This is our third Position Battle post
of 2013-2014, and we will focus on the top five small forwards at this point in
the season. This is maybe the most predictable of all the position battle
posts, since the top four guys will pretty much be interchangeable for the
remainder of this year.
 |
| Kevin Durant and Paul George are among the league's best SFs. (image from Getty Images/Bleacher Report) |
Note:
All of the following stats are based on each player’s stats as computed by
HoopsStats.com. They were taken on December 12, 2013 (Manila time).
5.
Luol Deng (CHI) - 19.4ppg, 7.1rpg, 4.2apg, 1.1spg, .458 FG%, 19.9 EFF
Deng is a trooper. Even with D-Rose out
and trade rumors swirling, he will continue to lay everything out on the floor.
He’s nursing an Achilles heel injury right now, but, again, don’t count on this
guy to miss out on helping his team. He definitely doesn’t have the biggest
influence in the Association, but he sure can play ball.
4.
Paul George (IND) - 24.7ppg, 5.7rpg, 3.4apg, 2.1spg, 47.5 FG%, 2.8 triples per
game, 86.3 FT%, 23.2 EFF
PG24’s underwhelming first half against
Miami really dampened his stock, but he’s still definitely one of the most fun
guys to watch. His barrage of jumpers in the second half really gave Indiana a
big lift, and, man, he never looked this conifident. Ever. Gotta feeling his
best is yet to come, Scary as hell.
3.
Carmelo Anthony (NYK) - 25.4ppg, 9.6rpg, 2.7apg, 1.1spg, 1.2 triples per game,
24.2 EFF
Melo continues to be the best player on
a suck-ass team. What is the third-best swingman on the planet doing on a VERY
EXPENSIVE Knicks team doing only slightly better than the East-worst Milwaukee
Bucks? Beats me. I guess he thought he could win a title playing in the Big
Apple. Haha. That’s funny.
2.
LeBron James (MIA) - 25.0ppg, 6.5rpg, 6.3apg, 1.3spg, 58.4 FG%, 1.3 triples per
game, 27.7 EFF
LBJ’s 17 points against Indy was tied
for his second-lowest point total of the season, but that 6/16 FG shooting
performance was, by far, his worst yet. That was definitely not a pretty game
for the reigning MVP, but, hey, this is LeBron. He’s going to bounce back with
a vengeance, especially on the 18th, when both Miami and Indiana
meet again.
 |
| LeBron James didn't exactly have his best outing against Indiana. (image by D.Williams/Einstein Getty Images) |
1.
Kevin Durant (OKC) - 29.0ppg, 8.4rpg, 5.0apg, 1.4spg, 1.0bpg, 47.1 FG%, 1.7
triples per game, 87.4 FT%, 29.7 EFF
Nobody stuffs his stat-sheet as well as
KD does – at least as of this writing. I mean, he is, literally, doing
everything. He’s getting the job done on offense with his great shooting and
playmaking, and then he’s getting the job done on D with those steals and
blocks, too. PG24 said KD is the toughest match-up in the NBA. Right now, I don’t
think anyone can disagree.
Outside
looking in:
Nicolas Batum (POR) - 18.5 EFF
Evan Turner (PHI) - 18.4 EFF
Chandler Parsons (HOU) - 18.4 EFF
Game Recaps:
(Friday, December 6th)
Final
Score: Charlotte 105, Philadelphia 88
Charlotte, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Jeff Taylor
scored 20 points starting in place of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Kemba Walker
contributed 18 points with 10 assists as the Charlotte Bobcats defeated the
Philadelphia 76ers, 105-88, at Times Warner Cable Arena. Gerald Henderson also
added 18 points, while Al Jefferson recorded his fourth straight double-double
with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Tony Wroten scored a game-high 21 points with
nine assists and eight rebounds. Wroten started in place of Michael Carter-Williams
who was out with right knee soreness. Evan Turner chipped in with 16 points on
7-of-18 shooting and Hollis Thompson added 12 for the Sixers, who lost their
eight consecutive road game.
Final
Score: Milwaukee 109, Washington 105 (OT)
Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - Khris
Middleton netted a career-high 29 points as the Milwaukee Bucks topped the
injury-riddled Washington Wizards in overtime, 109-105, from Verizon Center.
