season. The trio's production overcame a season - low 12 points from DeMar DeRozan, stemming from his 3 - of - 15 shooting tally.

["PlayerStat(G, 'DeMarre Carroll') has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jonas Valanciunas') has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMar DeRozan') has 15 Field goals attempted, has 3 Field goals made, has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Lowry') has 25 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Terrence Ross') has 40 Field goal percentage" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gay') has 13 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMarcus Cousins') has 19 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Darren Collison') has 9 Assists, has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Arron Afflalo') has 20 Minutes played, has 14 Points"]

LaMarcus Aldridge bounced back from a 4 - of - 12 shooting night Friday to lead the Spurs with 24 points, seven rebounds and a steal. His performance spearheaded a 53 percent tally from the field for San Antonio. Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard combined for another 39 points. Pau Gasol got some redemption as well, supplying eight points, 10 rebounds, two assists and a steal after going scoreless over 17 minutes against the Celtics on Friday. Jonathan Simmons and Patty Mills contributed from the bench, combining for 28 points on 9 - of - 13 shooting, including 4 - of - 7 from beyond the arc. The dynamic duo of Bradley Beal and John Wall had nearly half the Wizards' scoring total with a combined 46 points. Otto Porter, Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat combined for another 36, with the latter also hauling in 10 boards.

["TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 53 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 53 Field goal percentage, has 24 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Pau Gasol') has 2 Assists, has 8 Points, has 10 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Patty Mills') has 7 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcin Gortat') has 10 Total rebounds"]

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the host Orlando Magic, 116 - 104, at Amway Center on Saturday evening. The Magic (24 - 43) started out strong and owned a one - point advantage after the first quarter. However, LeBron James and the Cavs (43 - 21) were not about to drop their fourth straight, as they came back strong in the second, to take a 59 - 51 lead into half time. The teams tied the third quarter, before the Cavs pulled further away in the fourth. LeBron James notched a triple - double, as he led the way for the Cavs with 24 points on 8 - of - 14 shooting, 13 assists and 12 rebounds, in 38 minutes. Six other players scored in double digits in Cleveland's well - rounded attack, including Kyrie Irving, who poured in 22 points and Iman Shumpert, with 15 points. Channing Frye, Deron Williams and J.R. Smith all scored in double figures off the bench. The Cavs needed this win to end their three - game losing streak. They will look to begin a winning streak, as they face the second game of a back - to - back, in Houston on Sunday. Meanwhile, Nikola Vucevic led the way for the Magic, with 20 points on 9 - of - 20 shooting, to go along with 16 rebounds, in 28 minutes, in his first game back after missing four games due to injury. Aaron Gordon chipped in 16 points and Evan Fournier added 15 points, while Terrence Ross was the only other player to score in double digits, as he added 10. This is the Magic's second straight loss. They will look to bounce back, when they visit Sacramento to take on the Kings on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Magic') has 43 Losses ,has 104 Total points ,has 24 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 116 Losses ." "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 14 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 38 Minutes played, has 24 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Iman Shumpert') has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Aaron Gordon') has 16 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Vucevic') has 4 Free throws attempted, has 28 Minutes played, has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Evan Fournier') has 10 Field goals attempted, has 15 Points"]

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the host Los Angeles Lakers, 116 - 107, at Staples Center on Friday night. With this win the Spurs (10 - 3) move to 70 on the road this season. It also marks coach Gregg Popovic's 1099th career win, moving him to seventh on the all - time wins list for coaches. It was tied at 52 after two quarters but the Spurs came out of halftime with a 39 - point third quarter to pull ahead by 15 heading into the fourth. The Lakers (7 - 6) battled back late, coming within four points at 109 - 105 with 1:23 to go, but the Spurs were able to close it out. Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs with 23 points, 12 rebounds and tied a career - high with seven assists. LaMarcus Aldridge also tallied 23 points, and added six rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists, in 36 minutes. The veterans Tony Parker and Pau Gasol chipped in 16 points each, while Manu Ginobili shot 4 - of - 6 for 10 points in 21 minutes off the bench. The Spurs shot a steaming 56 percent from the field, including 42 percent from distance and tallied 30 assists in the game. The Spurs go on to host the Mavericks on Monday. The Lakers had 57 bench points, as Lou Williams led the way in scoring with 24 points on 9 - of - 13 shooting, along with three rebounds, three assists and two steals, in 27 minutes off the bench, while Jordan Clarkson added another 20, in 31 minutes. Nick Young tallied 22 points in 28 minutes on 7 - of - 12 shooting, including 4 - of - 7 from long range. This was only the Lakers' second home loss of the season. Next up they host the Bulls on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 6 Number of team assists ,has 107 Percentage of 3 points ,has 24 Percentage of field goals ,has 7 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Spurs') has 30 Number of team assists ,has 42 Percentage of 3 points ,has 56 Percentage of field goals ,has 3 Losses ,has 116 Total points ,has 39 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 10 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kawhi Leonard') has 7 Assists, has 23 Points, has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 2 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 36 Minutes played, has 23 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Pau Gasol') has 16 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tony Parker') has 10 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 16 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Manu Ginobili') has 6 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 21 Minutes played, has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nick Young') has 7 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 28 Minutes played, has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Lou Williams') has 3 Assists, has 13 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 27 Minutes played, has 24 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jordan Clarkson') has 3 Assists, has 31 Minutes played, has 20 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals"]

The visiting Utah Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, 102 - 100. Utah (19 - 13) snapped a three - game losing streak with Tuesday's win. The Jazz remain among the NBA's most injury - depleted teams, as guards George Hill, Dante Exum, and Alec Burks were all sidelined for Tuesday's contest. Forward Derrick Favors, meanwhile, is on a minutes restriction after recently returning from a knee injury. None of those absences kept Utah from emerging victorious on Tuesday, however. The Jazz shot over 50 percent from the field and hit nine three - pointers. Star forward Gordon Hayward scored 31 points and pulled down nine rebounds en route to the win. Center Rudy Gobert, meanwhile, had a team - high 11 rebounds as well as two blocks. The Lakers (12 - 23) have had injury issues of their own, but were close to full health on Tuesday. Los Angeles has seen a monumental slide since beginning the season in the hunt for a playoff seed, as the team is now 2 - 9 in its last 11 games. On Tuesday, offense came largely from two players: forward Julius Randle and sixth man Lou Williams. Randle scored a team - high 25 along with 12 rebounds. Williams, meanwhile, continued his impressive season with 22 points off the bench. The Jazz will host the 76ers on Thursday, while the Lakers will host the Mavericks.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 23 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 12 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 13 Losses ,has 102 Total points ,has 19 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Gordon Hayward') has 31 Points, has 9 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gobert') has 2 Blocks, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Julius Randle') has 2 Personal fouls, has 25 Points, has 12 Total rebounds, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Lou Williams') has 2 Defensive rebounds, has 2 3-pointers made, has 2 Personal fouls, has 22 Points, has 2 Total rebounds"]

The Cleveland Cavaliers (17 - 10) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 22) 125 - 104 on Tuesday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. The Cavaliers used a dominant second half, out - scoring the Timberwovles 61 - 48, to coast to an easy 21 - point victory at home in front of their home fans. Cleveland finished the game shooting 52 percent from the field and an impressive 50 percent from the three - point line, while the Timberwovles shot 44 percent from the field and only 31 percent from beyond the arc. Kyrie Irving led the team, going 12 - for - 19 from the floor and 2 - for - 4 from deep to score a game - high of 29 points. While he was able to have success with his shot, he did turn the ball over a season - high of six times, so it was n't all good for the point guard. LeBron James also had a big impact. He finished with 24 points, (8 - 16 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) four rebounds and three blocks. He's now averaging 25 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds on the year. Kevin Love was able to record a double - double, as he finished with 20 points (5 - 11 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt) and 10 rebounds. He got most of his offensive production from the free throw line, as he finished 9 - of - 11 from the line. Also, coming off the bench, Dion Waiters finished with 19 points and four assists. The Timberwolves received most of their production from their starters, as the bench was n't much of an impact in this one. Andrew Wiggins had arguably his best offensive outing of the year, going 9 - for - 16 from the field and 3 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 27 points. He was able to get to the free throw line eight times as well, converting on six of those attempts. Starting center Gorgui Dieng gave Wiggins the most help, as he recorded 20 points (6 - 10 FG, 8 - 8 FT) and 11 rebounds. It was his fifth double - double of the season. Shabazz Muhammad continued to play well, as he finished with 18 points (7 - 17 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and six rebounds, while Thaddeus Young scored 13 points (6 - 18 FG, 1 - 2 FT) and had six rebounds of his own. The Cavaliers' next game will on the road against the Miami Heat on Thursday, while the Timberwolves will travel to Denver to play the Nuggets on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 50 Percentage of 3 points ,has 52 Percentage of field goals ,has 10 Losses ,has 125 Total points ,has 17 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 22 Percentage of 3 points ,has 104 Percentage of field goals ,has 5 Losses ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Shabazz Muhammad') has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 0 3-pointers made, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 18 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Thaddeus Young') has 18 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 1 Free throws made, has 13 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gorgui Dieng') has 10 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 8 Free throws attempted, has 8 Free throws made, has 20 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andrew Wiggins') has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 8 Free throws attempted, has 6 Free throws made, has 27 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 3 Blocks, has 7 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 5 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 24 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kevin Love') has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 11 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 11 Free throws attempted, has 9 Free throws made, has 20 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 19 Field goals attempted, has 12 Field goals made, has 29 Points, has 6 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dion Waiters') has 4 Assists, has 19 Points"]

