By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Damian Lillard joked that no team goes into the season hoping to play at .500.
Yet the Trail Blazers were happy to pull to 38-38 on the season Saturday night with a 130-117 victory over the Phoenix Suns. Lillard had 31 points as Portland continued its late-season push for the playoffs with a sixth straight victory.
"We feel like we're the team right now that we should have been all along, the way we're playing. And all that matters is getting that playoff spot," Lillard said. "I guess it's good to be .500, but nobody comes into the season saying, `Let's play .500 basketball.' We wish we were in a better position."
CJ McCollum added 29 points for Portland, which holds the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Blazers (38-38) led by as many as 25 points and got back to .500 for the first time since they were 12-12 on Dec. 9.
Devin Booker had 31 for the Suns, who lost their 11th straight for the fifth-longest losing streak in franchise history. Phoenix was just ahead of the Lakers at the bottom of the Western Conference.
"We're here to get better by not making the same mistakes," Booker said. "We're getting a chance to play, but we need to treat it like it's do-or-die time. It's not often that rookies get this many minutes so as a young group we need to come together and play like we're trying to do something here."
The Blazers played their first game without Jusuf Nurkic since announcing that he had a fractured right leg and will miss the rest of the regular season.
The 7-foot center was credited with boosting Portland's late-season surge. In 20 games since coming to the Blazers in a trade with Denver, Nurkic was averaging 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.
Nurkic, who has a non-displaced right leg fibular fracture, will be re-evaluated in two weeks. It was unclear when the injury occurred.
"The goal is still to make the playoffs and everybody will have to do more," coach Terry Stotts said.
Grateful that the injury wasn't more serious, Nurkic said he will follow what the team doctors say so that he can return quicker.
"It's part of the life, part of the job. I'm not going to be negative," he said before the game.
Meyers Leonard started in Nurkic's place.
The Suns pulled within four at 99-95 on Alan Williams' layup early in the fourth quarter. But after a pair of free throws, Al-Farouq Aminu dunked to extend Portland's lead to 103-95.
The Blazers jumped out to an early 20-6 lead after McCollum's 3-pointer. Aminu pushed the lead to 32-15 with another 3.
The Suns had no spark and Portland extended its lead to 48-25 on Maurice Harkless' reverse layup and Evan Turner's 3-pointer in the second quarter.
Phoenix closed the gap to 61-53 on a follow dunk from Marquese Chriss and T.J. Warren's fast-break dunk late in the half, and the Blazers went into the break with a 63-53 lead. McCollum led all scorers with 14 points.
Booker's layup got the Suns within 63-55, but McCollum and Lillard made consecutive 3-pointers to pull away again.
Lillard hit a 3-pointer from about 30 feet out to give Portland an 84-69 lead, then raised his arms as the crowd erupted in cheers.
"Our guys are young, they're still fighting," Phoenix coach Earl Watson said. "They're still trying to create an identity."
TIP INS
Suns: Phoenix was without Leandro Barbosa for the fourth straight game because of right hamstring spasms. ... The Suns won only the first of the four-game season series with the Blazers.
Trail Blazers: The Blazers recalled guard Tim Quarterman from the Long Island Nets of the NBA Development League. ... Stotts wore a University of Oregon pullover in his pregame chat with the media. The Blazers' game started at about halftime of the Ducks' Final Four game against North Carolina.
LILLARD'S NEW MILESTONES: Lillard keeps adding to his legacy as a Trail Blazer. With his 31 points Saturday night, he reached 1,902 for the season, a new career high. He also had his 26th game of the season with 30 or more points, tying the franchise record reached by Kiki Vandeweghe and Clyde Drexler.
UP NEXT
Suns: host the Rockets on Sunday night.
Trail Blazers: visit the Timberwolves on Monday. The game was originally scheduled for March 6 but was postponed because of condensation on the floor at Target Center.
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Hield's 22 points lead Kings to 123-117 win against Wolves
By BRIAN HALL
Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The Sacramento Kings were ending a grueling stretch of five games in seven nights with a long back-to-back from New Orleans to Minnesota.
Getting 66 points from the bench helps overcome tough travel.
Buddy Hield tied a career high with 22 points, going 4 of 6 from 3-point range, and the Kings' reserves dominated Minnesota's in a 123-117 victory on Saturday night.
Reserve point guard Ty Lawson had 21 points and 11 assists. Langston Galloway added 17 points and Aaron Afflalo scored 16 to lead the Kings' 66-26 advantage in bench points.
"I commend our second group coming in and giving us that energy because we really needed, especially on a back-to-back and the stretch that we're on," center Willie Cauley-Stein said. "That was much-needed for us because it could have easily went the other way and got real ugly."
The Kings recovered after losing by 28 points a night earlier at New Orleans against former Kings star DeMarcus Cousins. Sacramento shot a season-high 56.4 percent to win for the sixth time in 15 games since trading Cousins on Feb. 21.
"It's a struggle playing five games in seven nights," coach Dave Joerger said. "This was tough. It was a good test for our young guys to mentally fight through."
Andrew Wiggins scored 32 points for Minnesota, which had won five of its previous six homes games. A game after scoring a career-high 33 points, Ricky Rubio had 11 points on just 1-of-10 shooting, and added 13 assists.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
"We didn't do what we needed to do," Towns said. "It's as simple as that. We didn't keep them out of the paint. We also let them hit too many 3s. That comes from ball pressure and doing the little things in our defensive scheme."
The Kings looked like weary road travelers early, as Minnesota had another quick start with 31 points in the first quarter. Sacramento had nine turnovers in the first and shot 43.8 percent.
The bench got the Kings back in the game and then Sacramento took control with a 26-9 run at the end of the third and start of the fourth. Lawson scored 12 points in the second half and was 11 of 14 from the free-throw line in the game.
