" 𝔹𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕦𝕟𝕚𝕢𝕦𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕓𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕓𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕖𝕔𝕥 "

NEW ORLEANS -- — LeBron James closed out his 21st NBA regular season looking invigorated, formidable on both ends of the court and ready to produce in the postseason.

James had 28 points, 17 assists, 11 rebounds and five steals, and the Los Angeles Lakers claimed the eighth seed in the Western Conference with a 124-108 victory over New Orleans on Sunday that dropped the Pelicans out of a coveted top-six

seeding.

LeBron James' REGAL TRIPLE-DOUBLE PERFORMANCE! 👏 | April 14, 2024

AD Flies in for a Putback Dunk

 

“I just want to win. So, whatever the game presents itself for me to be," said James, who also serves as a primary defender on Pelicans star power forward Zion Williamson. "I am a Swiss army knife. I’ve got to do it all on the floor, but none of it is

predetermined.”

Anthony Davis had 30 points and 11 rebounds against the team that made him the first overall NBA draft choice in 2012 to help set up a rematch on Tuesday night in the same arena in the conference play-in.

Davis, who asked out of the game in the final minutes and walked gingerly back to the locker room holding his lower back, said his back “locked up” when he was shoved from behind while in the air, but added that his ailment was “nothing

concerning.”

LeBron's Dunk at the Buzzer Rims Out

 

“There’s no doubt that I’m going to play" in Tuesday's play-in game, Davis said. "Get some massages, get some treatment, just keep it loose. Just see how I feel over the next 36 hours and be ready.”

James' triple-double was his fifth this season and his playmaking helped spearhead a dominant performance in the paint, where Los Angeles outscored New Orleans 68-42.

“They got whatever they wanted in the paint,” Williamson said. "They dominated us in the paint.

James said he set out to “read the game and just find my teammates.”

Last regular season game of Year 21. Still setting career-highs.

 

LeBron's No-Look Dime finds AD for a Dunk

 

 

 

LBJ SAYS "SH*T! NOT AGAIN! AFTER SEEING AD SUB OUT! INJURED HIS BACK & BEGS TO BE TAKEN OUT!

“Just try to put the ball on time and on target for either jump shots or guys at the rim,” James added. "Just trying to be very efficient with my play.”

James also helped hold Williamson, who averages a Pelicans-leading 23 points per game, to 12 points.

“He’s a beast. It’s almost impossible to stop him," James said of Williamson. "So, just try to keep a body on him and just try to make it tough on him.”

Williamson, meanwhile, criticized himself for “being too passive.”

“I don't think I was super aggressive the whole game,” he said.

Austin Reaves scored 20 points and D'Angelo Russell scored 19 for the Lakers, who won eight of their final 11 regular-season games.

Zion Leans in for a Pels and-1

CJ McCollum scored 23 for the Pelicans, who were coming off a four-game road winning streak and welcomed high-scoring wing Brandon Ingram back into the lineup, only to fall flat at home while trying to lock up a No. 6 seed and avoid the play-in.

Instead, the matchup was reminiscent of the NBA In-Season Tournament semifinal in Las Vegas in December, when the Lakers embarrassed the Pelicans 133-89.

“They punched us right in the mouth and they kept going,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “We let a really good opportunity slip away.”

Ingram, who had missed the previous 12 games with a left knee contusion, scored 13 points. Herb Jones added 18 points for New Orleans.

After Ingram's 3 pulled the Pelicans to 28-24 at the first-quarter horn, the Lakers went to the foul line because of an apparent officiating error.

AD Exits Game after Apparent Injury in 4th quarter

 

Official John Goble announced that Los Angeles mistakenly was not granted free throws on the Pelicans' second foul in the last two minutes of the period. Taurean Prince made both.

The Lakers then opened the second quarter with Prince's driving layup to make it 32-24. A reverse layup by James then sparked a 9-0 run to make it 41-26.

While New Orleans was missing 14 of its first 19 from deep, the Lakers were snagging long rebounds and converting in transition.

Reaves' 3-pointer and his breakaway dunk gave the Lakers their first 20-point lead at 53-33. Another Reaves 3 made it 70-53.

The Lakers opened the third period with a 3 by Reaves, two more from deep by Russell and a cutting dunk by Davis that made it 83-57.

Another Russell 3 gave the Lakers their largest lead at 91-59.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- — LeBron James had 37 points — including six in the final minute — and 10 rebounds, and Anthony Davis had 36 points and 14 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies 123-120 on Friday

night.

Davis, returning from a left eye injury that kept him out of the Lakers' loss to Golden State on Tuesday, was 11 of 22 in this game. James shot 13 for 20 to help the Lakers snap a two-game losing streak.

“I felt fine. No issues,” Davis said. "Felt pretty good out there."

GG Jackson scored 31 points to lead the Grizzlies, while Scotty Pippen Jr. had a career-high 28. Jake LaRavia also finished with 28 points, and Jordan Goodwin added 23 points and 16 rebounds.

Pippen added five rebounds, six assists and four steals to his stat line.

Nice Basket from GG Jackson

LBJ TRIGGERED ENTIRE GRIZZLIES TEAM! MADE JA MORANT FIGHT! TRIGGERS HIM! SHOWS SPORTSMANSHIP

LBJ GETS SHOVED BY JA MORANT AFTER TALKING CRAZY SH*T TO HIM! IN FIGHT! AFTER INSANE DUNK!

“He sticks his body in there, lays it on the line,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said of Pippen, adding, “(he) was really impressive. This was one of his best games all season.”

Memphis led 99-98 early in the fourth quarter, and was still close through the quarter. LaRavia's two free throws with 1:06 left gave Memphis a 118-117 lead. But James scored on a drive and then on either side of two free throws as Los Angeles

pulled away.

James played just under 41 minutes and Davis played almost 43. However, Lakers coach Darvin Ham said he wasn't worried about how much his two leading scorers played because ‘We all understand what’s at stake."

“In the moment, you're not worried about that,” Ham said. “You're worried about securing the victory you came to get. ... Everyone knows what time it is. It's that time of the year. Whatever we need, and however long we need to push guys, we've

got to have it, and they understand that.”

Anthony Davis Throws Down Big Dunk vs. Memphis Grizzlis

Anthony Davis Throws Down Big Dunk vs. Memphis Grizzlies

Anthony Davis (36 PTS) & LeBron James (37 PTS) GET BUSY! 😤  April 12, 2024

 

 

The Lakers already are assured of making the Western Conference play-in round of the postseason and are just jockeying for position. The Lakers began the day in a three-way tie with Sacramento and Golden State for spots 8-10. The Kings and

Warriors played their games later Friday night.

Los Angeles emerged from the play-in last season before dispatching the second-seeded Grizzlies and Warriors to reach the Western Conference finals, where the Lakers were swept by Denver, the conference's top seed and eventual NBA champion.

“Every game matters. Every seed matters,” James said. “Wherever you fall, you can't play in the past. I can't say I would much rather be where we are today than the 1 seed. That would be a lie. Seeds matter, and wherever you fall, you take that

challenge.”

Anthony Davis with the Massive Block at the Rim

Memphis, meanwhile, is simply limping to the finish line in a season filled with injuries. As they did in previous games, the Grizzlies had more players on the injury list and not dressing (13), than active for the game (eight).

PORTLAND, Ore. -- — Stephen Curry had 22 points and the Golden State Warriors rallied down the stretch for a 100-92 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.

Jonathan Kuminga added 19 points for the Warriors, who had a 16-1 run in the final quarter for their third straight win and ninth in the last 10 games. Golden State has already clinched a play-in spot but can potentially improve its playoff seeding in

the final two games.

Stephen Curry Gets the and-1 to Fall

“You know they’re going to play hard and with a lot of energy and for the most part it worked for about 42 minutes, but we just got really disciplined down the stretch, had great point of attack defense,” Curry said. “We just competed and that last

six minutes was hard-nosed basketball. That’s what it took to win.”

Deandre Ayton led Portland with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Scoot Henderson had 18 points and 12 assists. It was his eighth game this season with at least 10 assists, which leads all rookies.

The Trail Blazers, sitting in second-to-last in the Western Conference, have won just two of their last 15 games.

Neither team was able to lead by more than single digits through the first three quarters. Kris Murray made a 3-pointer that gave the Blazers an 85-79 lead with just more than nine minutes left. Curry's 3 narrowed it for the Warriors.

Stephen Curry makes a Sweet Dish

Stephen Curry makes a Sweet Dish

Curry's pullup jumper tied it at 86. Kevon Looney added a free throw before Curry made another 3 to make it 90-86 with 4:42 to go, and the Warriors led the rest of the way.

“Steph's done that a million times so it never surprises you. Obviously, wasn’t his best shooting night but he made some big ones down the stretch,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We played him more than we wanted but we got it done.”

With the victory the Warriors (45-35) surpassed their win total from last season, when they went to the conference semifinals.

“It's a loaded conference. Everybody's good,” Kerr said. “It's just tough to make up ground.”

Deandre Ayton Gets the Hoop and the Harm

 

 

Golden State was coming off a 134-120 victory over the Lakers on Tuesday night. Klay Thompson scored 27 points and the Warriors made a season-high 26 3-pointers.

Thompson was unavailable against the Blazers because of right knee tendonitis. Draymond Green (right knee contusion) and Gary Payton II (left calf tightness) were also unavailable.

The Blazers (21-59) have been inundated all year by injuries and they sat several players as the season wound down. Among those on the bench were Anfernee Simons (right knee tendonitis) Jerami Grant (right hamstring strain) and Matisse

Thybulle (right ankle).

Portland led 19-12 in the opening quarter, but overall it was close for most of the first half and Golden State took a 49-46 lead into the break.

Duop Reath with the and-1 Bucket

 

 

Player of the Game, powered by @GoogleCloud

 

It was back-and-forth throughout the third quarter. Ayton's jumper from out front knotted the game at 54 for the Blazers, but Andrew Wiggins answered with a 3-pointer for Golden State.

The Blazers went up 64-62 on Henderson's floater but the lead was short-lived and the Warriors led 75-74 going into the final period.

DENVER -- — Nikola Jokic minimized the matchup between teams tied atop the Western Conference standings, then put on a show for the ages — and for anyone still doubting he's the best player on the planet.

The odds-on favorite to win a third MVP trophy, Jokic registered his 20th career 40-point game in powering the Denver Nuggets past the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-107 on Wednesday night.

Scoring 41 points to go with 11 rebounds and seven assists, Jokic made 16 of 20 shots against the NBA's best defense while being guarded most of the night by the league's top defender, Rudy Gobert, along with Naz Reid. All of it in front of the 41st

RUDY GOBERT COULDNT STOP LAUGHING AFTER NIKOLA JOKIC DID THIS TO HIM! LOL!

Jokic's 41 points push Nuggets Past Wolves in Battle of West's Best

 

 

Nikola Jokic Is In PLAYOFF-MODE! Drops 41-PT Double-Double vs Timberwolves! 🔥 April 10, 2024

sellout at Ball Arena and a national television audience on ESPN.

“Nikola always embraces the physicality. He never shies away from it,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “Rudy Gobert is going to be a Hall of Fame player one day. Rudy Gobert is going to be regarded as one of the best defenders of his

generation. And it just speaks to how great Nikola is. I don't think anybody in the NBA can guard Nikola 1-on-1.”

Jamal Murray added 20 points in 27 minutes and Michael Porter Jr. scored 18 for the Nuggets, who pulled away by holding Anthony Edwards without a bucket in the fourth quarter.

MPJ Cashes Fadeaway Jumper vs. Timberwolves

Edwards led Minnesota with 25 points but was a non-factor in the fourth as Denver's reserves put on a show featuring Peyton Watson's six blocks and Christian Braun's rim-rattling dunks.

Jokic was eager to talk about the Nuggets' closers.

“They were great,” he said. “P-Wat, it seemed like he was all over the place. He was just full of energy. And C.B., that sequence of two minutes, it was really amazing. I was happy for those guys. I think they don't get enough credit what they are

doing on the floor, and they're helping us energy-wise, effort-wise. We need them.”

As for his MVP chances, which he certainly enhanced Wednesday night, Jokic demurred, saying, “I think I'm playing good basketball. The team is playing good basketball. I think there is a lot of guys playing really good basketball in the league and a

couple of guys deserve to have that award.”

 

Jokic Finds Gordon for Thunderous Alley-Oop Dunk

Jokic Finds Gordon for Thunderous Alley-Oop Dunk

Edwards said Jokic kept blocking his way to the basket, so he had no choice but to dish and his teammates' shots just weren't falling: “He’s just there, so there’s nowhere for me to go," Edwards said.

The Nuggets (56-24) took a one-game lead over Minnesota and Oklahoma City, who are both 55-25 in the West. The Thunder walloped San Antonio 127-89 on Wednesday night to stay within striking distance of the conference's top seed.

The defending NBA champion Nuggets are a best-in-the-West 33-8 at home — where they parlayed the No. 1 seed last year into a 10-1 playoff record on their way to winning the franchise's first NBA title.

Jokic downplayed this showdown's significance, suggesting, "I don’t think it’s a really big game.” Edwards, though, insisted this was as big as a regular-season game can get.

“We knew what this game was going to determine,” Edwards said. “If we won it, we knew we were going to possibly be the No. 1 seed, and if we lost it, we knew they’d possibly be the No. 1 seed. I think we cared before but now that we lost we

can’t do nothing about it.”

Jaden McDaniels Go Behind-the-Back for Flashy Assist

Denver trailed much of the night but closed the third quarter on a 9-1 run to take an 83-80 lead into a fourth period they utterly dominated.

Entering the playoffs at optimum health is more important than going into the postseason as the top seed in the West, suggested Malone, who's been saying for weeks that he's confident his team can win anywhere, anytime, regardless of seeding.

The Wolves were at less than full strength in the playoffs a year ago but still gave the Nuggets the hardest time of any opponent on Denver's journey to the title. And regardless of what seed Minnesota ends up with, Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) is set

to return to action as soon as this weekend.