The Indiana Pacers (35 - 30) dealt another blow to the struggling Dallas Mavericks (33 - 33) on Saturday afternoon, winning 112 - 105. All five Pacers starters scored in double - digits on Saturday in what was a well - rounded win for the Central Division squad. The team shot 47 percent from the field and doled out 24 assists as a team, earning a narrow win with solid team play. Star forward Paul George led the way with 20 points, notching a double - double as he also pulled down 10 rebounds. George also dished out six assists, making up for a bit of a shooting lapse as he went just 6 - for - 16 from the field. Rookie Myles Turner also turned heads with 15 points and seven rebounds in just 19 minutes played. Dallas has now lost five straight games, and will have to jockey for position in the Western Conference playoff race. Aging veteran Dirk Nowitzki was almost able to snap the streak on Saturday, shooting 10 - for - 16 for a game - high 30 points. Dallas's team play was prominent, as the team dished out 30 dimes on the whole. It was also a strong shooting day for the team, hitting 48 percent of shots from the field. The Pacers will visit Atlanta on Sunday, while the Mavs will square off against the Hornets on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Mavericks') has 30 Number of team assists ,has 33 Losses ,has 105 Total points ,has 30 Points in 4th quarter ,has 33 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 30 Number of team assists ,has 112 Losses ,has 35 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul George') has 6 Assists, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 20 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Myles Turner') has 19 Minutes played, has 15 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dirk Nowitzki') has 16 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 30 Points"]

The Charlotte Hornets' (17 - 19) struggles continued Saturday, as they lost 97 - 83 to the Los Angeles Clippers (24 - 13). The Clippers, still without star Blake Griffin (quad), have had no problem keeping up, and are now winners of eight straight. In Griffin's absence, superstar point guard Chris Paul has elevated his play. Paul posted 25 points to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists in the win over Charlotte. The All-NBA and All-Defense guard was an issue for Charlotte on both ends, not only leading the Clippers in scoring but also holding opposing point guard Kemba Walker to just 4 - for - 16 from the floor. Charlotte big man Al Jefferson (meniscus) sat the contest out, allowing LA center DeAndre Jordan to have full control of the glass. Jordan posted a game - high 19 rebounds as well as two steals and four blocks. Charlotte, meanwhile, has fallen out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture after starting hot at 10 - 5. Charlotte has now lost nine of their last eleven, and in the absence of star center Al Jefferson, these problems could persist. Backup guard Jeremy Lin, however was a bright spot for the Hornets. Lin exploded for 26 points, four rebounds, and four assists. The strong effort was not enough, however, to trump the surging Clippers. Charlotte's luck could take a turn for the better on Sunday, as they take on the struggling Nuggets. The Clippers seem poised to have their hot streak continue as their next game matches them against the underperforming Pelicans on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 13 Losses ,has 97 Total points ,has 24 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 19 Losses ,has 83 Total points ,has 17 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeremy Lin') has 4 Assists, has 26 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kemba Walker') has 16 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeAndre Jordan') has 4 Blocks, has 19 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Chris Paul') has 7 Assists, has 25 Points, has 7 Total rebounds"]

The Atlanta Hawks (1 - 1) defeated the New York Knicks (1 - 1) by a score of 112 - 101 on Thursday. The Knicks had a pleasantly surprising opening night offensive outburst, tallying 122 points and doing so on a poor shooting night from star Carmelo Anthony. The All-Star small forward regained his stroke Thursday, albeit in defeat, pouring in 25 points, despite still struggling somewhat from the field on 10 - for - 27 shooting. The Hawks capitalized on strong scoring nights from stalwarts Jeff Teague and Al Horford, and a gritty double - double effort from Paul Millsap at power forward. Millsap hauled in 11 boards to go along with his 11 points, which were not easy to come by on a night where his accuracy from the field was subpar. Small forward Kent Bazemore tallied his first five points of the season after going scoreless in the opener, and pitched in five assists. Dennis Schroder provided his usual infusion of offense off the bench, totaling 13 points in just over 18 minutes on the court. The Hawks evened their record at 1 - 1 and currently reside in second place in the Eastern Conference’s Southeastern Division. Atlanta heads home to face off against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. In addition to Anthony’s 25 - point night, the Knicks benefited from offensive contributions on the part of free agent signee Robin Lopez, who chipped in 18 points on 8 - of - 11 shooting while often matched up against one of the tougher defensive centers in the NBA in Al Horford. Rookie Kristaps Porzingis followed up a strong 16 - point, five - rebound opener with a respectable 10 points, eight boards, and three steals. However, with starters Jose Calderon and Sasha Vujacic only scoring in single digits and Anthony struggling with his shot early, the Knicks fell into a 61 - 45 hole by halftime that they never recovered from.The Knicks fall to 1 - 1 and second place in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division. They head to Washington for a date with the Wizards on Saturday.

["TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 1 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 25 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 1 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 1 Losses ,has 112 Total points ,has 1 Points in 2nd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Kent Bazemore') has 5 Assists, has 5 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul Millsap') has 5 Assists, has 11 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Al Horford') has 1 Assists, has 1 Free throws made" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dennis Schroder') has 18 Minutes played, has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Carmelo Anthony') has 27 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 25 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kristaps Porzingis') has 10 Points, has 8 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Robin Lopez') has 1 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 11 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 18 Points"]

The Miami Heat (15 - 20) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (16 - 17) 88 - 84 on Sunday at American Airlines Arena in Miami. The Heat came out hot in this game, out - scoring the Nets 30 - 21 in the first quarter. The Nets continued to claw back throughout the whole game, but in the end the Heat were able to hold them off and secure the victory in front of their home crowd. The Heat shot 46 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three - point line, while the Nets finished at 40 percent from the floor and only 29 percent from beyond the arc. The Heat were again led by their dynamic duo of Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Bosh had a fantastic night shooting, going 10 - for - 16 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to finish with 26 points and five rebounds. He's now pushed his season averages to 21 points and 8 rebounds per game. Wade on the other hand recorded 25 points (9 - 20 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 7 - 9 FT), six rebounds, and seven assists, doing a little bit of everything for the Heat in this one. He's now had 25 points or more in four out of his last six games. The Nets just did n't have a defensive answer to keep the pair in check. In a surprise performance off the bench, Hassan Whiteside went 5 - for - 7 from the field to score 11 points, while also notching 10 rebounds, giving him his first double - double of the season. He's now reached double - digit points in two straight games, after failing to do that all season long. The Nets received their biggest contribution from Joe Johnson, who went 8 - for - 22 from the field and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 19 points. With Deron Williams and Brook Lopez continuing to come off the bench in limited minutes, Johnson has taken it on himself to get off the bulk of the shots for this team. Williams played 26 minutes off the bench in this one, finishing with 13 points, six rebounds and eight assists. He came quite near a triple - double, as he was very efficient in his limited time on the court. Lopez notched 25 minutes of his own, going 6 - for - 11 from the field to score 16 points, while also adding seven rebounds. He's combined for 32 points and 15 rebounds over the last two outings, despite not playing his normal amount of minutes. Mirza Teletovic also was able to reach double figures in points with 14 (5 - 15 FG, 4 - 11 3Pt, 0 - 2) off the bench. The Heat's next game will be on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, while the Nets will be at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 36 Percentage of 3 points ,has 46 Percentage of field goals ,has 20 Losses ,has 88 Total points ,has 30 Points in 1st quarter ,has 15 Points in 2nd quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 29 Percentage of 3 points ,has 40 Percentage of field goals ,has 17 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 21 Points in 1st quarter ,has 19 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 19 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 16 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Joe Johnson') has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 22 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mirza Teletovic') has 11 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 14 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Brook Lopez') has 11 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 25 Minutes played, has 16 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Deron Williams') has 8 Assists, has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 2 Free throws made, has 26 Minutes played, has 2 Personal fouls, has 13 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Chris Bosh') has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 26 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwyane Wade') has 7 Assists, has 4 Defensive rebounds, has 1 3-pointers attempted, has 0 3-pointers made, has 20 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 9 Free throws attempted, has 7 Free throws made, has 25 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Hassan Whiteside') has 7 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 11 Points, has 10 Total rebounds"]

The Cleveland Cavaliers (45 - 18) defeated the Sacramento Kings (25 - 38) 120 - 111 at Sleep Train Arena on Wednesday. Cleveland only went nine players deep on the road, but the starters had no trouble in the scoring department, as all five put up double figures. Led by Kyrie Irving’s 30 points, including back - to - back threes just before the end of the half to cut the Kings lead, the point guard shot 11 - of - 22 from the field alongside one rebound and four assists. LeBron James pitched in 25 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, while Kevin Love contributed a double - double, as he scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. The double - double party continued with Tristan Thompson’s 18 points and 15 rebounds, and the box score reflected the rebounding domination that the Cavaliers put on the Kings, especially on the offensive end, where Cleveland grabbed 15 offensive boards compared the the lowly five rebounds Sacramento was able to pull down. Sacramento was efficient in their shooting and found their spots throughout the contest, and although they brought the game within one point of tying the game midway through the fourth quarter, the Cavs kept pulling out scoring runs on the back of the aforementioned offensive rebounds. DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings, as the all - star and fourth leading points scorer in the league finished with 29 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals on 8 - of - 22 shooting. Rajon Rondo finished with half of his league leading assist numbers, as the crafty point guard scored 11 points and dished out six assists, while Rudy Gay was routinely on the receiving end of those dimes. Gay contributed 19 points on 13 shots, as the Kings shot just under 48 percent from the field as unit. Unlike the Cavs, the Kings went to their bench for depth, but only received quality minutes from Omri Casspi, who pitched in 13 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting in 23 minutes. The Cavaliers will play their second game of a back - to - back on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers (14 - 51) on Thursday, while the Kings will host the Orlando Magic (27 - 36) on Friday.

["TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 48 Percentage of field goals ,has 38 Losses ,has 111 Total points ,has 25 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 18 Percentage of field goals ,has 120 Losses ,has 45 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 6 Assists, has 25 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kevin Love') has 17 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tristan Thompson') has 18 Points, has 15 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 4 Assists, has 22 Field goals attempted, has 11 Field goals made, has 30 Points, has 1 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gay') has 13 Field goals attempted, has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMarcus Cousins') has 2 Assists, has 22 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 29 Points, has 11 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rajon Rondo') has 6 Assists, has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Omri Casspi') has 9 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 23 Minutes played, has 13 Points"]

The Washington Wizards defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 120 - 98, at Verizon Center on Monday evening. The Wizards (33 - 21) knew they'd have to hit on all cylinders to insure that they could keep pace with Russell Westbrook and company, and they managed to do that and then some Monday. Washington posted outstanding 58 - and - 62 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, while seeing six players tally double - digit scoring. Meanwhile, they did a superb defensive job on Westbrook, limiting him to a modest 17 points on 5 - of - 19 shooting, and the Thunder (31 - 25) to 35 percent shooting overall, including one stretch of 24 consecutive missed shots. Westbrook played just 24 minutes, as he sat for good in the third quarter. Westbrook added four rebounds, four assists and two steals to his scoring total. Joffrey Lauvergne matched Westbrook's scoring total while leading the bench and added six rebounds and four assists. Cameron Payne provided 12 points, three boards, two assists and two steals as a reserve. Steven Adams posted nine points and hauled in 11 rebounds, while also recording one block and one steal. Domantas Sabonis tallied six points, seven rebounds, one assist and one block. Jerian Grant and Alex Abrines posted matching eight - point efforts off the bench as well. Markieff Morris paced Washington with 23 points, six rebounds, one assist and two steals. Bradley Beal posted 22 points and three assists. Otto Porter, Jr. managed an 18 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included two blocks. John Wall turned in a spectacular 15 - point, 14 - assist double - double that also included five rebounds, two blocks and one steal. Marcin Gortat totaled 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and three blocks. Trey Burke led the bench with 11 points, four rebounds and four assists. The Thunder heads back home to tangle with the New York Knicks on Wednesday, while the Wizards travel to Indiana to tangle with the Pacers on Thursday evening.

["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 21 Percentage of field goals ,has 120 Losses ,has 33 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Thunder') has 35 Percentage of field goals ,has 25 Losses ,has 98 Total points ,has 31 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Domantas Sabonis') has 1 Assists, has 6 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Steven Adams') has 1 Blocks, has 9 Points, has 11 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Russell Westbrook') has 4 Assists, has 19 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 24 Minutes played, has 17 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Joffrey Lauvergne') has 4 Assists, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Cameron Payne') has 2 Assists, has 12 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Alex Abrines') has 8 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Markieff Morris') has 1 Assists, has 23 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcin Gortat') has 2 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 12 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Bradley Beal') has 3 Assists, has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'John Wall') has 14 Assists, has 2 Blocks, has 15 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Trey Burke') has 4 Assists, has 11 Points, has 4 Total rebounds"]

The New Orleans Pelicans (39 - 34) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (16 - 57), 110 - 88, on Sunday at the Smoothie King Center. New Orleans needed to take advantage of Sunday's favorable matchup in order to keep its playoff hopes alive, and that's exactly what it did. The short - handed Timberwolves simply did n't have enough talent available to hang with the Pelicans. Anthony Davis turned in another strong outing with 28 points, nine rebounds, and five assists over 37 minutes. The Pelicans are now two games behind the Thunder for the final playoff spot in the West. Minnesota was already missing Kevin Martin, Kevin Garnett, Nikola Pekovic, and Ricky Rubio for this game, and things got worse when Gorgui Dieng had to leave the game with a facial contusion. Dieng was held scoreless in nine minutes before exiting the contest. Robbie Hummel returned from a 29 - game absence due to a broken hand and finished with six points in 18 minutes off the bench. The Timberwolves will look to end their three game losing streak Monday when they host the Jazz. New Orleans took care of business Sunday, but a tough stretch awaits it starting Saturday. The Pelicans will start a three game road trip Wednesday against the Lakers and will then take on the Kings on Friday. From there, the Pelicans play the Trail Blazers, Warriors, Grizzlies, and Suns in a crucial stretch. Sunday's game was a solid all - around effort by the Pelicans, who shot 57 percent from the floor and will look to continue that sort of efficiency Wednesday against the Lakers.

["TeamStat(G,'Pelicans') has 57 Percentage of field goals ,has 34 Losses ,has 110 Total points ,has 39 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 57 Percentage of field goals ,has 88 Losses ,has 16 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Gorgui Dieng') has 9 Minutes played" "PlayerStat(G, 'Robbie Hummel') has 18 Minutes played, has 6 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Anthony Davis') has 5 Assists, has 37 Minutes played, has 28 Points, has 9 Total rebounds"]

Milwaukee was expected to win this game rather easily and a wire - to - wire win would just confirm that notion. In fact, the Bucks took a 12 - point lead after the first quarter, as the game never got within seven points after that. Rebounding was the key for the Bucks, winning that battle, 46 - 27. Milwaukee was also unconscious shooting the ball, as they hit 50 percent from the field and 60 percent from three - point range. Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic tied the team - lead with 19 points apiece for the Heat. James Johnson was huge off the bench for Miami, accruing 10 points and 12 assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the Bucks best player, accumulating 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists on 8 - of - 12 shooting. Jabari Parker led the team in scoring, dropping 24 points to go along with five boards. Greg Monroe recorded a double - double off the bench, totaling 16 points and 11 rebounds.

["TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 60 Percentage of 3 points ,has 50 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Hassan Whiteside') has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Goran Dragic') has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Johnson') has 12 Assists, has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 6 Assists, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 19 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jabari Parker') has 24 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Greg Monroe') has 16 Points, has 11 Total rebounds"]

The Memphis Grizzlies (20) defeated the Indiana Pacers (1 - 1) 97 - 89 on Friday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Starting shooting guard Courtney Lee was forced to leave the game after he was kneed in the back of his head while on the ground during a scrum under the hoop. Lee suffered a mild concussion and will likely have to undergo the league's concussion protocol testing, which could lead to him missing some games going forward. Tayshaun Prince, who did n't get off the bench in the Grizzlies' first game, started the second half in Lee's place. The Pacers are trying to stay afloat despite all of the injuries they've had to start the season. George Hill (knee) is still two weeks from returning; C.J. Watson (foot) will likely be out at least another week; and David West (ankle) has n't been cleared for practice, meaning he may miss more than the three games he was originally projected to sit out. The Pacers were considered a fringe playoff team before those three players fell prey to injuries, and if the team continues to have injury issues pile up, it'll be hard for their backups to overcome powerhouses like Memphis. The Grizzlies' next game is on the road Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets. The Pacers' next game is on the road Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks.

["TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 1 Number of team assists ,has 89 Losses ,has 1 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 20 Number of team assists ,has 97 Losses ."]

The Pacers were expected to win this game rather easily and they did n't let up against a struggling Nets team. Brooklyn actually held a lead late in the second quarter, but Indiana followed that up with a 33 - 11 run to open up things up. The Pacers dominated in the paint, winning that differential, 52 - 30. Jeff Teague, Myles Turner and Paul George all played well for the Pacers, as they outscored the Nets starters, 72 - 48. George led the team with 26 points and three steals, while Teague accumulated 21 points, seven rebounds and 15 assists. Turner recorded a monster double - double, totaling 25 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. Justin Hamilton and Trevor Booker tied the team - lead for the Nets, scoring 16 points a piece. Sean Kilpatrick was demoted to the bench, but provided 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

["PlayerStat(G, 'Trevor Booker') has 16 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Sean Kilpatrick') has 5 Assists, has 13 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Justin Hamilton') has 16 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul George') has 26 Points, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Myles Turner') has 5 Blocks, has 25 Points, has 15 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeff Teague') has 15 Assists, has 21 Points, has 7 Total rebounds"]

The Hornets (31 - 42) defeated the Pistons (29 - 45) 102 - 78 at Time Warner Cable Arena on Wednesday. The Pistons had a tough time shooting all night long, hitting 35 percent of their shots from the field and just 23 percent from beyond the arc. The Hornets jumped out to an eight - point lead in the first quarter, one they extended to 11 points by halftime. In the fourth quarter, the Hornets outscored the Pistons 29 - 16 to complete the rout. The Hornets shared the love, with six players scoring in double digits. Marvin Williams was the Hornets' leading scorer with 18 points (7 - 11 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt), to go with six rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block in 29 minutes. Kemba Walker had 17 points (7 - 13 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt), nine rebounds, three assists and four blocks in 33 minutes. Mo Williams (knee) contributed 13 points (6 - 16 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt), two rebounds, six assists and one steal in 25 minutes. Al Jefferson (knee) played through the pain, putting up 11 points (4 - 12 FG), to go with nine rebounds, three assists and four blocks in 26 minutes. The Pistons leading scorer, Jodie Meeks, came off the bench. He had 15 points (6 - 13 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt) and five rebounds in 34 minutes. Andre Drummond had 13 points (6 - 15 FG), nine rebounds and two steals in 28 minutes. Reggie Jackson only recorded nine points (3 - 16 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt), but he did have seven rebounds and eight assists in 29 minutes. Jackson, whose production has fallen off over the last two games, is battling an illness. Wednesday's win was crucial for the Hornets, who have struggled down the stretch. They're currently eleventh in the Eastern Conference, 2 games behind the eighth - place Nets. The Pistons are now five games behind the Nets in the East, and their playoff chances look bleak. The Hornets lead the season series with the Pistons 2 - 1. They will play once more on Apr. 10.