TIP-INS
Kings: Tyreke Evans, Kosta Koufos and Garrett Temple were ruled out for planned rest. ... Cauley-Stein had 15 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season - all since the All-Star break. ... Sacramento is 15-25 on the road, including two wins in Minnesota.
Timberwolves: G Zach LaVine was chosen the Flip Saunders Legacy Award recipient. The award, named after Minnesota's former coach, recognizes excellence in community service and is voted on by the team's players. ... Rubio had his third straight double-double and 22nd of the season. ... The Wolves are 19-20 at home this season.
HIELD HITTING
Given a chance for more minutes since being traded for Cousins, Hield has responded. The rookie entered the game averaging 13.9 points and shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 41.0 percent from 3 in his 19 games with Sacramento.
Saturday was his fifth 20-point performance and third with the Kings.
"I think that's Buddy Hield's best game as a pro," Joerger said. "Whether he made shots or not, he's learning to do the other things; when we help, when we don't. Some of it is just learning to be a pro and some of it is learning how we do it in Sacramento. I thought he did a really nice job."
DEFENSIVE SLIDE
Minnesota won nine of 13 games in February and early March and seemed to be adjusting to coach Tom Thibodeau's defensive approach. The Wolves held opponents under 100 points in seven of the 13 games.
The 123 points scored by Sacramento was the fourth time an opponent reached that mark in the past eight games.
"We've got to keep working at it," Thibodeau said. "I thought our starters got us off to a good start and our bench came in and we had reckless fouls. We had some tough shots. ... We've got to straighten that out."
UP NEXT
Kings: Return home to play the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.
Timberwolves: Finish the homestand on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers, a makeup of the March 6 postponement because of condensation on the court.
Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The Sacramento Kings were ending a grueling stretch of five games in seven nights with a long back-to-back from New Orleans to Minnesota.
Getting 66 points from the bench helps overcome tough travel.
Buddy Hield tied a career high with 22 points, going 4 of 6 from 3-point range, and the Kings' reserves dominated Minnesota's in a 123-117 victory on Saturday night.
Reserve point guard Ty Lawson had 21 points and 11 assists. Langston Galloway added 17 points and Aaron Afflalo scored 16 to lead the Kings' 66-26 advantage in bench points.
"I commend our second group coming in and giving us that energy because we really needed, especially on a back-to-back and the stretch that we're on," center Willie Cauley-Stein said. "That was much-needed for us because it could have easily went the other way and got real ugly."
The Kings recovered after losing by 28 points a night earlier at New Orleans against former Kings star DeMarcus Cousins. Sacramento shot a season-high 56.4 percent to win for the sixth time in 15 games since trading Cousins on Feb. 21.
"It's a struggle playing five games in seven nights," coach Dave Joerger said. "This was tough. It was a good test for our young guys to mentally fight through."
Andrew Wiggins scored 32 points for Minnesota, which had won five of its previous six homes games. A game after scoring a career-high 33 points, Ricky Rubio had 11 points on just 1-of-10 shooting, and added 13 assists.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
"We didn't do what we needed to do," Towns said. "It's as simple as that. We didn't keep them out of the paint. We also let them hit too many 3s. That comes from ball pressure and doing the little things in our defensive scheme."
The Kings looked like weary road travelers early, as Minnesota had another quick start with 31 points in the first quarter. Sacramento had nine turnovers in the first and shot 43.8 percent.
The bench got the Kings back in the game and then Sacramento took control with a 26-9 run at the end of the third and start of the fourth. Lawson scored 12 points in the second half and was 11 of 14 from the free-throw line in the game.
TIP-INS
Kings: Tyreke Evans, Kosta Koufos and Garrett Temple were ruled out for planned rest. ... Cauley-Stein had 15 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season - all since the All-Star break. ... Sacramento is 15-25 on the road, including two wins in Minnesota.
Timberwolves: G Zach LaVine was chosen the Flip Saunders Legacy Award recipient. The award, named after Minnesota's former coach, recognizes excellence in community service and is voted on by the team's players. ... Rubio had his third straight double-double and 22nd of the season. ... The Wolves are 19-20 at home this season.
HIELD HITTING
Given a chance for more minutes since being traded for Cousins, Hield has responded. The rookie entered the game averaging 13.9 points and shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 41.0 percent from 3 in his 19 games with Sacramento.
Saturday was his fifth 20-point performance and third with the Kings.
"I think that's Buddy Hield's best game as a pro," Joerger said. "Whether he made shots or not, he's learning to do the other things; when we help, when we don't. Some of it is just learning to be a pro and some of it is learning how we do it in Sacramento. I thought he did a really nice job."
DEFENSIVE SLIDE
Minnesota won nine of 13 games in February and early March and seemed to be adjusting to coach Tom Thibodeau's defensive approach. The Wolves held opponents under 100 points in seven of the 13 games.
The 123 points scored by Sacramento was the fourth time an opponent reached that mark in the past eight games.
"We've got to keep working at it," Thibodeau said. "I thought our starters got us off to a good start and our bench came in and we had reckless fouls. We had some tough shots. ... We've got to straighten that out."
UP NEXT
Kings: Return home to play the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.
Timberwolves: Finish the homestand on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers, a makeup of the March 6 postponement because of condensation on the court.
Lopez leads Nets over Magic, 121-111
By MICHAEL SCOTTO
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) The Brooklyn Nets dominated inside the paint and off the bench to beat the Orlando Magic.
Brook Lopez scored 30 points and Trevor Booker had a season-high 23 in a reserve role to lead the Nets to a 121-111 victory on Saturday.
"That must have been Booker's best game of the year, probably," Jeremy Lin said. "He was incredible with the energy."
Sean Kilpatrick added 15 points for the Nets, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Booker and Kilpatrick helped Brooklyn's bench outscore Orlando's 72-16.
Brooklyn also had a season-high 72 points in the paint.
"Brook is really hard to guard down there," Lin said. "We keep trying to find ways to exploit the defense with his size and his touch. I think he's finding a great balance inside and outside. I felt like he really made his presence known tonight."