 

 

Christian Braun switched hands MID-AIR for the POSTER over Gobert💀🤯

 

Christian Braun Posterizes Gobert, Shines with Trio of Jams

 

LOS ANGELES -- — Klay Thompson scored 27 points, Stephen Curry had 23 and the Golden State Warriors capitalized on Anthony Davis' injury absence for a 134-120 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

Andrew Wiggins had 17 points for the 10th-place Warriors, who hit 26 of their 41 3-point attempts — including an astonishing 16 of 23 from Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green, who went 5 for 5 in the first half by himself.

DRAYMOND GREEN SCUFFLE ENDS UP IN LAKERS HUDDLE & GETS SECURITY INVOLVED!ANGRY!

DRAYMOND GREEN SCUFFLE ENDS UP IN LAKERS HUDDLE & GETS SECURITY INVOLVED!ANGRY!

Draymond Green has hit 5 threes against the Lakers in one half 🤫🤫

Golden State's 26 3s were the most ever allowed in a game by the Lakers.

Even after a decade as the coach of a scoring machine, Steve Kerr can still be impressed by his Big Three.

Warriors Drain 26 Triples in Double-Digit Win vs. Lakers

Steph curry Shows off with Flashy No-Look Dime vs lakers

“I didn't feel like we played that well, but we made a million 3s,” Kerr said. “The ball was going in, but I didn't think we were sharp. A lot of possessions where we weren't just quite locked in and we were a little bit disjointed, but the ball kept going in. ... To shoot 63% from 3, that's

crazy.”

The Warriors (44-35) have won eight of nine down the stretch to move within a half-game of ninth-place Los Angeles (45-35). Golden State also won the head-to-head tiebreaker between the rivals, putting home-court advantage for a potential 9-10 play-in game next week in the

Warriors' hands over their final three regular-season games.

Green said the Warriors are “very confident” about their postseason chances after showcasing the height of their capabilities.

Gary Payton II

Gary Payton II Skies for the Emphatic Rejection

Gary Payton II made LeBron quit after insane block on Rui Hachimura in clutch 😱

“We’ve kept that same sentiment all along, just about what we feel this team is capable of,” Green said. “At times this year it hasn’t always come together for us, but we feel like it’s coming together at the right time. We’ve always felt like if we get a chance, we know what it takes.”

LeBron James had 33 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds for the Lakers, who had won eight of nine before taking back-to-back home losses in the past three days. Austin Reaves added 22 points and Rui Hachimura had 20, while D'Angelo Russell struggled to 14 points on 3-of-11

shooting.

 

 

“We know we're as good as any team in the league when we're whole — and when we're not, we're not,” James said. “It's hard for us to make up, especially having a guy like AD not playing. It's almost pretty much impossible to make up for what he provides for our ballclub, both

offensively and defensively.”

Curry Shows off with Flashy No-Look Dime vs. Lakers

 

Davis sat out due to the aftereffects of being hit in the head by Minnesota’s Kyle Anderson in the Lakers’ loss to the Timberwolves last Sunday night. Davis took a similar blow to his left eye last month from Golden State's Trayce Jackson-Davis.

Without its All-Star big man, Los Angeles couldn't defend the Warriors effectively and missed the chance to move into eighth place past struggling Sacramento (45-34), which blew a big second-half lead and lost to Oklahoma City.

“It’s different when it’s AD out there,” Green said. “He can cover up so many mistakes. It’s a totally different look for them when he’s out there.”

Davis showed up to the Lakers' downtown arena Tuesday, but “couldn't overcome the headaches and nausea” caused by that blow, coach Darvin Ham said. Davis isn't in the concussion protocol, Ham added, but he missed a key game after largely avoiding serious injuries all season for

the first time in a half-decade.

Los Angeles fell to 2-4 without Davis this season, not counting two losses in which he played only the first quarter due to head blows.

LeBron Rockets Left-Handed Pass over Multiple Defenders

James didn't arrive until just over an hour before tipoff against the Warriors after missing that loss to the Wolves due to an apparent case of the flu. James didn't do his usual on-court workout, but still suited up.

The Warriors played freely on offense without Davis in the middle, and Green improbably matched his total 3-pointers from his previous nine games combined and tied his career record for most 3s in one half.

SAN FRANCISCO -- — Klay Thompson found his offensive groove in a hurry, even on the toughest of shots with a defender in his face.

Thompson scored 32 points and the Golden State Warriors ran away from the undermanned Utah Jazz early on the way to a 118-110 victory Sunday night.

“He was amazing,” coach Steve Kerr said. “Klay’s shot-making really helped us get that lead.”

Klay Thompson Drains 3-pointer Utah Jazz

Klay Thompson Drains 3-pointer Utah Jazz

Klay Thompson Drops 32 POINTS in Warriors' Win vs. Jazz | April 7, 2024

 

The Warriors clinched at least a spot in the four-team play-in tournament before the game when Houston lost 147-136 in overtime to Dallas.

The Warriors know they just have to “keep trying to win,” Kerr said, and he believes this team still has a great opportunity to make a special playoff run despite what could be a daunting road.

“It's going to be interesting, four games left and lots of possibilities,” he said.

From the opening tip, Thompson came out looking for his shot to handle the bulk of the scoring load on a night Stephen Curry was held out for rest and Chris Paul started in his place as the Warriors won for the seventh time in eight games.

Kerr utilized his 26th starting lineup combination of the season. The break gave Curry several days between games. He has played in 71 already, his most since 2016-17.

“He needed it, this is the most games he’s played in a long time,” Kerr said about the 36-year-old two-time MVP. “It’ll serve him well for next week.”

Jonathan Kuminga with the and-1 Bucket

 

Reserve Johnny Juzang scored a career-high 27 points with seven 3s to lead the Jazz in their 12th straight defeat and 15th loss in 16. They haven’t won at Golden State since Feb. 9, 2022. Keyonte George added 25 points.

Thompson shot 12 for 23 with six 3-pointers and had 25 points by halftime for his best scoring half of the season and first with 25 or more points in the initial two quarters since going for 33 against the Suns on March 13, 2023.

Thompson hit seven of his first 10 attempts with four 3s, and Golden State connected on 8 of 12 3s in the first quarter to take a 41-28 lead — the Warriors' third time scoring 40 or more points in the opening period.

Jonathan Kuminga returned from missing six games with tendonitis in both knees and came off the bench to contribute 21 points and 10 rebounds in his sixth straight 20-point game when playing as a reserve. That matched Sarunas Marciulionis for most such games in Warriors franchise

history since 1977-78 when starters began being recorded.

"I was more concerned with going in there and impacting a win because a win is a win at the end of the day and playing my game," Kuminga said.

Collin Sexton Impresses with nice Basket

 

Brandin Podziemski had his 17th game with at least 10 points, five rebounds, five assists — second among rookies — finishing with 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

“We’ve just been finding ways to win right now,” Podziemski said. “I think we’re playing really well, offensively especially we’re sharing the ball. We’re just playing together, having fun.”

