Avery Bradley’s heroics lift Lakers to OT win over Raptors

Avery Bradley hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 32.5 seconds to play in overtime, then added two free throws as the visiting Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Toronto Raptors 128-123 Friday night.

Russell Westbrook had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Lakers, including the tying 3-pointer to force overtime.

Bradley finished with 14 points and LeBron James led the Lakers with 36 points as they ended a three-game losing streak. They had lost their 11 previous road games.

Toronto took the lead with 26.1 seconds to play in regulation on Gary Trent Jr.'s 3-pointer, but Westbrook tied it at 116 with a 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds left.

Austin Reaves made two free throws to give the Lakers a two-point lead with 1:49 left in overtime. Trent tied it on a layup. Pascal Siakam made one of two foul shots with 51.8 seconds to play, but Bradley made the crucial 3-pointer and, with 12.6 seconds to go in overtime, made two free throws.

Wenyen Gabriel scored 17 points for the Lakers and Reaves had 10.

Scottie Barnes had 31 points and 17 rebounds for the Raptors, who had a five-game win streak end. Trent had 23 points, Fred VanVleet had 20, Precious Achiuwa scored 18 and Siakam 17.

Toronto took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter. The score was tied at 99 on a layup by James with 7:39 to play.

Reaves made a 3-pointer to give L.A. the lead with 6:48 left. Trent tied the game with a layup with 4:15 to go. Barnes made a dunk to put Toronto ahead by two with 3:03 remaining. James answered with a 3-pointer, but Barnes made a layup and a free throw to give Toronto a two-point lead. James tied it with a jumper.

The Lakers led 33-30 after one quarter.

Toronto finished the first half on a 7-0 run to trim the lead to 59-55.

Chris Boucher's put-back layup gave Toronto an 89-88 lead after three quarters.

The Lakers were without Carmelo Anthony and Wayne Ellington because of non-Covid illness and Talen Horton-Tucker (sprained ankle). The Raptors were without OG Anunoby (broken finger).

-reuters

NBA: Playing without LeBron James, Lakers still punish Kings

Anthony Davis scored 25 points, Malik Monk shot 6-of-10 from 3-point range en route to 22 points off the bench, and a Los Angeles Lakers team playing without LeBron James rode a big third quarter to a 117-92 defeat of the host Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

Trailing 72-68 midway through the third quarter, Davis and Russell Westbrook ignited the first of two 12-0 runs that began in the period.

Davis scored six of the 12 points in the first burst, which lasted a little more than three minutes, while Westbrook added three points and assisted on a 3-pointer by Monk that capped the pivotal run.

Westbrook finished with 23 points, six assists and five rebounds.

Carmelo Anthony then scored five of his 14 points off the bench to spark Los Angeles' second 12-0 run, which lasted into the early fourth quarter and pushed the Lakers' lead to 18 points.

The reserves came up big for Los Angeles and helped extend the lead to as many as 27 points in the final period. Dwight Howard added 12 to the Lakers' 58 total bench points, as well as a game-high 13 rebounds.

Bench contributions were timely with James scratched from the lineup late due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Sacramento, meanwhile, got just 20 points from its reserves - though the bench accounted for four of the team's six made 3-pointers. Davion Mitchell knocked down a pair en route to eight points, and he was the only Kings player to make more than one on a 6-of-29 collective shooting night from long range.

With outside shots not falling, Richaun Holmes and Chimezie Metu carried much of Sacramento's scoring load on the interior. Holmes shot 12-of-13 for a game-high 27 points, while Metu finished 7-of-10 for 14 points with 11 rebounds.

De'Aaron Fox was Sacramento's only other scorer in double-figures with 17 points.

-reuters 

Westbrook, Harden rally Rockets over NBA-best Bucks

MIAMI – Russell Westbrook scored 31 points and James Harden added 24 Sunday (Monday, Manila time) to rally the Houston Rockets over NBA overall leader Milwaukee 120-116 despite a big night for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Bucks led 112-104 after Khris Middleton's 3-pointer with 3:14 to play, but Houston closed the game with a 16-4 run.

"It's amazing," Westbrook said. "We fought through. Adversity showed up and we showed off. All the guys in our locker room showed up to play for 48 minutes."