Elfrid Payton had 20 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds for his fifth triple-double of the season for Orlando, which has lost four straight games. Nikola Vucevic had 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Aaron Gordon finished with 22 points and 15 boards.
"I think we were just a little step slow today," Payton said. "They were really driving the paint. Just hard drive after hard drive and kick out until they got something they liked."
Brooklyn opened the fourth quarter on an 11-0 run to take a 100-89 lead and never looked back.
"I think Brooklyn's bench came in and took over the game during that stretch to start the fourth quarter to build a big lead," Magic coach Frank Vogel said. "I credit their bench."
Orlando rallied from a seven-point deficit at halftime to tie the score at 89 heading into the fourth quarter. Vucevic scored 12 points in the third.
Brooklyn took a 60-53 lead into halftime. Lopez led Brooklyn with 18 points while Gordon and Vucevic led Orlando with 13 points apiece at the half.
Orlando opened the game with a 15-5 run before Brooklyn rallied to tie the score at 33 apiece after the first quarter.
TIP-INS
Magic: Vogel has been impressed with Terrence Ross since arriving from Toronto in a midseason trade. "He's exceeded our expectations," Vogel said. "We knew he was a good scorer off the bench. We're using him as a starter and with heavy minutes. He's a dynamic offensive player with his 3-point shooting and you can put the ball in his hands and he makes good decisions. He can attack long closeouts and get to the rim too with athleticism. He's multidimensional offensively and one of our better perimeter defenders as well." . Jeff Green (sore lower back) was out.
Nets: Brooklyn doesn't plan on resting veteran players. "We're not going to rest," coach Kenny Atkinson said. "I've been saying how important I think it is for us to finish this season strong and I do think seeing more of Jeremy together with the group is helpful. Our mentality is to have positive momentum heading into this important offseason." ... Quincy Acy (sore left ankle) and Joe Harris (sprained left shoulder) were out.
BENCH BUNCH
Brooklyn's bench came in averaging 45.5 points, second in the league to the Lakers' 48.0. The 72 points Saturday was the Nets' third-highest total this season. They had 81 points on March 23 at Phoenix and 73 on Jan. 20 at New Orleans.
UP NEXT
Magic: Visit Cleveland on Tuesday, which will conclude a three-game road trip.
Nets: Host Atlanta on Sunday. Brooklyn then hits the road four of the final five games of the regular season.
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) The Brooklyn Nets dominated inside the paint and off the bench to beat the Orlando Magic.
Brook Lopez scored 30 points and Trevor Booker had a season-high 23 in a reserve role to lead the Nets to a 121-111 victory on Saturday.
"That must have been Booker's best game of the year, probably," Jeremy Lin said. "He was incredible with the energy."
Sean Kilpatrick added 15 points for the Nets, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Booker and Kilpatrick helped Brooklyn's bench outscore Orlando's 72-16.
Brooklyn also had a season-high 72 points in the paint.
"Brook is really hard to guard down there," Lin said. "We keep trying to find ways to exploit the defense with his size and his touch. I think he's finding a great balance inside and outside. I felt like he really made his presence known tonight."
Elfrid Payton had 20 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds for his fifth triple-double of the season for Orlando, which has lost four straight games. Nikola Vucevic had 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Aaron Gordon finished with 22 points and 15 boards.
"I think we were just a little step slow today," Payton said. "They were really driving the paint. Just hard drive after hard drive and kick out until they got something they liked."
Brooklyn opened the fourth quarter on an 11-0 run to take a 100-89 lead and never looked back.
"I think Brooklyn's bench came in and took over the game during that stretch to start the fourth quarter to build a big lead," Magic coach Frank Vogel said. "I credit their bench."
Orlando rallied from a seven-point deficit at halftime to tie the score at 89 heading into the fourth quarter. Vucevic scored 12 points in the third.
Brooklyn took a 60-53 lead into halftime. Lopez led Brooklyn with 18 points while Gordon and Vucevic led Orlando with 13 points apiece at the half.
Orlando opened the game with a 15-5 run before Brooklyn rallied to tie the score at 33 apiece after the first quarter.
TIP-INS
Magic: Vogel has been impressed with Terrence Ross since arriving from Toronto in a midseason trade. "He's exceeded our expectations," Vogel said. "We knew he was a good scorer off the bench. We're using him as a starter and with heavy minutes. He's a dynamic offensive player with his 3-point shooting and you can put the ball in his hands and he makes good decisions. He can attack long closeouts and get to the rim too with athleticism. He's multidimensional offensively and one of our better perimeter defenders as well." . Jeff Green (sore lower back) was out.
Nets: Brooklyn doesn't plan on resting veteran players. "We're not going to rest," coach Kenny Atkinson said. "I've been saying how important I think it is for us to finish this season strong and I do think seeing more of Jeremy together with the group is helpful. Our mentality is to have positive momentum heading into this important offseason." ... Quincy Acy (sore left ankle) and Joe Harris (sprained left shoulder) were out.
BENCH BUNCH
Brooklyn's bench came in averaging 45.5 points, second in the league to the Lakers' 48.0. The 72 points Saturday was the Nets' third-highest total this season. They had 81 points on March 23 at Phoenix and 73 on Jan. 20 at New Orleans.
UP NEXT
Magic: Visit Cleveland on Tuesday, which will conclude a three-game road trip.
Nets: Host Atlanta on Sunday. Brooklyn then hits the road four of the final five games of the regular season.
Butler scores 33, Bulls beat Hawks 106-104
By ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO (AP) Jimmy Butler saw confidence and swagger, a team embracing the moment. No one welcomed it more with open arms than he did.
Butler scored 33 points and hit two free throws with 2.1 seconds left to lift the Chicago Bulls to a 106-104 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.
"I see guys doing what they're supposed to be doing - playing hard, shooting the ball when they're open, not trying to do too much," Butler said. "That's what we need."