The Warriors also were missing forward Andrew Wiggins for a second straight game because of left ankle soreness.

LOS ANGELES -- — D’Angelo Russell scored 28 points, LeBron James added 24 and the Los Angeles Lakers extended their winning streak to four with a 116-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, moving into eighth place in the Western Conference.

Anthony Davis added 22 points and 13 rebounds in the Lakers' (45-33) ninth win in 10 games.

Darius Garland scored 26 points for Cleveland and Caris LeVert had 21 off the bench. The Cavaliers (46-32) remained in third place in the East but have dropped two straight and three of their last four.

Russell had six 3-pointers, including five in the first half, when his 23 points helped the Lakers take a nine-point lead.

Jaxson Hayes Elevates for Alley-Oop Dunk

 

 

James improved to 18-4 against his former team, where he played for 11 seasons in two different stints. He had a pair of alley-oop dunks against the team he led to its lone NBA title in 2016.

Davis scored 11 points in the third quarter, including nine during a 19-0 run. Cleveland led 71-67 before the Lakers regained control during a four-minute span.

LeBron

LeBron throws Down a Lob from AD

Los Angeles jumped out to a 16-point lead early in the second quarter with a 24-4 run before Cleveland got it down to 65-56 at halftime.

Garland, who tied a career high with five steals, had a pair of 3-pointers as the Cavaliers began the second half with an 11-2 spurt to tie it at 67-all.

LeBron Elevates from an Alley-Oop Jam

LBJ CRASHES INTO CAMER MAN & APOLOGIZES TO HIM AFTER HURTING HIS BACK!

 

UP NEXT

Cavaliers: Remain in Los Angeles to face the Clippers on Sunday afternoon.

Lakers: Host the Minnesota Timberwolves Sunday night.

HOUSTON -- — Steph Curry and Klay Thompson scored 29 points each and the Golden State Warriors stretched their winning streak to a season-high six games with a 133-110 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.

“We know we can score against most teams but defense has been our calling card,” Curry said.

Klay Thompson Nails a Three over Dillon Brooks 😳😳

Trayce Jackson-Davis' Career-High 20PTS Lead Golden State to Victory over Rockets | April 4, 2024

No. 32 with a career high in points tonight Player of the Game, powered by @googlecloud 

 

 

"He's had such an incredible year. I'd assume he'll be on one of the All-Rookie teams." - Klay on Trayce

 

The Warriors, who are in 10th place in the Western Conference, never trailed and built a 15-point lead by halftime behind 21 points by Thompson. He made seven 3-pointers with five of them coming in the first half.

“Man, he was smoking and that was fun to watch,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He was feeling it right from the beginning.”

Kerr said he's not focused on the standings, but rather how they can build on this momentum.

Stephen Curry

Check out this Sweet pass from Stephen Curry

Steph Curry Hilariously Trolls Tari Eason for "Warriors come out to Play" 😂

STEPH MOCKS TARI EASON & ROCKETS FROM BENCH! WAIVES 3 BOTTLES AT HIM LOL! HAHA! TROLLING!

Steph Curry Celebrating that the Refs called a Foul 😂

“We’re not thinking about any of that, we’re just trying to win,” he said. “We’re on a nice run right now and we’re playing good basketball. So we’re going to do that for the next six games and see where we land.”

They improved to 3-0 against Houston this season and have won the last 13 regular-season games against the Rockets.

“We know what’s at stake and we know how important these last games are,” Thompson said. “So I thought we played with the sense of urgency we needed to get it done.”

Gary Payton II

Gary Payton II Drains Basket vs. Houston Rockets

Jabari Smith Jr. had 24 points to lead the Rockets, who dropped their third game in a row after winning their previous 11 games. Rookie Cam Whitmore added 17 points off the bench.

“You have to up your level against higher quality, high IQ teams,” coach Ime Udoka said. “Lack of communication has been one thing, but when you see that many slips to the basket and two men on one ball, it's a lack of communication or a lack of recognition of who you're guarding.”

The Warriors moved to 42-34 with the win to give them a winning season for the 38th time in franchise history and the fourth in a row.

Klay Thompson points and calls Dillon Brooks a Bum after Hitting a 3 on Him 😂

 

Golden State was up by 16 after three and had pushed the lead to 20 when Kerr cleared the bench with about four minutes remaining.

Andrew Wiggins makes a Sweet Dish

Rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis scored a career-high 20 points for the Warriors with five rebounds and four assists in his 10th start this season.

“Trayce, for a rookie, it’s amazing what he’s doing,” Kerr said. “He’s gaining a lot more confidence with the extra playing time here in the second half of the season.”

The Warriors were without Jonathan Kuminga for a fifth straight game because of a knee injury. But Kerr said he was doing better and should return Friday night.

Brandin Podziemski puts his Man in the Spin Cycle for a Bucket

WASHINGTON -- — Anthony Davis scored 19 of his 35 points in the first quarter and had 18 rebounds, helping the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Washington Wizards 125-120 on Wednesday night for their eighth victory in nine games.

LeBron James had 25 points and nine assists, and Rui Hachimura scored 19 points for the Lakers against his former team. Davis was 10 of 17 from the field and made 15 free throws without a miss.

Jordan Poole led Washington with 29 points.

Jordan Poole just cooked Anthony Davis 😳🤝

Anthony Davis stars in Lakers' Win with 35 points, 18 rebounds

 

 

 

 

The Lakers are ninth in the Western Conference, meaning they'd have to win twice in the play-in tournament to make the main playoff bracket. But they're making a push to move up. Los Angeles trailed Phoenix and Sacramento by 1 1/2 games entering Wednesday.

“We want to continue to play good basketball,” James said. “The postseason's still kind of a ways away. ... Postseason prep, all that other stuff is totally different from the regular season, so wherever we fall is where we fall.”

The Wizards are a loss shy of matching the franchise record of 63.

LeBron James, Anthony Davis staying laser focused amid playoff race after Lakers’ 5-1 road trip

Washington was coming off a nice win over Milwaukee on Tuesday night, and the Wizards made their first five 3-point attempts against the Lakers. Washington led 19-8 early on, and the problems mounted for Los Angeles when Davis took a stray elbow to the nose from Wizards 7-

footer Tristan Vukcevic and stayed down on the floor for a bit.

But Davis was able to play on, which was bad news for Washington. The Wizards didn't have the size necessary to deal with him, and Davis dominated the rest of the quarter. By the time it was over, he'd already made 11 free throws, and the Lakers led 39-29.

LeBron Beats the First-Half Buzzer

LeBron Beats the First-Half Buzzer with Acrobatic Lay-In

Los Angeles led by seven at the half, then went on a 9-2 run to start the third quarter to take a 76-62 advantage. D'Angelo Russell scored 18 points for the Lakers, who went 5-1 on a six-game trip.

Washington pulled back within two in the fourth and was having some success with its zone defense before James spun around Jared Butler and dunked to make it 109-105. That started a 12-0 run.

“When we're scoring at will, teams are going to try to get into a zone and try to slow us down," Davis said. "We've got to be able to get to our zone offense to combat that.”

