The NBA Roundup: March 24, 2013

The Celtics and the Nets lost big games today even as the Clips and the Grizz gather steam heading into the twilight of the season. Also, what is up with Toronto and its players shooting more than they should?!

Day’s Best:

Charlie Villanueva came alive as the Pistons beat the Bobcats. Villanueva hit 4 threes on his way to 18 points in just 20 minutes of action. Boy, Charlotte can make anybody look like a star.
Where the hell did Jerry Bayless come from?! 30 points on 11-of-20 FG shooting including 4 triples? Sorry, Rudy, trading you away seems to have paid off after all.
Steph Curry was the day’s most productive guy, pouring in 35 points in an out-of-this-world 13-of-18 FG shooting. He also had 8 assists. The caveat? He might have injured his ankle AGAIN. #facepalm

Jerryd Bayless has been hot of late as the Grizzlies
are gathering steam entering the end of the season.
(image by Joe Murphy/Getty Images)

Day’s Worst:

I don’t know if I want to commend Jordan Crawford for trying to rally the Cs, or to condemn him for shooting the Cs out of this one in the end. Fourth straight L for Boston means a slippery slide down the East ladder.
Joe Johnson what ARE you doing?! 6-of-18 from the floor including 0-of-7 from three? #slowclap
So John Lucas played 22 minutes for Toronto. He shot only 2-of-11 from the field in a blowout loss to the Knicks. And for a PG? ZERO assists, man. 11 shots and ZERO assists. All y’all need to know.

Final Score: Detroit 92, Charlotte 91

Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - Charlie Villanueva's layup with 15 seconds left lifted the Detroit Pistons to a 92-91 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday. Kemba Walker drained a pair of free throws with 31.6 seconds left to give the Bobcats a 91-90 edge. Villanueva then missed a 3-pointer with 19.8 seconds left, but Greg Monroe grabbed the offensive rebound and kicked it back out to Villanueva, who drove in from the left side and layed it in for the go- ahead score. Walker then dribbled the clock down, but his jumper rimmed out. Josh McRoberts was there to clean up the miss, but his putback with 0.3 seconds left was blocked by Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey. Villanueva finished with 18 points and Jason Maxiell added 14 points and four boards for Detroit, which got 10 points, six rebounds and four assists from Brandon Knight. Walker poured in a game-high 25 points and Bismack Biyombo added 12 points and 10 boards for the Bobcats, who had won two straight entering the contest.

Final Score: New York 108, Toronto 84

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points to go with eight rebounds and the New York Knicks finished off a home-and-home sweep of the Toronto Raptors in an easy 110-84 decision at Madison Square Garden. With his knee issues seemingly behind him, Anthony has compiled 86 total points in his three games since returning from injury, and on Saturday helped his squad to a fourth straight win. After his best performance in a Knick uniform during New York's 99-94 win over Toronto on Friday, Kenyon Martin came back a day later with 18 points, seven boards and two blocks. J.R. Smith added 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting off the bench. The Raptors, losers of four in a row and 12 of their last 16, were without Rudy Gay after he injured his back in Friday's loss. DeMar DeRozan scored a team-high 17 points, while Alan Anderson and Kyle Lowry poured in 14 apiece.

Final Score: Chicago 87, Indiana 84

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Luol Deng scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Carlos Boozer registered a double-double with 18 points and 10 boards as the recently slumping Chicago Bulls picked up a much-needed, 87-84 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. Nazr Mohammed and Taj Gibson each netted 11 points for the Bulls, who ended a two-game losing skid and had dropped four of their last five. Paul George paced Indiana with 23 points and 11 rebounds and Roy Hibbert had 18 points and 12 boards for the Pacers, who had a three-game winning streak come to an end.

Final Score: Memphis 110, Boston 106

Memphis, TN (Sports Network) - Jerryd Bayless poured in a game-high 30 points as the Memphis Grizzlies held off a late rally to down the Boston Celtics, 110-106, on Saturday. Darrell Arthur finished with 18 points and Zach Randolph poured in 15 with 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who have won 10 straight at FedEx Forum. Prior to the game, Memphis announced center Marc Gasol will be out indefinitely after aggravating an abdominal tear in Friday's loss to New Orleans. Gasol originally suffered the injury in a March 6 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, but was able to play through the injury. Paul Pierce scored 26 points and Jordan Crawford had 21 for the Celtics, who have dropped four straight.

Final Score: Denver 101, Sacramento 95

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Danilo Gallinari had a team-best 19 points with eight rebounds and the Denver Nuggets tied a franchise-record with their 15th consecutive win, a 101-95 decision over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. Denver, which hasn't won 15 in a row since the 1969-70 season, was able to accomplish the feat despite missing starting guard Ty Lawson for the second straight game with a bruised heel. Kenneth Faried came through with 17 points and nine boards, Andre Iguodala had 15 points with eight assists and Denver received 11 points apiece from Andre Miller and JaVale McGee in the team's 17th straight win at the Pepsi Center. The Kings had a brief two-game winning streak snapped. DeMarcus Cousins scored a game-high 24 points and 15 rebounds, while John Salmons had 18 points in the setback.

Final Score: Golden State 101, Washington 92

Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Stephen Curry netted a game-high 35 points on 13-of-18 shooting from the floor despite missing the final half of the fourth quarter due to an apparent ankle injury, as Golden State downed Washington, 101-92, for its fifth straight win in the series. Curry, who also shot 6-of-10 from behind the arc and had eight helpers, went down with 6:03 to play in the final frame, as he drove to the hoop and rolled his ankle. He walked off the court limping and did not return. Klay Thompson had 18 points and Harrison Barnes supplied 16 to go along with eight rebounds for the Warriors, who have won three of four games overall and five of the last six at home versus Washington. David Lee donated 11 points and had a game-high 15 boards in the victory. Cartier Martin had 23 points and six 3-pointers for the Wizards, who had won consecutive road tilts and five of their last six overall prior to the contest. John Wall was ejected in the third quarter after receiving his second technical foul, and finished with 14 points in defeat.

Final Score: LA Clippers 101, Brooklyn 95

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Chris Paul scored 11 of his team's final 13 points in the Los Angeles Clippers' 101-95 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Paul finished with 29 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, who won back-to-back games for the first time this month. DeAndre Jordan added 13 points and 12 rebounds in the victory. Deron Williams tallied 18 points and nine assists, while Brook Lopez also poured in 18 for Brooklyn, which had won seven of its last nine road tilts coming in.