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 102 Percentage of 3 points ,has 29 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 23 Percentage of 3 points ,has 35 Percentage of field goals ,has 78 Total points ,has 16 Points in 4th quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Drummond') has 15 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 28 Minutes played, has 13 Points, has 9 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Reggie Jackson') has 8 Assists, has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 3 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws made, has 29 Minutes played, has 2 Offensive rebounds, has 9 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jodie Meeks') has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 13 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 34 Minutes played, has 15 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marvin Williams') has 1 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 11 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 29 Minutes played, has 18 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Al Jefferson') has 3 Assists, has 4 Blocks, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 26 Minutes played, has 11 Points, has 9 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kemba Walker') has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 13 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 33 Minutes played, has 17 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mo Williams') has 6 Assists, has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 25 Minutes played, has 13 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals"]

The Utah Jazz defeated the Houston Rockets 120 - 101 at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Tuesday. The Jazz (11 - 8) found two big performances from two of their best players in Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert, but also suffered a blow when Rodney Hood injured his right hamstring after logging 19 points in 20 minutes of action. The high scoring affair got off to a quick start, but Hood's mid range jumper with just over four minutes remaining in the first quarter started a 14 - 7 jazz run to end the period with a nine point lead. The Rockets trailed by double figures for almost all of the remaining three quarters, save for a brief stint at the start of the second half. Hayward led the way with 31 points, seven assists and five rebounds, to go along with a trio of three pointers and an impressive 12 - of - 13 free throw shooting. Gobert added his 11th double - double of the season behind 16 points and 14 rebounds, in addition to three blocks on 5 - of - 7 shooting across 33 minutes. The Rockets (11 - 7) were led by James Harden and his 26 points, seven assists and five rebounds on 8 - of - 23 shooting, while Eric Gordon pitched in 24 points on 17 shots in 32 minutes off the bench. Houston was unable to match the shooting efficiency on display by the Jazz, as the Rockets shot just 41 percent from the field and 37 percent from behind the arc. Both teams play on Thursday, as the Rockets visit the Golden State Warriors, while the Jazz host the Miami Heat.

["TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 8 Percentage of 3 points ,has 120 Percentage of field goals ,has 11 Losses ." "TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 37 Percentage of 3 points ,has 41 Percentage of field goals ,has 7 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 11 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'James Harden') has 7 Assists, has 23 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 26 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Eric Gordon') has 17 Field goals attempted, has 32 Minutes played, has 24 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gordon Hayward') has 7 Assists, has 13 Free throws attempted, has 12 Free throws made, has 31 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gobert') has 3 Blocks, has 7 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 33 Minutes played, has 2 Personal fouls, has 16 Points, has 14 Total rebounds, has 2 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rodney Hood') has 2 Defensive rebounds, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 2 Free throws made, has 20 Minutes played, has 19 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 2 Turnovers"]

The Clippers shot 51 percent from the field and dished 27 assists on their way to an easy win. Blake Griffin led the way for Los Angeles with 23 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting, eight rebounds and four assists, in 31 minutes, while DeAndre Jordan double - doubled with 13 points, 17 rebounds, two assists and one steal. J.J. Redick finished with 16 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting in only 19 minutes. Meanwhile, the Cavs struggled from the field, shooting a poor 39 percent. Richard Jefferson was the high - point man for the Cavs, with 12 points on 4 - of - 9 shooting, to go along with six rebounds, in 28 minutes off the bench. Six other players scored in double digits for Cleveland, including Channing Frye, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and DeAndre Liggins, who chipped in 10 points each. Tristan Thompson and Deron Williams added 11 points each.

["TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 27 Number of team assists ,has 51 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Iman Shumpert') has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Channing Frye') has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tristan Thompson') has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'JR Smith') has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Deron Williams') has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Richard Jefferson') has 9 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 28 Minutes played, has 12 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Blake Griffin') has 4 Assists, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 31 Minutes played, has 23 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeAndre Jordan') has 2 Assists, has 13 Points, has 17 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'JJ Redick') has 11 Field goals attempted, has 6 Field goals made, has 19 Minutes played, has 16 Points"]

The Los Angeles Lakers (7 - 27) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (3 - 32) 93 - 84 on Friday night. In a battle of the two worst teams in the NBA, the less worse team prevailed. Philly's first win of the season came against the Lakers and it was evident Los Angeles wanted to return the favor in their home building. They played some of the best defense they've played all season, as they allowed just 84 points on 37 percent shooting. They also dominated the turnover battle, as the Sixers committed 16 turnovers while the Lakers committed just 10. Both teams shot under 38 percent from the field and they shot a combined 9 - for - 40 from long distance for an atrocious 23 percent. The Sixers have been a revived team recently, but couldn’t muster up much here. The worst offense in the NBA showed it's true colors tonight and couldn’t get anything going. The only player who played well was Nerlens Noel, who tallied 15 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks in the loss. T.J. McConnell also had a solid game off the bench, as he amassed 12 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Jahlil Okafor came off the bench here once again and it may be time to re - insert him into the starting - five, considering he is the best offensive player on this team. The Sixers will have a tough task on Saturday, as they'll have to play the Los Angeles Clippers in the second half of a back - to - back set. The Lakers played this game without Kobe Bryant and it was one of their best games of the season. The bench brought in some great energy, as all four players grabbed at least three rebounds and combined for an impressive 10 steals. Lou Williams was the star of the night though, as he contributed 24 points, five assists and four rebounds in the win. Larry Nance Jr. also had a nice game, as he set a career - high with 14 rebounds in the victory. This isn’t a great win by any means, but it's definitely something for them to build off of going forward. The Lakers will take on the Phoenix suns on Sunday in their next game.

["TeamStat(G,'Lakers') has 38 Percentage of field goals ,has 27 Losses ,has 93 Total points ,has 10 Turnovers ,has 7 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 32 Percentage of field goals ,has 84 Losses ,has 3 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Nerlens Noel') has 3 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 5 Free throws attempted, has 5 Offensive rebounds, has 15 Points, has 12 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Larry Nance Jr.') has 14 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Lou Williams') has 5 Assists, has 24 Points, has 4 Total rebounds"]

Rajon Rondo and Nikola Mirotic sparked the road victory after seeing reduced roles recently. Mirotic led Chicago with a 24 - point, 11 - rebound double - double while Rondo provided 20 points. Chicago forged a 36 - 24 lead after one quarter, a foundation that ultimately helped them hold on for the hard - fought win. Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade followed Mirotic with matching 23 - point efforts. Denzel Valentine pitched in 11 points off the bench. Robin Lopez and Bobby Portis tallied just six and five points, respectively. Jeremy Lamb's 26 points led the Hornets, while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was next with 22. Kemba Walker was right behind with a 21 - point, 10 - assist double - double. Marvin Williams produced a 13 - point, 18 - rebound double - double and Cody Zeller managed 11 points. The second unit produced a collective 16 points despite two players (Frank Kaminsky and Marco Belinelli) logging over 20 minutes.

["TeamStat(G,'Hornets') has 24 Points in 1st quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 36 Points in 1st quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Jimmy Butler') has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Bobby Portis') has 5 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Robin Lopez') has 6 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Dwyane Wade') has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rajon Rondo') has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Denzel Valentine') has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Mirotic') has 24 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Michael Kidd-Gilchrist') has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marvin Williams') has 13 Points, has 18 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Cody Zeller') has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeremy Lamb') has 26 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kemba Walker') has 10 Assists, has 21 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Frank Kaminsky') has 2 Field goals made" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marco Belinelli') has 2 Defensive rebounds, has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 2 Field goals made"]

The Cavaliers came out hot and stayed hot in their 106 - 76 victory over the Grizzlies, led by Kevin Love's game high 17 points. After losing their season opener Tuesday to Chicago, Cleveland atoned in an easy win versus Memphis. They went up 26 - 10 in the first quarter and never looked back, outscoring the Grizzlies in every quarter the rest of the way. Richard Jefferson, Jared Cunningham, and Matthew Dellavedova all scored in double figures off the bench. Love grabbed 13 rebounds to go along with his 17 points to record the only double - double of the game. LeBron James added 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals in 31 minutes. After playing 25 minutes Opening Night, Tristan Thompson received 20 minutes Wednesday and appears to be settling nicely after missing almost all of the preseason while in contract negotiations. Cleveland welcomes Miami into town Friday night. Memphis did n't have much going for them Wednesday and was led by Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol with 12 points each. The Grizzlies will look to bounce back Thursday in Indiana.

["TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 76 Total points ,has 10 Points in 1st quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 106 Total points ,has 26 Points in 1st quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 5 Assists, has 31 Minutes played, has 12 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kevin Love') has 17 Points, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tristan Thompson') has 20 Minutes played" "PlayerStat(G, 'Zach Randolph') has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marc Gasol') has 12 Points"]

The Knicks came into this game as a two - point favorite, as they took care of business to win their seventh game in their last nine. Defense was key, as they held Sacramento to 32 percent shooting from both the field and from three - point range. DeMarcus Cousins put up a huge line in the defeat, as tallied 36 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Rudy Gay also stuffed the stat sheet, accumulating 22 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. The issue was their inefficiency, as they combined to go just 16 - of - 48 from the field. Matt Barnes had a nightmare shooting game off the bench as well, scoring two points on 1 - of - 11 shooting. Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose tied the team - lead in scoring, dropping 20 points a piece. Kristaps Porzingis was the Knicks best player though, accruing 15 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks.

["TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 9 Percentage of 3 points ." "TeamStat(G,'Kings') has 32 Percentage of 3 points ,has 32 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMarcus Cousins') has 4 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 36 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gay') has 4 Assists, has 22 Points, has 9 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Matt Barnes') has 11 Field goals attempted, has 1 Field goals made, has 2 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Carmelo Anthony') has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kristaps Porzingis') has 15 Points, has 14 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Derrick Rose') has 20 Points"]

Anthony Davis continues to be the only sign of offensive life on this banged - up New Orleans Pelicans team. On Monday night he scored 33 points - - nearly one - third of the team's 106 - point total. This has been a trend this season, as while Davis has managed to average 30 points per game to start the season, his team is averaging just 101 points. That is 30 percent of his team's total points, and while the overall numbers Davis is putting up are impressive, they are n't translating to wins. In fact, they are n't coming close, and with the next highest per - game average Tim Frazier's 13 points per game, Davis will desperately need some help offensively going forward if the Pelicans want to notch a single victory. For the Warriors' Stephen Curry, his 76 percent (13 - of - 17) shooting performance from three - point land was his highest mark when shooting at least 10 treys since he shot 12 - of - 16 (75 percent) in a thriller last season against the Oklahoma City Thunder. That game was also when he tied the single - game record for three - pointers made - - a record which he broke Monday night.

