The NBA had 13 games on the Slate the day after Thanksgiving and there was a lot to be thankful for this Friday in the league.
Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics. Bulls defeat Celtics 109-102.
Coming into a game in which Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah returned to the lineup, you’d think the Chicago Bulls would have no problem against the Boston Celtics. Boston had other plans, making it difficult for the Bulls to get to together, eventually though a late run gave the Bulls the 109-102 victory over the Celtics.
Jimmy Butler hit 4 free throws late in the game and finished with 22 points, Derrick Rose scored 21 points. Pau Gasol had 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Joakim Noah added 15 points with 14 boards, 6 assists and 6 steals for the Bulls.
Jared Sullinger led Boston with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Avery Bradley had 18 points and Brandon Bass 16 with 9 boards. Rajon Rondo had 8 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists for the Celtics.
Boston has lost 6 of 7.
Chicago Bulls are 10-6. Boston Celtics are 4-9.
Full Game Highlights
Golden State Warriors at Charlotte Hornets. Warriors defeat Hornets 106-101.
Stephen Curry returned home to Charlotte and tried to do everything he could to show his family, friends and father, Dell who’s a member of the Hornets broadcast team, that he could put on a show. But it was the Warriors best reserve player that stole the show.
Marreese Speights lead the way for the Warriors and scored 16 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter and also grabbed 5 rebounds. Stephen Curry finished with 26 points and 6 assists despite a poor shooting night from 3-point range. Klay Thompson added 17 points with 5 rebounds and 4 assists for the Warriors.
Brian Roberts scored 20 points off the bench for the Hornets, getting 20 plus points in back-to-back games. Al Jefferson had 18 points with 5 rebounds and Cody Zeller started and he had 15 points with 14 rebounds. Kemba Walker had 13 points and 13 rebounds but only 4 assists. Lance Stephenson had 11 points with 8 assists.
The Hornets are struggling and have lost 8 straight games, including 10 of their last 11.
Golden State Warriors are 13-2. Charlotte Hornets are 4-13.
Full Game Highlights
New Orleans Pelicans at Atlanta Hawks. Hawks defeat Pelicans 100-91.
All 5 Hawks starters scored in double figures. Jeff Teague scored 26 points with 7 assists. DeMarre Carroll added 19 points with 3 rebounds, Paul Millsap had 13 points with 9 rebounds and his front court partner, Al Horford had 10 points with 10 rebounds. Kyle Korver had 11 points with 5 assists and 4 rebounds. Dennis Schroder came off the bench with 11 points as well for the Hawks.
The Pelicans were held to a season-low 28 first-half points. Ryan Anderson and Jrue Holiday each had 20 points for New Orleans. Holiday had 7 assists as well and Anderson had 7 rebounds. Tyreke Evans had 18 points with 6 assists and rebounds Anthony Davis had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Omer Asik had 10 points with 11 rebounds for the Pelicans who 40% compared to the Hawks 50%.
New Orleans Pelicans are 7-7. Atlanta Hawks are 8-6.
Full Game Highlights
https://youtu.be/ytO3zVj6xTs
Milwaukee Bucks at Detroit Pistons. Bucks beat Pistons 104-88.
Milwaukee Bucks, playing without big men John Henson and Zaza Pachulia, didn’t have a single starter in double figures scoring, but still managed to beat the disappointing Detroit Pistons, 104-88.
Ersan Ilyasova led the bench charge scoring 22 points with 8 rebounds on the night. Jared Dudley scored 16 points with 6 rebounds, while former Piston Khris Middleton added 12 points with 5 rebounds for the Bucks and Jerryd Bayless scored 10 points to round out the 4 Bucks reserves in double figures on the night.
Andre Drummond quietly led Detroit with 26 points and 20 rebounds. Quite possibly the best performance of the day. Greg Monroe only had 5 points on 3 shots with only 2 rebounds. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 21 points with 6 rebounds and Josh Smith had 13 points, 9 assists and 4 rebounds. D.J. Augustin scored 10 points with 6 assists starting in place of Brandon Jennings with has a strained left thumb.
Milwaukee had a 69-13 edge in bench scoring, including 13 of 22 3-point shooting while Detroit’s reserves went 1 for 10.
Milwaukee Bucks are 10-7. Detroit Pistons are 3-13.
Full Game Highlights
https://youtu.be/VoryKCNuyZk
Dallas Mavericks at Toronto Raptors. Mavericks beat Raptors 106-102.
On a night where the Toronto Raptors pulled out their old-school purple dinosaur jerseys and honored Jalen Rose, the story that stole the night for the Raptors was an injury to All-Star guard, DeMar DeRozan.