Butler scored the Bulls' final nine points. His free throws gave them a two-point lead and capped a 15-4 run.
Tim Hardaway Jr. then missed a 3-pointer for Atlanta as time expired, giving the Bulls their third straight win.
Chicago also moved into seventh place in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls are tied with Miami and Indiana at 37-39 but own tiebreakers over the Heat and Pacers. Sixth-place Atlanta (39-37) - which had won two straight after dropping seven in a row - trails Milwaukee by a game.
Rajon Rondo had a season-high 25 points and added 11 rebounds. Denzel Valentine scored 13 points, hitting two 3-pointers down the stretch to help the Bulls stop a seven-game losing streak to Atlanta.
The win comes on the heels of a victory over LeBron James and the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
"We had a great win a couple of days ago, but it means nothing if we came out and laid an egg tonight," Rondo said. "Also, these guys have beaten us seven straight times."
Dennis Schroder led the Hawks with 29 points. Hardaway scored 20, and Dwight Howard finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
"They responded well and you have to give them credit," Schroder said. "We've got to execute better in crunch time and just do a better job, screening, rolling to the basket and taking care of the ball."
TIP-INS
Hawks: All-Star F Paul Millsap missed his eighth consecutive game because of a left knee ailment. Coach Mike Budenholzer said Millsap is "making positive progress," though the Hawks are being "aggressively cautious" with him. If Millsap misses Sunday's game at Brooklyn, he will have three more days before the Hawks host Boston on Thursday. ... F Mike Dunleavy Jr. played 12 minutes but did not score after missing a game because of a sore right ankle, while F Thabo Sefolosha (strained right groin) sat out his fourth in a row. G Malcolm Delaney sat out with back spasms.
Bulls: Butler was 10 of 10 at the foul line. ... The Bulls hit 12 3-pointers, their sixth straight game with at least 10.
FINAL PUSH
The Bulls trailed by 10 in the fourth quarter and were down 100-91 with less than five minutes to go.
Valentine hit a pair of 3-pointers to start the game-ending run, and Butler took over from there. He tied it at 102-all when he connected from long range with 1:59 left.
Schroder pulled up for the go-ahead jumper after Butler's baseline shot hit the front of the rim to give the Hawks a 104-102 lead with 35 seconds left. Butler immediately answered with a driving layup to tie it again.
After a timeout, Schroder lost his dribble out of bounds with 25 seconds left. Butler then got fouled by Kent Bazemore as he attempted a jumper with 2.1 seconds remaining and hit both free throws as the crowd chanted "MVP! MVP!"
Hardaway's 3 after a timeout then hit the back of the rim as time expired.
"I should have pump-faked," Hardaway said. "Two seconds left, I think that's an easy pump-fake, one-dribble shot. I think I had time. But it felt great coming off my hands. It felt great. It was in line. It just was a little bit long."
UP NEXT
Hawks: Visit Brooklyn on Sunday.
Bulls: Visit New Orleans on Sunday.
AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO (AP) Jimmy Butler saw confidence and swagger, a team embracing the moment. No one welcomed it more with open arms than he did.
Butler scored 33 points and hit two free throws with 2.1 seconds left to lift the Chicago Bulls to a 106-104 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.
"I see guys doing what they're supposed to be doing - playing hard, shooting the ball when they're open, not trying to do too much," Butler said. "That's what we need."
Butler scored the Bulls' final nine points. His free throws gave them a two-point lead and capped a 15-4 run.
Tim Hardaway Jr. then missed a 3-pointer for Atlanta as time expired, giving the Bulls their third straight win.
Chicago also moved into seventh place in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls are tied with Miami and Indiana at 37-39 but own tiebreakers over the Heat and Pacers. Sixth-place Atlanta (39-37) - which had won two straight after dropping seven in a row - trails Milwaukee by a game.
Rajon Rondo had a season-high 25 points and added 11 rebounds. Denzel Valentine scored 13 points, hitting two 3-pointers down the stretch to help the Bulls stop a seven-game losing streak to Atlanta.
The win comes on the heels of a victory over LeBron James and the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
"We had a great win a couple of days ago, but it means nothing if we came out and laid an egg tonight," Rondo said. "Also, these guys have beaten us seven straight times."
Dennis Schroder led the Hawks with 29 points. Hardaway scored 20, and Dwight Howard finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
"They responded well and you have to give them credit," Schroder said. "We've got to execute better in crunch time and just do a better job, screening, rolling to the basket and taking care of the ball."
TIP-INS
Hawks: All-Star F Paul Millsap missed his eighth consecutive game because of a left knee ailment. Coach Mike Budenholzer said Millsap is "making positive progress," though the Hawks are being "aggressively cautious" with him. If Millsap misses Sunday's game at Brooklyn, he will have three more days before the Hawks host Boston on Thursday. ... F Mike Dunleavy Jr. played 12 minutes but did not score after missing a game because of a sore right ankle, while F Thabo Sefolosha (strained right groin) sat out his fourth in a row. G Malcolm Delaney sat out with back spasms.
Bulls: Butler was 10 of 10 at the foul line. ... The Bulls hit 12 3-pointers, their sixth straight game with at least 10.
FINAL PUSH
The Bulls trailed by 10 in the fourth quarter and were down 100-91 with less than five minutes to go.
Valentine hit a pair of 3-pointers to start the game-ending run, and Butler took over from there. He tied it at 102-all when he connected from long range with 1:59 left.
Schroder pulled up for the go-ahead jumper after Butler's baseline shot hit the front of the rim to give the Hawks a 104-102 lead with 35 seconds left. Butler immediately answered with a driving layup to tie it again.
After a timeout, Schroder lost his dribble out of bounds with 25 seconds left. Butler then got fouled by Kent Bazemore as he attempted a jumper with 2.1 seconds remaining and hit both free throws as the crowd chanted "MVP! MVP!"