["PlayerStat(G, 'Anthony Davis') has 1 Assists, has 1 3-pointers made, has 10 Free throws made, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 1 Personal fouls, has 33 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Tim Frazier') has 10 Assists, has 13 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Stephen Curry') has 17 3-pointers attempted, has 13 3-pointers made"]

In the 13 games prior to Wednesday night LaMarcus Aldridge played at least 30 minutes, he never failed to score less than 10 points. In fact, Aldridge scored less than 10 points while playing at least 30 minutes just twice in all of last season. Wednesday night against the Mavericks, Aldridge notched his lowest scoring total - - five points - - since joining San Antonio, and he did so in 32 minutes of playing time. And while Wednesday's struggle does not indicate the season Aldridge has had so far, as he is still averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds. Those numbers, however, are still subpar by Aldridge's standards, as after averaging at least 21 points and eight rebounds in five straight years with Portland, the power forward's numbers have dipped to 18 points and under seven rebounds per game. With Tim Duncan retired and gone, the Spurs will need Aldridge to channel the player he was in Portland if they want a chance to compete in the Western Conference again.

["PlayerStat(G, 'LaMarcus Aldridge') has 32 Minutes played, has 5 Points, has 8 Total rebounds"]

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 114 - 106, at Moda Center on Thursday. The Clippers (10) were the last team to tip off for an opening game amongst the league and capped it off with an impressive road win. The matchup continued where Los Angeles left off at the end of last season's first - round playoffs, save for a fully healthy unit and one that was in a physical mentality throughout the game. DeAndre Jordan and Mason Plumlee got into a scrap after a hard foul landed both in the courtside seats beneath the rim in the third quarter, while C.J. McCollum returned a hard foul Jordan's way at the other end of the floor in the fourth quarter. The referring was also in question at times, much to the home crowd's disapproval, as Blake Griffin and JJ Reddick had flagrant fouls go there way in the second half. The back - and - forth affair was tight knit through the first three quarters of play, but the Clippers were able to pull away by 15 points with 2:54 left in the fourth quarter. A series of inspired plays from Harkless, McCollum and Lillard cut the lead to five after a driving layup from the star point guard with :22 left on the clock. Paul drew a foul from Shabazz Napier on the ensuing possession to ice the game at the free throw line. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin led the Clippers, as both players were everywhere on both ends of the court, striking from the mid range, putting back dunks, running down the Blazers backcourt in transition and keeping Reddick and Jordan active at the perimeter and under the rim. Paul and Griffin combined for 54 points, 18 rebounds and five assists in the win. Lillard poured in 29 points on 11 - of - 24 shooting, to go along with 10 rebounds and three assists. Harkless, Plumlee and McCollum joined Lillard in double figures, but the 22 percent three - point shooting was far from where coach Terry Stotts would have liked the Blazers to be on their home court. The Blazers will visit the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, while the Clippers play their first home game hosting the Utah Jazz on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Trail Blazers') has 22 Percentage of 3 points ,has 106 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Clippers') has 114 Percentage of 3 points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Chris Paul') has 5 Assists" "PlayerStat(G, 'Maurice Harkless') has 5 Offensive rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'CJ McCollum') has 5 Field goals made, has 5 Free throws made" "PlayerStat(G, 'Damian Lillard') has 3 Assists, has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 24 Field goals attempted, has 11 Field goals made, has 5 Free throws made, has 29 Points, has 10 Total rebounds"]

The Washington Wizards defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 110 - 105, at Verizon Center on Saturday. The dynamic duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal has been leading the Wizards' successes all season, and Saturday was no different. John Wall and Bradley Beal combined for 44 points to lead Washington (9 - 13) its seventh home win. The Bucks (11 - 11) jumped on their hosts early, building a 32 - 23 lead after one quarter. The Wizards made up that deficit in the second quarter, and the two teams entered halftime knotted up at 52. The stellar performance from their guards helped overcome a typically spectacular one from Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokunmpo, who filled out the stat sheet with 28 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. Despite the defeat, the Bucks had the collective hot hand throughout the night, posting 51 and 52 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Mirza Teletovic was Milwaukee's second - leading scorer and accomplished the feat from the bench, posting 25 points, three rebounds an a block over 26 minutes on 8 - of - 12 shooting, including 5 - of - 6 from the beyond the arc. John Henson was the only other member of the starting five with double - digit scoring, supplying 14 points (on 70 percent shooting), four rebounds and two blocks. Jabari Parker (eight points, four rebounds) and Matthew Dellavedova (six points, four assists, two rebounds) underwhelmed, but Malcolm Brogdon was strong in a reserve role with 11 points, two assists and a steal. Wall paced the Wizards with 24 points, 11 assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block. Beal followed with 20 points and six assists. Markieff Morris was strong down low, registering 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. Otto Porter, Jr. turned in another modest performance, going for 10 points, two steals, a rebound and an assist. His backup, Kelly Oubre, Jr. notably outshined him once again, pacing the second unit with 19 points, nine rebounds, an assist and three steals. Marcin Gortat contributed nine points but hauled in 14 boards. The Bucks head north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors on Monday night, while the Wizards head down to South Florida to take on the Miami Heat on Monday evening as well.

["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 13 Percentage of 3 points ,has 110 Percentage of field goals ,has 23 Losses ,has 9 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 52 Percentage of 3 points ,has 51 Percentage of field goals ,has 11 Losses ,has 105 Total points ,has 32 Points in 1st quarter ,has 25 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 28 Points in 4th quarter ,has 11 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 7 Assists, has 1 3-pointers made, has 28 Points, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jabari Parker') has 8 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'John Henson') has 2 Blocks, has 70 Field goal percentage, has 14 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Matthew Dellavedova') has 4 Assists, has 6 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mirza Teletovic') has 1 Blocks, has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 5 3-pointers made, has 12 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 26 Minutes played, has 25 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Malcolm Brogdon') has 2 Assists, has 11 Points, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Markieff Morris') has 3 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 15 Points, has 9 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Marcin Gortat') has 9 Points, has 14 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Bradley Beal') has 6 Assists, has 20 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'John Wall') has 11 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 24 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kelly Oubre Jr.') has 1 Assists, has 19 Points, has 9 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals"]

The Boston Celtics (8 - 7) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 16) 84 - 80 on Wednesday in yet another late - game collapse for Philly.. The Sixers played very well in this game, but choked it away late to extend their horrible losing - streak. The Celtics ended the game on an 18 - 3 run over the last six minutes and that's the Sixers season in a nutshell. Both teams shot poorly in this game, as they both shot below 38 percent from the field. This definitely was n't a pretty game by any means, but Boston fans will be happy that they were n't the ones to allow that first elusive win to the Sixers. The Sixers usually lose games early, but when it's close at the end, they do n't know how to finish games either. It's a sad reality for a team in a deep hole, but losses like these still have to be looked at positively. They were ahead for the majority of the second half and it was still one of their best performances of the year, despite the loss. Jahlil Okafor once again led the team in scoring, as he tallied 19 points and 11 rebounds in the defeat. He is definitely a major bright spot in a dark tunnel and Philly fans can be somewhat hopeful for the future with his strong play this season. Philadelphia will look to crack this losing - streak when they take on the struggling Houston Rockets on Friday. The Celtics played poorly on Wednesday, but somehow escaped with a win. Only two Boston players scored more than 10 points in this game and they were lucky to grab a win in such a poor performance. Despite the struggles, Isaiah Thomas had a great game, totaling 30 points, six assists and four rebounds in the victory. Evan Turner also had a nice game off the bench, as he collected 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Jared Sullinger also snatched 15 boards, so it was n't all bad for Boston. The gritty nature to go on a big run and pull out a win like this late can be a huge momentum booster for a young team. They'll host a Washington Wizards team on Friday, who are coming off one of the biggest chokes of the season as well, as they scored six points in the fourth quarter in Wednesday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets..

["TeamStat(G,'Celtics') has 7 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 8 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 16 Losses ,has 80 Total points ,has 0 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Jahlil Okafor') has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jared Sullinger') has 15 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Isaiah Thomas') has 6 Assists, has 30 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Evan Turner') has 3 Assists, has 16 Points, has 9 Total rebounds"]

While these teams are playing below expectations, they put on a show in this game, There were 10 ties and 11 lead changes in total, as neither team led by more than 11 points. The Miami offense fell just shy of a season - high in points, as they shot a boastly 51 percent from the field. John Wall and Bradley Beal were the only Wizards players with more than 10 points in their defeat, as everyone else really struggled. Wall finished with 30 points, six rebounds and eight assists, while Beal totaled 29 points and four steals. Goran Dragic was in foul trouble for the majority of the game, but still accumulated a season - high 34 points, five rebounds and five assists in 31 minutes of play. Hassan Whiteside had another monster double - double, accruing 17 points and 16 rebounds. The Heat had just four players come off the bench, but James Johnson, Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson all played at least 29 minutes and all scored in double figures.