After Milwaukee scored the final five points of regulation to force overtime,
John Henson and Ersan Ilyasova opened the extra session with buckets for a
106-102 lead. The Wizards were held without a point until Trevor Ariza drew a
foul shooting a 3 with 42.8 seconds remaining and hit all of the subsequent
free throws for a one-point margin. Brandon Knight came back and swished a deep
jumper for the Bucks before forcing John Wall into a crucial turnover. Knight
then split a pair at the line with 10.2 seconds to seal Milwaukee's fourth win
of the season. Henson was terrific for the Bucks, tallying 19 points and 17
rebounds while Knight and O.J. Mayo deposited 20 and 17 points, respectively.
Wall made 12- of-13 from the line en route to 30 points and eight assists for
the Wizards, who snapped a two-game winning streak and failed to go over .500
for the first time this season. Ariza had 22 points with 12 boards for
Washington, which lost Martell Webster (ankle) and Nene (foot) to injuries
during the game. The Wizards were already shorthanded, having played the last
six games without leading scorer Bradley Beal.
Final Score:
Atlanta 108, Cleveland 89
Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Al Horford
poured in 22 points to go with nine rebounds to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a
108-89 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. Paul Millsap added 16 points
and 14 rebounds while Jeff Teague and Lou Williams finished with 13 points
apiece for the Hawks, winners in two straight. Dion Waiters scored a
season-high 30 points and Andrew Bynum added 20 points and 13 rebounds for the
Cavaliers, losers in six of their last eight. Cleveland star point guard Kyrie
Irving was held scoreless after going 0-for-9 from the field and 0-for-3 from
the foul line. It was the first time Irving has been held without a point in
his career.
Final
Score: Boston 106, Denver 98
Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - Jordan
Crawford had 22 points and eight assists as the Boston Celtics topped the
Denver Nuggets 106-98 on Friday night. Avery Bradley and Kris Humphries netted
18 points apiece for Boston, which has won five of its last seven games. Denver
trailed by as many as 27 in the first half and faced a 64-44 deficit at the
break, but Ty Lawson nailed a 3-pointer and converted a runner on back-to-back
Nuggets possessions to cap a 16-4 run and claw the visitors within 66-60. Randy
Foye sunk a pair of free throws to whittle the gap to 74-71 with 4:12 left in
the frame, but the Nuggets never got any closer. Humphries netted the first six
Boston points during a 9-2 sprint, which Bradley concluded with a triple to
increase the margin to 83-73. Boston headed into the final period with an 87-77
advantage and led comfortably throughout the fourth. Lawson had 20 points
before exiting with a strained left hamstring for the Nuggets, who have dropped
two straight on the heels of a seven-game winning streak.
Final Score:
New York 121, Orlando 83
New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Carmelo
Anthony had a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds as the New York
Knicks routed the Orlando Magic, 121-83, from Madison Square Garden. The Knicks,
who held a 62-29 scoring advantage in the second half, secured their second
blowout win in as many nights. On Thursday, they won at Brooklyn, 113-83, to
snap a nine-game skid. Andrea Bargnani and J.R. Smith each chipped in 17
points, while Tim Hardaway Jr. and Raymond Felton added 15 and 14,
respectively. Arron Afflalo scored 20 points and rookie Victor Oladipo finished
with 17 points and nine rebounds for Orlando, which has lost its last four.
Final
Score: Houston 105, Golden State 83
Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Dwight Howard
totaled 22 points and 18 rebounds in the Houston Rockets 105-83 rout of the
Golden State Warriors from Toyota Center. The Rockets jumped out to a
comfortable 31-12 lead after the first quarter and cruised the rest of the way.
The 12 points Golden State put up in the first on 4-of-20 shooting was the
lowest output against Houston in any period this season. James Harden led
Houston with 34 points as the Rockets broke out of a two-game slide. Harden
surpassed the 30-point mark for the third time in four games. Terrence Jones
added 16 points, 10 boards and three blocked shots in the victory. Stephen
Curry paced Golden State with 22 points. Harrison Barnes had 14 and Kent
Bazemore took advantage of a season-high 17 minutes with 12 points on 4-of-6
shooting.
