Offensive was the key on Saturday night as seven teams topped 100 points. Getting there was a struggle as many go-to scorers were out with nagging injuries. It was just another night for role players to show their stuff on a big stage. Whether they came from the bench, arrived from another team, or making that first jump from the college ranks to the pros, a handful of soon-to-be stars made a name for themselves.
Let’s get to the games:
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Oklahoma City Thunder | 110 | (30-25) |
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Charlotte Hornets | 103 | (22-31) |
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Thunder star Kevin Durant remained off his feet, a good thing as he’s resting from a foot injury, as the rest of his Oklahoma City teammates rose to the occasion to slip past the Hornets. Russell Westbrook dominated from the field (33 points) and on the glass (10 rebounds), his second double-double in as many games. The Thunder also received a strong performance from new cast member D.J Augustin, who scored 12 points in his first game with the team since coming over from the Pistons last week. Former Timberwolves point guard Mo Williams made his debut with the Hornets, leading with 24 points including five 3-pointers, which marked 1,000 triples for his career.
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New Orleans Pelicans | 105 | (28-27) |
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Miami Heat | 91 | (23-31) |
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Without Anthony Davis and Ryan Anderson, the Pelicans resemble an amateurish club. Well, those sideshow runts proved their worth with the team’s two best players out with injuries. Eric Gordon and Omer Asik scored 24 and 15 points respectively as Davis (shoulder) and Anderson (knee) left early in the game. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for New Orleans. The injury bug hit Miami the hardest as the team found out earlier in the day that a blood clot will force center Chris Bosh to miss the remainder of the season. Hasson Whiteside had 11 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks for the Heat.
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Phoenix Suns | 107 | (29-27) |
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Chicago Bulls | 112 | (35-21) |
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The Bulls won their fifth game this month with Pau Gasol leading the way with a balanced evening of 22 points and 14 rebounds. Successful foul shots by Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler in the final 20 seconds lifted Chicago. The Suns still shot better than the Bulls, 53.4% to 48.3%, as P.J. Tucker led with 20 points. Phoenix also dealt with the departures of Goran Dragic, Zoran Dragic, Isaiah Thomas, Tyler Ennis and Miles Plumlee — who were all traded before Thursday’s deadline. Brandon Knight scored 13 points in his Suns debut, while Marcus Thornton did not play in his firs day with his new team.
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Toronto Raptors | 76 | (37-18) |
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Houston Rockets | 98 | (37-18) |
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The league’s leading scorer had trouble finding the basket early on. The Rockets survived with James Harden’s struggles as Corey Brewer came off the bench to score 26 points. Harden still netted 20 after scoring just four in the first half. James Johnson scored 27 points for the Raptors, who were held under 100 points — a rarity as the team averages 105 a night.
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Sacramento Kings | 99 | (19-35) |
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Los Angeles Clippers | 126 | (37-19) |
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The Clippers are yet another team dealing with a top player’s ailments. With Blake Griffin out, Austin Rivers, J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford all scored over 20 points and Los Angeles improved to 4-1 without Griffin, who recently received stitches for an injured elbow. A 23-4 run by the Clippers left Sacramento in the dust in the second quarter as they cruised to the easy victory with the largest lead topping out at 37 points. Former NBA legend John Stockton was invested in this one as his son, David, made his professional debut. The younger Stockton, also a Gonzaga graduate, played seven minutes and was 0 for 2 from the field. He did convert a foul shot and had one assist — well on his way to matching his father’s passing success.