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Markkanen, Sexton have double-doubles to lead Utah past the 76ers 120-109 with Embiid out
Read full article: Markkanen, Sexton have double-doubles to lead Utah past the 76ers 120-109 with Embiid outLauri Markkanen had 33 points and 13 rebounds and Collin Sexton added 22 points and 10 assists to lead the Utah Jazz past the Philadelphia 76ers 120-109 on Saturday night.
Pelicans earn 105-101 win over Clippers, claim No. 8 seed
Read full article: Pelicans earn 105-101 win over Clippers, claim No. 8 seedBrandon Ingram scored 30 points and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the depleted Los Angeles Clippers 105-101 in a play-in and earn the West’s No. 8 seed for the playoffs.
Clippers, Trail Blazers exchange 5 players in trade
Read full article: Clippers, Trail Blazers exchange 5 players in tradeThe Portland Trail Blazers traded Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, rookie Keon Johnson and a second-round pick in 2025.
Ayton returns to pace Suns in 111-107 win over Blazers in OT
Read full article: Ayton returns to pace Suns in 111-107 win over Blazers in OTDeandre Ayton had 28 points and 13 rebounds in his return from a non-COVID-19 illness, and the Phoenix Suns held off the Portland Trail Blazers 111-107 in overtime.
Nuggets beat Blazers 147-140 in 2OT, Lillard scores 55
Read full article: Nuggets beat Blazers 147-140 in 2OT, Lillard scores 55Michael Porter Jr.’s 3-pointer with 1:33 left in the second overtime helped the Denver Nuggets squelch an epic comeback by the Portland Trail Blazers with a 147-140 win Tuesday night.
NBA All-Star 2021: The game no one seemed to want
Read full article: NBA All-Star 2021: The game no one seemed to wantLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, shoots as Phoenix Suns forward Dario Saric defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, March 2, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)ATLANTA – It's the NBA All-Star Game almost no one seemed to want. "It’s the All-Star Game, so there’s going to be some shenanigans out there. Team LeBron will play on behalf of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, while Team Durant represents the United Negro College Fund. Trae Young, a starter in 2020, was snubbed this season despite averaging 26.4 points — the most of any player not selected for the All-Star Game.
NBA reveals All-Star skills, 3-point, dunk participants
Read full article: NBA reveals All-Star skills, 3-point, dunk participants(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Phoenix’s Devin Booker have been 3-point champions at All-Star weekend before, and they’ll try to win that trophy again Sunday. The NBA revealed the 15 players Tuesday who will be taking part in the other on-court events besides the All-Star Game in Atlanta, with the overwhelming majority of them pulling double-duty between those competitions and the game itself. They’ll be joined by Portland’s Robert Covington, the only current NBA player who is a graduate of a historically Black college and university. It will be held at halftime of the All-Star Game, while the skills competition and 3-point contest will occur pregame. Atlanta, Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Memphis, Miami, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Sacramento, San Antonio and Toronto have no one participating in All-Star night events.
Lillard, Blazers top Mavs 121-118 as Doncic heats up again
Read full article: Lillard, Blazers top Mavs 121-118 as Doncic heats up againPortland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) goes for a layup in front of Dallas Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis (6) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. Lillard hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer in the final minute after a big Dallas rally, and the Trail Blazers held off Doncic and the Mavericks for a 121-118 victory Sunday night. Lillard connected on the go-ahead 3 after Doncic assisted on a tying 3-pointer from Dorian Finney-Smith after the Mavericks trailed by 13 midway through the fourth quarter. Mavericks: Doncic shared the previous club record of 13 straight games with at least 25 points with Mark Aguirre (1983-84) and Dirk Nowitzki (2005-06). The Mavericks and Pistons met just once during the coronavirus-interrupted season, with Dallas winning in Mexico City behind 41 points from Doncic.
Lillard scores 30 points as Trail Blazers down 76ers 118-114
Read full article: Lillard scores 30 points as Trail Blazers down 76ers 118-114Anthony scored a season-high 24 points off the bench, including 16 in the fourth quarter, and the Trail Blazers beat the Sixers 118-114 on Thursday night. Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 35 points and nine rebounds, and Ben Simmons added 23 points and 11 boards. “I thought tonight was just one of those games where we felt like we had to win the game,” Anthony said. Trail Blazers: It was the first of a back-to-back for Portland. The Trail Blazers host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
NBA fines 76ers' Daryl Morey $50,000 for tweet about Harden
Read full article: NBA fines 76ers' Daryl Morey $50,000 for tweet about HardenHouston Rockets guard James Harden shoots over Portland Trail Blazers forward Robert Covington during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)NEW YORK – The NBA fined Philadelphia president of basketball operations Daryl Morey $50,000 on Monday for a since-deleted tweet about Houston’s James Harden that violated the league’s anti-tampering rule. Typically, teams are prohibited from discussing players under contract to other teams and the NBA has warned clubs that it can be considered tampering. A tweet by Morey in 2019 led to major problems for the NBA and its relationship with China. NBA games were not shown on CCTV, China's state broadcaster, for one year after that since-deleted tweet.