["TeamStat(G,'Heat') has 51 Percentage of field goals ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Bradley Beal') has 29 Points, has 4 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'John Wall') has 8 Assists, has 30 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Hassan Whiteside') has 17 Points, has 16 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Goran Dragic') has 5 Assists, has 31 Minutes played, has 34 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Josh Richardson') has 4 Defensive rebounds, has 4 Field goals made, has 29 Minutes played, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Johnson') has 4 Free throws attempted"]

In a battle of the Eastern Conference's bottom two teams, the Brooklyn Nets (19 - 48) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 58) 131 - 114 behind a career - high 44 points from Bojan Bogdanovic. Guard Bojan Bogdanovic came out of seemingly nowhere with one of the year's most impressive performances, dropping 44 points on 17 - for - 27 shooting. The shooting guard hit four three - pointers and was fouled only three times, getting most of his work done from inside the arc. With the lights - out shooting night, Bogdanovic not only sets a personal career high, but ties the career high of his childhood hero, All-Star Drazen Petrovic. Despite the can't - miss night, the Euro star remained unselfish to the very end, even making room for big man Brook Lopez to hit a rare three - pointer. All in all, the win came in emphatic fashion for the Nets, who seemed unfazed by Philly fans' taunting changts of "we've got draft picks." The team shot 52 percent from the field on the night and 87 percent at the line, easily securing one of their biggest wins of the season. The Sixers still sit at single - digits in the win column, despite no longer being at risk for setting a record - low in wins. Even facing one of the league's most helpless teams, Philadelphia was unable to come particularly close, allowing the lead to rocket up to 20 by halftime. While all five starters scored in double - digits, foul trouble from standout center Nerlens Noel coupled with turnover issues made it difficult for the Sixers to get things going. There was a lone bright spot, however, in sophomore Nik Stauskas. "Sauce Castillo" scored 18 points off the bench, knocking down a couple three - pointers and recording seven rebounds as well. Overall, though, Philadelphia was handily blown out at the hands of their division rival. Philadelphia will take on the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, while the Nets will face the Bulls in Chicago.

["TeamStat(G,'Nets') has 52 Percentage of field goals ,has 48 Losses ,has 131 Total points ,has 19 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 58 Percentage of field goals ,has 114 Losses ,has 9 Total points ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Nerlens Noel') has 5 Personal fouls, has 5 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Bojan Bogdanovic') has 2 Assists, has 4 3-pointers made, has 27 Field goals attempted, has 17 Field goals made, has 2 Offensive rebounds, has 2 Personal fouls, has 44 Points, has 3 Turnovers"]

The Houston Rockets defeated the Denver Nuggets, 109 - 105, at Pepsi Center on Saturday. There have been some lopsided matchups between these teams recently, but this one was incredibly close. In fact, there were 16 ties and 11 lead changes, with neither team capturing a double - digit lead. Houston really took control in the second half, as they led for the final 18 minutes, thanks to a 29 - 18 third quarter. Free-throw shooting was a huge advantage for the Rockets, as they went 28 - of - 35, while the Nuggets hit just 19 - of - 30. Houston also dominated down low, winning the scoring in the paint battle, 60 - 48. The Rockets (48 - 22) now have four wins in their last five games, as they continue to add impressive wins in their resume '. James Harden carried the load, as he collected 40 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists en route to another triple - double. Clint Capela finished second on the team, totaling 16 points and eight rebounds. Nene Hilario was a nice spark off the bench, providing 14 points and seven rebounds. The Nuggets (33 - 36) had won four - straight headed into this game, but this was a disappointing loss at home. Jameer Nelson was Denver's best player, as he accrued 15 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists. Nikola Jokic amassed 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. Gary Harris totaled 17 points and six rebounds. Will Barton, Jamal Murray and Kenneth Faried were the only bench players to feature and they all scored in double figures. These two teams next game will be a rematch on Monday back in Houston.

["TeamStat(G,'Nuggets') has 36 Losses ,has 105 Total points ,has 18 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 33 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 22 Losses ,has 109 Total points ,has 29 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 48 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Clint Capela') has 16 Points, has 8 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Harden') has 10 Assists, has 40 Points, has 10 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nene') has 14 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Jokic') has 4 Assists, has 16 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gary Harris') has 17 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jameer Nelson') has 11 Assists, has 15 Points, has 7 Total rebounds"]

The Chicago Bulls (20 - 12) fought to the end for a 115 - 113 victory over the host Toronto Raptors (21 - 14), on Sunday afternoon. This was the second match up in a week between the Bulls and Raptors. Chicago won the last game as well and have now won their last seven versus the Raptors. With this win the Bulls have also extended their current win streak to four. Toronto was up 103 - 91 with six minutes left in the game, it was from then on that the Bulls went on a 24 - 10 run to steal the road win. Jimmy Butler hit a huge three with the defense right in his face, which put the Bulls up by one with 30 seconds left. The Raptors were not able to hit a counter - punch, missing three straight shots, while Chicago faired well enough from the foul line in the last seconds to stay on top. Jimmy Butler led the Bulls with a monstrous 42 points on very solid 15 - 23 shooting from the field (2 - 3 3Pt, 10 - 11 FT). Butler also logged five assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block, in 38 minutes. Pau Gasol had a very strong performance, finishing with 19 points (7 - 16 FG, 5 - 6 FT), 13 rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots, in 33 minutes. Nikola Mirotic chipped in 17 points (4 - 9 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), three rebounds and one assist, in 28 minutes. The Bulls as a team shot very well, going 51 percent from the field, 88 percent from the foul - line and 42 percent from distance. Derrick Rose sat this one out with a sore hamstring, while Joakim Noah remained out with a shoulder injury. Toronto was led by guard - combo Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who combined for 46 points on the game. Lowry finished with a full stat - line, including 22 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot, in 39 minutes. DeRozan led the Raptors in scoring with 24 points on 7 - 17 shooting from the field (3 - 6 3PT, 7 - 8 FT), in 35 minutes. Luis Scola was the third prong of the Raptors attack, as he finished with 22 points (9 - 17 FG, 2 - 2 3PT, 2 - 3 FT), along with five rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block, in 27 minutes. The Raptors will be right back in action on Monday as they begin a five - game road trip in Cleveland. This will be an important stretch for Toronto if they want to establish themselves at the top of the East. Meanwhile, the Bulls will be back in action on Tuesday, when they host Milwaukee.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 14 Percentage of field goals ,has 113 Losses ,has 21 Total points ." "TeamStat(G,'Bulls') has 51 Percentage of field goals ,has 12 Losses ,has 115 Total points ,has 20 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Nikola Mirotic') has 1 Assists, has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 9 Field goals attempted, has 4 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 6 Free throws made, has 17 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Pau Gasol') has 6 Assists, has 4 Blocks, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 5 Free throws made, has 19 Points, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jimmy Butler') has 5 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 3 Defensive rebounds, has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 11 Free throws attempted, has 10 Free throws made, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 3 Personal fouls, has 42 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals, has 3 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Luis Scola') has 2 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 2 3-pointers attempted, has 2 3-pointers made, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 3 Free throws attempted, has 2 Free throws made, has 22 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMar DeRozan') has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 8 Free throws attempted, has 7 Free throws made, has 35 Minutes played, has 24 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Lowry') has 10 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 39 Minutes played, has 22 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals"]

All five starters scored in double digits for the Pistons, but the contribution from the bench was very minimal as only three players entered the game off the bench, and combined for 15 points. Jon Leuer was the high - point man for Detroit, as he finished with 22 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting, along with six rebounds, two steals and one assist, in 37 minutes. Reggie Jackson went 7 - of - 17 from the field, as he came up with 20 points, along with eight assists, four rebounds and one steal, in 32 minutes. Five players scored in double digits for the Hawks, including Kyle Korver, who poured in 22 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting, in 29 minutes off the bench. Paul Millsap led the way for the Hawks, with 26 points, along with six rebounds, five assists and two steals, in 37 minutes.

["TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 22 Points in 2nd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Jon Leuer') has 1 Assists, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 9 Field goals made, has 37 Minutes played, has 22 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Reggie Jackson') has 8 Assists, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 32 Minutes played, has 20 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul Millsap') has 5 Assists, has 37 Minutes played, has 26 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Korver') has 13 Field goals attempted, has 7 Field goals made, has 29 Minutes played, has 22 Points"]

The Golden State Warriors (170) shot the lights out against the Phoenix Suns (7 - 9), defeating them 135 - 116 on Friday. There are some nights when a team just ca n't miss and that becomes even scarier when it's the Warriors. Golden State went an incredible 22 - 38 from three - point range and shot 57 percent from the field in this game. They also outrebounded the Suns 53 - 30 and it was a mismatch on all cylinders. That now give Golden State 17 straight wins and it's an incredible thing to watch at this point. Some experts thought this would be the game the Warriors historic streak would end, but they are eating their words now. Golden State simply shot the Suns out of the building and ended this contest well before the final whistle. The Warriors won the first quarter 44 - 27 and never looked back after that. Steph Curry had another ridiculous game, as he tallied 41 points, eight assists and six rebounds in just three quarters of play. He also went 9 - for - 16 from long distance and was embarrassing Phoenix players all night long. Draymond Green also recorded a triple - double in the game and he's been one of the unheralded hero's of this undefeated team. Luckily, the starters got quite a bit of rest here, as they'll have to play on Saturday in the second half of a back - to - back against the Sacramento Kings. The Suns actually played well offensively in this game, but you ca n't allow 135 points and win. Phoenix shot a robust 49 percent, but could n't stop this potent offense a lick. That's been the problem all season for the Suns, as they rank in the bottom - five in points allowed. Much of that can be credited to their ridiculously high - pace, but they need to play some defense to win. T.J. Warren was a major bright spot off the bench though, as he amassed a career - high 28 points, six rebounds and two assists in the loss. This was a tough game for Phoenix, but it's one of those that you can just simply tip your cap and move on. They'll look to bounce - back against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday in their next scheduled game.

