Powered by 24 points by CJ McCollum and 22 from Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the visiting Atlanta Hawks soared to their 11th straight win. They took down the Dallas Mavericks 135-120 on Wednesday night. Atlanta’s win streak is now tied for the third-longest by any NBA team this season. The loss was Dallas’ 10th in a row at home. Consequently, the NBA playoff race in the Eastern Conference grows increasingly competitive.
Dyson Daniels added 19 points for Atlanta. Jalen Johnson finished an assist shy of a triple-double, contributing 17 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. This performance moved the Hawks into a tie with the Miami Heat. They sit a half-game back of the Orlando Magic for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. The Mavericks were led by Daniel Gafford, who had 24 points off the bench on 9-of-10 shooting. P.J. Washington had 23 points. Cooper Flagg had 17 but committed a game-high six turnovers.
Lakers Clinch Season Series Over Rockets
Luka Doncic came a rebound shy of a 40-point triple-double. LeBron James added 30 points while missing only one shot. The visiting Los Angeles Lakers claimed their second victory in three days over Houston to clinch the three-game season series. Deandre Ayton scored 16 points. Austin Reaves contributed 14 points and eight assists. This balanced attack resulted in the Lakers shooting 60.5 percent to secure their seventh straight win.
Los Angeles outscored the Rockets 35-24 in the fourth quarter. Doncic scored 10 points in the final period while James added nine. Alperen Sengun paced the Rockets with 27 points and 10 assists. Amen Thompson added 26 points and 11 rebounds. With the loss, Houston fell a game behind Minnesota for fourth place in the Western Conference. Therefore, the NBA playoff race in the West remains extremely tight.
Celtics Handle Warriors Behind Brown’s Milestone
Jaylen Brown moved into 10th place on Boston’s all-time scoring list with a 32-point performance. The Celtics secured a comfortable 120-99 win over visiting Golden State. Jayson Tatum added 24 points and 10 rebounds for Boston, extending their winning streak to three games. Payton Pritchard contributed 19 points off the bench.
Pat Spencer and Gary Payton II each scored a team-high 14 points for the Warriors. Golden State has lost six of their last seven and eight of ten games. The team fell to 6-13 during Steph Curry’s current absence. The defending champions continue to struggle without their star point guard.
Thunder Extend Streak to 10 Games
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 points in three quarters as Oklahoma City raced out to a big lead. The Thunder easily extended their winning streak to 10 games with a 121-92 rout of host Brooklyn. Gilgeous-Alexander scored at least 20 for the 130th straight game to extend his NBA record. He reached the mark on a drive to the hoop early in the third after Oklahoma City took a 60-24 lead by halftime.
Jared McCain surpassed Gilgeous-Alexander by scoring a season-high 26 off the bench on 9-of-16 shooting. Aaron Wiggins added 17 points. Isaiah Joe chipped in 13. Chet Holmgren contributed 11. Ajay Mitchell finished with 10. The Nets sat Michael Porter Jr. for a fourth straight game. They lost Noah Clowney to a sprained right wrist in the opening quarter. Brooklyn lost its fifth straight and for the 15th time in 17 games.
Timberwolves Rout Jazz
Ayo Dosunmu scored 23 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished six assists. Minnesota cruised to a 147-111 win over Utah in Minneapolis. Rudy Gobert registered a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves. They won for the second time in as many nights and for the third time in four games. A 75-point second half powered the victory.
Brice Sensabaugh scored 41 points on 17-for-31 shooting from the field to lead the Jazz. Ace Bailey returned from the league’s concussion protocol to score 17 points and make five 3-pointers. Utah continues to struggle defensively as the season winds down.
Trail Blazers Top Pacers
Deni Avdija had 32 points and 11 rebounds to help Portland stave off Indiana in Indianapolis. Donovan Clingan added 28 points and 13 rebounds. Toumani Camara scored 17 points. Jrue Holiday chipped in 15 points and eight assists. Robert Williams III had 10 rebounds off the bench for Portland, which has won consecutive games for the first time since before the All-Star break.
Ivica Zubac had 18 points for the Pacers. Jalen Slawson added 17. Aaron Nesmith scored 15. Quenton Jackson contributed 13 points. Jay Huff had 11. Jarace Walker posted 10 points and seven rebounds as Indiana extended its franchise-record losing streak to 15 games. The Pacers cannot find answers during their historic slide.
Raptors Rout Bulls
RJ Barrett scored 23 points while Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, and Ja’Kobe Walter chipped in 18 apiece. Visiting Toronto routed Chicago 139-109. The Raptors shot 57.1 percent from the floor to cruise in the opener of a five-game road trip. Seven players scored in double figures for Toronto, which led by as many as 38 points. They secured their third straight win.
Matas Buzelis put up 19 points and seven rebounds as the Bulls lost for the third time in four games. Chicago’s playoff hopes continue to fade with inconsistent performances.
Pelicans Beat Clippers
Saddiq Bey scored 25 points and Trey Murphy III added 23. New Orleans beat visiting Los Angeles 124-109 in the opener of a back-to-back set between the teams. Dejounte Murray scored 17 points and dished a season-high 11 assists. The Pelicans continued their recent surge with their sixth consecutive home victory. They won their fourth victory in five games overall after rallying from an 18-point first-quarter deficit.
Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds. John Collins logged 18 points as the Clippers lost their third consecutive game. They remain in eighth place in the Western Conference standings by a half-game.
Grizzlies Stun Nuggets
Ty Jerome hit five 3-pointers on his way to 21 points. Taylor Hendricks’ play off the bench helped key the defense as host Memphis stunned Denver 125-118. Jerome also flirted with a triple-double, grabbing a team-high nine rebounds and dishing a team-leading nine assists. Olivier-Maxence Prosper added 19 points. GG Jackson II scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds.
Nikola Jokic came just one assist shy of a triple-double. He finished with game-highs of 29 points and 14 rebounds. However, an aggressive Memphis defensive strategy forced the three-time Most Valuable Player into 10 turnovers. That represented nearly half of Denver’s 19 giveaways. Christian Braun and Cam Johnson scored 26 and 20 points, respectively. The loss tightens the NBA playoff race in the West even further.