Final
Score: Oklahoma City 109, New Orleans 95
New Orleans, LA (SportsNetwork.com) - Kevin
Durant had 29 points and eight rebounds as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated
the New Orleans Pelicans 109-95 on Friday night. Russell Westbrook added 25
points, four assists and four steals, while Serge Ibaka finished with 17 points
and 13 boards for Oklahoma City, which has won nine of its last 10 games. Jrue
Holiday filled the stat sheet with 16 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four
steals for the Pelicans, who have dropped back-to-back tilts. Ryan Anderson
netted 18 points in defeat.
Final
Score: Phoenix 106, Toronto 97
Phoenix, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) - Markieff
Morrris hit his first 11 shot attempts and finished with 25 points and 11
rebounds as the Phoenix Suns beat the Toronto Raptors 106-97 on Friday night.
Eric Bledsoe scored 19 points with six assists, while P.J. Tucker had 18 points
and 13 rebounds for Phoenix, which snapped a four-game losing streak against
Toronto. Amir Johnson paced Toronto with 22 points and Kyle Lowry finished with
21 points and seven assists. Rudy Gay and DeMar DeRozan scored 17 and 13, respectively,
on a combined 11-of-30 shooting.
Final
Score: Portland 130, Utah 98
Portland, OR (SportsNetwork.com) - The Trail
Blazers put on a 3-point shooting clinic at the expense of the Jazz Friday at
the Moda Center. Wesley Matthews, Damian Lillard and Nicolas Batum combined to
go 12-of-15 from beyond the arc and helped Portland to a 130-98 blowout of
Utah. The Blazers set a franchise- record with 17 3-pointers made, going
17-of-23, and won for the fourth straight time. Matthews scored 24, Lillard had
21 and LaMarcus Aldridge posted 20 points and 15 rebounds in Portland's 15th
victory in 16 contests. Alec Burks had 16 points off the bench for Utah, which
committed 17 turnovers that led to 28 Portland points.
Final
Score: LA Lakers 106, Sacramento 100
Sacramento, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Pau Gasol
and Jodie Meeks both dropped in 19 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a
106-100 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday. Nick Young scored 14 and Steve
Blake finished with 13 points and 10 assists for the Lakers, winners in six of
their last eight. In addition to the win, Los Angeles also learned that star
guard Kobe Bryant will make his season debut on Sunday against Toronto. Bryant
suffered a torn Achilles in his left leg on April 12, and has been out of action
since. DeMarcus Cousins scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds and Ben
McLemore also scored 20 for the Kings, losers in six straight.
(Saturday, December 7th)
Final
Score: Denver 103, Philadelphia 92
Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Nate
Robinson scored 20 points off the bench to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 103-92
victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Jordan Hamilton and Randy Foye netted 13
points apiece and J.J. Hickson tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds for the
Nuggets, who will face the Washington Wizards on Monday. Wilson Chandler added
10 points in the victory. Tony Wroten dropped in 20 points, Thaddeus Young and
Spencer Hawes each added 14 and Hollis Thompson had 10 points and nine rebounds
for Philadelphia, which has lost six of its last seven.
Final
Score: Cleveland 88, Los Angeles 82
Cleveland, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Tristan
Thompson recorded his 10th double- double of the season with 20 points and 13
rebounds to help lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to an 88-82 win over the Los Angeles
Clippers from Quicken Loans Arena. Kyrie Irving also scored 20 with six
assists, while Andrew Bynum deposited 18 points with six boards for the Cavs,
who have won three of their last four. Los Angeles had trouble putting the ball
in the hoop all night as the Clippers shot 28-of-87 (32.2 percent) from the
field. Jamal Crawford paced all Clippers with 19 points on 5-of-18 shooting,
while Chris Paul added 13 points and 15 helpers. DeAndre Jordan and Blake
Griffin each posted a double-double as Jordan netted 12 points with 13
rebounds, while Griffin finished with 10 points to go along with 10 boards.
Final
Score: Detroit 92, Chicago 75
Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Brandon
Jennings scored a game-high 33 points to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 92-75 victory
over the Chicago Bulls. Kyle Singler had 12 and Josh Harrellson added 10 points
for the Pistons, who have won four straight. Taj Gibson scored 21 points and
grabbed 10 rebounds, Mike Dunleavy had 16 points and Carlos Boozer added 13
points and seven rebounds for Chicago, which has lost three of its last four.
Final
Score: Golden State 108, Memphis 82
Memphis, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Klay Thompson
had 30 points and Stephen Curry added 22 points, 15 assists and six rebounds as
the Golden State Warriors snapped an 11-game skid against the Memphis Grizzlies
with a 108-82 triumph on Saturday night. David Lee tallied 23 points and 11
rebounds and Andrew Bogut pulled down 12 boards for the Warriors, who hadn't
beaten the Grizzlies since Nov. 3, 2010. Zach Randolph had 15 points and six
rebounds and Kosta Koufos registered 10 points and 16 boards for Memphis, which
has dropped five of its last seven games.
Final
Score: Miami 103, Minnesota 82
Minneapolis, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - LeBron
James recorded his third double- double of the season and finished two assists
shy of a triple-double in the Miami Heat's 103-82 rout of the shorthanded
Minnesota Timberwolves. James finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds and eight
assists for Miami, which got a scare in the first quarter when Chris Bosh and
Dwyane Wade suffered injuries. Bosh went to the locker room for most of the
period to get his eye looked at before returning to start the second. Wade
banged knees with Kevin Martin but stayed in the game and scored 19 points. Ray
Allen and Rashard Lewis added 11 and 10 points, respectively, as the Heat
bounce back from consecutive losses to Detroit and Chicago.
Final Score:
Brooklyn 90, Milwaukee 82
Milwaukee, WI (SportsNetwork.com) - Brook Lopez
dumped in 32 points on an efficient 11-of-13 shooting as the Brooklyn Nets
handed the Milwaukee Bucks their third loss in four games with a 90-82 win at
BMO Harris Bradley Center. Joe Johnson scored 15 points with five assists,
while Alan Anderson added 13 points for the Nets, who have won three
consecutive games against Milwaukee. O.J. Mayo led the Bucks with 22 points and
John Henson scored 18 points with seven rebounds. Brandon Knight was the only
other Buck in double figures as the point guard finished with 10 points and six
rebounds.
Final
Score: Indiana 111, San Antonio 100
San Antonio, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - In order
to reverse a losing trend in the Alamo City, the Indiana Pacers needed their
best. Their performance in the second and third quarters was about as good as
it gets. Paul George had 28 points and six assists and David West added 20
points and eight rebounds as the Pacers defeated the San Antonio Spurs 111-100
in a matchup between two of the NBA's best teams. Indiana outscored the Spurs
67-37 in the second and third frames and snapped an 11-game losing streak in
San Antonio. The Pacers shot 63.2 percent (12-of-19) in the second and 68.4
percent (13- of-19) in the third. Indiana was 9-of-11 from beyond the arc and
held San Antonio to a 34.1 percent clip (15-of-44) during those two frames.
Indiana has won nine of its last 10 games. Kawhi Leonard had 18 points to lead
San Antonio, which has dropped three of its last five.
(Sunday, December 8th)
Final
Score: Boston 114, New York 73
New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - The New York
Knicks may want to consider boycotting future Sunday noon tip-offs. Jordan
Crawford led six Boston players in double figures with 23 points and the
Celtics pounded the Knicks, 114-73, at Madison Square Garden. Jared Sullinger
scored 21 points and Brandon Bass and Jeff Green both supplied 16 points for
Boston, which got off to a quick start and cruised to its third straight win.
Avery Bradley added a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Carmelo
Anthony had 19 points to pace the Knicks, who were undone by a horrific first
quarter in which they were outscored 34-11. New York, which had won two
straight on the heels of a nine-game slide, were sluggish in a 120-89 beatdown
by visiting San Antonio on November 10, another Sunday contest that started at
noon.
Final
Score: Miami 110, Detroit 95
Auburn Hills, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Some
teams have trouble playing lesser competition with a rivalry game on deck. The
Miami Heat had no such problem Sunday night with a matchup against the Indiana
Pacers looming, crushing the Detroit Pistons 110-95 from the Palace of Auburn
Hills. The Heat have a much anticipated rematch of the Eastern Conference
Finals with the Pacers on Tuesday that pits the top two teams in the conference
for the first time since Miami beat the Pacers in seven games last season.
