The Warriors hosted the Rockets and preceded to blow them out, while the Hawks win to extend their lead in the East. Elsewhere, the Grizzlies get a good win, and the Mavericks and Cavaliers start to gel and get wins.
Let’s get to the games:
Knicks 98 (7-36) – 76ers 91 (8-34)
In a battle between the teams with the worst records in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks win their second in a row and seem to look a little better with their newest team members. New York took a second quarter lead and slowly extended it throughout the game. Carmelo Anthony had 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Jose Calderon finished with 15 and 7 assists. For the 76ers, Michael Carter-Williams had 27 with 7 assists and 6 rebounds, and Henry Sims had another nice night with 11 and 12 rebounds.
Heat 76 (18-24) – Hornets 78 (18-25)
Charlotte jumped out in the 1st quarter and the lackluster Heat chased them all night but were unable to overcome them. The Hornets were held without a field goal in the last 7 minutes, but still managed to lock down on defense for the win. Kemba Walker had 15, Bismark Biyombo had 12 and 12 rebounds, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrest had 8 with 14 boards. For the Heat, Dwayne Wade finished with 17 points, 4 assists and 7 rebounds. Chris Bosh had 17 points with 7 boards, and Mario Chalmers added 13.
Jazz 92 (14-28) – Cavaliers 106 (23-20)
The Cavaliers took the early lead and kept the pressure on to blow out the Jazz. All five starters for the Cavs had 15+ points for the 2nd game in a row, and the Cavs are starting to reverse some of their early season woes. LeBron James had 26 points and 7 rebounds, but new addition Timofey Mozgov has exceeded expectations – finishing the night with 16 points and 11 rebounds including 7 offensive rebounds. Kevin Love added 19 and 13 boards to complete the front line. For the Jazz, Enes Kanter led the team with 24 and 17 rebounds, and Gordon Heyward had 14 and 5 boards.
Pacers 91 (15-29) – Hawks 110 (35-8)
The Eastern Conference leading Hawks continue to impress, tonight using a huge 3rd quarter to expand on a moderate 1st half lead. Kyle Korver had a break-away dunk, his first in 2 years, to highlight an otherwise mediocre night. Jeff Teague scored 17 with 11 assists, and Paul Milsap had 12 with 9 boards. For the Pacers, CJ Miles had 18 off the bench, and David West finished with 9 and 11 rebounds.
Magic 118 (15-30) – Pistons 128 (17-26)
The Pistons continue to put pressure on the Eastern Conference playoff teams, tonight jumping out in the first to build a 17 point halftime lead and holding on for a 10 point win. The Pistons finished with 3 players over 20 points, and have now won 7 of their last 10 games. Andre Drummond led with 26 points and 17 rebounds, Greg Monroe had 24 with 10 boards, and Brandon Jennings had 24 with a staggering 21 assists. The Magic were led by Nikola Vucevic with 26 and 15 rebounds. Victor Oladipo added 23 and Tobais Harris finished with 19 off the bench.
Raptors 86 (27-15) – Grizzlies 92 (30-12)
The Grizzlies have become known as a “grind it out” team, and this game was certainly an example of the style that they seem to prefer. A tight game throughout, Memphis had a big 4th quarter to put away the tired Raptors after wearing them down throughout the game. Marc Gasol scored 26 and added 7 rebounds, Zach Randolph had 19 with 13 boards, and Mike Conley added 12 points in the Grizzlies win. The Raptors were led by Lou Williams off the bench who finished with 21. Kyle Lowry added 20 and 8 rebounds, and Jonas Valanciunis had 12 with 10 rebounds.
Mavericks 98 (30-13) – Timberwolves 75 (7-34)
The Mavericks continue to gel as a team, shown when a big 2nd quarter gave them a comfortable lead and they put the game away in the 4th quarter. Chandler Parsons had a great night with 22, while Dirk Nowitzki had 16 and 9 rebounds. The Wolves were led by Andrew Wiggins with 18, while Thaddeus Yound finished with 14 points plus 11 rebounds and 6 assists.
Lakers 80 (12-31) – Pelicans 96 (21-21)
A close game throughout, the Pelicans pulled away with a big 4th quarter led by Anthony Davis. Kobe Bryant shot left-handed all night after injuring his right shoulder, but still had a good statistical night. The Pelicans featured Davis who finished with 29 and 8 rebounds, while Eric Gordan had 17 and 10 assists. The Lakers were led by Jordan Hill with 15 and 13 boards, while Kobe Bryant finished with 14 and 7 rebounds.
Thunder 105 (22-20) – Wizards 103 (29-14) OT
The Wizards had a strong first-half at home, but the Thunder came storming back in the 2nd half, and continued into overtime. Kevin Durant, the Washington native, continues to play well against the WIzzards in every meeting. Durant led the Thunder with 34 points on 7 rebounds, while Russell Westbrook finished with 32 plus 8 assists and 8 rebounds, and Steven Adams added 20 rebounds. For the Wizards, all five starters finished with double figures. Nene led the team with 24, John Wall had 18 and 13 assists, and Paul Pierce had 14 and 12 rebounds.
Trail Blazers 113 (31-12) – Suns 118 (26-18)
The Suns are beginning a tough stretch of games that could perhaps define their playoff chances, and started the stretch off with a big win over a hurting Blazers team. The Suns jumped out early and held off a strong 4th quarter run by the Blazers, who were hurt by the absence of Aldridge down low. The Suns were led by 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. Isaiah Thomas had 27 with 4 assists and Goran Dragic finished with 16. The Blazers were led by Nicolas Batum, who the Blazers need to step up through the injuries. He had 27 and 10 rebounds, while Damian Lillard had 22 with 6 assists and Wesley Matthews added 22.
Nets 103 (18-24) – Kings 100 (16-26)
The Nets jumped out in the first half, leading by 16 at the half, but the Kings fought back and made the last few minutes tense before the Nets finally closed it out. Brook Lopez, despite the various trade rumors, continues to impress on offense. Lopez led the Nets with 22 and 6 rebounds coming off the bench, while Jarret Jack had 16 with 8 assists, and Joe Johnson finished the game with a strong totaling 16 total points with 8 boards. The Kings had a strong night from DeMarcus Cousins who had 28 and 14 rebounds, Rudy Gay had 25, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists, and Darren Collison added 16.
Rockets 113 (29-13) – Warriors 126 (33-6)
Golden State had a huge 2nd quarter and the rest was history as the Warriors seem to have no fear, even of a Rockets team coming in on a hot streak and looking to take them down a peg. Klay Thompson finished with 27 and 5 assists, Stephen Curry had 22 and 10 assists, and Draymond Green added 18. For the Rockets, James Harden led with 33 and 6 assists, Dwight Howard had 12 and 7 rebounds, and Corey Brewer finished with 20 in garbage time.