Hardaway's 3 after a timeout then hit the back of the rim as time expired.
"I should have pump-faked," Hardaway said. "Two seconds left, I think that's an easy pump-fake, one-dribble shot. I think I had time. But it felt great coming off my hands. It felt great. It was in line. It just was a little bit long."
UP NEXT
Hawks: Visit Brooklyn on Sunday.
Bulls: Visit New Orleans on Sunday.
Clippers beat Lakers 115-104 for Doc Rivers' 800th victory
By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) Comfortable leads have been shrinking lately for the Los Angeles Clippers.
It happened again Saturday against the lowly Lakers.
Only after the Clippers inserted all of their starters in the fourth quarter did they finish off a 115-104 victory, the 800th of Doc Rivers' coaching career.
Rivers sees the problem, yet professes no concern with the playoffs looming.
"I like this team and I'm going to keep saying that," he said. "I think we have proven, especially in the big games, when we're healthy, we play very well."
Blake Griffin scored 36 points, Chris Paul added 29 and J.J. Redick had 19 for the Clippers, who moved within a game of the idle Jazz for the No. 4 playoff seed in the West. The Clippers have won three in a row and seven of nine.
"Our key is going to be in the last six minutes of the game," Rivers said. "We're going to have to execute offensively. We're going to have to be a team that when we need a stop, we can get a stop. There's times that we can do that and then there's times I'm not sure we can."
The Clippers have had little trouble stopping the Lakers, taking three of four in the season series. They've won 18 of 20 from their Staples Center co-tenant since the start of the 2012-13 season.
"The last few years have been the worst in the Lakers' history and that's not OK," rookie coach Luke Walton said before the game.
Rookie David Nwaba scored 19 points and Brandon Ingram had 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter for the Lakers. They have lost 18 of 20 since the All-Star break. D'Angelo Russell, the team's leading scorer at 15.7 points, had two points on 1-of-9 shooting while missing six 3-point attempts.
"They definitely came out with energy. They were hot and our defense wasn't clicking," Russell said. "I tried to stay effective despite my shots not falling."
The Clippers' bench allowed the Lakers to hang around in the fourth when they trailed by 21 at the start. Tarik Black's dunk cut the Lakers' deficit to eight with 2:52 to play.
But Griffin and Paul combined to score the Clippers' final seven points. The duo notched its third straight game with at least 26 points apiece.
"It's not about the second unit, it is about us as a team figuring it out," Paul said. "We still have time, not much time, but we have time to figure it out and we have to do it."
The Clippers dominated the third, turning a five-point lead into a 21-point advantage. They opened on a 24-9 run, including 10 by Paul that extended their lead to 79-59. Griffin and Redick added back-to-back 3-pointers and Paul scored four in a row to send the Clippers into the fourth leading 93-72.
Paul had 12 assists and made all 10 of his free throws, and DeAndre Jordan grabbed 12 rebounds. Griffin made a career-high four 3-pointers.
The Clippers opened the game by scoring 17 straight points, making 7 of 9 field goals. The Lakers missed their first nine shots before going on an 18-2 run to close within one.
TIP-INS
Lakers: They have used 23 different starting lineups this season with no player starting every game. ... G Jordan Clarkson is the only player to appear in every game. ... Ingram returned after missing three games with right patellar tendinitis. "I thought I was going to feel it after the game, but it still felt good," he said. ... C Ivica Zubac is out for the rest of the season with a high right ankle sprain.
Clippers: Backup G Austin Rivers is likely out for the rest of the regular season with a strained left hamstring.
GRIFFIN'S 10K
Griffin scored the game's first basket on a jumper, giving him 10,000 points in his career. He is the second player in franchise history to reach that mark. Randy Smith scored 10,467 of his club-record 12,735 points when the team was known as the Buffalo Braves.
DOC'S MILESTONE
Rivers became the 15th coach in NBA history with 800 victories. Only Gregg Popovich of San Antonio (1,146) has more among active coaches.
"What I've learned most as a coach is persistence and patience," Rivers said before the game. "Patience with the players and myself. As a young coach you have a tendency to overreact to everything and change everything. I've learned not to sweat everything."
UP NEXT
Lakers: Host Memphis on Sunday in their next-to-last back-to-back of the season. The Lakers play four of their final six at home.
Clippers: Host Dallas on Wednesday after a three-day break.
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) Comfortable leads have been shrinking lately for the Los Angeles Clippers.
It happened again Saturday against the lowly Lakers.
Only after the Clippers inserted all of their starters in the fourth quarter did they finish off a 115-104 victory, the 800th of Doc Rivers' coaching career.
Rivers sees the problem, yet professes no concern with the playoffs looming.
"I like this team and I'm going to keep saying that," he said. "I think we have proven, especially in the big games, when we're healthy, we play very well."
Blake Griffin scored 36 points, Chris Paul added 29 and J.J. Redick had 19 for the Clippers, who moved within a game of the idle Jazz for the No. 4 playoff seed in the West. The Clippers have won three in a row and seven of nine.
"Our key is going to be in the last six minutes of the game," Rivers said. "We're going to have to execute offensively. We're going to have to be a team that when we need a stop, we can get a stop. There's times that we can do that and then there's times I'm not sure we can."
The Clippers have had little trouble stopping the Lakers, taking three of four in the season series. They've won 18 of 20 from their Staples Center co-tenant since the start of the 2012-13 season.
"The last few years have been the worst in the Lakers' history and that's not OK," rookie coach Luke Walton said before the game.
Rookie David Nwaba scored 19 points and Brandon Ingram had 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter for the Lakers. They have lost 18 of 20 since the All-Star break. D'Angelo Russell, the team's leading scorer at 15.7 points, had two points on 1-of-9 shooting while missing six 3-point attempts.
"They definitely came out with energy. They were hot and our defense wasn't clicking," Russell said. "I tried to stay effective despite my shots not falling."
