NBA: Suns turn back Pelicans for 3-2 series lead

Western Conference top seeds Phoenix returned to winning ways with an emphatic 112-97 win over New Orleans in Arizona to take a 3-2 series lead.

Mikal Bridges led the way for Phoenix with 31 points and five rebounds while Chris Paul added 22 points with 11 assists.

"Hell of a win tonight," Bridges said. "We stayed together to get the win, now we've got to go and get another one."

The win marked a return to form for Phoenix, who had been erratic over the opening four games of the series against the eighth-seeded Pelicans.

"They've been playing harder than us so we knew we'd have to come out tonight and play harder than them," Bridges said.

Game six in the series takes place in New Orleans on Thursday.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Chris Paul hits scoring milestone as Suns dump Lakers

A historic night for Chris Paul was marred by two incidents, one an altercation between Lakers teammates Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard, during the visiting Phoenix Suns' 115-105 triumph over Los Angeles on Friday night.

In a game matching two teams that had lost at home in their season openers, Paul led the Phoenix bounce-back effort with 23 points and a game-high 14 assists.

His most significant tally came on a free throw in the second quarter that not only produced the 20,000th point of his career but also made him the first in NBA history to achieve both that milestone and 10,000 assists.

Paul became the 47th player to reach 20,000 points. He ranks fifth all time in assists.

As the Suns were en route to a 57-44 halftime advantage, Davis confronted Howard at the Lakers' bench during a Phoenix timeout a few minutes after the veteran big man had committed a hard foul on Paul and subsequently mishandled an alley-oop pass.

Howard didn't back down and was nearly pushed through the bench as fans in the pricey first row scattered.

After getting nine minutes of playing time in the first two periods, Howard only left the bench in the second half to serve as a cheerleader. He wore a white sleeveless undershirt over his jersey top.

In a game that also featured five technical fouls, Rajon Rondo had a run-in with a fan in the third quarter when the Lakers guard was pointing at the man following a soft drink having been thrown or spilled on the sidelines. The man slapped Rondo's hand away, then was quickly escorted away by security guards.

Phoenix's Devin Booker backed Paul with 22 points, while Mikal Bridges added 21 and Jae Crowder 13. Deandre Ayton pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds to complement eight points.

LeBron James finished with 25 points and Davis 22 to go with a team-high 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who trailed by as many as 32 points before getting as close as 107-95 on an Austin Reeves 3-pointer with 1:51 to play.

Crowder then countered with a 3-pointer and the Suns, who had fallen to the Denver Nuggets in their opener, kept the Lakers at arm's length the rest of the way.

After a lackluster Lakers debut in a loss to Golden State on Tuesday, Russell Westbrook nearly registered a triple-double, finishing with 15 points, 11 rebounds and a team-high nine assists. Carmelo Anthony added 16 points off the Los Angeles bench.

-reuters-

NBA: Suns will 'build a wall' to stop Antetokounmpo, says Chris Paul

Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul said on Tuesday his team will try to "build a wall" in front of dominant Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in their bid to secure the franchise's first NBA championship.

Phoenix leads the best-of-seven NBA Finals 2-1. But the series appears far from over as Antetokounmpo has been nothing short of unstoppable since Milwaukee lost the opening game, and has proven to be too much for the Suns to contain.

Over the last two games the "Greek Freak," as he's been nicknamed, has become only the second player in history with back-to-back 40-point, 10-rebound games in the NBA Finals. That puts him in elite company with Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal.

"We're going to keep trying to build a wall," Paul said ahead of Wednesday's Game Four in Milwaukee.

"He's coming full speed every play, like a (NFL) running back coming downhill. Coach has a saying, we just say we try to get in his way. But he's able to do that because he's surrounded by some really good players too."

Antetokounmpo's interior dominance has breathed new life into an NBA Finals that initially appeared headed for a quick finish after Phoenix won the first two games of the series.

The two-times NBA Most Valuable Player's work in the paint has led some to compare him to Lakers great O'Neal.

"Regardless of how he scores, he does it. You know what I mean? He comes down there, he dunks, he dunks some more and he shoots a layup," said Paul.

"We have to try to figure out a way to slow him down... I don't care what the stat sheet looks like after the game. Win the game."

Antetokounmpo, who returned to action for the NBA Finals after missing two games of the Eastern Conference finals with a hyperextended left knee, has shown no ill effects of the injury and says he feels great.

While Milwaukee is raring to go, Antetokounmpo said the Bucks will enjoy a full two days off between Sunday's Game Three, which they won handily, and Wednesday's clash.