The Rockets went 21-of-61 from three-point range, matching an NBA record for the most three-point attempts by a club in a non-overtime game, with Danuel House hitting four and Harden among five other players who landed three from outside the arc.

"You have to make the right reads and trust your teammates and that's what I tried to do all night long," said Westbrook.

The Rockets also rallied from seven points down in the final minute to defeat Dallas on Friday.

Westbrook, on a career-best run of 36 consecutive games with 20 or more points, hit 10-of-21 from the floor, 1-of-3 from beyond the arc, and 10-of-12 free throws. Harden had six steals, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Greek big man Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 36 points, 18 rebounds and eight assists. Middleton had 27 points and 12 rebounds and Brook Lopez added 23 points and 12 rebounds.

"We've got to keep executing at the end of close games," Antetokounmpo said. "We weren't able to do that. We've got to find the open man and hit more shots."

Tatum leads Celtics
The Rockets improved to 42-24, level with Utah for fourth in the Western Conference and only one game behind Denver, while the Bucks fell to 54-13, still the best record in the NBA and six games better than Toronto to top the Eastern Conference.

In the other feature interconference game, Jayson Tatum scored 34 points and Jaylen Brown added 30 to spark the Boston Celtics over Portland 128-124.

Gordon Hayward added 22 points for the Celtics, including two crucial free throws with three seconds to play to help seal a Boston win after squandering a 24-point advantage.

Boston opened the game by making 9-of-12 shots, five of them for three points, for a 26-15 lead and stretched their advantage from there before the Trail Blazers rallied.

Portland's Damian Lillard had 30 points and 16 assists while Jusuf Nurkic added 30 points and nine rebounds for the Trail Blazers.

DeRozan seals it for Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs, powered by 21 points and 10 rebounds from Dejounte Murray, edged eighth-place Memphis in a Western Conference game.

DeMar DeRozan completed a 108-106 win by sinking two free throws with one second remaining, the last of his 14 points. Grizzlies rookie star Ja Morant had 25 points and nine assists in a losing cause.

The Memphis loss ensured a playoff spot for the Dallas Mavericks even before they took the court for a 117-115 loss to the Phoenix Suns. It will be the first Dallas post-season appearance since 2016.

Phoenix's Devin Booker scored 30 points and Ricky Rubio added 20, both hitting key free throws in the final minutes to preserve the Suns' lead.

Luka Doncic led Dallas with 40 points while Kristaps Porzingis added 30 for the Mavericks.

Caris LeVert scored 34 points, 14 of them in the last seven minutes, to spark the Brooklyn Nets over Washington 118-110.

Jarrett Allen had 22 points and 15 rebounds and Joe Harris scored a season-high 27 points for Brooklyn, which moved seven games ahead of the ninth-place Washington in the Eastern Conference.

The Wizards must be within four games of eighth to force a play-in series and they have only six games remaining.

Orlando stayed half a game ahead of Brooklyn by routing Sacramento 132-116 behind 25 points from Terrence Ross plus 23 points and 11 rebounds from Nikola Vucevic.

The Magic's victory joy was dampened by a third-quarter left leg injury to Jonathan Isaac, who had just worked his way back from a left knee injury. He exited the court in a wheelchair.

Agence France-Presse

Houston's Westbrook tests positive for COVID-19

LOS ANGELES – NBA star Russell Westbrook revealed Monday (Tuesday, Manila time) he has tested positive for COVID-19 as the league gears up for its return in Florida later this month.

Houston Rockets star Westbrook, the 2017 Most Valuable Player and one of the biggest names in the NBA, said in a statement he was feeling well and was in isolation.

"I tested positive for COVID-19 prior to my team's departure to Orlando," Westbrook said on Twitter.

"I'm currently feeling well, quarantined and looking forward to rejoining my teammates when I am cleared. Thank you all for the well wishes and continued support," the 31-year-old added.

"Please take this virus seriously. Be safe. Mask up!"

Westbrook was one of several Rockets players who did not travel to Orlando, where the NBA will resume its season on July 30 after a four-month shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As well as Westbrook, fellow superstar James Harden and Cameroon international Luc Mbah a Moute also did not travel, although the team has not given a reason for their absence.

Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni on Sunday said Westbrook, Harden and Mbah a Moute were "working in their own home base."

"We're still expecting them in a few days," D'Antoni said. "You never know, but we think we'll get them back in here by the middle of the week.

D'Antoni would not comment on why the players had not travelled with the team.

"These are things that people are dealing with," he said. "We're not going to get into why not. They're on their way."

Westbrook is one of several NBA players to have tested positive for COVID-19, joining a list which includes Brooklyn's Kevin Durant, Boston's Marcus Smart and Utah Jazz duo Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell.

Agence France-Presse

Rockets' Harden, Westbrook conspire to stop Nuggets

LOS ANGELES – James Harden scored 35 points and Russell Westbrook finished with 28 as the Houston Rockets cooled off the Denver Nuggets with a 130-104 win on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time).

Harden also had six assists while Westbrook contributed seven helpers, avenging an earlier loss to the Nuggets.

Nikola Jokic scored 21 points to lead Denver, who had won nine of their last 10 games.

Denver defeated the Rockets 105-95 on November 20 by double-teaming Harden which put more pressure on his teammates to try and pick up the slack.

The Rockets moved the ball quickly on Tuesday, seizing control of the contest with a 19-3 burst to open the fourth quarter.

Clint Capela had a double-double for Houston (16 points, 10 rebounds) while Isaiah Hartenstein finished with 16 points and 12 boards off the bench.

Monte Morris came off the bench to score 18 points for Denver. Paul Millsap had 13 points and nine boards for Denver while Jamal Murray and Will Barton totaled 22 points on 10-of-30 shooting.

Elsewhere, Domantas Sabonis tallied 23 points and 10 rebounds as the Indiana Pacers beat the Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers 115-97 in Indianapolis.

TJ Warren scored 21 points, Myles Turner tallied 14 and Jeremy Lamb had 13 for the Pacers, who improved to 15-3 at home.

'Disappointing'

Doug McDermott also had 12 points for Indiana, while former 76er TJ McConnell added 11 points and 10 assists, ending a modest two-game losing skid for the Pacers.

"We played great basketball," Pacers' coach Nate McMillan said. "We established our defense, got stops and were able to get into transition.

"With 35 assists we were making their defense move and work. I just loved the tempo we established at the defensive end of the floor as well as the offensive end."

Philadelphia looked disorganized without all-star center Embiid, who has an injured left knee. They have won just three of seven games this season when Embiid sat out.

Ben Simmons had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Josh Richardson scored 20 points for the Sixers.

Since beating the Milwaukee Bucks 121-109 on Christmas Day, the Sixers have dropped three consecutive road games in Orlando, Miami and Indianapolis.

"After coming out of Miami (a 117-116 loss in overtime) and losing two games prior to being here, that's a disappointing performance," 76ers coach Brett Brown said.

"I do give Indiana credit as it relates to us missing shots. We certainly had people down. They were some of our better players. Just didn't have the performances that they're used to having."

Also, Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Sacramento Kings for the 10th straight time, 105-87.

Leonard finished eight of 21 from the floor with seven assists.

Paul George delivered 21 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists for the Clippers, who have won 14 straight in Sacramento.

source: philstar.com

Harden, Westbrook shine as Rockets extend win streak

LOS ANGELES – James Harden scored 36 points and Russell Westbrook bagged a triple-double as the Houston Rockets extended their red-hot winning streak to eight games with a 132-108 rout of the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday (Tuesday, Manila time).

Harden, fresh from a 49-point display in Saturday's win over Minnesota, was once again in commanding form against a Portland team who were always second best at Houston's Toyota Center.

The 2017-2018 NBA Most Valuable Player also had six rebounds and five assists as the Blazers struggled to contain the Rockets' multi-pronged offense.


Westbrook tormented the Portland defense, finishing with 28 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists on a night when all five Houston starters finished in double figures.

The win saw the Rockets improve to 11-3 at the top of the Western Conference, neck-and-neck with the pace-setting Los Angeles Lakers (11-2).


C.J. McCollum led the scoring for Portland with 25 points, but team-mate Damian Lillard was kept quiet with only 13 points. Portland fell to 5-9 with the defeat.

Elsewhere Monday, Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with a 33-point haul as the Milwaukee Bucks outgunned the Chicago Bulls 115-101.

