30.03.2024
Charlotte Hornets 97 - 115 Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry returned to his hometown to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 115-97 victory over the Charlotte Hornets, scoring 23 points with four 3-pointers. The win marked the Warriors' third straight victory and was fueled by Andrew Wiggins' strong performance with 20 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Trayce Jackson-Davis added 18 points for the Warriors, who are in 10th place in the Western Conference standings. Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 22 points and nine rebounds, while Charlotte struggled to contain Golden State's offense. Despite missing Klay Thompson due to tendinitis, the Warriors dominated the Hornets defensively, limiting them to under 100 points. Curry, playing against his brother Seth and father Dell, expressed his love for returning to Charlotte but reaffirmed his commitment to Golden State. The Warriors will visit the Spurs next, while the Hornets will host the Clippers.
Indiana Pacers 109 - 90 Los Angeles Lakers
Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton combined for 43 points to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 109-90 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. The win helped the Pacers hold onto the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and gave head coach Rick Carlisle his 938th career win, tying him with Red Auerbach for 12th in NBA history. Despite strong performances from injured All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers struggled with shooting and turnovers, going 5 of 29 on 3-pointers and committing 16 turnovers. The game was entertaining and fast-paced, with the Pacers leading for most of the contest and ultimately clinching their first winning season since 2020-21.
Orlando Magic 97 - 100 LA Clippers
Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points, leading the Clippers to a 100-97 victory over the Magic with decisive jump shots in the final seconds. Despite losing five straight at home, the Clippers are holding onto fourth place in the Western Conference. Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 23 points but took blame for the loss with crucial turnovers. The Clippers opened the second half with an 8-0 run, but allowed Orlando to come back. Franz Wagner missed potential game-tying shots at the buzzer, extending Orlando's losing streak to three games. Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers to a tough, gritty win and emphasized the need to stay focused moving forward.
Washington Wizards 87 - 96 Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons snapped an eight-game losing streak by beating the Washington Wizards 96-87, led by Cade Cunningham's 33 points and Jalen Duren's 20 points and 18 rebounds. Despite blowing a 19-point halftime lead, Detroit recovered to secure the win in a matchup of the NBA's bottom two teams. Corey Kispert scored 23 points for the Wizards, who struggled with turnovers and shooting in the loss. Duren's dominance on the boards, Cunningham's key defensive play, and Detroit's resilience in the fourth quarter were crucial in the victory. Both teams shot poorly from 3-point range, with Detroit outscoring Washington in the final quarter. The Pistons will next host Memphis, while the Wizards will face Miami.
Brooklyn Nets 125 - 108 Chicago Bulls
The Brooklyn Nets tied an NBA record by making 18 3-pointers in the second half of their 125-108 victory over the Chicago Bulls, with Dennis Schroder and Mikal Bridges each making seven. Cam Thomas scored 28 points, Schroder added 27, and Bridges had 25. The Nets shot nearly 57% behind the arc and 47% overall, while the Bulls dropped their fourth game out of five. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 31 points, but the Nets sealed the win with a strong 3-point shooting performance, with Brooklyn interim coach Kevin Ollie unsure if they can sustain it against the Los Angeles Lakers next.
Cleveland Cavaliers 117 - 114 Philadelphia 76ers
Donovan Mitchell made his return from injury, wearing a protective mask, and helped lead the Cavaliers to a 117-114 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Mitchell, who had missed six games with a broken nose, scored 12 points and made crucial free throws in the final seconds. Evan Mobley hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and finished with 20 points, while Georges Niang scored 25 against his former team. The back-and-forth game featured 27 lead changes and seven in the fourth quarter. Despite the Sixers missing Joel Embiid, Kyle Lowry had 23 points and Tobias Harris had 21. Maxey missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds as the Cavs held on for the win.
Miami Heat 142 - 82 Portland Trail Blazers
The Miami Heat made history with the largest margin of victory in team history, routing the Portland Trail Blazers 142-82 on Friday night with a 60-point win. Bam Adebayo had a near triple-double with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists, while Thomas Bryant, Terry Rozier, and Haywood Highsmith each scored 20 or more points. The Heat broke multiple team records, including setting a club record with 41 assists and making 21 of 39 3-pointers. The Trail Blazers extended their losing streak to nine games, with Chauncey Billups calling it a rough game. Deandre Ayton returned from injury with 18 points, as Portland suffered their third-largest loss in franchise history. Next up, the Trail Blazers face Orlando, while the Heat take on Washington.
Oklahoma City Thunder 128 - 103 Phoenix Suns
Josh Giddey stepped up as the primary scorer for the Thunder, dropping 23 points to lead Oklahoma City to a dominant 128-103 win over the Suns despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missing the game with a thigh injury. Giddey has been on fire recently, averaging 26.3 points in his last three games, helping the Thunder maintain a strong position in the Western Conference standings. Oklahoma City shot an impressive 56.3% from the field and made 16 of 30 3-pointers, with Chet Holmgren scoring 20 points and Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace adding 16 each. Kevin Durant scored 26 points for the Suns, who are fighting to avoid the Play-In Tournament. The Thunder swept the season series 3-0, with the Suns slipping to seventh in the West after the loss.
San Antonio Spurs 130 - 126 New York Knicks
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the New York Knicks in overtime, with Victor Wembanyama scoring a career-high 40 points along with 20 rebounds and seven assists, becoming the first rookie to achieve a 40-point, 20-rebound game since Shaquille O'Neal in 1993. Despite Jalen Brunson's impressive career-best 61 points for the Knicks, they ultimately fell short. Wembanyama made a crucial three-pointer in overtime to secure the win, leading the Spurs to their first three-game winning streak of the season. The Knicks now trail the Cleveland Cavaliers for third place in the Eastern Conference.
Denver Nuggets 98 - 111 Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves led by Anthony Edwards with 25 points and Mike Conley with 23, dominated the Denver Nuggets 111-98, moving them into a first-place tie in the Western Conference. Despite missing star point guard Jamal Murray, the Nuggets struggled to score, with MVP favorite Nikola Jokic finishing with 32 points despite a sore wrist. The Timberwolves, missing Karl-Anthony Towns, improved to 9-3 since Towns' injury. This win came as owner Glen Taylor decided not to finalize a deal to sell the team. The Nuggets, on a sudden slump, face the Cleveland Cavaliers next while the Timberwolves host the Chicago Bulls.
Utah Jazz 100 - 101 Houston Rockets
Jalen Green scored 34 points with 30 in the second half, leading the Houston Rockets to their 11th straight win by defeating the Utah Jazz 101-100. The Rockets capitalized on Utah turnovers, outscoring them in second-chance points and dominating the offensive glass. Green's performance, along with Fred VanVleet's 22 points, helped Houston overcome a slow start and secure the victory. Despite a strong effort from John Collins and Collin Sexton, who combined for 59 points for the Jazz, they couldn't overcome their turnover issues. Green has scored 30 or more points in five of his last eight games, and the Rockets will face the Dallas Mavericks next, while the Jazz will play against the Sacramento Kings.
Sacramento Kings 103 - 107 Dallas Mavericks
Dante Exum hit a late 3-pointer to secure a 107-103 victory for the Dallas Mavericks over the Sacramento Kings, giving the Mavericks their sixth straight win. Kyrie Irving scored 30 points with 14 coming in the fourth quarter, while Luka Doncic added 26 for Dallas. Domantas Sabonis led the Kings with a triple-double, his league-leading 26th, and also recorded his 56th consecutive double-double, surpassing a franchise record. The Mavericks are now two games ahead of the Kings for the sixth spot in the Western Conference, while the Kings will be without Kevin Huerter for the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury.