Warriors, Cavaliers both back to winning ways
The Golden State Warriors’ stars rested in San Antonio on Saturday, the entire team rested on Sunday, then they practiced on Monday for the first time in a week. The “recharge,” as the Warriors have been calling it, was supposed to finally show itself on Tuesday. The lowly, visiting Sixers were in town to play patsies.
But for three quarters, 22-42 Philadelphia outplayed the malfunctioning mega-team, down a star and stripped of its powers. They entered the fourth trailing by 12. But the low-point of this extended slump finally produced enough desperation to spring an encouraging moment.
Urged by a pleading Oracle crowd, the Warriors surged back for a 106-104 win on the back of a 28-14 fourth quarter.
Two familiar factors changed the game: the return of Steph Curry’s lethal three-point shot and the defensive domination from Draymond Green down the stretch.
Curry staggered through the first few quarters, continuing a shooting slump that has coincided with this team’s malaise. He missed five of his first six threes, pushing him to 19-of-81 from deep the past seven-and-a-half games. Many of the bricks were wide open looks, ending with a clang and a frustrated Curry shoulder shrug.
Green started the fourth quarter with a layup. Then they got a stop. Then Curry stepped into and nailed a wing three. The place was as electric as it had been all season. The Sixers called timeout.
But the momentum didn’t slow. Two Curry free throws were followed by a David West strip of a Dario Saric drive. A Curry midrange jumper followed. A West 20-footer, a Green 3 and a Shaun Livingston mid-range jumper (finally after some extended struggles) capped a 15-2 burst to give them a lead with 7:33 left.
The rest of the game was about fighting off the pesky Sixers.
But the Sixers couldn’t execute late and Curry’s shooting along with Green’s smarts sealed the win and helped the Warriors avoid a disastrous loss at home and snap a three-game skid.
(Oakland Tribune/TNS)
Cavaliers 128, Pistons 96
LeBron James remained on his triple-double craze and helped lead Cleveland to an easy win over Detroit.
James finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in 28 minutes, taking off the entire fourth quarter of the blowout.
James has four triple-doubles this month, including three in his past four games. He compiled a career-high 10 this season and has 52 triple-doubles to his name over 14 seasons – not counting the playoffs.
Detroit was led by 17 points from Tobias Harris. Reggie Jackson, who scored at least 19 points in four of his previous five games, shot 3-of-13 and finished with six points.
The triumph was a relief for the Cleveland, which had lost four its five previous games, and which is 3-5 in March but still leads Boston by 2½ games for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Thunder 122, Nets 104
Russell Westbrook picked up his 33rd triple-double of the season as Oklahoma City won its third straight game.
Westbrook finished with 25 points, 19 assists and 12 rebounds, Victor Oladipo had 21 points and Enes Kanter scored 17 points off the bench for the Thunder, who won on the road for the first time since January.
Brook Lopez scored 25 points, Jeremy Lin had a season-high 24 and Randy Foy added 13 points for the Nets, who have yet to win consecutive games this season.
Pelicans 100, Trail Blazers 77
Marcus Cousins scored 22 points and Anthony Davis added 15 points and 15 rebounds to lead New Orleans.
The victory for the Pelicans, their second straight, was only the third in nine games with Cousins and Davis playing in tandem since Cousins was acquired from Sacramento. Cousins added nine rebounds, three assists and three steals.
The Blazers were paced by Damian Lillard, who scored 29 points.
Knicks 87, Pacers 81
Carmelo Anthony recorded 22 points and 13 rebounds, and New York turned in one of its more sparkling defensive efforts of the season by turning back Indiana.
Willy Hernangomez had 13 points and 14 rebounds coming off the bench while Derrick Rose scored 16 for the Knicks. Paul George topped Indiana with 22 points and 10 rebounds. (Reuters)