LeBron Blows by the Wizards'

LeBron Blows by the Wizards' Defense and Hits the and-1 Bucket

The Lakers had removed James and Davis, the game seemingly in hand, when the Wizards scored eight straight points to make it 125-120. After a Los Angeles turnover with 17.4 seconds remaining, James and Davis came back in.

Davis blocked a 3-point attempt by Butler and the Lakers held on.

TORONTO -- — LeBron James scored 23 points, Anthony Davis had 21 points and 12 rebounds and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 128-111 on Tuesday night for their seventh win in eight games.

D’Angelo Russell shot 7 for 14 from 3-point range and scored 25 points, Rui Hachimura had 14 and Max Christie 12 as the Lakers handed slumping Toronto a 14th straight loss.

The NBA’s career scoring leader, James shot 10 for 12 and had nine assists.

LeBron James fights off Defender for and-1

LeBron James just made his no name Defender touch Earth 😳😳

 

COUNT IT Back-to-back and ones from Bron

 

James came in having matched his career high with nine 3-pointers in Sunday’s win at Brooklyn. The 20-time All-Star took just one shot from distance against the Raptors, connecting with 5:22 left in the third quarter.

Davis sat the entire fourth quarter, while James checked out with 9:22 remaining in the final period after Los Angeles extended its lead to 27, 109-82. The Lakers visit the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

James said he appreciated the chance to get an early start on his postgame routine.

“It absolutely helps,” he said. “Every minute counts. I was able to get back here and get going on the treatment and my prep, and start preparing my body, hopefully, for tomorrow night.”

D’Angelo Russell Waves Goodbye to the Raptors Fans 😅😅

 

Lakers coach Darvin Ham said he expected to have both James and Davis available against the Wizards, who beat Milwaukee on Tuesday night.

“We’ll see how they feel when they wake up in the morning but, in all likelihood, I’m sure they’ll play,” Ham said.

RJ Barrett Throws Down a Mean One-Handed Jam for Raptors

James has scored 20 or more points in five of his past six meetings with Toronto.

“He’s just so elite,” Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said. “It’s amazing to see a player at this age, after 20 years in the NBA, to play at this high a level. We never saw anything like it.”

RJ Barrett scored 28 points and Immanuel Quickley added 20 for the Raptors. Toronto lost a franchise-worst 17 consecutive games in 1997-98.

Toronto’s Gary Trent Jr. sat to rest, while Barrett and Quickley returned after missing time because of personal reasons and reconditioning. The pair combined for 17 points in the first, but the Lakers closed the quarter with an 18-4 spurt to lead 34-25 after one.

Mouhamadou Gueye Denies Los Angeles Lakers with Swat

Los Angeles held a 64-58 edge at the intermission. James and Davis each scored nine points in the third as the Lakers stretched their lead to 100-79 after three.

“We challenged the guys,” Ham said of his halftime message. “They responded with a big defensive third quarter.”

NEW YORK -- — LeBron James would only hint at how long he expects to keep playing NBA basketball.

“Not very long, I’m not going to play another 21 years, that’s for damn sure,” James said after he had one of the best shooting nights of his illustrious career, going 9 for 10 behind the arc to tie his career high for 3-pointers. “I don’t know when that door will close, but I don’t have much

time left.”

LeBron makes Career-High 9 3-pointers as Lakers Topple Nets

LeBron Crowns Himself after Dropping 40 on Brooklyn 👑

LBJ SHOCKS NETS! ON FIRE FROM 3! CROWNS HIMSELF! AFTER TAKING OVER GAME! ON FIRE! FULL!

James once again looked like an ageless wonder as he played is 1,485th career game and matched a season high with 40 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 116-104 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night.

James had the sellout crowd at Barclays Center standing on its feet as he put the finishing touches on his 3-point shooting display in the fourth quarter. He reached 40 points for the third time this season, most recently on March 16 in a home loss to Golden State.

The Lakers have won five of six since then, and this victory moved them a season-high nine games over .500 with seven games remaining in the regular season. Los Angeles remained ninth in the Western Conference, but the Lakers could catch the Sacramento Kings for eighth or

the Phoenix Suns for seventh in the West, taking them out of the single-elimination No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in game.

LeBron finds AD with Pinpoint Outlet Pass as Lakers Jump out to 15-0 Lead

If James has another game like this in the postseason, just about anything is possible for the NBA’s career scoring leader who continues to amaze at age 39.

The 20-time All Star finished 13 for 17 overall as the Lakers played the fourth game of a six-game road trip and rebounded from a loss Friday night at Indiana that snapped their five-game winning streak.

“I put in a lot of time working on my craft,” James said.

Anthony Davis added 24 points and 14 rebounds, and Rui Hachimura had 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game the Lakers led by 20 in the first quarter and controlled throughout. Brooklyn got its deficit inside double digits just once in the second half.

Cam Thomas led the Nets with 30 points, trying to rally them after their dismal start.

LeBron Splashes Career-High 9th 3 for his 40th point of the Night

“But can’t do nothing when somebody hits 9 for 10 from 3,” Thomas said. “Made every 3 he put up so it's tough, but I feel like we played really well second through the fourth. It was just the first quarter was pretty tough on us, starting off that slow,”

The Lakers got 114 of their 116 points from their starters.

James also made nine 3-pointers Jan. 24, 2023, against the Clippers, shooting 9 for 14. His 90% accuracy was the second-best of his career in games in which he made at least five 3-pointers, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He was 5 for 5 against Oklahoma City on Dec. 23 of this

season.

Austin Reaves makes a Great Defensive Play for the Steal

Brooklyn was 0 for 8 from the field when interim coach Kevin Ollie called his first timeout just over 4 minutes into the first quarter after James grabbed a defensive rebound and hit Davis in stride with a long pass for a breakaway dunk, and the futility continued until Nic Claxton broke the

ice after an 0-for-11 start by banking in a 10-footer.

Still, the lead rapidly grew to 24-4 with 4 ½ minutes left in the opening quarter, and the Barclays Center crowd was silenced as the Nets were laying this particular Easter egg. The Lakers’ lead was 31-10 after one quarter as Brooklyn shot 4-for-21 and was outrebounded 21-11.

NEW ORLEANS -- — Jayson Tatum scored 23 points and the Boston Celtics rebounded from back-to-back losses to Atlanta, pulling away in the third quarter for a 104-92 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.

Kristaps Porzingis added 19 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots and Jaylen Brown scored 17 as the Celtics, who at 58-16 have the NBA’s best record, avoided what would have been their first three-game skid of the year.

Derrick White had 15 points and Jrue Holiday had 13 points, seven assists and eight rebounds.

Zion Williamson scored 25 for New Orleans and CJ McCollum added 24.

Derrick White Shows off the Range on 3-point Shot

This DWhite buzzer beater put us up at the half and started our game winning run making this tonight's @JetBlue Play of the Game

 

Porzingis said stopping the two-game skid — only the Celtics’ third losing streak of the season — was less important than simply playing well.

