Pacers Defeat Raptors, 110-106
The Indiana Pacers defeated the visiting Toronto Raptors, 110-106, at Banker's Life Fieldhouse on Wednesday.
While Indiana led for 47 minutes of this 48-minute game. it came down the wire. In fact, the Raptors overcame a 12-point halftime deficit to make it a two-point game with a few minutes remaining. They simply couldn't recapture the lead or tie though, as Indiana hit some free throws late to seal the win. The Pacers defense was key, as they held the Raptors to 41 percent from the field and 31 percent from three-point range. They also recorded six steals and seven blocks while Toronto picked up just two steals and five blocks.
The Raptors (36-14) were led by Serge Ibaka, as he tallied 23 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Kyle Lowry finished with 20 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Pascal Siakam accrued 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Fred VanVleet started again and provided 14 points, two rebounds and three assists.
The Pacers (32-15) were led by Thaddeus Young, as he collected 23 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. The big story is Victor Oladipo though, as he was carted off with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. Darren Collison totaled 17 points, four rebounds and eight assists while Myles Turner amassed 13 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
Toronto returns to action on Friday, as they travel to face the Houston Rockets. Indiana's next game will be on Saturday, as they play the Memphis Grizzlies on the road.
While Indiana led for 47 minutes of this 48-minute game. it came down the wire. In fact, the Raptors overcame a 12-point halftime deficit to make it a two-point game with a few minutes remaining. They simply couldn't recapture the lead or tie though, as Indiana hit some free throws late to seal the win. The Pacers defense was key, as they held the Raptors to 41 percent from the field and 31 percent from three-point range. They also recorded six steals and seven blocks while Toronto picked up just two steals and five blocks.
The Raptors (36-14) were led by Serge Ibaka, as he tallied 23 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Kyle Lowry finished with 20 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Pascal Siakam accrued 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Fred VanVleet started again and provided 14 points, two rebounds and three assists.
The Pacers (32-15) were led by Thaddeus Young, as he collected 23 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. The big story is Victor Oladipo though, as he was carted off with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. Darren Collison totaled 17 points, four rebounds and eight assists while Myles Turner amassed 13 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
Toronto returns to action on Friday, as they travel to face the Houston Rockets. Indiana's next game will be on Saturday, as they play the Memphis Grizzlies on the road.
Celtics Blast Cavaliers, 125-103
The Boston Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 125-103, at TD Garden on Wednesday evening.
The Celtics (30-18) walked into battle short a couple of key soldiers, as both Kyrie Irving (illness) and Al Horford (rest) were unavailable. Their absences may have played a part in the slim 30-27 deficit faced at the end of the first quarter. However, Boston roared back to take control for good in the second and entered intermission with a 65-50 lead. While the Cavaliers (9-40) chipped a modest three points off that advantage in the third, the hosts made sure any thoughts of a comeback were squashed by winning the final period with a commanding 33-23 margin. Shooting and opportunistic defense were both key to the wins, as the Celtics drained 52.9 percent of their attempts and forced 20 turnovers from Cleveland.
Cedi Osman led the way for the Cavaliers with 25 points, adding eight rebounds and two assists. Ante Zizic produced 19 points and eight rebounds. Collin Sexton supplied 16 points, five boards and three assists. Jordan Clarkson led the bench with 14 points, while Alec Burks stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks.
Terry Rozier did a fine job filling in for Irving, as he paced the Celtics with 26 points and also contributed eight rebounds, six assists and one steal. Jaylen Brown poured in 23 points and added six boards and one steal. Gordon Hayward pitched in 18 points, five rebounds, one assist and two steals. Jayson Tatum registered 17 points, three assists, two rebounds and three steals. Marcus Morris and Brad Wanamaker churned out matching 11-point, three-assist tallies.
The Cavaliers head back home and take on the Miami Heat on Friday evening, while the Celtics remain home and tangle with the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night.
The Celtics (30-18) walked into battle short a couple of key soldiers, as both Kyrie Irving (illness) and Al Horford (rest) were unavailable. Their absences may have played a part in the slim 30-27 deficit faced at the end of the first quarter. However, Boston roared back to take control for good in the second and entered intermission with a 65-50 lead. While the Cavaliers (9-40) chipped a modest three points off that advantage in the third, the hosts made sure any thoughts of a comeback were squashed by winning the final period with a commanding 33-23 margin. Shooting and opportunistic defense were both key to the wins, as the Celtics drained 52.9 percent of their attempts and forced 20 turnovers from Cleveland.
