Like the last time, an eight-game slate have given us NBA fans a lot to cheer about on a Saturday night, thanks to a couple of matches that went down the wire.
The Celtics and Lakers continue to dominate the standings as if we were back in 2010, which should fuel the animosity for its storied rivalry.
As always, SBOBET is here to provide you the recap of the games.
Charlotte Hornets 109-106 Detroit Pistons
The Charlotte Hornets have eked out a close win after a tight affair at home against the Detroit Pistons.
With the home team in search for a breakthrough, it was their youngsters who produced fine performances as six players notched double-digits in scoring. Terry Rozier and Malik Monk led the way with 19 each, while Devonte Graham, PJ Washington, Cody Zeller, and Bismack Biyombo chipped in 18, 11, 10, and 10 respectively.
Derrick Rose squandered a crucial possession which gave the home team a sliver of hope. In the ensuing possession, Malik Monk ran around a screen, received a pass from Cody Martin, and knocked down the game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer.
The win snapped Charlotte’s losing skid, while Detroit have now lost four straight. Langston Galloway poured in a career-high of 32 points, while Andre Drummond added 16 points and 20 rebounds for the Pistons.
Orlando Magic 111-109 San Antonio Spurs
Evan Fournier and Terrence Ross got it going for the Orlando Magic as they handed the San Antonio Spurs their fourth straight loss.
The Frenchman poured in 26 points, including a three-pointer with 1:15 remaining to give his team the lead for good, while Ross fired 10 of his 20 points in the final period.
The Spurs almost made a late rally when Trey Lyles’ three-pointer cut the Magic lead to one with 18 seconds left. Aaron Gordon drew a foul on DeMar DeRozan which was later upgraded to a flagrant foul, enabling him and Nikola Vucevic to ice the game via free throws.
DeMar DeRozan scored 21 for the Spurs while Rudy Gay and Patty Mills provided 14 and 13 off the bench.
Houston Rockets 111-102 Indiana Pacers
James Harden continues his epic scoring outburst by tallying 44 points to rally the Rockets to their sixth victory in a row.
With injuries to Clint Capela, Eric Gordon, and Danuel House, Harden spearheaded a big fourth quarter run to pull away against the Indiana Pacers.
After trailing midway in the final period, Houston unleashed a 14-0 blast to take a six-point lead with five minutes left. The Pacers had a difficult time on the defence as Harden scored 12 points while making two three-pointers in that span.
Backstopping Harden were the likes of Ben McLemore and Russell Westbrook who scored 21 and 17, respectively, while the Pacers were led by Domantas Sabonis who churned out an 18-point, 13-rebound double-double.
Memphis Grizzlies 107-106 Utah Jazz
While the big NBA 2019 news featured Mike Conley’s return to Memphis, it was his rookie replacement who stole the show at the FedEx Forum.
Ja Morant scored 25 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:32 remaining, while his teammate Dillon Brooks added 20 markers.
Utah had one last chance to try and win the game when Donovan Mitchell got an inbounds pass with two seconds left. However, Solomon Hill was there to poke the ball away, giving the Grizzlies their third straight win.
Mike Conley struggled in his homecoming, scoring 15 points on 5-for-19 shooting. Donovan Mitchell led Utah with 29 points while Rudy Gobert and Bojan Bogdanovic had 23 and 20 respectively.
Washington Wizards 137-116 Minnesota Timberwolves
Bradley Beal continues to show Washington as to why he deserves to get the max extension he’s received during the summer. The sharpshooter scored 44 points on 15-of-22 shooting, which marks his fifth 30+ point game in their last seven.
Also setting the tone for the Wizards was the surprising performance of Mo Wagner. The seldom-used role player poured in career-highs of 30 points and 15 rebounds while providing some key defensive plays against Karl Anthony-Towns.
Despite playing with foul trouble, Karl Anthony-Towns led the way with 36 points. However, they were missing the services of Andrew Wiggins as he missed the game due to personal reasons.
Oklahoma City Thunder 127-119 (OT) Philadelphia 76ers
The Oklahoma City Thunder scored one of their biggest wins of the season by upending the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime, despite being given lower NBA 2019 odds of winning this match.
Buoyed by their hot shooting from the field and from the charity stripe, the Chesapeake Arena was roaring when the home team scored a 20-12 blast to secure the victory.
Danilo Gallinari top-scored for the Thunder with 28 markers while Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander notched 27 and 24, respectively.
Joel Embiid had 31 points and 12 rebounds for Philadelphia.
Boston Celtics 105-100 Golden State Warriors
Jayson Tatum put the Celtics ahead for good when he scored off a dunk during a jump ball with 1:36 remaining as their winning streak reached 10 games.
The third-year forward bucked a slow start to score 24 points for the Celtics, whose last loss dates back to Philadelphia in opening night. Jaylen Brown tallied 22 points and eight rebounds.
The Warriors hung tough up until the final stretch when Kemba Walker and Daniel Theis made big plays to cut the deficit.
D’Angelo Russell had 12 points and nine assists, but he also turned the ball over nine times which proved to be costly.
Los Angeles Lakers 99-97 Sacramento Kings
The Lakers have survived a late rally by the Sacramento Kings, securing their 10th win in 12 games.
Los Angeles squandered their lead when Bogdan Bogdanovic scored crucial baskets down the stretch. LeBron James knocked down the deadlock-shattering free throws and Anthony Davis made a big block to win the game in the ensuing possession.
James had 29 points and 11 assists while Davis poured in 17. Buddy Hield notched 21 points in a losing effort.
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