The Clippers' bench allowed the Lakers to hang around in the fourth when they trailed by 21 at the start. Tarik Black's dunk cut the Lakers' deficit to eight with 2:52 to play.
But Griffin and Paul combined to score the Clippers' final seven points. The duo notched its third straight game with at least 26 points apiece.
"It's not about the second unit, it is about us as a team figuring it out," Paul said. "We still have time, not much time, but we have time to figure it out and we have to do it."
The Clippers dominated the third, turning a five-point lead into a 21-point advantage. They opened on a 24-9 run, including 10 by Paul that extended their lead to 79-59. Griffin and Redick added back-to-back 3-pointers and Paul scored four in a row to send the Clippers into the fourth leading 93-72.
Paul had 12 assists and made all 10 of his free throws, and DeAndre Jordan grabbed 12 rebounds. Griffin made a career-high four 3-pointers.
The Clippers opened the game by scoring 17 straight points, making 7 of 9 field goals. The Lakers missed their first nine shots before going on an 18-2 run to close within one.
TIP-INS
Lakers: They have used 23 different starting lineups this season with no player starting every game. ... G Jordan Clarkson is the only player to appear in every game. ... Ingram returned after missing three games with right patellar tendinitis. "I thought I was going to feel it after the game, but it still felt good," he said. ... C Ivica Zubac is out for the rest of the season with a high right ankle sprain.
Clippers: Backup G Austin Rivers is likely out for the rest of the regular season with a strained left hamstring.
GRIFFIN'S 10K
Griffin scored the game's first basket on a jumper, giving him 10,000 points in his career. He is the second player in franchise history to reach that mark. Randy Smith scored 10,467 of his club-record 12,735 points when the team was known as the Buffalo Braves.
DOC'S MILESTONE
Rivers became the 15th coach in NBA history with 800 victories. Only Gregg Popovich of San Antonio (1,146) has more among active coaches.
"What I've learned most as a coach is persistence and patience," Rivers said before the game. "Patience with the players and myself. As a young coach you have a tendency to overreact to everything and change everything. I've learned not to sweat everything."
UP NEXT
Lakers: Host Memphis on Sunday in their next-to-last back-to-back of the season. The Lakers play four of their final six at home.
Clippers: Host Dallas on Wednesday after a three-day break.
NBA Capsules (April 2, 2017)
CHICAGO (AP) Jimmy Butler scored 33 points and hit two free throws with 2.1 seconds left to lift the Chicago Bulls to a 106-104 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.
Butler scored the Bulls’ final nine points. His free throws gave the Bulls a two-point lead and capped a 15-4 run.
Tim Hardaway Jr. then missed a 3-pointer for Atlanta as time expired, giving the Bulls their third straight win. That put them in a tie with Miami and Indiana for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. The sixth-place Hawks, who had won two straight after dropping seven in a row, trail Milwaukee by a game.
Rajon Rondo had a season-high 25 points and added 11 rebounds. Denzel Valentine scored 13 points as the Bulls stopped a seven-game losing streak to Atlanta.
Dennis Schroder led the Hawks with 29 points while Hardaway scored 20.
CLIPPERS 115, LAKERS 104
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Blake Griffin scored 36 points, Chris Paul added 29 and the Clippers beat the Lakers, giving coach Doc Rivers his 800th career victory.
J.J. Redick added 19 points for the Clippers, who moved within a game of the idle Jazz for the No. 4 playoff seed in the West. The Clippers have won three in a row and seven of nine.
The series between the Staples Center co-tenants has been dominated by the Clippers of late. They’ve won 18 of 20 since the start of the 2012-13 season.
Rookie David Nwaba scored 19 points and Brandon Ingram had 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter for the Lakers. They have lost 18 of 20 since the All-Star break. D’Angelo Russell, the team’s leading scorer at 15.7 points, had two points on 1-of-9 shooting while missing six 3-point attempts.
TRAIL BLAZERS 130, SUNS 117
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Damian Lillard scored 31 points and Portland continued its late-season push for the playoffs with a sixth straight victory, beating Phoenix.
CJ McCollum added 29 points for Portland, which holds the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Blazers (38-38) led by as many as 25 points and got back to .500 for the first time since they were 12-12 on Dec. 9.
Devin Booker had 31 for the Suns, who lost their 11th straight for the fifth-longest losing streak in franchise history. The Suns were just ahead of the Lakers at the bottom of the Western Conference.
The Blazers were playing their first game without Jusuf Nurkic since announcing that he had a fractured right leg and will miss the rest of the regular season.
NETS 121, MAGIC 111
NEW YORK (AP) – Brook Lopez scored 30 points, Trevor Booker had a season-high 23 and Brooklyn beat Orlando.
Sean Kilpatrick added 15 points for the Nets, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Brooklyn had a season-high 72 points in the paint.
Elfrid Payton had 20 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds for his fifth triple-double of the season for Orlando, which has lost four straight games. Nikola Vucevic had 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Aaron Gordon finished with 22 points and 15 boards.
Brooklyn opened the fourth quarter on an 11-0 run to take a 100-89 lead and never looked back.
KINGS 123, TIMBERWOLVES 117
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Buddy Hield tied a career high with 22 points, going 4 of 6 from 3-point range, and Sacramento got 66 points from its bench in a victory over Minnesota.
Reserve point guard Ty Lawson had 21 points and 11 assists. Langston Galloway added 17 points and Aaron Afflalo scored 16 off the bench as the Kings recovered after losing by 28 points a night earlier at New Orleans against former Sacramento star DeMarcus Cousins.
Playing its fifth game in seven nights, Sacramento shot a season-high 56.4 percent to win for the sixth time in 15 games since trading Cousins on Feb. 21.
Andrew Wiggins scored 32 points for Minnesota, which had won five of its previous six homes games. A game after scoring a career-high 33 points, Ricky Rubio had 11 points on just 1-of-10 shooting, and added 13 assists.
Butler scored the Bulls’ final nine points. His free throws gave the Bulls a two-point lead and capped a 15-4 run.
Tim Hardaway Jr. then missed a 3-pointer for Atlanta as time expired, giving the Bulls their third straight win. That put them in a tie with Miami and Indiana for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. The sixth-place Hawks, who had won two straight after dropping seven in a row, trail Milwaukee by a game.
Rajon Rondo had a season-high 25 points and added 11 rebounds. Denzel Valentine scored 13 points as the Bulls stopped a seven-game losing streak to Atlanta.
Dennis Schroder led the Hawks with 29 points while Hardaway scored 20.
CLIPPERS 115, LAKERS 104
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Blake Griffin scored 36 points, Chris Paul added 29 and the Clippers beat the Lakers, giving coach Doc Rivers his 800th career victory.
J.J. Redick added 19 points for the Clippers, who moved within a game of the idle Jazz for the No. 4 playoff seed in the West. The Clippers have won three in a row and seven of nine.
The series between the Staples Center co-tenants has been dominated by the Clippers of late. They’ve won 18 of 20 since the start of the 2012-13 season.
Rookie David Nwaba scored 19 points and Brandon Ingram had 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter for the Lakers. They have lost 18 of 20 since the All-Star break. D’Angelo Russell, the team’s leading scorer at 15.7 points, had two points on 1-of-9 shooting while missing six 3-point attempts.
TRAIL BLAZERS 130, SUNS 117
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Damian Lillard scored 31 points and Portland continued its late-season push for the playoffs with a sixth straight victory, beating Phoenix.
CJ McCollum added 29 points for Portland, which holds the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Blazers (38-38) led by as many as 25 points and got back to .500 for the first time since they were 12-12 on Dec. 9.
Devin Booker had 31 for the Suns, who lost their 11th straight for the fifth-longest losing streak in franchise history. The Suns were just ahead of the Lakers at the bottom of the Western Conference.
The Blazers were playing their first game without Jusuf Nurkic since announcing that he had a fractured right leg and will miss the rest of the regular season.
NETS 121, MAGIC 111
NEW YORK (AP) – Brook Lopez scored 30 points, Trevor Booker had a season-high 23 and Brooklyn beat Orlando.
Sean Kilpatrick added 15 points for the Nets, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Brooklyn had a season-high 72 points in the paint.
Elfrid Payton had 20 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds for his fifth triple-double of the season for Orlando, which has lost four straight games. Nikola Vucevic had 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Aaron Gordon finished with 22 points and 15 boards.
Brooklyn opened the fourth quarter on an 11-0 run to take a 100-89 lead and never looked back.
KINGS 123, TIMBERWOLVES 117
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Buddy Hield tied a career high with 22 points, going 4 of 6 from 3-point range, and Sacramento got 66 points from its bench in a victory over Minnesota.
Reserve point guard Ty Lawson had 21 points and 11 assists. Langston Galloway added 17 points and Aaron Afflalo scored 16 off the bench as the Kings recovered after losing by 28 points a night earlier at New Orleans against former Sacramento star DeMarcus Cousins.
Playing its fifth game in seven nights, Sacramento shot a season-high 56.4 percent to win for the sixth time in 15 games since trading Cousins on Feb. 21.
Andrew Wiggins scored 32 points for Minnesota, which had won five of its previous six homes games. A game after scoring a career-high 33 points, Ricky Rubio had 11 points on just 1-of-10 shooting, and added 13 assists.
Saturday, April 1, 2017
NBA Capsules (April 1, 2017)
CLEVELAND (AP) LeBron James scored 34 points, Kyrie Irving dropped 24 and the Cleveland Cavaliers ended a turbulent and troublesome March with an easy 122-105 win over the injury-weakened Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
James made 14 of 22 shots in 30 minutes as the Cavs ended a three-game losing streak and won for just the third time in eight games to end the month 7-10.
It’s been an alarming stretch for the NBA champions, who are running out of time to get tuned up for the postseason. But against the lowly Sixers, Cleveland regained some of its swagger before heading into April when the real fun begins.
Kevin Love added 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Cavs won their ninth straight over the Sixers.
Richaun Holmes and rookie Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot scored 19 apiece for Philadelphia, which only dressed nine players after shutting down Jahlil Okafor and Robert Covington for the remainder of the season with knee injuries.
CELTICS 117, MAGIC 116
BOSTON (AP) – Isaiah Thomas scored 35 points, Jae Crowder had 18 and the Boston Celtics rallied to beat the Orlando Magic to maintain their slim lead over Cleveland atop the Eastern Conference.
Boston’s Al Horford made two free throws with 1:22 left for a one-point lead, and then Orlando missed three shots down the stretch, including a driving layup attempt by Elfrid Payton with two seconds left.
The Celtics (49-27) entered with a half-game lead over the Cavaliers, who won easily against Philadelphia to preserve that margin.
Horford and Jaylen Brown each scored 12 points, and Boston won for the fifth time in six games.
Aaron Gordon scored 20 of his 32 points in the first half and had 16 rebounds, while Evan Fournier scored 20 points for the Magic. Payton dished out a career-high 15 assists and flirted with a triple-double, getting 12 points and nine rebounds.
WARRIORS 107, ROCKETS 98
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Stephen Curry scored 24 points, Klay Thompson had 20 and the Golden State Warriors got key plays down the stretch from just about everybody, using a big fourth quarter to hold off the Houston Rockets.
Andre Iguodala’s left-handed drive and layup tied it with 7:07 remaining and he finished with 14 points, five rebounds and five assists. Ian Clark hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 5:58 to play before Matt Barnes delivered a clutch basket in a game with a playoff feel.
James Harden had another tough shooting night for Houston, held to 17 points while going 4 for 18 from the floor and 2 of 9 from beyond the arc. He also had 12 rebounds and eight assists.