"It's good for us mentally and physically and for me also," said Antetokounmpo during a break in practice on Tuesday.

"I always like to have a little bit more time in between the games so I can get a little bit more rest and recover a little bit better and be able to go and play hard."

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Dan Grebler)

-reuters-

NBA Finals: Statement home win as Giannis, Bucks dominate in Game 3

MILWAUKEE—Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 41 points with 13 rebounds and the Milwaukee Bucks claimed Game 3 of the NBA Finals in dominant fashion with a 120-100 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night.

Coming home also appeared to bring Antetokounmpo sidekick Khris Middleton and point guard Jrue Holiday new life. Middleton had 15 first-half points and Holiday connected for four 3-pointers in an explosive third quarter as the Bucks pushed their 15-point halftime lead to 22.

Holiday had 21 points and Middleton added 18.

Phoenix fell behind in the second quarter and never recovered with top scorer Devin Booker unable to find his stroke in a 3-of-14 shooting night that shifts the momentum of the best-of-seven series.

Milwaukee ate in the paint, shredding the Suns' small-ball lineup as DeAndre Ayton sat idle due to foul trouble. The Bucks, who had 54 points in the paint in Game 2, matched that number in Game 3.

Threes started to fall for the Suns in the third after Phoenix missed 12 of 14 treys in the first half, but Booker never found a rhythm.

The Suns scored 118 points in each of the first two games to build a 2-0 series lead but shot 29 percent from deep in Game 3 thanks largely to Jae Crowder's 6-of-7 night.

Cam Johnson came off the bench to help keep Phoenix in the game in the third before Antetokounmpo completed a three-point play and found Pat Connaughton for a 3 to end the third. Johnson's emphatic, and-one poster dunk over P.J. Tucker had cut the lead to 10, and his reverse layup on the next possession made it an eight-point game just four minutes earlier. 

Booker did not play in the fourth quarter. Paul left the game for good with the Suns down 23 with 5:02 left in the game. He had a team-high 19 points and nine assists, scooting past Scottie Pippen on the all-time playoffs assist list.

The Bucks led 60-45 at halftime on the legs of a 21-7 run closing out the second quarter, largely with Ayton on the bench. He went back to the pine with 10:24 left in the third after his fourth foul.

Ayton started the game on fire with 16 points in the first 14 minutes but finished with 18.

He had 42 points and 12 rebounds in a Game 2 loss. 

Booker missed nine of his 11 shot attempts in the first half with the Bucks keeping bodies nearby.

-reuters-

NBA: Chris Paul to return for Suns, not Clippers' Kawhi Leonard

While the Phoenix Suns' Chris Paul is expected to make his series debut in Thursday's Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, the Los Angeles Clippers' Kawhi Leonard will remain unavailable.

The Suns, who won the first two games of the series on their home court, listed Paul as probable, after he entered the NBA's health and safety protocols last week. Paul tested positive for COVID-19 despite reportedly being vaccinated.

The Clippers officially ruled out Leonard, described variously as a right knee sprain and a sprained ACL, and ESPN reported that the team isn't sure Leonard will play at all in the series.

The 36-year-old Paul, a 10-time All-NBA guard, was stellar in the Suns' four-game sweep of the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals before testing positive. He shot 62.7 percent from the field to average 25.5 points per game, along with 10.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds.

Leonard hasn't played since Game 4 of the conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz. The Clippers eliminated the Jazz in six games.

In 11 games played this postseason, he is averaging 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists.

-Field Level Media-

NBA: Devin Booker leads Suns to blowout win, 3-2 lead over Lakers

Devin Booker recorded 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists to help the host Phoenix Suns steamroll the Los Angeles Lakers 115-85 on Tuesday night and take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference first-round series.

Cameron Payne added 16 points off the bench and the Suns led by as many as 36 points while notching their second consecutive win in the seven-game series.

LeBron James registered 24 points, seven assists and five rebounds for the Lakers, who played without Anthony Davis (groin).

Game 6 is Thursday night at Los Angeles.

Chris Paul of the Suns reinjured his right shoulder while battling for rebounding position with 6:47 left in the third quarter and didn't return. He was officially ruled out early in the fourth quarter due to a contusion.

Paul had nine points, six assists and four rebounds in 23 minutes on a night in which Phoenix tallied 29 assists and committed just four turnovers. Los Angeles had 16 turnovers.