Cedi Osman led the way for the Cavaliers with 25 points, adding eight rebounds and two assists. Ante Zizic produced 19 points and eight rebounds. Collin Sexton supplied 16 points, five boards and three assists. Jordan Clarkson led the bench with 14 points, while Alec Burks stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks.
Terry Rozier did a fine job filling in for Irving, as he paced the Celtics with 26 points and also contributed eight rebounds, six assists and one steal. Jaylen Brown poured in 23 points and added six boards and one steal. Gordon Hayward pitched in 18 points, five rebounds, one assist and two steals. Jayson Tatum registered 17 points, three assists, two rebounds and three steals. Marcus Morris and Brad Wanamaker churned out matching 11-point, three-assist tallies.
The Cavaliers head back home and take on the Miami Heat on Friday evening, while the Celtics remain home and tangle with the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night.
Harris Leads Clippers In Miami
By Dan Bruno
The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the host Miami Heat, 111-99, at American Airlines Arena on Wednesday evening.
The Heat got out to a good start at home, as they emerged with a 31-27 lead after one quarter. The Clippers battled through the second and brought the game to a tie at 54 by halftime. They carried the momentum into the second half, and held a slight edge through the third quarter, before taking a 77-72 lead into the final frame. The Clippers sealed the deal through the fourth, where they outscored the Heat by seven, to earn their 12th road win of the season. This marks the second straight loss for Miami.
Tobias Harris led the Clippers with 31 points, seven rebounds, six assists and one steal, in 39 minutes. Montrezl Harrell followed up with 16 points, five rebounds, one assist and one block, while Lou Williams chipped in 13 points, six assists, five rebounds, one steal and one block, in 21 minutes off the bench. The Clippers shot 53 percent from the field, including 7-of-22 from long range.
Meanwhile, Hassan Whiteside led the Heat with 22 points, 16 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block, in 32 minutes. Josh Richardson followed up with 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and one steal, while Tyler Johnson added 15 points, five assists, two rebounds and one block. The Heat shot 47 percent from the field, including 8-of-28 from long range.
The Heat (22-24) will look to bounce back as they take on the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Friday. The Clippers (26-22) take on the Bulls in Chicago on Friday.
The Heat got out to a good start at home, as they emerged with a 31-27 lead after one quarter. The Clippers battled through the second and brought the game to a tie at 54 by halftime. They carried the momentum into the second half, and held a slight edge through the third quarter, before taking a 77-72 lead into the final frame. The Clippers sealed the deal through the fourth, where they outscored the Heat by seven, to earn their 12th road win of the season. This marks the second straight loss for Miami.
Tobias Harris led the Clippers with 31 points, seven rebounds, six assists and one steal, in 39 minutes. Montrezl Harrell followed up with 16 points, five rebounds, one assist and one block, while Lou Williams chipped in 13 points, six assists, five rebounds, one steal and one block, in 21 minutes off the bench. The Clippers shot 53 percent from the field, including 7-of-22 from long range.
Meanwhile, Hassan Whiteside led the Heat with 22 points, 16 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block, in 32 minutes. Josh Richardson followed up with 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and one steal, while Tyler Johnson added 15 points, five assists, two rebounds and one block. The Heat shot 47 percent from the field, including 8-of-28 from long range.
The Heat (22-24) will look to bounce back as they take on the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Friday. The Clippers (26-22) take on the Bulls in Chicago on Friday.
Nets Defeat Magic, 114-110
The Brooklyn Nets defeated the visiting Orlando Magic, 114-110, at Barclay's Center on Wednesday.
In one of the tightest games of the evening, it took 17 ties and 15 lead changes to determine a winner. In addition, neither club led by more than 10 points, as none of the four quarters were decided by more than three points. The shooting disparity was huge, with Brooklyn connecting on 48 percent of their shots while holding Orlando to 43 percent from the field. The Nets also won the points in the paint differential, 58-44 while outscoring the Magic in fastbreak points, 15-7.
The Magic (20-28) were led by Nikola Vucevic, as he tallied 21 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals and four blocks. D.J. Augustin finished with 19 points, three rebounds, six assists and two steals. Jonathan Isaac totaled 16 points, four rebounds and three blocks while Jonathon Simmons led the bench with 13 points, two rebounds and three assists.
