13.03.2024
Oklahoma City Thunder 111 - 121 Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-111, led by Myles Turner's 24 points. The Pacers' strong defense held the Thunder to 43.4% shooting, while Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam added double-doubles. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 30 points for Oklahoma City, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Pacers. The win snapped the Thunder's three-game win streak and tied them with the Denver Nuggets for the top spot in the Western Conference standings. Gordon Hayward made his first start for the Thunder, scoring nine points in a loss. The Pacers will host the Chicago Bulls next, while the Thunder will host the Dallas Mavericks.
Memphis Grizzlies 109 - 97 Washington Wizards
The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Washington Wizards 109-97, led by Trey Jemison's career-high 24 points. Jemison was aggressive in the paint, helping Memphis dominate with a 66-50 advantage in points and a 53-28 rebound advantage. The Wizards, who never led in the game, made a late rally in the third quarter but couldn't overcome the Grizzlies' lead. Washington's loss dropped them to the Eastern Conference cellar, while Memphis snapped a two-game losing streak. Jemison's impressive performance, along with contributions from GG Jackson and Jake LaRavia, secured the victory for the Grizzlies who now look ahead to hosting the Charlotte Hornets next.
Utah Jazz 107 - 123 Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum scored 38 points and Derrick White added 24 as the Boston Celtics used a 20-0 run to defeat the Utah Jazz 123-107. The Celtics were missing key players due to injuries but still managed to shoot 40.8% from 3-point range and make 20 3-pointers in the game. The Jazz struggled to keep up, missing leading scorer Lauri Markkanen, and dropped their 11th game in the last 13. Boston finished their road trip strong with three straight wins and improved their record on second games of back-to-back sets to 9-2. White and Sam Hauser played a crucial role in the Celtics' victory, hitting multiple 3-pointers to secure the win.
San Antonio Spurs 101 - 103 Houston Rockets
VANVLEET SCORES 21 POINTS AND ROCKETS HOLD OFF SPURS 103-101 ON AN OFF NIGHT FOR WEMBANYAMA with Fred VanVleet leading the way with 21 points, the Houston Rockets held off the San Antonio Spurs 103-101. Victor Wembanyama struggled, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Tre Jones and Jeremy Sochan tried to keep the Spurs in it with 22 and 21 points, respectively, but it wasn't enough as the Rockets won their fourth straight on the road. The Spurs must finish at least 7-9 to avoid matching their franchise's worst record of 20-62. Alperen Sengun was out with injuries, while Keldon Johnson sat out with a stomach illness. The Rockets will host Washington next, while the Spurs host Denver in Austin on Friday.
New York Knicks 106 - 79 Philadelphia 76ers
The New York Knicks dominated the Philadelphia 76ers with a final score of 106-79, with Josh Hart delivering his fourth triple-double of the season and OG Anunoby returning from an 18-game absence to score 14 points. The Knicks shot over 50% from the field and 35% from long distance, a vast improvement from their previous low-scoring game against the 76ers. Philadelphia struggled offensively without Joel Embiid, shooting just 37.5% from the field and 24.2% from beyond the arc. The Knicks improved to 13-2 in games with Anunoby and are still missing injured starters Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson. Kelly Oubre Jr. and Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers in scoring, but it was not enough to overcome the Knicks' dominant performance.
Sacramento Kings 129 - 94 Milwaukee Bucks
De'Aaron Fox led the way with 29 points as the Sacramento Kings snapped a 15-game losing streak against the Milwaukee Bucks with a dominant 129-94 win. Domantas Sabonis set a Kings record with his 47th consecutive double-double, and Malik Monk added 25 points off the bench. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points for the Bucks, who struggled from the field and missed 32 of 39 3-point attempts. Milwaukee's coach Doc Rivers took responsibility for the loss, as the Bucks went 1-3 on their California road trip. Sacramento shot 66% in the first half and led by as many as 30 points in the fourth quarter. Both teams were missing key players due to injury. The Kings will next host the Los Angeles Lakers, while the Bucks will host the Philadelphia 76ers.
LA Clippers 100 - 118 Minnesota Timberwolves
In a surprising turn of events, the Minnesota Timberwolves came back from a 22-point deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 118-100, led by Anthony Edwards' 37 points and Nickeil Alexander-Walker's season-high 28 points. Kawhi Leonard left the game with back spasms, adding to the Clippers' struggles. Despite missing Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves rallied behind Mike Conley's 23 points and Rudy Gobert's defensive efforts. This win marked the Wolves' largest comeback since 2012, and they improved to 2-2 on their road trip. The Clippers, on the other hand, lost their second straight game for only the second time since Christmas. Leonard's status remains uncertain as the Timberwolves are set to face Utah next, while the Clippers will travel to Chicago.