Clippers 133 (30-13), Pelicans 130 (16-27)
Another game without a star (this time Paul George), and yet another win for the Clippers. Reaching win number 30 on the season was no breeze though, with the feisty Pelicans leading for a good chunk of the game. But ultimately, Kawhi Leonard was too much to handle. He had himself a phenomenal game, with 39 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals. And who could forget Lou Will, who dropped a cool 32 points off the pine.
For the Pelicans, Lonzo Ball had a triple double, scoring 18 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing 11 assists. Derrick Favors was also excellent, scoring 22 points on a perfect 10-10 shooting along with 11 boards.
Bucks 117 (38-6), Nets 97 (18-23)
The Bucks just do not let up. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points and 12 rebounds in only 25 minutes, Khris Middleton had 20 of his own, and Brook Lopez did a fantastic job protecting the rim, notching 5 blocks.
The Nets were helpless against the brutal efficiency of the Bucks, and it showed with no player scoring higher than 17 points.
Suns 123 (18-24), Celtics 123 (27-14)
Fantastic win for the Suns beating Boston at home. Devin Booker went inferno, with 39 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists. Deandre Ayton backed that up with a monster 26 points and 15 boards.
Despite the loss, Marcus Smart went bonkers, with a career-high 11 3-pointers made for 37 points, 8 assists and 4 steals.
Pistons 136 (16-27), Hawks 103 (10-33)
It must have been very cathartic for Detroit to finally blow somebody out. Derrick Rose, recently inserted into the starting lineup to fill the playmaking black hole, was excellent. D Rose scored 27 points along with 9 assists and a plus/minus of +24. Andre Drummond also cleaned up as usual, with 16 points, 17 rebounds and 5 swipes.
76ers 90 (28-16), Knicks 87 (11-32)
A surprisingly close game, but all Philly should care about is getting the victory. Ben Simmons was fully in control, ending the game with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals.
Raptors 122 (28-14), Timberwolves 112 (15-27)
The Raptors have been butchered by injuries all year, and they finally had their core group together again, and the results were excellent. Fred VanVleet (29 points, 4 steals, 7-8 from deep) barely missed a beat from his weeks-long absence. Kyle Lowry was great too, scoring 28 points, grabbing 7 rebounds and splashing 5 3-pointers.
Bulls 118 (16-28), Cavaliers 116 (12-31)
What an impressive win from the Bulls! Coming into the 4th quarter down a sizable 15 points, none other than Zach LaVine went off. The star guard had 42 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals for a wild performance.
Don’t blame the loss on Kevin Love though. He had a 29-5-6 line and the Cavs outscored the Bulls by 11 points when he was in.
Warriors 109 (10-34), Magic 95 (20-23)
Orlando may have a subpar record, but they’re long, athletic and make you beat them, making this a quality win for a youthful Dubs team. DLO had 26 points, 12 assists and 2 steals along with a beautiful 3 late in the game.
Also, let’s take a moment, even in defeat, to appreciate the comeback of Markelle Fultz. Dude has been a problem for defenses.
Lakers 124 (34-8), Rockets 115 (26-15)
No Anthony Davis and on the road against the Rockets…that’s a quality win right there, Lakers. LeBron was fantastic as usual. He put up 31 points, 12 assists and 5 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope all showed out as well.
For the Rockets, Russell Westbrook scored 35 points and James Harden scored 34, but no one else really stepped up.
Jazz 123 (29-13), Kings 101 (15-27)
The Jazz are rolling. Other than a slight hiccup against the Pelicans a couple of nights ago, they’ve been creaming everyone in their path and tonight was no different. Bojan Bogdanovic had a clean 30 points, Rudy Gobert had a monster 28 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks, and Jordan Clarkson had another quality performance off the bench with 20 points.
Thunder 119 (24-19), Blazers 106 (18-26)
Chris Paul had 30 points and 7 assists on 11-15 shooting in just 28 minutes, while his protege and backcourt mate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.
For the Blazers, it’s unfortunately becoming a common trend to see Dame go off (34 points, 6 assists), but lose the game.