“Last year Denver lost four in a row at one point, and I think the team that won before that lost five in a row,” he said. “But winning is a nice habit for sure.”

Ahead 59-57 at halftime, Boston took control in the third quarter, limiting New Orleans to 11 points while Porzingis had two of his blocks. The Celtics went ahead 79-68 on Tatum’s 3-pointer with 4:12 left in the quarter and led by double digits the rest of the way, going up by 22 in the

fourth quarter.

The Celtics took away open 3-point shots and funneled the Pelicans to the basket, where Porzingis was waiting.

“That has to be our identity defensively,” Porzingis said. “The guys (on the perimeter ) do everything up until that point, and when the opponent gets to the rim, they meet me. We played at a very high level.”

The Pelicans shot 4 of 23 in the third quarter and Williamson missed all five of his attempts, guarded primarily by the 6-foot-6 Brown. New Orleans did not score after Trey Murphy’s 3-pointer with 4:37 left, going 0 of 6 with three turnovers.

“Jaylen did a nice job of making it very difficult for him (Williamson),” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “He still got his average on free throws, but we kept him out of transition, kept him out of the paint and the guys on the perimeter did a great job of showing help on Zion and making

him give up the ball early.”

Zion Williamson gets the Hoop and the Harm

Williamson and Herb Jones each had 14 points in the first half, when New Orleans led by 11 points after Williamson’s steal and dunk sparked a 9-0 run.

“They definitely hit us first,” Mazzulla said. “Our guys did a great job keeping their poise and responding the way we know how to with our defense and our offensive execution.”

McCollum’s driving layup made it 34-23 late in the first quarter, but Boston chipped away in the second quarter, tying it at 44 on White’s tip-in of Brown’s miss.

 

White gave the Celtics their first lead when he hit a deep 3 as time expired in the first half, and they continued their run at the start of the third quarter.

“They upped their intensity and we didn’t match it,” Williamson said. “When we decided to match it, the game was kind of out of hand at that point.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- — Stephen Curry scored 23 points with four 3-pointers in his annual homecoming game and the Golden State Warriors beat the Charlotte Hornets 115-97 on Friday night for their third straight win.

Curry, who grew up here and starred at nearby Davidson College before entering the NBA draft as a first-round pick in 2009, had 12 points in the pivotal third quarter as the Warriors blew open a close game.

Curry has always relished returning to play in Charlotte and seeing family and old friends, but the previous four games here have resulted in losses.

Steph Curry ENDS the Half with a BUZZER-BEATER 🚨

From downtown, Stephen Curry Hits the Long 3

 

 

30's too smooth

 

“At this stage (of my career) I can probably count on one hand how many times I get to come back here," Curry said. “It was nice seeing a lot of familiar faces in the crowd. And, it was nice to actually get a win.”

Andrew Wiggins had a big role in that, turning in another strong game with 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

Trayce Jackson-Davis added 18 points for the Warriors, who are in 10th place in the Western Conference standings and battling the Houston Rockets for a spot in the play-in tournament. The Rockets won their 11th straight, 101-100 over the Utah Jazz on Friday night and are a game

behind the Warriors.

Fred VanVleet had 22 points, Amen Thompson added 18 points and 14 rebounds while Jabari Smith, Jr. scored 14 points for the Rocke

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that is a reflection of just how tough the West is this season.

“We had a similar record last year and we were the sixth seed,” Kerr said.

Moses Moody Hits the 3 plus the Foul

 

 

Chris Paul has passed Clyde Drexler for 36th most points in NBA history.

 

Golden State limited Charlotte to 41% shooting and held its third straight opponent to fewer than 100 points.

“I feel like we are starting out the game engaged on the floor and talking, and that has carried over,” Jackson-Davis said.

Miles Bridges had 22 points and nine rebounds to lead Charlotte, which failed in its bid to win back-to-back games for the first time since the All-Star break.

Miles Bridges Fights off Defender for and-1

Curry always packs the Spectrum Center and Friday night was no exception.

With his brother Seth and father Dell looking on, Curry finished the game 9 of 18 from the field. Seth plays for Charlotte but is out with an ankle injury, while Dell is a broadcaster for the Hornets.

Curry admitted there has always been a "curiosity" about playing for the Hornets, where his father was a star but said his intentions are to remain in the Bay Area.

Draymond nearly Kicked Grant Williams in the... 👀

Charlotte rookie Brandon Miller briefly left the game with 8 1/2 minutes left after his leg got tangled up with Draymond Green while going for a rebound. He had just 12 points after making a career-high seven 3s and scoring 31 points on Monday night.

Green, who was ejected from the Warriors last game against Orlando, was later whistled for a foul when he appeared to push Charlotte’s Grant Williams to the ground. Coach Steve Kerr challenged the call, but the play was upheld.

 

 

Double figures for the Rook

 

 

The Warriors had no problems scoring against the Hornets, repeatedly taking advantage of breakdowns by Charlotte’s defense, finding wide open players underneath the basket on three different occasions.

“Trayce (Jackson-Davis) did a great job on the boards today, gave them second opportunities, and with the Warriors, you can’t do that with everybody on their team who can shoot,” Bridges said. “They were making shots, they were cutting hard and they were getting second-chance

points.”

Nick Richards with the and-1 Bucket

 

The Warriors played without Klay Thompson, who sat out with tendinitis in his right knee.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- — Andrew Wiggins scored 13 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, Stephen Curry made the final two baskets of the game on an off shooting night and Golden State Warriors overcame Draymond Green's early ejection to beat the Orlando Magic 101-93 on Wednesday.

Curry made a driving hook shot with 1:09 to go and added a 3-pointer with 34 seconds left for the final points. He had 17 points — going 6 of 18 from the field — and 10 assists.

A night after holding Miami to 92 points in a win, the Warriors held Orlando to 93. Playing mostly without Green and entirely without the injured Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State had a 52-39 rebounding edge to overcome poor shooting with the exception of Wiggins.

Warriors Hold off Magic for Road Win

“We found a way to fight it to the end and get a win," Curry said. “It did start with the defensive effort of being detail-focused, talking, rebounding, and then we were locked in for a good stretch of the game.”

They had some help from the Magic, starting with 10 missed free throws.

Steph puts the Magic to Sleep with 'Night-Night' Celebration

 

“Shots were not falling, free throws were not falling,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We were getting open and good looks. We missed some easy ones at the rim.”

Cole Anthony led Orlando with 26 points and eight rebounds. Paolo Banchero had 15 points and eight rebounds.

Andrew Wiggins Drains Basket vs. Orlando Magic

 

“Sometimes it just goes down like that where you come out and miss a couple in a row and then it just trickles down,” said Banchero, who shot 5 for 17. “We just had some tough, tough misses.”

The Warriors, holding the 10th spot in the Western Conference, won for the 20th time in 35 road games. They are 18-19 at home, and could become only the second team in NBA history to finish with a winning record overall, and a losing record at home. The Brooklyn Nets did it in 2021-22.

Golden State Warriors Beat Orlando Magic in the Clutch | Kia Clutch Plays

 

 

Green, who missed 16 games after being suspended by the NBA in December, was ejected 3:36 in for disputing a foul call on Wiggins. It was Green’s fourth ejection of the season.

“It was unfortunate," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "He deserved it, and he’ll bounce back.”

Banchero scored on the play but it was Orlando's final field goal of the period. The Magic shot 3 for 22 in the first quarter and fell behind 27-11.

The Warriors had a 17-point lead midway through the third quarter before Anthony shot the Magic back in it with a couple of 3-pointers, a backcourt steal and a layup.

“We’ve played so many tight games,” Kerr said. “We’re, obviously, a team that can compete with anybody and lose to anybody. That’s kind of where the league is these days, other than a handful of teams like Boston."

MILWAUKEE -- — Staring at a double-digit deficit midway through the fourth quarter without LeBron James available, Austin Reaves and the Los Angeles Lakers faced a clear choice.

“It was one of those moments that you could either flip the page to tomorrow, get ready for that game or you could go out and compete 110% and give yourself an opportunity or at least try to give yourself an opportunity to get back in the game,” Reaves said.

The Lakers chose the latter option and delivered a comeback for the ages.

Lakers Rally from 19-point Deficit to Defeat Bucks in 2OT

Reaves had his second career triple-double and made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 38.6 seconds left in the second overtime as the Lakers overcame James' absence and rallied to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 128-124 on Tuesday night.

Reaves had 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in 47 minutes as the Lakers opened a six-game trip by winning their fourth straight despite trailing by 19 points in the fourth quarter and never leading in regulation. Anthony Davis provided 34 points and 23 rebounds while playing 52

minutes despite dealing with a knee problem late in the game.

AUSTIN REEVES REMINDS BUCKS "IM STILL HIM!" AFTER SHOCKING DAGGER 3S IN 19-POINT COMEBACK!

Austin Reaves' 2ND CAREER Triple-Double In 2OT Thriller! March 26, 2024

© Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

“A 20-point lead in this league now, it’s nothing because of the way the offense is right now in the league, so high-powered that you can wipe away a lead pretty fast,” Davis said.

The Lakers won't have much time to celebrate their stunning comeback. They're playing again Wednesday at Memphis.

Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points, a season-high 21 rebounds and 11 assists for his ninth triple-double of the season. Damian Lillard scored 27 but shot 9 of 29. Malik Beasley added 21.

LBJ LAUGHING TO TEARS AFTER ANNOUNCER BASHES LAKERS GETTING BEAT BAD!

 LeBron watching Giannis missing two important free throws 👀

LBJ LAUGHING TO TEARS AFTER ANNOUNCER BASHES LAKERS GETTING BEAT BAD!

LBJ DISTRACTED GIANNIS ON FREE THROW & MOCKS HIM WITH COUNT DOWN! LOL! HAHA!

James had an issue with his left ankle that prevented him from being available as the Lakers opened a six-game trip. James also had missed the Lakers’ 123-122 victory over the Bucks on March 8.

The Lakers still found a way to beat Milwaukee again.

“We've got to watch this game, learn from this game,” Antetokounmpo said. “Watch why we weren't able to get a stop. Watch why the ball wasn't moving down the stretch. Watch why we lost the game. Watch why there was a lot of 50-50 balls and we weren't able to get them.”

D'Angelo Russell had 29 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura added 16 points and 14 rebounds.

AD Blocks Dame's Game-Winning Layup Attempt Forcing 2OT

LeBron upset Giannis isn't Called for a Travel

The exhaustion of both teams was apparent as nobody scored in the first three minutes of the second overtime. The Lakers briefly trailed by two in the second OT, but pulled ahead for good on Reaves’ last-minute 3-pointer.

After Antetokounmpo missed two free throws with 24.2 seconds left, Russell hit two free throws to make it 126-121 with 14.7 seconds remaining, Beasley made a 3-pointer to cut the lead to two, but Davis hit two free throws with 1.7 seconds left to seal the victory.

The Lakers never led until Spencer Dinwiddie sank a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 2:19 left in the first overtime.

Dinwiddie's 3-pointer in OT gives Lakers First Lead

From there, the game went back and forth.

Lillard's corner 3-pointer put Milwaukee ahead with 13.6 seconds left in the first overtime, but Russell drew a foul and hit both free throws to tie with 3.1 seconds remaining.

Davis blocked Lillard on a driving layup attempt to force a second overtime.

Milwaukee seemed firmly in control for most of the night.

Davis (34 PTS), Reaves (29 PTS) & Russell (27 PTS) Lead Lakers In 2OT Thriller! 🔥 March 26, 2024

After a Lillard jumper with 8:25 left gave the Bucks a 94-75 advantage — matching their largest lead of the game — the Lakers outscored the Bucks 26-7 the rest of the fourth quarter to force overtime.

ATLANTA -- — De’Andre Hunter could’ve held the ball and forced the Celtics to foul.

Deandre Hunter makes head scratching decision to shoot this three, DAGGER ‼️😅

Instead, he let it fly.

Considering what the Atlanta Hawks had done, rallying from a 30-point deficit against NBA-leading Boston, it was only appropriate the shot hit nothing but net.

Hunter scored 24 points, including a clinching 3-pointer with 9.2 seconds remaining, and the patched-together Hawks pulled off one of the most improbable wins in franchise history with a 120-118 stunner over the Celtics on Monday night.

The Celtics had won 20 of 22 and brought a nine-game winning streak into State Farm Arena — a run that certainly appeared in no jeopardy when Al Horford’s 3-pointer put Boston up 68-38 with just under 4 1/2 minutes left in the first half.

But the Hawks, clinging to the final play-in spot in the East and one of the league’s most disappointing teams, launched a comeback out of nowhere with All-Star guard Trae Young and three other key players sidelined by injuries.

De'Andre Hunter Drains Dagger 3 for Hawks to put Celtics Away

It was the biggest comeback win for Atlanta since at least the 1997-98 season, when the NBA began keeping detailed play-by-play.

Dejounte Murray put the Hawks ahead to stay at 117-116 on a reverse layup with a minute left. Jaylen Brown missed a desperation 3 with the shot clock expiring, and Hunter sealed things at the other end with a huge assist from Clint Capela.

After Murray missed a jumper, Capela grabbed the offensive rebound and spotted Hunter all alone at the top of the key. Even though the shot clock was off and Hunter could’ve forced the Celtics to foul, he let go an open look from 26 feet.

 

Dre: 24 PTS | 8-14 FG | 4-8 3-PT FG | 7 REB | 3 AST

 

Bogi: 22 PTS | 8-15 FG | 4-7 3-PT FG | 4 REB | 3 AST

 

DJ: 19 PTS | 15 AST | 5 REB | 3 STL

 

Vit: 16 PTS | 6-11 FG | 4-7 3-PT FG | 6 REB | 2 AST CC: 14 PTS | 12 REB | 2 BLK

 

Bruno: 13 PTS | 6-7 FG | 3 REB | 3 AST…Garrison & Wesley: 6 PTS & 2 3PM each

 

 

Hawks commentator roasts Jayson Tatum for always complaining "Caitlin Clark?" 💀

 

Hunter had run through the scenario before he got the ball.