["TeamStat(G,'Suns') has 49 Percentage of field goals ,has 9 Losses ,has 116 Total points ,has 27 Points in 1st quarter ,has 30 Rebounds ,has 7 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 57 Percentage of field goals ,has 135 Losses ,has 44 Total points ,has 53 Points in 1st quarter ,has 17 Rebounds ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Draymond Green') has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Stephen Curry') has 8 Assists, has 16 3-pointers attempted, has 9 3-pointers made, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 41 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'TJ Warren') has 2 Assists, has 28 Points, has 6 Total rebounds"]

The Detroit Pistons (18 - 30) outscored the Houston Rockets (33 - 15), 114 - 101. The Rockets suffered a scare when James Harden headed to the locker room clutching his knee. He returned at the start of the second half and nearly triple - doubled with 26 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Dwight Howard missed his fourth straight game due to ankle and knee issues. John Smith could not find success in his first game against the team that released him last month, shooting 3 - of - 11 from the field. After two consecutive DCP-CDs, Kostas Papanikolaou played 12 minutes and scored eight points. Donatas Motiejunas followed up a career - high 26 - point game with 21 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting in 29 minutes. D.J. Augustin bounced back from a two - point outing to scored 28 points and dish 12 assists in 37 minutes. All five Pistons starters scored in double figures, highlighted by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's 28 points, five rebounds, four assists, three blocks, one steal, and six three - pointers in 40 minutes. Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe double - doubled, each grabbing at least 12 rebounds and scoring at least 11 points. The Pistons do n't play again until Tuesday, squaring off against the Miami Heat. The Rockets will get three days off before starting a three - game homestand against the Chicago Bulls.

["TeamStat(G,'Pistons') has 30 Losses ,has 114 Total points ,has 28 Points in 4th quarter ,has 18 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 15 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 33 Points in 4th quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Donatas Motiejunas') has 13 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 29 Minutes played, has 21 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Harden') has 9 Assists, has 26 Points, has 7 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Josh Smith') has 11 Field goals attempted, has 3 Field goals made" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kostas Papanikolaou') has 2 3-pointers made, has 12 Minutes played, has 8 Points, has 2 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Greg Monroe') has 12 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Drummond') has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kentavious Caldwell-Pope') has 4 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 6 3-pointers made, has 40 Minutes played, has 28 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'D.J. Augustin') has 12 Assists, has 37 Minutes played, has 28 Points"]

In a battle of undefeated Western Conference teams, the Warriors (50) prevailed over the Rockets (6 - 1) 98 - 87 at the Toyota Center in Houston. Houston held an eight - point halftime advantage, but the Warriors stormed back with a strong third quarter, outscoring the Rockets 28 - 13 in the frame. Down five points entering the final period, the Rockets made an early run, as an Isaiah Canaan three - pointer tied the game with 8:27 to play. The score remained tied until Stephen Curry hit a jumper with just over six minutes remaining to put the Warriors back up two. Curry and Andrew Bogut then scored the game’s next seven points, putting Golden State ahead for good. Curry led all scorers with 34 points to go with 10 rebounds, five assists and four steals. He made 13 - of - 19 field goal attempts and went 6 - of - 9 from beyond the arc. On a night when Klay Thompson (3 - 16 FG, 11 points) struggled, Andre Iguodala contributed 15 points off the bench, and Andrew Bogut chipped in eight points to go with a game - high 18 boards. The Warriors out - rebounded Houston 54 - 46 overall, though the Rockets grabbed one more offensive rebound. James Harden struggled from the field, finishing with 22 points on 8 - of - 24 shooting. Harden converted just 1 - of - 11 three - point attempts. Isaiah Canaan, starting in place of the injured Patrick Beverley, scored 21 points to go with four rebounds. Trevor Ariza added seven points (3 - 16 FG) and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes. Looking ahead, the Rockets head to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Wednesday. Golden State turns around and faces the Suns in Phoenix on Sunday night.

["TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 1 Losses ,has 87 Total points ,has 13 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 46 Rebounds ,has 6 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Warriors') has 98 Losses ,has 28 Total points ,has 54 Points in 3rd quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Andrew Bogut') has 8 Points, has 18 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Klay Thompson') has 16 Field goals attempted, has 3 Field goals made, has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Stephen Curry') has 5 Assists, has 9 3-pointers attempted, has 6 3-pointers made, has 19 Field goals attempted, has 13 Field goals made, has 2 Free throws attempted, has 2 Free throws made, has 2 Personal fouls, has 34 Points, has 4 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andre Iguodala') has 15 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Trevor Ariza') has 16 Field goals attempted, has 3 Field goals made, has 39 Minutes played, has 7 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Harden') has 11 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 24 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Isaiah Canaan') has 21 Points, has 4 Total rebounds"]

The Indiana Pacers (33 - 30) defeated the Washington Wizards (30 - 32) 100 - 99 on Saturday. The competitive battle between the conference rivals saw Washington jump out to a 64 - 56 halftime lead on the strength of some stellar shooting, and solid work on the glass by their frontcourt duo of Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat. However, the Pacers came out of intermission reinvigorated, and outscored the Wizards 44 - 35 in the second half. The game was n't decided until the last shot, as Washington's Alan Anderson committed a back - breaking shooting foul on Paul George with three seconds remaining and the Wizards clinging to a 99 - 98 lead. George drained both attempts from the charity stripe, giving Indiana the one - point advantage and leaving the home team with a final possession to secure the win. The ball found its way into the hands of the man who gave the Wizards the best chance at a victory, John Wall, but the All-Star guard could n't get a 17 - footer to fall as time expired. George's mammoth 38 - point night led the Pacers, and he added six rebounds, two assists and a steal. Monta Ellis was a distant second with a solid 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals. George Hill contributed 12 points, five assists, three rebounds and a block. Jordan Hill led the reserves with 10 points and nine boards, although he also turned the ball over five times. The Pacers are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and currently slotted in the seventh seed in the conference as well. They're home on Monday to take on the San Antonio Spurs. Wall led the way for the Wizards with a 25 - point, 12 - assist double - double that also included six rebounds and two steals. Morris pitched in with 14 points, eight rebounds and a steal. Bradley Beal celebrated his return to the starting lineup with a 12 - point, three - assist, two - rebound effort. Garrett Temple, the man he replaced in the starting five, rebounded from a scoreless outing on Friday to supply 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal while pacing the reserves. The Wizards are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and a game back of the eighth - seeded Detroit Pistons. They head to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers on Tuesday.

["TeamStat(G,'Wizards') has 32 Losses ,has 99 Total points ,has 30 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Pacers') has 30 Losses ,has 100 Total points ,has 33 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul George') has 2 Assists, has 3 Personal fouls, has 38 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals, has 3 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Monta Ellis') has 4 Assists, has 17 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 4 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'George Hill') has 5 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 12 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jordan Hill') has 5 Personal fouls, has 10 Points, has 9 Total rebounds, has 5 Turnovers" "PlayerStat(G, 'Markieff Morris') has 5 Defensive rebounds, has 14 Points, has 8 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Bradley Beal') has 3 Assists, has 5 Field goals made, has 12 Points, has 2 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'John Wall') has 12 Assists, has 25 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Alan Anderson') has 3 Defensive rebounds, has 3 Field goals made, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Garrett Temple') has 2 Assists, has 5 Field goals made, has 11 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals"]

The Pacers have now lost five - straight games, as they are reeling headed into the All-Star break. This was a tied ball game early on in the fourth quarter, as the Cavaliers ripped off a 23 - 6 run to open things up. Cleveland limited mistakes, by committing just eight turnovers and having Indiana record just three combined blocks and steals. Glenn Robinson!!! led the Pacers in scoring, as he totaled 19 points and six rebounds. Jeff Teague was their best player, as he accumulated 15 points, four rebounds and 11 assists. LeBron James was the player of the game, collecting 31 points, five rebounds and four assists on 12 - of - 17 shooting. Kyrie Irving was n't far behind, tallying 26 points and seven assists. Kyle Korver was huge off the bench, providing 22 points on 6 - of - 8 from three - point range.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 8 Turnovers ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Jeff Teague') has 11 Assists, has 15 Points, has 4 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 4 Assists, has 17 Field goals attempted, has 12 Field goals made, has 31 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 7 Assists, has 26 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Korver') has 8 3-pointers attempted, has 6 3-pointers made, has 22 Points"]

The Toronto Raptors (15 - 9) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (9 - 15) 90 - 83 on Friday. Milwaukee continues to struggle mightily with respect to scoring points, and came into Friday night's contest behind only the Sixers as the most impotent offense in the league. The Bucks were averaging 96 points per game before Friday's 83 - point effort, which marked the eighth time in the last nine games that they failed to reach the century mark on the scoreboard. Outside of Khris Middleton's team - high 26 points, the other four starters managed solid but unspectacular totals, and Milwaukee received a paltry 10 points from their bench over the 61 total minutes tallied by the reserves. Middleton's scoring haul represented a season - high for the shooting guard, whose previous best was the 21 points he'd posted on four different occasions. Prized offseason acquisition Greg Monroe mustered 13 points, seven rebounds, a pair of assists and three steals, a performance that would be considered underwhelming for a player who's demonsrated he's capable of much better production. Giannis Antetokounmpo filled out the stat sheet with 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, a pair of steals and a block, while Jabari Parker managed 10 points, six rebounds and an assist. Veteran guard O.J. Mayo was the only starter in single digits, pitching in with nine points and adding four assists, three rebounds and three steals. The Bucks dropped to 9 - 15 and remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head home to face the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. Toronto was led by DeMar DeRozan, who posted a game - high 27 points, following a 28 - point outburst in a big victory over the Spurs on Wednesday. They did n't get much else from their starters, as Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola were next behind DeRozan with a pair of 12 - point efforts. The total represented a season - low figure for Lowry, who struggled considerably with his shot and drained only five of 16 attempts. Cory Joseph continued his trend of strong showings off the bench, pacing the Raptors reserves with 13 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. Toronto improved to 15 - 9 and remains in first place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They will face the one - win Philadelphia 76ers in Toronto on Sunday.