The Nets (26-23) were led by D'Angelo Russell, as he collected 25 points, seven rebounds, 10 assists and two steals. Joe Harris accumulated 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. Spencer Dinwiddie was huge off the bench, as he provided 29 points, three rebounds and three assists. DeMarre Carroll also totaled 19 points and four rebounds off the bench as well.
Both teams return to action on Friday, with Orlando playing host to the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn welcoming the New York Knicks to Barclay's Center.
In one of the tightest games of the evening, it took 17 ties and 15 lead changes to determine a winner. In addition, neither club led by more than 10 points, as none of the four quarters were decided by more than three points. The shooting disparity was huge, with Brooklyn connecting on 48 percent of their shots while holding Orlando to 43 percent from the field. The Nets also won the points in the paint differential, 58-44 while outscoring the Magic in fastbreak points, 15-7.
The Magic (20-28) were led by Nikola Vucevic, as he tallied 21 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals and four blocks. D.J. Augustin finished with 19 points, three rebounds, six assists and two steals. Jonathan Isaac totaled 16 points, four rebounds and three blocks while Jonathon Simmons led the bench with 13 points, two rebounds and three assists.
The Nets (26-23) were led by D'Angelo Russell, as he collected 25 points, seven rebounds, 10 assists and two steals. Joe Harris accumulated 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. Spencer Dinwiddie was huge off the bench, as he provided 29 points, three rebounds and three assists. DeMarre Carroll also totaled 19 points and four rebounds off the bench as well.
Both teams return to action on Friday, with Orlando playing host to the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn welcoming the New York Knicks to Barclay's Center.
Rockets Hold Off Knicks, 114-110
The Houston Rockets defeated the New York Knicks, 114-110, at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
Wednesday night's outing in New York City ended up being a thriller highlighted by career performances for each team. The Rockets (27-20) held a six-point lead with a minute to go and appeared to be well on their way to ending things, but then a 7-0 run by the Knicks over the next 30 seconds put the home team up by one. Ultimately, an Eric Gordon three-pointer put the Rockets up three with just over nine seconds remaining, and that was followed by a James Harden steal and dunk that ended the game. That dunk gave Harden 61 points, which is tied for the most points scored by a visiting player in Madison Square Garden, and he also recorded 15 rebounds, four assists and five steals. Eric Gordon added 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field, and the new Rocket, Kenneth Faried, scored 11 points to make him the third and final Houston player to reach double figures.
As for the Knicks (10-36), they were lead by a career-best performance from rookie Allonzo Trier, who scored 31 points on 12-of-18 shooting in 33 minutes off the bench. He hit a go-ahead layup with just 20 seconds to go, but Gordon's three ended up ruining the point guard's chances at being the hero Wednesday night. Four other New York players scored in double figures, but none scored higher than Emmanuel Mudiay's 14 points in 28 minutes. Ultimately what killed the Knicks' chances was their inability to take care of the ball, as the team committed 18 turnovers to recording just 15 assists, so it was fitting that the game ended on a Houston steal.
Wednesday night's outing in New York City ended up being a thriller highlighted by career performances for each team. The Rockets (27-20) held a six-point lead with a minute to go and appeared to be well on their way to ending things, but then a 7-0 run by the Knicks over the next 30 seconds put the home team up by one. Ultimately, an Eric Gordon three-pointer put the Rockets up three with just over nine seconds remaining, and that was followed by a James Harden steal and dunk that ended the game. That dunk gave Harden 61 points, which is tied for the most points scored by a visiting player in Madison Square Garden, and he also recorded 15 rebounds, four assists and five steals. Eric Gordon added 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field, and the new Rocket, Kenneth Faried, scored 11 points to make him the third and final Houston player to reach double figures.
As for the Knicks (10-36), they were lead by a career-best performance from rookie Allonzo Trier, who scored 31 points on 12-of-18 shooting in 33 minutes off the bench. He hit a go-ahead layup with just 20 seconds to go, but Gordon's three ended up ruining the point guard's chances at being the hero Wednesday night. Four other New York players scored in double figures, but none scored higher than Emmanuel Mudiay's 14 points in 28 minutes. Ultimately what killed the Knicks' chances was their inability to take care of the ball, as the team committed 18 turnovers to recording just 15 assists, so it was fitting that the game ended on a Houston steal.
