NBA
December 7, 2017

Post Up: In The Clutch

Cavaliers 101 (18-7), Kings 95 (7-17)

The Cavs trailed by nine at the half and by five going into the fourth quarter, but LeBron James hit a critical three with 16 seconds to go to keep Cleveland’s winning streak alive. LeBron was, simply, LeBron on Wednesday, nearly pouring on a triple-double with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. Zach Randolph had 18 points and 10 boards for the Kings. The Cavs have now matched a franchise record with 13 consecutive wins.

Pacers 98 (14-11), Bulls 96 (3-20)

Victor Oladipo‘s three with 31 seconds left gave Indiana a one-point lead as the Pacers overcame a 14-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter to win. Indiana used a 13-2 run midway through the final quarter to draw close, but did not go ahead for the first time until Oladipo’s late heroics. He finished with a game-high 27 points, but did miss a free throw in the final seconds. While that didn’t make a difference on the scoreboard, it meant Oladipo had to put in some extra work postgame. Kris Dunn had 18 points, six rebounds, and six assists to lead the Bulls.

Magic 110 (11-15), Hawks 106 (5-19) (OT)

Not to be out-done by the Pacers and Cavs, the Magic used a three from D.J. Augustin with six seconds left in regulation to force overtime, where they eventually handed the Hawks their 19th loss. The two teams went back-and-forth in the extra session until Elfrid Payton put Orlando ahead for good on a dunk with 1:36 to go. The Magic eventually went up by five and held on, answering every Atlanta basket. Evan Fournier had 27 and was one of three Orlando players with 20-or-more points. Dennis Schroder had 26 for the Hawks.

Knicks 99 (12-12), Grizzlies 88 (8-16)

Kristaps Porzingis returned and scored 18 points, while Courtney Lee had a game-high 24 to make up for the still-absent Tim Hardaway Jr. Lee’s performance provided a nice lift for a team that came into the night having lost five of its last six. Marc Gasol had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead Memphis.

Celtics 97 (22-4), Mavericks 90 (7-18)

The Celtics opened the fourth quarter on a 10-0 run to take a lead they never relinquished and earn their fourth win in a row. Kyrie Irving led the way with 23 points on 10-18 shooting, while Al Horford and Jayson Tatum each had 17. Harrison Barnes had 19 to lead the Mavericks.

Warriors 101 (20-6), Hornets 87 (9-14)

Kevin Durant‘s triple-double (35 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) was more than enough as the short-handed Warriors won their fifth in a row and improved to 12-3 on the road. With Stephen Curry and Draymond Green both nursing injuries, Durant got the Warriors going early with a little help from Klay Thompson, who pitched in with 22 points. Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 24.

Bucks 104 (13-10), Pistons 100 (14-10)

The Bucks started the fourth quarter on a 14-1 run to break a tie and take control on Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s 23rd birthday. The Greek Freak celebrated in style with 25 points and 10 rebounds, leading six Bucks players in double figures. For the Pistons, Andre Drummond had another 20-20 game, this time with 27 points (12-16 shooting) and 20 boards.

Pelicans 123 (13-12), Nuggets 114 (13-11)

There have been two 40-point, 20-rebound performances this season in the NBA. DeMarcus Cousins has both of them. Boogie went for 40 and 22 on Wednesday to lead a Pelicans team still playing without Anthony Davis. As for the Nuggets, Gary Harris led the way with 24 points.

Spurs 117 (17-8), Heat 105 (11-13)

The Spurs shot 53 percent and seven players scored in double figures as they used a balanced attack to beat the Heat. LaMarcus Aldridge led the way with 18 points while Bryn Forbes (17) and Rudy Gay (16) were close behind. Tyler Johnson had 25 and Dion Waiters had 22 for the Heat. It was San Antonio’s eight-straight win over Miami.

Timberwolves 113 (15-11), Clippers 107 (8-15)

Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 12 rebounds to notch his league-high 20th double-double on the season. He and Taj Gibson (16 points, 14 rebounds) led all five Timberwolves starters in double figures as Minnesota handed the Clippers their fourth loss in a row. Austin Rivers and Lou Williams each had 23 points for the Clippers, while DeAndre Jordan had 18 points and 21 rebounds.

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