James led the way with a near triple-double, posting 24 points, nine assists
and seven rebounds for the Heat, who avenged a 107-97 loss at home this past
week to the Pistons.
Final
Score: Houston 98, Orlando 88
Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - James Harden
dumped in 27 points with 10 assists and eight rebounds, Dwight Howard scored 20
points with 22 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets beat the Orlando Magic, 98-88,
at Toyota Center. Chandler Parsons netted 18 points, while Terrence Jones
scored 16 points with 13 rebounds and five blocks for Houston, which has won
seven of its last nine tilts. Glen Davis scored 18 points starting in place of
Nikola Vucevic, who sat out his third consecutive game with a sprained left
ankle. Arron Afflalo contributed 16 points and nine rebounds while fellow
backcourt mate Jameer Nelson added 15 points.
Final
Score: Oklahoma City 118, Indiana 94
Oklahoma City, OK (SportsNetwork.com) - Kevin
Durant had 36 points, 10 rebounds and five assists as the Oklahoma City Thunder
routed the Indiana Pacers 118-94 on Sunday night. Russell Westbrook added 26
points and 13 assists for the Thunder, who have won 10 of their last 11 games
and moved to 10-0 at home this year. Paul George netted 32 points for Indiana,
which has dropped two of its last four since beginning the year 16-1.
Final Score:
Toronto 106, LA Lakers 94
Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - The
Toronto Raptors spoiled Kobe Bryant's season debut by beating the Los Angeles
Lakers 106-94 on Sunday. Bryant played his first game since April 12, when he
suffered a torn Achilles tendon against the Golden State Warriors. Bryant had
nine points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals in the loss. The
future Hall of Famer averaged 27.3 points, 6.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds per
game in 78 tilts last season. Amir Johnson ended with 32 points and 10 rebounds
for the Raptors, who had lost 10 straight against the Lakers in Los Angeles.
DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry tallied 26 and 23 points, respectively. Toronto
snapped its five-game losing streak despite playing without forward Rudy Gay,
who is expected to be traded to the Sacramento Kings on Monday as the key part
of an apparent seven-player deal.
(Monday, December 9th)
Final
Score: Charlotte 115, Golden State 111
Charlotte, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Kemba
Walker poured in 31 points and the Charlotte Bobcats staved off a comeback
effort from the Golden State Warriors to come away with a 115-111 victory at
Time Warner Cable Arena. Gerald Henderson added 24 points and Josh McRoberts
scored 11 along with 10 rebounds and six assists as the Bobcats earned their
second straight win and spoiled the homecoming of Warriors star Stephen Curry.
Curry put on quite a show in defeat, with the Charlotte native racking up 43
points -- 19 of which came in the fourth quarter -- in addition to dishing out
nine assists. Klay Thompson also overcame a slow start to tally 22 points for
the Warriors, with David Lee posting 14 points and 16 rebounds in the loss.
Final
Score: LA Clippers 94, Philadelphia 83
Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Chris
Paul tallied 25 points and 13 assists and DeAndre Jordan fell one rebound shy
of a career-high as the LA Clippers downed the Philadelphia 76ers, 94-83, from
Wells Fargo Center. Jordan shot 5-of-7 for 11 points while grabbing a
season-high 21 rebounds as the Clippers improved to .500 on the road. LA is 2-2
on its current seven-game road trip with visits to Boston, Brooklyn and
Washington still on tap. Blake Griffin scored a game-high 26 points in the
triumph. Evan Turner finished with 25 points, eight boards and five assists in
the setback, as Philly lost its third straight and seventh in eight tries.
Thaddeus Young registered a 16- point, 11-rebound double-double while Tony
Wroten, starting for the injured Michael Carter-Williams, stuffed the stat
sheet with nine points, 10 boards and seven helpers. Philly did receive good
news before the game as Carter- Williams, who missed his third straight game
with an infection in his right knee after registering his first career
triple-double against the Magic on Dec. 3, was released from the hospital prior
to the game. Carter-Williams has re-joined the team and is considered
day-to-day.