“If he passes it to me, I’m shooting,” Hunter told himself. "He got the rebound, he passed it to me, so I shot it.”

Hawks coach Quin Snyder had no problem with the seemingly ill-advised decision.

“He didn’t hesitate,” Snyder said. “He shot the ball with confidence, and I had confidence in him.”

Bogdan Bogdanovic Knocks Down the 3

It was a shocking loss for the Celtics in a season filled with wins, to a team that came into the night trailing them by 25 1/2 games in the Eastern Conference standings..

“We let our foot off the gas in the second half, and they got in a great rhythm," said Jayson Tatum, who led the Celtics with 37 points. “It's a tough pill to swallow.”

Atlanta's comeback began with a 9-0 run to end the first half, which cut the deficit to 74-56 as the teams headed to the locker room.

The momentum carried over to the third quarter, which began with Atlanta ripping off 19 of the next 23 points to slice the margin to 78-75.

After the Celtics flirted several times with pulling away again, the Hawks finally claimed their first lead of the night when little-used Wesley Matthews knocked down a 3 to make it 97-96 with 9:42 remaining.

Wesley Matthews Nails the 3-point Shot Boston Celtics

Wesley Matthews Nails the 3-point Shot Boston Celtics

Bogdan Bogdanovic had 22 points and Murray chipped in with 19, but it was several players who are normally buried deep on the bench who really carried the Hawks.

Vit Krejci had 16 points, including a 3-pointer that left him shrugging his shoulders toward his teammates as if he couldn't really believe what was happening. Bruno Fernando scored 13 and Matthews knocked down a pair of crucial 3s.

“It felt like everything we were doing was going (right) for us,” Krejci said. “It was a really good moment. We’ve got to find a way to feel that way the whole game.”

Hawks Rally from 30-point Deficit to Defeat Celtics

With plenty of fans in green cheering them on in Atlanta, the Celtics doubled up the home team in the first quarter by racing to a 44-22 lead.

Boston made 16 of 24 shots in the opening period, including 5 of 7 beyond the 3-point arc, in addition to going 7 of 7 at the foul line.

LOS ANGELES -- — Anthony Davis had 36 points and 16 rebounds, LeBron James added 26 points and 10 assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers produced their franchise's highest-scoring performance in 37 years in a 150-145 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night.

Spencer Dinwiddie scored 26 points in his biggest offensive game since joining the Lakers, who have won three straight and five of seven. Los Angeles led 116-99 entering the fourth quarter, but Indiana closed the gap to three points down the stretch while putting up a 46-point final

period.

Anthony Davis' MONSTER Performance vs Pacers! 🔥  March 24, 2024

Los Angeles held on by scoring 10 points in the final minute — including six free throws by Austin Reaves, who finished with 25 points in the highest-scoring performance by this 17-time NBA champion team since Jan. 2, 1987.

“We played them in the (In-Season Tournament) championship, and we know how high-powered an offense they are," James said. "They’re never going to stop playing no matter how far they get down or how far they’re up, so it’s a good win for us.”

Austin Reaves Shows off Vision with Nice Dime Indiana Pacers

All-Star Tyrese Haliburton awoke from a quiet 12-point performance to hit two 3-pointers in the final seconds, trimming the Lakers’ lead to three points with 20 seconds to play. LA survived when Dinwiddie made one free throw and Haliburton missed a 3 before Cam Reddish stole Doug

McDermott’s pass with three seconds left.

Tyrese Haliburton Drains 3-point Shot Los Angeles Lakers

 

 

Spencer Dunkwiddie

 

LeBron James turns into Steph Curry with three ‼️😳

 

 

© Provided by Fadeaway World

“We allowed them to score 145, so ... it was terrible defensively,” Davis said. “They hit some shots toward the end, but we can do what we want offensively, as you could see tonight. But we’ve got to defend, especially when we’ve got a team (in trouble) like that. We don’t need to give

them life, but at this point in the season, a win is a win. We’ll take it, but we’ve got to learn from it as well.”

Indiana coach Rick Carlisle was annoyed after the Lakers shot 43 free throws to the Pacers' 16, while Indiana was called for 31 fouls to Los Angeles' 14.

“I thought our guys really battled in this game," Carlisle said. "There were just certain things that were impossible to overcome. A 27 free throw differential is one, and a 17-foul differential is the other.”

Austin Reaves Denies Indiana Pacers with Swat

Pascal Siakam scored 19 of his 36 points in the third quarter for the Pacers, who dropped to 2-1 on their five-game road trip after playing dismal defense in the second and third quarters, allowing 86 points by Los Angeles. Myles Turner added 20 points and TJ McConnell had 17 for the

Pacers, who had eight double-digit scorers.

“Sometimes when you have difficult challenges, it's easy to drop your head and just say, ‘Hey, it’s not our night,' but our guys don't do that,” Carlisle said. “Our second unit battled in the second half. That last five-minute stretch, the first unit came back in there, and they were defiant

about hanging in the game. At a certain point, you've got to play absolutely perfectly, and that was going to be very, very difficult.”

Pascal Siakam Storms in for a Big Pacers Flush

Dinwiddie stepped up while the Lakers won for the first time in six games this season without sharpshooting guard D’Angelo Russell, who was out with a non-COVID illness.

Offensive fireworks were no surprise in this matchup. In the Pacers' last visit to face the Lakers in November 2022, they rallied from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter before Andrew Nembhard hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for a stunning 116-115 victory.

The teams met for the first time since the Lakers beat the Pacers 123-109 in Las Vegas to win the inaugural In-Season Tournament last December. The Lakers, who will play at Indiana on Friday, went into a 3-10 slump immediately after raising that trophy, and they haven't been able to

rise higher than ninth in the Western Conference despite going 22-13 since that skid.

SAN ANTONIO -- — Devin Booker scored 32 points before sitting out the fourth quarter and the Phoenix Suns never trailed in steamrolling the San Antonio Spurs 131-106 on Saturday night to help their playoff positioning.

“He was first-class Devin Booker tonight,” Phoenix coach Frank Vogel said. “He was scoring, he was passing. In complete control of the game. Really strong performance by Book.”

Devin Booker Hits a Nice Fadeaway for the Suns

 

© Provided by The UBJ

 

Book stuffed the stat sheet tonight!

 

Devin Booker MAKES IT LOOK EASY In San Antonio! 🔥

Kevin Durant added 25 points for Phoenix, which never trailed and led by as many as 32. Bradley Beal had 13 points and a season-high 12 assists.

Kevin Durant takes Flight for Alley-Oop Slam

Kevin Durant takes Flight for Alley-Oop Slam

© Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

 

33 combined points in the first half for Book and KD! Catch the second half now on @azfamily! 

 

 

Victor Wembanyama had 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot in 21 minutes as San Antonio lost its third straight and eighth in 10 games. Keldon Johnson had 14 points.

Phoenix shot 59.6% in winning their eighth straight in San Antonio.

Victor Wembanyama uses a Nice Spin move for a Bucket