Heat Come From Behind, Top Pistons
The Miami Heat defeated the Detroit Pistons, 100-92, at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday night.
The Heat (12-6) overcame a slow start and had to turn things around to defeat a Pistons (4-13) team that fought hard but ended out of gas in the final quarter when it mattered the most. Detroit jumped out to a 25-20 lead in the first quarter, but they didn’t step the foot off the gas and also won both the second (28-26) and third (23-21) quarters. It seemed the Pistons wouldn’t have problems running away with the game, but Miami had other plans. The Heat outscored the Pistons by a 33-16 score in the final 12 minutes of action, and that was enough to come out of nowhere and secure the victory despite playing on the road.
Tyler Herro was the best player for the Heat in this contest despite coming off the bench and ended with 31 points while shooting 12-for-21 from the field, and he also added eight rebounds and three assists. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Kyle Lowry ended with 15 points, though Butler and Adebayo also produced matching tallies of nine rebounds and five assists. Lowry also had eight assists, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Duncan Robinson had 11 points.
Jerami Grant was the best player for the Pistons with 21 points and seven rebounds, while Saddiq Bey posted 15 points and five boards. No other Detroit starter ended with double-digit points. Frank Jackson had 13 points coming off the bench. Cade Cunningham posted six points and six assists while adding three rebounds to his tally.
The Heat (12-6) overcame a slow start and had to turn things around to defeat a Pistons (4-13) team that fought hard but ended out of gas in the final quarter when it mattered the most. Detroit jumped out to a 25-20 lead in the first quarter, but they didn’t step the foot off the gas and also won both the second (28-26) and third (23-21) quarters. It seemed the Pistons wouldn’t have problems running away with the game, but Miami had other plans. The Heat outscored the Pistons by a 33-16 score in the final 12 minutes of action, and that was enough to come out of nowhere and secure the victory despite playing on the road.
Tyler Herro was the best player for the Heat in this contest despite coming off the bench and ended with 31 points while shooting 12-for-21 from the field, and he also added eight rebounds and three assists. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Kyle Lowry ended with 15 points, though Butler and Adebayo also produced matching tallies of nine rebounds and five assists. Lowry also had eight assists, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Duncan Robinson had 11 points.
Jerami Grant was the best player for the Pistons with 21 points and seven rebounds, while Saddiq Bey posted 15 points and five boards. No other Detroit starter ended with double-digit points. Frank Jackson had 13 points coming off the bench. Cade Cunningham posted six points and six assists while adding three rebounds to his tally.
Knicks Get Past Lakers, 106-100
The New York Knicks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 106-100, at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.
The Knicks (10-8) had the advantage of facing a Lakers (9-10) squad playing without LeBron James (suspension) and New York got off to a fast start by jumping out to a 36-20 lead through one. However, Los Angeles made major inroads toward erasing that deficit with a 61-47 advantage through the middle quarters, leaving them just two points behind as the final period began. However, New York's best defensive effort of the game got it done in the fourth quarter, as the hosts held L.A. to just 19 points in the final 12 minutes.
Russell Westbrook led the Lakers with a 31-point, 13-rebound, 10-assist triple-double that included two steals. Anthony Davis furnished 20 points, six rebounds and three assists. Avery Bradley supplied 15 points, nine boards, one assist and two steals. Malik Monk and Carmelo Anthony posted matching 12-point tallies while adding four and three rebounds, respectively. Monk also dished out four assists and two steals.
Evan Fournier paced the Knicks with 26 points, supplementing them with four rebounds and two assists. Julius Randle generated a 20-point, 16-rebound double-double that also included five assists and one steal. Immanuel Quickley totaled 14 points, three rebounds and three assists. Alec Burks and Obi Toppin delivered matching 12-point tallies while pulling down six and four rebounds, respectively.
The Lakers remain on the road and face the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night, while the Knicks host the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
The Knicks (10-8) had the advantage of facing a Lakers (9-10) squad playing without LeBron James (suspension) and New York got off to a fast start by jumping out to a 36-20 lead through one. However, Los Angeles made major inroads toward erasing that deficit with a 61-47 advantage through the middle quarters, leaving them just two points behind as the final period began. However, New York's best defensive effort of the game got it done in the fourth quarter, as the hosts held L.A. to just 19 points in the final 12 minutes.
Russell Westbrook led the Lakers with a 31-point, 13-rebound, 10-assist triple-double that included two steals. Anthony Davis furnished 20 points, six rebounds and three assists. Avery Bradley supplied 15 points, nine boards, one assist and two steals. Malik Monk and Carmelo Anthony posted matching 12-point tallies while adding four and three rebounds, respectively. Monk also dished out four assists and two steals.
Evan Fournier paced the Knicks with 26 points, supplementing them with four rebounds and two assists. Julius Randle generated a 20-point, 16-rebound double-double that also included five assists and one steal. Immanuel Quickley totaled 14 points, three rebounds and three assists. Alec Burks and Obi Toppin delivered matching 12-point tallies while pulling down six and four rebounds, respectively.
The Lakers remain on the road and face the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night, while the Knicks host the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
Trail Blazers Close Out Fourth Straight Win
By Dan Bruno
The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the visiting Denver Nuggets, 119-100, at Moda Center on Tuesday evening.