Final Score:
Denver 75, Washington 74
Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - Wilson
Chandler scored 17 points with eight rebounds as the Denver Nuggets pulled out
the victory over the Washington Wizards, 75-74, at Verizon Center. Nate
Robinson netted 16 points for the Nuggets, who will host the Jazz Friday. John
Wall poured in a game high 20 points and had eight assists, Marcin Gortat
scored 16 points with eight rebounds and Trevor Booker had 12 points and 12
rebounds for Washington, which will travel to Atlanta Friday to face the Hawks.
Final
Score: Memphis 94, Orlando 85
Memphis, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Zach Randolph
posted 19 points and 12 rebounds to guide the Memphis Grizzlies to a 94-85 win
over the Orlando Magic at FedExForum. Jon Leuer added 16 points and 12 rebounds
off the bench while Mike Conley finished with 13 points and seven assists for
the Grizzlies, who had dropped five of seven entering the contest. Nick
Calathes donated a career-high eight assists in the triumph. Andrew Nicholson
poured in 19 points along with 11 rebounds and four blocks and Jameer Nelson
added 19 points and five assists for the Magic, losers in six straight. Arron
Afflalo added 17 points and Glen Davis finished with 16 points and nine
rebounds in the setback.
Final
Score: Portland 105, Utah 94
Salt Lake City, UT (SportsNetwork.com) -
LaMarcus Aldridge poured in a game- high 24 points to lead the Portland Trail
Blazers to a 105-94 win over the Utah Jazz. Damian Lillard scored 18 points,
Wesley Matthews netted 16 and Robin Lopez added 15 points and 11 rebounds for
Portland, which has won 16 of its last 18 games. Alec Burks scored 20 points
off the bench added Enes Kanter had 19 while, Gordon Hayward and Trey Burke
finished with 17 and 15 points, respectively for the Jazz, who have lost their
last four games.
Final Score:
Sacramento 112, Dallas 97
Sacramento, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - In a game
where the shorthanded Kings were expected to struggle against a surging
Mavericks team, Sacramento's new core made a statement to the rest of the
league and perhaps its newest player, Rudy Gay. DeMarcus Cousins tallied 32
points and 19 rebounds, Derrick Williams netted a career-high 31 points and
Isaiah Thomas scored 24 to go with a career-best 12 assists as the Kings routed
Dallas, 112-97, from Sleep Train Arena. Prior to the game, the Kings announced
the acquisition of Gay, along with Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray from the Toronto
Raptors, but the trio was inactive for this tilt, leaving the Kings with just
10 healthy players on the active roster. All three are expected to be available
for Sacramento on Wednesday against the Jazz. Greivis Vasquez, Chuck Hayes,
Patrick Patterson and John Salmons were sent to Toronto in the deal. All four
have started games for the Kings this season. Monta Ellis had 21 points to pace
Dallas, which had its three-game winning streak come to an end. Dirk Nowitzki
contributed 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
(Tuesday, December 10th)
Final
Score: Cleveland 109, New York 94
Cleveland, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Kyrie
Irving continued his recent dominance of the Knicks, tallying 37 points and 11
assists in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 109-94 win over New York from Quicken Loans
Arena. Irving, who entered the tilt averaging 27.4 points per game in his last
five against New York, shot 14-of-23 from the floor and 4-of-7 from the arc as Cleveland
won for the fourth time in five games. Jarrett Jack added 17 points off the
bench for Cleveland, while Tristan Thompson and C.J. Miles went for 12 and 10
points, respectively, in the triumph. Carmelo Anthony poured in 29 points for
New York, which lost its second consecutive game. Amar'e Stoudemire scored 15
points, J.R. Smith chipped in 14 and Pablo Prigioni dished out a season-high
nine assists in extended minutes off the bench.