Pistons Upset Pelicans, 98-94
The Detroit Pistons defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 98-94, at Smoothie King Center on Wednesday.
The Pistons (21-26), who came into Wednesday's game having lost two contests in a row, took full advantage of a Pelicans team that was without their star player Anthony Davis. Detroit jumped on the home team from the very start, opening up a 10-point lead in the first 24 minutes and never letting go of it. Blake Griffin took full advantage of Davis' absence, scoring a game-high 37 points on 14-of-28 shooting to go along with nine rebounds and seven assists in 38 minutes. Only two other players scored in double figures for Detroit, with Reggie Jackson posting 17 points and Jon Leuer posting 15, but it ended up being more than enough for the visiting team.
As for the Pelicans, it was a real offensive struggle for them without their star, and they were unable to escape with a victory. Jrue Holiday shouldered the offensive load for New Orleans, scoring a team-high 29 points on top of five rebounds and seven assists in 38 minutes. The Pelicans' starting frontcourt did a solid job of producing in Davis' absence, with Jahlil Okafor going 8-of-13 from the floor en route to posting 17 points and 10 rebounds and Julius Randle adding 13 points and 13 rebounds of his own. However, with the Pelicans shooting just 6-of-22 (27.3 percent) from behind the arc and making just four of the nine free throws they attempted, they didn't give themselves much of a chance at victory Wednesday night.
The Pistons (21-26), who came into Wednesday's game having lost two contests in a row, took full advantage of a Pelicans team that was without their star player Anthony Davis. Detroit jumped on the home team from the very start, opening up a 10-point lead in the first 24 minutes and never letting go of it. Blake Griffin took full advantage of Davis' absence, scoring a game-high 37 points on 14-of-28 shooting to go along with nine rebounds and seven assists in 38 minutes. Only two other players scored in double figures for Detroit, with Reggie Jackson posting 17 points and Jon Leuer posting 15, but it ended up being more than enough for the visiting team.
As for the Pelicans, it was a real offensive struggle for them without their star, and they were unable to escape with a victory. Jrue Holiday shouldered the offensive load for New Orleans, scoring a team-high 29 points on top of five rebounds and seven assists in 38 minutes. The Pelicans' starting frontcourt did a solid job of producing in Davis' absence, with Jahlil Okafor going 8-of-13 from the floor en route to posting 17 points and 10 rebounds and Julius Randle adding 13 points and 13 rebounds of his own. However, with the Pelicans shooting just 6-of-22 (27.3 percent) from behind the arc and making just four of the nine free throws they attempted, they didn't give themselves much of a chance at victory Wednesday night.
Hawks Roll Bulls, 121-101
The Atlanta Hawks defeated the host Chicago Bulls, 121-101, at United Center on Wednesday.
Atlanta hasn't had many dominant wins this season but this was a much needed wire-to-wire victory for them. In fact, a 42-25 first quarter really set the tone, as they held a double-digit lead for the entirety of the fourth quarter. Rebounding was key for the Hawks, as they outrebounded the Bulls, 51-37. Ball movement was huge as well, with Atlanta out-assisting Chicago, 31-20. The Hawks ended up shooting 50 percent from the field while holding the Bulls to 44 percent shooting.
The Hawks (15-32) got a career-best 35 points from John Collins, adding eight rebounds, two assists and two steals to his tally on 14-of-16 from the field. Taurean Prince totaled 15 points, six rebounds and two assists. Dewayne Dedmon amassed 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Trae Young led the team with 12 assists despite going 1-of-12 from the field. Alex Len recorded a double-double off the bench.
The Bulls (11-37) were led by Zach LaVine, as he collected 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Lauri Markkanen amassed 22 points and six rebounds. Kris Dunn accumulated 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks while Wayne Selden led the bench with 11 points.
Chicago returns to action on Friday, as they play host to the Los Angeles Clippers. As for Atlanta, they travel to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday for their next fixture.
Atlanta hasn't had many dominant wins this season but this was a much needed wire-to-wire victory for them. In fact, a 42-25 first quarter really set the tone, as they held a double-digit lead for the entirety of the fourth quarter. Rebounding was key for the Hawks, as they outrebounded the Bulls, 51-37. Ball movement was huge as well, with Atlanta out-assisting Chicago, 31-20. The Hawks ended up shooting 50 percent from the field while holding the Bulls to 44 percent shooting.