Antetokounmpo's points tally was matched by impressive defensive numbers, with the Greek star pulling down 10 rebounds, forcing eight turnovers and making three steals.

Brook Lopez had 19 points while Donte DiVincenzo added 15 for the Bucks, who improved to 10-3 in the Eastern Conference standings.

In Toronto, O.G. Anunoby and Pascal Siakam sparked the Raptors in a 132-96 demolition of the Charlotte Hornets.

Anunoby had 24 points and Siakam 20 as seven Toronto players finished in double figures against an outclassed Charlotte team.

source: philstar.com

Thunder roll over Blazers

OKLAHOMA CITY – Paul George had a 47-point triple-double, and Russell Westbrook set an NBA record for consecutive triple-doubles as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Portland Trail Blazers 120-111 on Monday night.

George’s 3-pointer with 3:52 to play came on the 10th assist by Westbrook, who clinched his 10th consecutive triple-double. Westbrook finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Wilt Chamberlain had nine consecutive triple-doubles in 1968.

George, who contributed 12 rebounds and 10 assists, has scored 92 points over the last two games.


The win was the fourth consecutive and 11th in 12 games for the Thunder.

Hampered by a strained left shoulder, James Harden nearly had his streak of consecutive 30-point games end before coming alive down the stretch as host Houston defeated Dallas 120-104.


Harden finished with a game-high 31 points on 9-for-23 shooting that went  with eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals.

The Rockets relied on a collective effort to build a lead against Dallas, with four others scoring in double figures, including guard Gerald Green, who poured in 19 points in 22 minutes off the bench. Luka Doncic posted 21 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists to pace the Mavericks.

In Cleveland, New York saw its late comeback bid fall short at Cleveland and took its 17th straight defeat – the longest single-season losing streak in franchise history.     

Other results: Detroit 121, Washington 112; Indiana 99, Charlotte 90; Toronto 127, Brooklyn 125; Milwaukee 112, Chicago 99, Minnesota 130, LA Clippers 120; Denver 103, Miami 87.

source: philstar.com

Thunder's 'big three' powers Oklahoma past Houston

The Oklahoma City Thunder adopted a simple mantra for Saturday’s game (Sunday in Manila) against the Houston Rockets with their playoff fate still up in the air.

“We just better not lose,” Paul George said.

For one night at least, it worked.

George and Russell Westbrook each scored 24 points, and Oklahoma City snapped Houston’s 20-game home winning streak with a 108-102 victory.

The Thunder were down one with about seven minutes left before scoring the next 11 points.

Oklahoma City (46-34) is tied with San Antonio and New Orleans for fifth in the loaded Western Conference, a half-game behind idle Utah. The Thunder can clinch a playoff spot with a victory at Miami on Monday.

“This game was important but the Monday game is just as important as this game because if we don’t take care of business Monday then this game doesn’t really mean anything,” said Carmelo Anthony, who had 22 points.

The Thunder took two of three in the season series against the NBA-best Rockets.

James Harden had 26 points for Houston, and Chris Paul added 17.

“I thought we tasted the playoff atmosphere because these guys are fighting for their lives and we’re not,” Houston coach Mike D’Antoni said. “It’s human nature, there’s no reward in winning.”

Paul hit a step-back jumper and Gerald Green scored to give the Rockets a 92-91 lead with 7:09 left. But Westbrook scored five quick points to start an 11-0 run by Oklahoma City that made it 102-92 with about four minutes remaining.
Houston went scoreless for more than four minutes, missing seven shots and committing three turnovers as Oklahoma City pulled away. The Thunder also blocked three shots in that span.

“Just doing what you’ve got to do to win, honestly,” Westbrook said.

The Rockets scored five straight points with less than a minute left to get within five, but George made two free throws to help secure the win.

Anthony made three of the Thunder’s 10 3-pointers. He said it was important for them to be in attack mode right from the start.

“It was one of those days, understanding the situation that we’re in and just trying to be aggressive out there on both ends and go after it from the beginning,” he said.

The Thunder led by as many as 11 in the first half, but Houston used a 5-1 spurt take a 62-61 lead at halftime.

source: philstar.com

Thunder down Pelicans, Bucks beat Wizards as NBA heads into All-Star break

The Oklahoma City Thunder rolled into the NBA’s All-Star break with a 121-95 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday, aided by 23 points apiece from Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.

