Warriors show strength in numbers, defeat Pelicans
OAKLAND — The Golden State Warriors did not produce any records this time with any of their All-Star scorers. That is OK. Instead, the Warriors relied on their strength in numbers.
The Warriors cruised to a 131-121 victory on an NBA’s season-best 39 assists over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday at Oracle Arena by depending equally on star power and role players. As usual, Stephen Curry (37 points), Kevin Durant (24) and Klay Thompson (16) led the team in scoring. Their other players became just as valuable.
Warriors forward Draymond Green nearly logged his 23rd career triple double with 16 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists. Warriors forward Jonas Jerebko had 10 points on 3-of-6 shooting in only 17 minutes. Warriors veteran forward Andre Iguodala added nine points, while guard Alfonzo McKinnie added five points and five rebounds.
Neither team offered much defense. The Pelicans relied on Nikola Mirotic (22 points), Jrue Holiday (21 points) and E’Twaune Moore (17). But Pelicans center Anthony Davis had 15 points on only 5-of-14 shooting along with nine rebounds and seven assists.
The Warriors (8-1) face the Minnesota Timberwolves (4-4) on Friday at Oracle Arena.
Derrick Rose dazzles with careerhigh 50 points as T’wolves nip Jazz
MINNEAPOLIS — Jeff Teague’s knee was sore. During warmups, Tyus Jones’ right foot got sore. Jimmy Butler’s soreness was far less specific. But none of them played.
So, in front of a crowd that looked to fill Target Center about half-way, against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, coach Tom Thibodeau went with a makeshift starting lineup and hoped the Wolves would make do.
All they did was make history. Derrick Rose, did, anyway. His two free throws with 13.8 seconds left gave him 50 points and gave the Wolves a 128-125 victory.
It was amazing, frankly. Enough that Karl-Anthony Towns’ 28 points and 15 rebounds was something of an afterthought.
Rose’s career regular season high
was 42. His previous career high was 44, in 2001, his MVP season. As the clock wound down Rose’s Wolves teammates rushed the court and surrounded him as the fans chanted MVP.
Rose scored 13 points in the first quarter, three in the second, an amazing 19 in the third and 15 more in the fourth. Time and again he charged into the lane, going right at Jazz center Rudy Gobert.
The Wolves, who won for the second straight time, led by five entering the fourth quarter, but the Jazz scored the first six of the quarter to set the stage for a back-andforth final quarter.
Afterword, being interviewed on the court, Rose said, simply, that he worked his butt off.
“I play my heart out,” he said. “My teammates told me before the game just to play my game.”
Rose drove and scored on Gobert with 54 seconds left to give the Wolves a one-point lead. He scored again with 30 seconds left and scored with 13 seconds left to give the Wolves a three-point lead.
With the game tied at 121, Jazz center Gobert hit one of two free throws. At the other end Rose drove into the lane, faked Gobert, stepped back and scored with 54 seconds left. Fouled at the other end, Gobert made one of two free throws with 36.9 seconds left tying the game.
Pacers’ late run ruins Tim Hardaway’s 37-point night
NEW YORK — Victor Oladipo ascended the ramp from the bus to the floor of Madison Square Garden dressed in a Black Panther costume Wednesday night, recreating the look he broke out for NBA All-Star Weekend last season.
For much of the night, costume or not, the power belonged to Tim Hardaway Jr. With his upper lip still split from the elbow he took two nights earlier and glue holding it together, if Hardaway Jr. resembled a movie character it might have been something from the Rocky series. It was a better look than the group of fans dressed as Knicks reserve Ron Baker.
Hardaway poured in 37 points with a career-high seven 3-point field goals, but it still wasn’t enough as the superhero was the one in the costume — Oladipo coming up big in the final minutes to carry the Pacers to a 107-101 win over the Knicks, who were out-scored 13-4 down the stretch. The Knicks dropped to 2-6 on the season.
With the Knicks down by just two, Bojan Bogdanovic air-balled an open 3-point attempt. But Thaddeus Young saved it to Oladipo in the corner and the Pacers All-Star guard calmly drained the 3pointer with 21.6 seconds left to secure the win.
It was a season-high point total for any Knicks player this season and most for Hardaway since he scored a career-best 39 last season.