For the Mavs, it was the play of Monta Ellis.
Ellis scored 15 of his 30 points in the fourth to go along with his 6 assists. Dirk Nowitzki had 15 points with 8 rebounds and Tyson Chandler had 11 points and 10 rebounds. Chandler Parsons scored 16 points with 7 rebounds, and Al-Farouq Aminu had 14 off the bench as the Mavericks snapped Toronto’s winning streak at six games.
Kyle Lowry scored 25 points with 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Amir Johnson had 20 with 9 rebounds and Lou Williams had 16 off the bench for the Raptors, who saw All-Star DeMar DeRozan leave in the third with a strained left groin. Patrick Patterson had 10 points and 12 rebounds and Grevis Vazquez had 14 points with 6 assists, both off the bench as well for Toronto Raptors dropped to 9-2 at home.
The Mavericks won for the eighth time in 10 games.
Dallas Mavericks are 12-5. Toronto Raptors are 13-3.
Full Game Highlights
https://youtu.be/qvWNVlybs9M
Los Angeles Clippers at Houston Rockets. Clippers defeat Rockets 102-85.
Another game, another time that the trio of starters in Dwight Howard, Terrence Jones and Patrick Beverley all sit for the Rockets. In the case for Howard, it was his fifth straight game missed with a knee injury.
Clippers knew that and they feasted on the lack of the Rockets interior defense.
Blake Griffin had 30 points and 10 rebounds, Deandre Jordan had 7 points with 13 rebounds. J.J. Redick added 15 points and Chris Paul had 10 points and 7 assists for Los Angeles. Jamal Crawford added 21 points off the bench to help the Clippers dismantle the Rockets.
James Harden had 16 points with 6 assists to lead Houston. Isaiah Canaan had 13 points but unfortunately left the game in the third quarter due to an injury. Trevor Ariza also scored 13 with 6 rebounds. Tarik Black scored 11 with 9 rebounds for the Rockets.
Los Angeles Clippers are 10-5. Houston Rockets are 12-4.
Full Game Highlights
https://youtu.be/dE3kdrSFpsY
New York Knicks at Oklahoma City Thunder. Thunder thrash Knicks 105-78.
It was a night marked by a Thunderous return. The do-it-all point guard for the Thunder, Russell Westbrook, came back to the team with a vengance and faced a team he loves competing against in the New York Knicks.
Westbrook made some history on this night.
It was all Thunder from the opening tip. The Thunder began the game on a 21-5 run, led by Westbrook who had 14 first quarter points, the Knicks as a team had 13 total points. He sat the second quarter, played the third and sat the entire fourth.
Westbrook finished with 32 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists in 24 minutes of play. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Westbrook is the first player to EVER have those numbers in a game in such a short amount of time.
Jeremy Lamb came off the bench to contribute 13 points, and Reggie Jackson also came off the bench for 10 points and 6 rebounds. Serge Ibaka had 14 points with 6 rebounds as well to help the Thunder dominate the Knicks.
The only bright spot was reserve forward, Amar’e Stoudemire, who had 20 points with 9 rebounds. everyone else on the Knicks struggled to get anything going, as they quite possibly played the worst game of their season and they are still without star player, Carmelo Anthony.
Westbrook snapped for OKC and now, their star, Kevin Durant, is looking to return by next week along with upstart young player, Perry Jones.
The league better watch out.
New York Knicks are 4-13. Oklahoma City Thunder are 5-12.
Full Game Highlights
https://youtu.be/D56m_m3zs9U
Orlando Magic at Indiana Pacers. Pacers beat Magic 98-83.
A pair of important debuts lead the way for Indiana as they got their starting power forward, heart and soul of their team, David West, back into the fold as well as important sixth man, C.J. Watson back to the team.
West finished with 18 points and 6 rebounds and Watson scored 9 points off the bench as the Pacers start to get healthier. Rodney Stuckey led the way for the Pacers though with 24 points, and Solomon Hill had 11 points for Indy. Lavoy Allen had 10 points and 14 rebounds
Orlando Magic were led by 16 points and 7 rebounds from center Nikola Vucevic, the lone bright spot for the Magic this season. Two starters, in Tobias Harris and Victor Oladipo each getting 14 rebounds. Oladipo had 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Harris had 5 assists to add to his total.
Orlando Magic are 6-12. Indiana Pacers are 7-9.
Full Game Highlights
https://youtu.be/bFI4BH_rVzM
Sacramento Kings at San Antonio Spurs. Spurs defeat Kings 112-104.