JaVale McGee contributed 13 points and a season-best five blocked shots off the bench in a 10th straight win for the Warriors, who are determined to earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
PELICANS 117, KINGS 89
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – DeMarcus Cousins had 37 points and 13 rebounds in his first game against the Kings, and the New Orleans Pelicans routed Sacramento.
Cousins had downplayed his first meeting with the team that drafted him in 2010 and traded him away this February, but his play looked inspired. He tied a career-high with five 3-pointers and executed a tricky, crowd-pleasing, cross-court bounce pass during a fast break.
Anthony Davis added 19 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks for the Pelicans, who led by as many as 32 en route to their eighth victory in 11 games. Pelicans first-round draft choice Buddy Hield, who was part of the Cousins trade, had 13 points for Sacramento, while Ben McLemore had 15 points.
Cousins, who also finished with four assists and two blocked shots, received a standing ovation from many fans when he checked out of the game for the final time with a little more than three minutes left.
SPURS 100, THUNDER 95
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points, and the San Antonio Spurs rallied from 21 points down in the third quarter to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Spurs never led until the final minute. LaMarcus Aldridge’s dunk with 20.7 seconds left put the Spurs up 96-95. Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook drove to the hoop, but Aldridge blocked his shot. Leonard then drove the length of the floor, scored and was fouled. His free throw with 5.8 seconds left put the game out of reach.
Westbrook had 32 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists for his 39th triple-double of the season. He needs two more to tie Oscar Robertson’s single-season record of 41 set during the 1961-62 season.
Pau Gasol scored 17 points for San Antonio, which was coming off a 110-98 home loss to Golden State on Wednesday in which the Spurs blew a 22-point lead.
GRIZZLIES 99, MAVERICKS 90
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Mike Conley scored 28 points, Zach Randolph added 22 points and 12 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies clinched a playoff spot with a 99-90 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Memphis’ win, coupled with Denver’s loss at Charlotte earlier Friday night, earned the Grizzlies their seventh straight postseason berth.
But Memphis had to weather a 3-point shooting rally in the closing minutes. Dallas made six of its first nine 3-point attempts in the final frame, a jumper by Wesley Matthews cutting Memphis’ advantage to 94-90 with just over a minute left. But Dallas could get no closer, dropping its fourth straight.
Troy Daniels finished with 21 points for Memphis, shooting 7 of 12 from outside the arc.
Six Mavericks finished in double figures, led by 13 points each from Dirk Nowitzki, Matthews and J.J. Barea. Matthews also had seven assists, and Nowitzki grabbed 12 rebounds.
HORNETS 122, NUGGETS 114
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Kemba Walker had 31 points, and the Marco Belinelli and Frank Kaminsky took over in the fourth quarter as the Charlotte Hornets preserved their slim playoff hopes with a win over the Denver Nuggets.
The Hornets shot 17 for 26 on 3-pointers, including 7 for 12 in the fourth quarter.
Charlotte trailed by eight entering the fourth, but scored 12 straight points to take control. Walker ignited the run with a long 3-pointer and then scored on a drive and drew a foul. Kaminsky, who had 22 points, and Belinelli each had three 3s in the fourth quarter as Charlotte outscored Denver 36-20.
Nikola Jokic led Denver with 26 points and 13 rebounds.
RAPTORS 111, PACERS 100
TORONTO (AP) – DeMar DeRozan scored 40 points and the Toronto Raptors rolled to their seventh straight home win over the Indiana Pacers.
DeRozan was 11 of 26 from the floor to register his 30th game of 30 points or more this season, tying Vince Carter’s 2000-01 franchise mark. It was also DeRozan’s sixth 40-point game of the season.
Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and 17 rebounds for his team-leading 28th double-double, while Serge Ibaka added 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Paul George led the Pacers with 28 points, while Jeff Teague added 19, but they were unable to prevent Indiana from its fifth loss in its last six games.
The Pacers’ last regular-season win in Toronto came on March 1, 2013.
KNICKS 98, HEAT 94
MIAMI (AP) – Kristaps Porzingis scored 22 points, Courtney Lee added 20 and the New York Knicks led nearly the entire way in beating the Miami Heat.
Justin Holiday scored 12 for the Knicks, who played without Carmelo Anthony (back), Derrick Rose (knee) and Lance Thomas (hip). It was only the fourth win in the last 15 games for New York.
Goran Dragic scored 22 points and Hassan Whiteside had 17 points and 16 rebounds for Miami, which missed 15 of its final 16 attempts from 3-point range. Even with the loss, Miami (37-39) held onto the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference standings because No. 8 Indiana (37-39) also lost. The Heat and Pacers are just a half-game ahead of No. 9 Chicago.
BUCKS 108, PISTONS 105, OT
MILWAUKEE (AP) – Khris Middleton hit a 3-pointer with 40.7 seconds left in overtime, rookie Thon Maker scored a career-high 23 points and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Detroit Pistons.
Middleton hit the 3 from the right wing after Maker tipped an offensive rebound right back to his teammate to save a crucial possession that started with a Middleton miss from nearly the same spot behind the arc.
It was a thrilling end to the month for the Bucks, who moved into fifth place in the Eastern Conference after going 14-4 in March.
Tobias Harris scored 23 points to lead the Pistons in a game of wild of swings. Detroit trailed by 18 in the first quarter, then led by 10 in the fourth quarter before the Bucks finished with a flourish.
JAZZ 95, WIZARDS 88
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Gordon Hayward scored 19 points and the Utah Jazz beat the Washington Wizards.
The teams traded baskets throughout the fourth quarter. There were six ties, and neither team led by more than four until the final 33 seconds. Hayward got hot late after struggling much of the night and led an 11-4 run that gave the Jazz an 85-80 edge. Washington never led again, and Bradley Beal’s turnover with 35 seconds left allowed Utah to close out the game from the free-throw line.
Hayward scored 10 points in the fourth quarter and also had seven rebounds and four assists for the night.
Beal led Washington with 27 points.
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