The Hawks (15-32) got a career-best 35 points from John Collins, adding eight rebounds, two assists and two steals to his tally on 14-of-16 from the field. Taurean Prince totaled 15 points, six rebounds and two assists. Dewayne Dedmon amassed 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Trae Young led the team with 12 assists despite going 1-of-12 from the field. Alex Len recorded a double-double off the bench.
The Bulls (11-37) were led by Zach LaVine, as he collected 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Lauri Markkanen amassed 22 points and six rebounds. Kris Dunn accumulated 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks while Wayne Selden led the bench with 11 points.
Chicago returns to action on Friday, as they play host to the Los Angeles Clippers. As for Atlanta, they travel to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday for their next fixture.
76ers Edge Spurs, 122-120
The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 122-120, at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday evening.
The 76ers (32-17) finished a tightly contested and high-scoring first half with a slim 67-64 advantage. Nevertheless, the Spurs (27-22) stayed hot on their tail, and they held a seemingly solid 120-112 lead with 2:48 remaining following a Marco Belinelli three-pointer. However, that's when Philadelphia went to work, rattling off 10 unanswered points to seal the win. Wilson Chandler's block of a DeMar DeRozan layup with 7.6 seconds remaining was critical, as the home squad held just a 121-120 edge at the time.
DeRozan paced the Spurs with 26 points, adding nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block. Patty Mills poured in 17 points. Rudy Gay matched Mills' scoring total and added four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Belinelli poured in 16 points and also contributed two rebounds, one assist and one block. Derrick White finished with 15 points, five assists, four rebounds, two steals and one block. Bryn Forbes supplied 14 points, six boards and two assists. LaMarcus Aldridge registered 13 points, six assists, five rebounds, three blocks and one steal.
Joel Embiid led the 76ers with a 33-point, 19-rebound double-double that also included three assists and one block. Ben Simmons tallied 21 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds and one steal. J.J. Redick delivered 19 points, three rebounds, three assists and one block. Landry Shamet finished with 14 points, two assists and three steals. T.J. McConnell compiled 10 points, eight assists, two rebounds and one steal.
The Spurs remain on the road and next tangle with the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday evening, while the 76ers pack their bags and take on the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night as well.
The 76ers (32-17) finished a tightly contested and high-scoring first half with a slim 67-64 advantage. Nevertheless, the Spurs (27-22) stayed hot on their tail, and they held a seemingly solid 120-112 lead with 2:48 remaining following a Marco Belinelli three-pointer. However, that's when Philadelphia went to work, rattling off 10 unanswered points to seal the win. Wilson Chandler's block of a DeMar DeRozan layup with 7.6 seconds remaining was critical, as the home squad held just a 121-120 edge at the time.
DeRozan paced the Spurs with 26 points, adding nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block. Patty Mills poured in 17 points. Rudy Gay matched Mills' scoring total and added four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Belinelli poured in 16 points and also contributed two rebounds, one assist and one block. Derrick White finished with 15 points, five assists, four rebounds, two steals and one block. Bryn Forbes supplied 14 points, six boards and two assists. LaMarcus Aldridge registered 13 points, six assists, five rebounds, three blocks and one steal.
Joel Embiid led the 76ers with a 33-point, 19-rebound double-double that also included three assists and one block. Ben Simmons tallied 21 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds and one steal. J.J. Redick delivered 19 points, three rebounds, three assists and one block. Landry Shamet finished with 14 points, two assists and three steals. T.J. McConnell compiled 10 points, eight assists, two rebounds and one steal.
The Spurs remain on the road and next tangle with the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday evening, while the 76ers pack their bags and take on the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night as well.
Hornets Hang On In Memphis
By Dan Bruno
The Charlotte Hornets defeated the host Memphis Grizzlies, 118-107, at FedEx Forum on Wednesday evening.
The contest got out to a competitive start, as the Hornets led 23-22 after one quarter. They kept the edge through the second, where they outscored the Grizzlies by three points, to take a 58-54 lead into halftime. The Hornets carried the momentum into the third quarter, where they pushed their lead to 15, before settling on a 10-point lead by the start of the fourth. The Grizzlies kept battling through the fourth, but the Hornets maintained a good cushion, as they held on for their seventh road win of the season. This marks the seventh straight loss for the Grizzlies.
Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 22 points, seven assists, four steals and two rebounds, in 38 minutes. Nicolas Batum followed up with 18 points, four rebounds, two assists and one block, while Jeremy Lamb added 17 points, four rebounds and four assists. The Hornets shot 53 percent from the field, including 12-of-30 from long range.
Meanwhile, Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 22 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals, in 38 minutes. Mike Conley tallied 31 points on 10-of-17 shooting, two rebounds, one assist and one steal, while Jaren Jackson Jr. chipped in 15 points, one rebound, one assist, one steal and one block. The Grizzlies shot 47 percent from the field, including 9-of-31 from long range.
The Grizzlies (19-29) will look to bounce back as they play host to the Kings on Friday. The Hornets (23-24) take on the Bucks in Milwaukee on Friday.
The contest got out to a competitive start, as the Hornets led 23-22 after one quarter. They kept the edge through the second, where they outscored the Grizzlies by three points, to take a 58-54 lead into halftime. The Hornets carried the momentum into the third quarter, where they pushed their lead to 15, before settling on a 10-point lead by the start of the fourth. The Grizzlies kept battling through the fourth, but the Hornets maintained a good cushion, as they held on for their seventh road win of the season. This marks the seventh straight loss for the Grizzlies.
Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 22 points, seven assists, four steals and two rebounds, in 38 minutes. Nicolas Batum followed up with 18 points, four rebounds, two assists and one block, while Jeremy Lamb added 17 points, four rebounds and four assists. The Hornets shot 53 percent from the field, including 12-of-30 from long range.
Meanwhile, Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 22 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals, in 38 minutes. Mike Conley tallied 31 points on 10-of-17 shooting, two rebounds, one assist and one steal, while Jaren Jackson Jr. chipped in 15 points, one rebound, one assist, one steal and one block. The Grizzlies shot 47 percent from the field, including 9-of-31 from long range.
The Grizzlies (19-29) will look to bounce back as they play host to the Kings on Friday. The Hornets (23-24) take on the Bucks in Milwaukee on Friday.
Jazz Edge Out Nuggets, 114-108
By Oscar Heanue
The Utah Jazz defeated the Denver Nuggets, 114-108, at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Wednesday.
After scoring 36 points, including his team's last 14, on Monday, Donovan Mitchell followed up with a team-high 35 points in Wednesday's win. The sophomore guard played a crucial role in the Jazz (27-22) offense, knocking down six of the team's season-high 19 three-pointers. The win was Utah's seventh in its last eight games. Denver (31-15), however, did not go down without a fight. Superstar Nikola Jokic kept the team afloat with a dominant performance, scoring 28 points to go with 21 rebounds and seven assists. It was not enough for the win, though, as Denver shot just 8-of-27 from beyond the arc.
The Jazz also saw strong play from Joe Ingles, who had eight assists and knocked down four three-pointers. Ingles finished with 14 points. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert could do little to stop Jokic, but he made his presence felt, blocking three shots and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Off the bench, Will Barton delivered an impressive 22 points and nine rebounds for Denver. Save for Jokic and Barton, however, it was not the team's best night. Veteran All-Star Paul Millsap struggled to make anything happen, going 1-of-8 from the floor for just two points.
On Friday, Denver will host the Phoenix Suns while Utah will see the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After scoring 36 points, including his team's last 14, on Monday, Donovan Mitchell followed up with a team-high 35 points in Wednesday's win. The sophomore guard played a crucial role in the Jazz (27-22) offense, knocking down six of the team's season-high 19 three-pointers. The win was Utah's seventh in its last eight games. Denver (31-15), however, did not go down without a fight. Superstar Nikola Jokic kept the team afloat with a dominant performance, scoring 28 points to go with 21 rebounds and seven assists. It was not enough for the win, though, as Denver shot just 8-of-27 from beyond the arc.
The Jazz also saw strong play from Joe Ingles, who had eight assists and knocked down four three-pointers. Ingles finished with 14 points. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert could do little to stop Jokic, but he made his presence felt, blocking three shots and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Off the bench, Will Barton delivered an impressive 22 points and nine rebounds for Denver. Save for Jokic and Barton, however, it was not the team's best night. Veteran All-Star Paul Millsap struggled to make anything happen, going 1-of-8 from the floor for just two points.
On Friday, Denver will host the Phoenix Suns while Utah will see the Minnesota Timberwolves.