["TeamStat(G,'Raptors') has 9 Losses ,has 90 Total points ,has 15 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Bucks') has 15 Losses ,has 83 Total points ,has 9 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 3 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 15 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Jabari Parker') has 1 Assists, has 10 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Greg Monroe') has 2 Assists, has 13 Points, has 7 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Khris Middleton') has 4 3-pointers attempted, has 26 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'O.J. Mayo') has 4 Assists, has 9 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Luis Scola') has 1 Blocks, has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'DeMar DeRozan') has 1 Blocks, has 27 Points, has 3 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Lowry') has 16 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 12 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Cory Joseph') has 3 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 13 Points, has 3 Total rebounds, has 3 Steals"]

James Harden's January has been off to an unbelievable start. Following his 38 - point, eight - assist, six - rebound performance against Milwaukee on Wednesday night, Harden has posted averages of 30 points, 10 rebounds and 9 rebounds per game through 10 contests so far this month. That has included three 40 - point performances and 5 performances of 30 or more points. Likewise, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has continued to be a superstar in the making through the start of the new year. Despite a two - game stretch mid - way through the month where he was dealing with an illness, the Greek Freak has been a model of consistency. Following his 32 - point, 11 - rebound, six - assist performance against Houston, Antetokounmpo now has three double - doubles, two games of 30 - plus points and five games with at least 25 points so far in the month of January.

["TeamStat(G,'Rockets') has 30 Points in 2nd quarter ,has 32 Points in 4th quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Giannis Antetokounmpo') has 6 Assists, has 3 Blocks, has 5 Free throws made, has 3 Personal fouls, has 32 Points, has 11 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'James Harden') has 8 Assists, has 38 Points, has 6 Total rebounds"]

The Utah Jazz (33 - 41) routed the Minnesota Timberwolves (16 - 58), 104 - 84, on Monday at the Target Center. Utah took a 10 - point lead into the half, but turned this contest into a blowout in the third quarter. The Jazz outscored the short - handed Timberwolves 31 - 17 in the third and led by as many as 27 in the game. Gordon Hayward led the Jazz with 22 points and Trey Burke added 19 off the bench to help secure the victory. With Monday's win, the Jazz win the season series with the Timberwolves 3 - 1. Utah finished March with a 10 - 6 record, holding opponents to under 100 points in all but three of those games. Derrick Favors, who has been having an excellent second half of the season, sat out of this game with back spasms despite being able to participate in Monday's shootaround. Trevor Booker filled in at power forward and had a Favors-like stat line of 17 points and 13 rebounds. Rodney Hood left the contest with concussion - like symptoms and did not return. The Jazz will return to action Wednesday against the Nuggets. Minnesota was once again without several of its regular starters Monday and was outmatched. The Timberwolves were missing Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin, Gorgui Dieng, and Gary Neal and Nikola Pekovic was ruled out for the rest of the season earlier on Monday. The eight players Minnesota had at its disposal Monday finished with a 36 percent field goal percentage, making just 28 - of - 76 of their shots from the field. Zach Lavine made another start at point guard and posted 21 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Robbie Hummel had nine points and seven rebounds in his second game back after a broken hand sidelined him for 29 games. The Timberwolves will return to action Wednesday against Toronto.

["TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 58 Losses ,has 84 Total points ,has 17 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 27 Points in 4th quarter ,has 16 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 41 Losses ,has 104 Total points ,has 31 Points in 3rd quarter ,has 33 Points in 4th quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Gordon Hayward') has 22 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Trevor Booker') has 17 Points, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Trey Burke') has 19 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Zach LaVine') has 6 Assists, has 21 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Robbie Hummel') has 29 Minutes played, has 9 Points, has 7 Total rebounds"]

Covering a 15 - point spread in the NBA is not an easy task, but Atlanta made it look extremely easy here against Philadelphia. While the Sixers had five players score in double figures, they had no one surpass 18 points or seven rebounds. They actually had 10 players play at least 20 minutes, with no one playing more than 27 minutes. The Hawks dominated despite Paul Millsap having his worst game of the season, as he finished with six points, four rebounds and three assists on 3 - of - 10 shooting. Kris Humphries and Dwight Howard dominated down low, as they combined for 23 points and 20 rebounds on 10 - of - 14 shooting in 46 combined minutes. In the two Philadelphia-Atlanta matchups this season, the Hawks have outscored the Sixers by 53 total points. Luckily for the Sixers, they do n't play again until the calendar turns to 2017.

["TeamStat(G,'Hawks') has 2 Losses ,has 23 Points in 1st quarter ." "TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 18 Losses ,has 1 Points in 1st quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Paul Millsap') has 3 Assists, has 10 Field goals attempted, has 3 Field goals made, has 6 Points, has 4 Total rebounds"]

Cleveland has now defeated New York in 10 - straight games, as they continue to add to the Knicks struggles. Shooting was the key in the game, with the Cavaliers shooting 53 percent, while holding the Knicks to 42 percent from the field. Courtney Lee was New York's best player, as he accrued 25 points, six rebounds and five assists. Carmelo Anthony was second on the team, finishing with 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. Wily Hernangomez started for Joakim Noah and totaled 11 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. LeBron James recorded another triple - double, as he accumulated 18 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists. Kyrie Irving led the team with 23 points, adding three rebounds and six assists to his tally. Kyle Korver provided 20 points off the bench, hitting 6 - of - 10 from long distance.

["TeamStat(G,'Cavaliers') has 53 Percentage of field goals ." "TeamStat(G,'Knicks') has 42 Percentage of field goals ,has 25 Points in 4th quarter ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Carmelo Anthony') has 20 Points, has 5 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Willy Hernangomez') has 11 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Courtney Lee') has 5 Assists, has 25 Points, has 6 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'LeBron James') has 15 Assists, has 18 Points, has 13 Total rebounds" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyrie Irving') has 6 Assists, has 23 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Kyle Korver') has 10 3-pointers attempted, has 6 3-pointers made, has 20 Points"]

The Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 27) lost their league - leading 11th straight game, falling 101 - 89 to the depleted Utah Jazz (12 - 22). The neophyte Timberwolves were pestered by 7 - foot - 2 Rudy Gobert, converting just 34 percent of their shots when he was on the court compared to 50 percent when he sat. Chase Budinger was a scratch due to illness. No. 1 draft pick Andrew Wiggins tallied 20 points (8 - 15 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 37 minutes. It's the fifth time in his last six games that he's scored at least 20 points. Veteran Mo Williams chipped in 20 points (8 - 16 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 3 FT), five rebounds, three assists and two steals off the bench, and Gorgui Dieng was the only other Timberwolve to score in double figures, adding 10 points in 33 minutes. The Jazz introduced Joe Ingles and Rudy Gobert into the starting lineup with the injuries to Rodney Hood (heel), Patrick Christopher (knee) and Enes Kanter (ankle). Gobert supplied 12 points (5 - 7 FG, 3 - 6 FT), 11 rebounds, one assist, one steal and a career - high six blocks in 31 minutes. Trey Burke followed up a 2 - of - 19 shooting game with a season - high 28 points (10 - 16 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT), six rebounds, six assists and one steal in a team - high 39 minutes. The Jazz host the Pacers on Monday, and the Timberwolves entertain the Nuggets on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'Timberwolves') has 27 Losses ,has 89 Total points ,has 5 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Jazz') has 22 Losses ,has 101 Total points ,has 12 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Rudy Gobert') has 1 Assists, has 6 Blocks, has 7 Field goals attempted, has 5 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 3 Free throws made, has 50 Free throw percentage, has 31 Minutes played, has 2 Offensive rebounds, has 11 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Trey Burke') has 6 Assists, has 6 3-pointers attempted, has 4 3-pointers made, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 10 Field goals made, has 6 Free throws attempted, has 4 Free throws made, has 39 Minutes played, has 28 Points, has 6 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Gorgui Dieng') has 33 Minutes played, has 10 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Andrew Wiggins') has 2 Assists, has 1 Blocks, has 3 3-pointers attempted, has 1 3-pointers made, has 15 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 3 Free throws attempted, has 3 Free throws made, has 37 Minutes played, has 1 Offensive rebounds, has 20 Points, has 4 Total rebounds, has 1 Steals" "PlayerStat(G, 'Mo Williams') has 3 Assists, has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 3 3-pointers made, has 16 Field goals attempted, has 8 Field goals made, has 3 Free throws attempted, has 1 Free throws made, has 20 Points, has 5 Total rebounds, has 2 Steals"]

The Memphis Grizzlies (19 - 4) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (2 - 21) 120 - 115 in overtime on Saturday. Memphis was trailing the first three quarters, and coach Dave Joerger started extending his rotation to try and find a lineup willing to fight against the 76ers' attack. The Grizzlies waited until the fourth quarter to take the Sixers seriously, but in the fourth, Memphis went on a run to win the quarter 41 - 29 to tie the game and force overtime. The Grizzlies then continued their takeover in the extra period, winning overtime 11 - 6 to complete the win. In addition to hitting the game - tying three - pointer to send it to overtime, Mike Conley finished with 36 points in 42 minutes. They have two days off to rest before hosting the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. Philadelphia has dropped three straight games, but the way the young team played against one of the league's best defenses showed the promise of several of their prospects. Michael Carter-Williams attacked all night, never shying away from playing his game against an opponent that all - but assured the Sixers would take home a loss, collecting his second triple - double of the season (16 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists). Robert Covington attacked the basket off the dribble, challenging the Grizzlies' defense to finish with 24 points, and Hollis Thompson was deadeye from beyond the arc, finishing 5 - of - 5 on his three - point attempts. The Sixers gave the game away with their turnovers, allowing the Grizzlies to score 29 easy points off of 17 Sixers turnovers. Philadelphia will host the Boston Celtics on Monday.

["TeamStat(G,'76ers') has 21 Losses ,has 115 Total points ,has 29 Points in 4th quarter ,has 2 Wins ." "TeamStat(G,'Grizzlies') has 4 Losses ,has 120 Total points ,has 41 Points in 4th quarter ,has 19 Wins ." "PlayerStat(G, 'Mike Conley') has 42 Minutes played, has 36 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Robert Covington') has 24 Points" "PlayerStat(G, 'Hollis Thompson') has 5 3-pointers attempted, has 5 3-pointers made" "PlayerStat(G, 'Michael Carter-Williams') has 11 Assists, has 16 Points, has 11 Total rebounds"]