At home, on the road or at Disney, James is tough to beat
Read full article: At home, on the road or at Disney, James is tough to beatEarlier in this postseason, he also became the all-time leader in playoff road wins. For the first time in NBA history, road teams have a winning record through the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Lakers are 3-0 in the playoffs as the road team so far, which has pushed James total for road playoff wins to 65 two more than Tim Duncan managed in his two decades with San Antonio. Nobody impacts winning more than LeBron James, Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. The difference was the supporting casts, and Rajon Rondos 21 points and nine assists were enormous for the Lakers.
James, Davis help Lakers hold on to beat Rockets, tie series
Read full article: James, Davis help Lakers hold on to beat Rockets, tie seriesMarkieff Morris scored 16 points for the Lakers. James took only 15 shots in Game 1 and was scoreless in the fourth quarter of the Lakers' 112-97 loss, but he was dominant on both ends in the final period of this one. He had eight points in the quarter and a powerful blocked shot on Russell Westbrook that flew far out of bounds. James Harden scored 27 points and Eric Gordon made six 3-pointers and added 24 for the Rockets, who made 22 3-pointers. Tucker had 18 points and Robert Covington 17, but Westbrook finished only 4 for 15 while scoring 10 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.
Rockets run away from No. 1 seed Lakers, take Game 1 112-97
Read full article: Rockets run away from No. 1 seed Lakers, take Game 1 112-97James Harden scored 36 points and the Houston Rockets ran away from the Lakers 112-97 on Friday night, the second straight round the No. Russell Westbrook added 24 points, nine rebounds and six assists, and Eric Gordon had 23 points for the Rockets, the No. They forced 17 turnovers that led to 27 turnovers and played the much bigger Lakers even on the backboards. The Lakers playing for only the second time in 11 days. Lakers: Assistant coach Jason Kidd missed the game because of what coach Frank Vogel said were severe back spasms.
Rockets edge Thunder to win wild Game 7, move on to Lakers
Read full article: Rockets edge Thunder to win wild Game 7, move on to LakersThe Rockets pulled out a tense final game of the first round that lasted long past the final basket as replays and fouls were sorted out. These are the games, you want to win a championship or win playoff games, you've got to do it with your heart, D'Antoni added. Covington had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Eric Gordon also scored 21 points for the Rockets. Rockets: Houston is 7-5 in Game 7s, including 1-1 under D'Antoni. The Rockets had lost their two other Game 7s in the first round, against Utah in 2007 and Dallas in 2005.
Paul has 28, helps Thunder force Game 7 against the Rockets
Read full article: Paul has 28, helps Thunder force Game 7 against the RocketsOklahoma City Thunder's Dennis Schroder (17) is forced to pass the ball as Houston Rockets' Russell Westbrook, bottom center, Jeff Green (32) and P.J. Paul gave the Thunder at least one more game at Disney, scoring 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter for a 104-100 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Game 6 of a Western Conference first-round series. But they combined for 12 of the Rockets' 22 turnovers, saying Houston has lost the close games more than Oklahoma City won them. Houston got its most dominant playoff victory in Game 5, winning 114-80 after holding Oklahoma City to 31.5% shooting. Oklahoma City extended it to eight, but Houston wiped that out with an 18-4 run that provided a 98-92 lead.
Harden scores 31 points, Rockets beat Thunder for 3-2 lead
Read full article: Harden scores 31 points, Rockets beat Thunder for 3-2 leadHouston Rockets' P.J. That was a fortunate turn of events for the Houston Rockets. We need him.Schroder led the Thunder with 19 points 18 of them in the second quarter, when Oklahoma City had its only lead of the game. Steven Adams had 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Darius Bazley had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Thunder. Houston scored 20 of the games first 27 points, but the Thunder erased the deficit in the second -- taking a brief lead of as many as five points -- before the Rockets took a 48-45 lead into the half.
Rockets can advance, Thunder look to force a Game 7
Read full article: Rockets can advance, Thunder look to force a Game 7The Rockets will take a 3-2 series lead into Game 6 against the Thunder in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on Monday night. Dennis Schroder led the Thunder with 19 points in Game 5 18 in the second quarter, when Oklahoma City had its only lead of the night. If the Rockets win Monday, they would play Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. INJURY WATCH: Rockets G Russell Westbrook (quad) returned for Game 5, with seven points and seven assists in just under 24 minutes. The Lakers would get nearly a full week to rest if the Rockets dont win Game 6.
Harden has 49 to lead Rockets over Mavericks 153-149 in OT
Read full article: Harden has 49 to lead Rockets over Mavericks 153-149 in OTHarden made 1 of 2 free throws before Trey Burke made a 3-pointer to get the Mavericks within 3 with about 15 seconds left in OT. Harden made 1 of 2 free throws after that, Burke missed a 3, and Harden got the rebound to secure the victory. Houston scored the next eight points, with the last five from Harden, to take a 147-143 lead. Harden cut the lead again seconds later with a 3-pointer with 40 seconds to go. Covington got the Rockets within two points with two free throws.