The contest got out to a high-scoring start as the Trail Blazers led, 33-27, after one quarter. The Nuggets kept it close and took a brief lead in the second, but the hosts closed the half on an, 18-3, run to take a 14-point lead at the break. The Trail Blazers kept control and maintained a double-digit lead for most of the third, but the Nuggets trimmed it to an 11-point game heading into the fourth quarter. The Blazers came out stronger again in the fourth and outscored the visitors by eight points in the frame to secure their fourth straight win, while this marks the fifth straight loss for the Nuggets.
C.J. McCollum led the Trail Blazers with 32 points on 13-of-19 shooting, in 34 minutes. Damian Lillard followed up with 25 points, three rebounds, five assists and a steal, while Norman Powell totaled 15 points, two rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. The Blazers shot 51 percent from the field, including, 15-of-39 from long range.
Meanwhile, Jeff Green led the Nuggets with 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting, in 35 minutes. Monte Morris followed up with 16 points, two rebounds and two assists, while Will Barton and Aaron Gordon added 11 points each. The Nuggets shot 49 percent from the field, including 15-of-33 from deep.
The Nuggets (9-9) will look to bounce back as they play host to the Bucks on Friday. The Trail Blazers (10-8) take on the Kings in Sacramento on Wednesday.
The contest got out to a high-scoring start as the Trail Blazers led, 33-27, after one quarter. The Nuggets kept it close and took a brief lead in the second, but the hosts closed the half on an, 18-3, run to take a 14-point lead at the break. The Trail Blazers kept control and maintained a double-digit lead for most of the third, but the Nuggets trimmed it to an 11-point game heading into the fourth quarter. The Blazers came out stronger again in the fourth and outscored the visitors by eight points in the frame to secure their fourth straight win, while this marks the fifth straight loss for the Nuggets.
C.J. McCollum led the Trail Blazers with 32 points on 13-of-19 shooting, in 34 minutes. Damian Lillard followed up with 25 points, three rebounds, five assists and a steal, while Norman Powell totaled 15 points, two rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. The Blazers shot 51 percent from the field, including, 15-of-39 from long range.
Meanwhile, Jeff Green led the Nuggets with 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting, in 35 minutes. Monte Morris followed up with 16 points, two rebounds and two assists, while Will Barton and Aaron Gordon added 11 points each. The Nuggets shot 49 percent from the field, including 15-of-33 from deep.
The Nuggets (9-9) will look to bounce back as they play host to the Bucks on Friday. The Trail Blazers (10-8) take on the Kings in Sacramento on Wednesday.
Mavericks Defeat Clippers in OT, 112-104
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the host Los Angeles Clippers in overtime, 112-104, at Staples Center on Tuesday.
It took seven ties and 13 lead changes to determine a winner in this game, with neither team leading by more than 11 points. Los Angeles actually held the lead for the entirety of the first half but Dallas took a game-high 10-point lead in the fourth thanks to a 38-28 third quarter. Los Angeles hit two three-pointers in the closing 4.6 seconds to send the game into an extra session. The Mavericks took control in OT though, outscoring the Clippers, 9-1, holding Los Angeles to 0-for-7 from the field. Dallas recorded 22 assists to 14 turnovers while Los Angeles had 17 assists to 18 turnovers. That can be attributed to the Mavs recording 11 steals to the Clippers five swipes.
The Mavericks (10-7) were led by Kristaps Porzingis, providing 30 points and seven rebounds. Luka Doncic returned and amassed 26 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and two steals. Dorian Finney-Smith totaled 17 points, three rebounds and three steals, while Tim Hardaway Jr had 13 points, five rebounds and two assists. Maxi Kleber led the bench with eight points, nine rebounds and six assists.
The Clippers (10-8) were led by Reggie Jackson, registering 31 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and three steals. Paul George collected 26 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Marcus Morris and Ivica Zubac scored 10 points apiece. No other player had more than seven points or two assists.
On deck for Los Angeles is a road matchup with the Detroit Pistons on Friday. Dallas is off until Saturday, playing host to the Washington Wizards.
It took seven ties and 13 lead changes to determine a winner in this game, with neither team leading by more than 11 points. Los Angeles actually held the lead for the entirety of the first half but Dallas took a game-high 10-point lead in the fourth thanks to a 38-28 third quarter. Los Angeles hit two three-pointers in the closing 4.6 seconds to send the game into an extra session. The Mavericks took control in OT though, outscoring the Clippers, 9-1, holding Los Angeles to 0-for-7 from the field. Dallas recorded 22 assists to 14 turnovers while Los Angeles had 17 assists to 18 turnovers. That can be attributed to the Mavs recording 11 steals to the Clippers five swipes.
The Mavericks (10-7) were led by Kristaps Porzingis, providing 30 points and seven rebounds. Luka Doncic returned and amassed 26 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and two steals. Dorian Finney-Smith totaled 17 points, three rebounds and three steals, while Tim Hardaway Jr had 13 points, five rebounds and two assists. Maxi Kleber led the bench with eight points, nine rebounds and six assists.
The Clippers (10-8) were led by Reggie Jackson, registering 31 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and three steals. Paul George collected 26 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Marcus Morris and Ivica Zubac scored 10 points apiece. No other player had more than seven points or two assists.
On deck for Los Angeles is a road matchup with the Detroit Pistons on Friday. Dallas is off until Saturday, playing host to the Washington Wizards.