Final
Score: Indiana 90, Miami 84
Indianapolis, IN (SportsNetwork.com) - Roy
Hibbert is still having his way against the Miami Heat. Hibbert had 24 points
and the Indiana Pacers overcame a 13-point first half deficit to defeat the
Heat 90-84 on Tuesday night in a rematch of the Eastern Conference finals. The
two teams, who have raced out to the two best records in the East so far, met
for the first time since the Heat won that back-and-forth series in seven
games. Hibbert averaged 22.1 points and 10.4 rebounds. Miami also defeated
Indiana in six games in the 2012 East semis. Swarmed by Miami Heat defenders
for much of the first half, Paul George struggled but remained patient. His
composure was rewarded. George had five turnovers, two points and missed all
four of his shots in the first half, but netted 15 of his 17 points on 4- of-7
shooting over the final 24 minutes. David West added 17 points and nine
rebounds for Indiana, which came off its worst performance of the season in a
118-94 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night by beating the Heat at
home for a fourth straight time. The triumph moved Indiana to an NBA-best 19-3.
LeBron James netted 17 points to go with 14 rebounds and six assists for the
Heat, who have dropped three of their last five. Dwyane Wade scored 17 in
defeat.
Final
Score: San Antonio 116, Toronto 103
Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - The San
Antonio Spurs shook off a sluggish opening quarter to continue their dominance
over the Toronto Raptors with a 116-103 win from Air Canada Centre. Manu
Ginobili led seven Spurs in double figures with 16 points, while Tony Parker
netted 15 with six assists. Tim Duncan, Danny Green and Aron Baynes each
chipped in 14 points, with Baynes' effort a career-high for the second-year pro
out of Australia. DeMar DeRozan and Amir Johnson each scored 19 points for Toronto,
which has lost six straight games against San Antonio. Jonas Valanciunas and
Terrence Ross each netted 14 points, while Kyle Lowry finished with 11 points,
seven rebounds, and seven assists in the setback.
Final
Score: Oklahoma City 101, Atlanta 92
Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Kevin Durant
filled the stat sheet with 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists as the
Oklahoma City Thunder overcame a late Atlanta charge to top the Hawks 101-92
from Philips Arena. Paul Millsap and Shelvin Mack drained consecutive triples
for a four-point margin with 3:28 remaining. Mack then cut it to 95-92 with a
jumper with two minutes left, but Russell Westbrook went to his left hand on a
reverse layup on the other end and Durant made 4-of-4 from the foul line to put
it away. Westbrook scored 14 points with 11 assists for OKC, winners in three
straight and 11 of 12. Serge Ibaka added 19 points and 10 boards. Millsap's
23-point, 12-rebound effort paced Atlanta, which had its brief two-game winning
streak come to an end to fall back to .500. The loss leaves Miami and Indiana
as the only two teams in the Eastern Conference with a winning record. Jeff
Teague and Mack had 17 points and six assists apiece in the setback, while Kyle
Korver extended his 3-point shooting streak to 91 games with a third quarter
trey.
Final
Score: Minnesota 121, Detroit 94
Auburn Hills, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Kevin
Love had 26 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists as the Minnesota Timberwolves
routed the Detroit Pistons, 121-94. Ricky Rubio added 15 points and nine
assists, while Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin netted 18 points apiece for
Minnesota, which had dropped seven of its last nine games coming in. The Wolves
were 11-of-24 from beyond the arc in the triumph. Brandon Jennings registered
20 points and seven assists for the Pistons, who have lost two straight on the
heels of a four-game winning streak.
Final Score:
Milwaukee 78, Chicago 74
Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - John Henson
had a monster night with 25 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks as the Milwaukee
Bucks defeated the Chicago Bulls, 78-74, from United Center. Brandon Knight
also added a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Ersan Ilyasova
chipped in with 10 points. Milwaukee's leading scorer, O.J. Mayo, shot a
pedestrian 2-of-12 from the field for seven points. Mike Dunleavy paced Chicago
with 24 points and Carlos Boozer netted 21 points with 12 rebounds in the loss.
Final Score:
Phoenix 114, LA Lakers 108
Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Goran
Dragic had 31 points and five assists as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Los
Angeles Lakers 114-108 on Tuesday night. Marcus Morris added 22 points, while
Eric Bledsoe chipped in 18 points and nine assists for the Suns, who have won
three of their last four games. Kobe Bryant netted 20 points on 6-of-11
shooting for the Lakers, who are 0-2 since he returned from Achilles surgery.
Bryant had nine points, eight rebounds, eight turnovers and four assists in his
season debut Sunday.
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