Coach Gregg Popovich sat out for a second straight game due to a health condition, as the team says, and the Spurs won their second straight without Coach Pop over a very good Kings team.
Tony Parker lead the way for the Spurs with 27 points and 8 assist and his back court partner, Danny Green, scored 11 points. Kawhi Leonard had 19 points, 4 rebounds and 4 blocks and Tim Duncan put up 18 points with 8 rebounds. Aron Baynes came off the bench to score 10 points for San Antonio.
The Kings kept it close with out star center, DeMarcus Cousins, who woke up feeling sick, so he sat for the game. Rudy Gay lead the way for the Kings with 23 points,8 assists and 8 rebounds. Darren Collison and Ryan Hollins had 15 points each, with Hollins grabbing 6 rebounds. Ben McLemore scored 14 points and Carl Landry came off the bench to score 12 points with 10 rebounds.
Sacramento Kings are 9-7. San Antonio Spurs are 11-4.
Full Game Highlights
https://youtu.be/d7eS6AYPPAw
Phoenix Suns at Denver Nuggets. Nuggets defeat Suns 122-97.
In what should have been a run and gun shootout in the mile high city, quickly became a blowout in Denver.
7 Nuggets scored in double figures and not one member of the Nuggets finished negative in the +/- for Denver. All 5 starters scored in double figures including Aaron Afflalo leading the way with 22 points and 4 rebounds. Timofey Mozgov had 13 points on the night. Kenneth Faried, Wilson Chandler and Ty Lawson each scored 11 points. Faried had 9 rebounds, Chandler had 7 rebounds and Lawson had 10 assists to go along with all of their scoring totals. Danilo Gallinari had 11 points with 8 rebounds and J.J. Hickson had 10 points with 11 rebounds as both came off the bench for the dominating Denver Nuggets.
The only Suns starter to score in double figures was Eric Bledsoe who had 16 points with 4 assists. Gerald Green came off the bench to score 12 points. Archie Goodwin, T.J. Warren and P.J. Tucker scored 11 points each.
Phoenix Suns are 10-7. Denver Nuggets are 8-8.
Full Game Highlights
https://youtu.be/pBc9gBH445w
Memphis Grizzlies at Portland Trail Blazers. Grizzlies win 112-99.
A battle between two of the top teams out west didn’t disappoint, as there were intriguing match ups everywhere you looked between the Blazers and Grizzlies.
Marc Gasol continued what may be an MVP run, scoring 26 points with 9 assists and 7 rebounds. Mike Conley had a big game as well with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists. 14 points and 13 rebounds from Zach Randolph as he visited his old stomping grounds of Portland, where he was a member of the infamous “Jail Blazers”. Courtney Lee had 13 points, and Tony Allen had 13 points. Quincy Pondexter had 10 points with 5 rebounds coming off the bench.
The Blazers offense revolved around 4 guys for a bulk of the night. Wesley Matthews led the way for Portland with 26, Damian Lillard had 20 with 9 assists for the Blazers. LaMarcus Aldridge had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Blazers and Chris Kaman came off the bench for 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Memphis Grizzlies are 14-2. Portland Trail Blazers are 12-4.
Full Game Highlights
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers. Twolves beat Lakers 120-119.
What seemed to be a must-win game for the Lakers, turned into a great performance by a rookie who returned home and a legend came up short on 2 occasions late for his Lakers team.
Mo Williams got the start at point guard and had 25 points with 11 assists but the star of the night was reserve point guard former UCLA Bruin, Zach LaVine. The rookie had 28 points with 5 assists. LaVine’s 28 points was one off the tying the mark of most points scored in a game this season, set last week by his teammate, Andrew Wiggins who had 29 points. Thaddeus Young had 22 points and Corey Brewer contributed 13 points for the Wolves. Anthony Bennett came off the bench to contribute 11 points.
Kobe ‘Bean’ Bryant had 26 points to lead the Lakers along with 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. Bryant missed 2 free throws late in the game, he then took a jumper and drilled it to tie the game but then he missed a three, when the Lakers were down 1, at the buzzer that ended up being the demise of the Lakeshow.
Wesley Johnson had 19 points for LA, Carlos Boozer had 15 points with 5 rebounds and Jeremy Lin had 18 points with 11 assists. Nick Young brought a spark off the bench with 16 points, scoring 13 in the fourth in front of his girlfriend Iggy Azalea who was in attendance.
Minnesota Timberwolves are 4-10. Los Angeles Lakers are 3-13.
Full Game Highlights
https://youtu.be/t12E8eztNH4