On what was an emotional night, Westbrook was one rebound shy of his ninth triple double of the season as he collected 10 assists and nine rebounds.

Durant connected on 10 of 17 from the field and also handed out six assists as Oklahoma City improved to 40-14.

The Thunder are one of three Western Conference teams heading into the All-Star break with at least 40 wins, behind the Golden State Warriors (48-4) and San Antonio Spurs (45-8).

According to Elias Sports, the statistics expert, that’s a first for any conference in NBA history.

“I think we are great, man,” Westbrook said of the Thunder’s position. “Forty wins, I like where we are. Looking to come back in the second half of the season and turn it up a notch.”

Center Anthony Davis scored 23 points to lead the Pelicans, but was limited to three rebounds and no blocked shots.

Guard Jrue Holiday came off the bench to score 23 points and six assists as the Pelicans, ravaged by injury this season, fell to 20-33.

The contest had a somber note, despite the approach of the weekend of festivities built around Sunday’s All-Star game in Toronto.

Ingrid Williams, wife of Oklahoma City assistant coach and former New Orleans head coach Monty Williams, died in a road accident on Tuesday and the news hit both teams hard.

“I thought about what I was going to say, but I just love coach Monty so much,” Durant said. “I feel for him. And it’s somebody we all love, I just don’t understand.”

Davis was one of the Pelicans players who remembered Ingrid Williams as being like a second mother when her husband coached them.

“It was tough, but you have to still go out there and compete,” Davis said. “That’s what we tried to do tonight.”

Bucks down Wizards

In Milwaukee, Khris Middleton scored 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter as the Bucks defeated the Washington Wizards 99-92.

Forwards Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 17 points each for the Bucks, and center Greg Monroe chipped in 12 points and nine rebounds.

Five Washington players scored in double figures, led by the 19 points of guard Bradley Beal.

John Wall added 15 for Washington while Otto Porter, Marcin Gortat and Nene scored 14 points apiece.

Mudiay, Booker get skills nod

Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker were named as substitutes for two of the All-Star Game warm-up events.

Mudiay will replace injured defending champion Patrick Beverley in the Skills Challenge that tests dribbling, passing, shooting and agility on an obstacle course.

Beverley will miss the Saturday competition with an ankle injury.

Booker replaces injured Nerlens Noel of the Philadelphia 76ers in Friday’s Rising Stars Challenge, which features first- and second-year players from the United States against overseas players in their rookie and sophomore seasons.

source: interaksyon.com

Thunder sweep season series against Clippers

LOS ANGELES – The Oklahoma City Thunder’s playoff push gathered steam on Sunday with a 108-104 NBA victory over the Los Angeles Clippers behind a 35-point performance from Kevin Durant.

Russell Westbrook finished with 29 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists for the Thunder, who swept the season series against the Clippers.

Forward Serge Ibaka had a strong game for the Thunder as he manhandled Clippers star Blake Griffin several times under the basket and finished with 16 points and two blocks in front of a crowd of 19,371.

Ibaka took his aggressive play too far at one point and was nearly ejected after he delivered a hard slap to Griffin’s groin late in the game, a move which earned him a foul.

The Clippers were the hotter of the teams heading into Sunday’s crucial matchup as they had won four in a row and eight of their last nine.

But Westbrook’s baseline jumper with 26 seconds left in the fourth quarter gave Oklahoma City some much needed breathing room in a contest that was close to the final buzzer.

“I expect our guys to be able to fight and get us back in the game,” said Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro. “We were more aggressive in the second half but turnovers and free throws were the difference.

“We had our opportunities but we didn’t convert down the stretch.”

The second place Thunder improved to 43-16 on the season and now lead the third place Clippers (43-19) by one and a half games in the Western Conference standings.

Chris Paul had 26 points, eight assists and pulled down six rebounds, Griffin had 20 points and nine rebounds and Jamal Crawford scored 20 in the loss.

The Thunder completed a season sweep over the Clippers that included winning 117-111 in over-time on November 21 in Oklahoma City and by 12 points on January 22 in Los Angeles.

source: interaksyon.com