The Suns' domination included a 30-point halftime lead that was the largest in franchise playoff history, while it marked Los Angeles' second-largest halftime playoff deficit. The Lakers trailed the Portland Trail Blazers 75-41 in a first-round playoff game on April 23, 1992.

Mikal Bridges tallied 13 points for Phoenix, which shot 45.7 percent from the field and made 14 of 42 from 3-point range.

Kyle Kuzma added 15 points for the Lakers, who connected on 34.5 percent of their shots, including 12 of 35 from behind the arc.

The Lakers led 10-5 in the opening minutes before Phoenix scored the next 16 points to take the lead for good.

Booker scored 18 points in the opening stanza as the Suns held a 34-26 lead entering the second period.

Phoenix began the second quarter with a 16-1 burst, opening up a 50-27 lead on Paul's basket with 6:37 left.

Deandre Ayton's basket with 48 seconds remaining gave the Suns a 66-36 halftime lead. Phoenix outscored Los Angeles 32-10 in the stanza.

The Suns increased the lead to 36 points on Booker's basket with 7:30 left in the third quarter, shortly before Paul was reinjured. But the loss of its floor leader didn't bother Phoenix as it continued to lead comfortably while finishing off the rout.

Los Angeles' Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (knee) played 15 scoreless minutes before leaving. He missed Game 4 due to the injury.

-reuters-

NBA: Thunder pulls away for win over Trail Blazers

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 21 points and nine rebounds and Dennis Schroder also scored 21 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder posted a stunning 108-96 victory over the host Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.

Chris Paul added 20 points and Nerlens Noel had 13 points and 12 rebounds as the Thunder won for the fifth time in the past seven games. Danilo Gallinari had 12 points for Oklahoma City.

Damian Lillard scored 26 points but was a woeful 8 of 24 from the field, including 2 of 12 from 3-point range. CJ McCollum added 20 points and Hassan Whiteside recorded 14 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shot for Portland, which has lost three of its last four games.

The Trail Blazers were just 7 of 24 from the field in the fourth quarter while being outscored 26-18.

Overall, Portland shot just 36 percent from the field and was 9 of 33 from behind the arc.

The Thunder shot 41.2 percent from the field, including 11 of 32 from 3-point range.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored five straight on a 3-pointer and a driving hoop to give Oklahoma City a 100-89 lead with 3:13 remaining.

McCollum drove for a layup with 2:31 left but Steven Adams made two free throws and Gilgeous-Alexander hit three of four as the Thunder increased the lead to 105-91 with 1:28 left. Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts then cleared his bench.

Oklahoma City led by 11 points early in the third quarter before Portland used an 11-2 burst to move within 62-60.

A short time later, Lillard made all three free throws after being fouled while shooting from behind the arc to give the Trail Blazers a 66-65 edge with 5:24 remaining. Lillard scored 16 points in the quarter.

The Thunder received a three-point play from Noel with 19.3 seconds remaining to take an 82-78 lead into the final stanza.

Paul scored 16 first-half points as the Thunder led, 55-47, at the break.

Schroder tallied 11 points during a 16-2 burst that saw Oklahoma City take a 49-31 advantage with 4:43 left.

The Trail Blazers responded with their own 16-2 surge to move within four points before the Thunder scored the final four points of the half.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Harden, Paul do number on Kings in Rockets' 4th straight win

James Harden and Chris Paul combined for 58 points and 17 assists while Clint Capela recorded a double-double as the host Houston Rockets continued their torrid play with a 132-112 win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday.

Harden finished with 34 points and eight assists, while Paul made 6 of 8 from 3-point range and had 24 points and nine assists as the Rockets won their fourth straight and their seventh in their last nine games.

Houston seized control with a 20-5 run that bridged the opening two periods and rolled from there, drilling 20 from behind the arc while taking advantage of a Kings defense that offered little resistance.

Capela provided balance to the Rockets' perimeter marksmanship, posting 23 points on 11-of-14 shooting, plus 16 rebounds. Capela was a force throughout and thoroughly outplayed Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein, who paired three points with five boards while missing 8 of 9 shots.

Kings guard and Houston native De'Aaron Fox scored 19 points, while his backcourt mate Buddy Hield had 23 points and seven rebounds, five on the offensive end. Rookie Marvin Bagley III scored 16 points off the bench, while Bogdan Bogdanovic had 14 in reserve, all in the first half.

The Kings have dropped five of seven games following their surprising 6-3 start to the season.

Paul was instrumental during the Rockets' run to the lead, nailing a 3-pointer with just over two minutes left in the first quarter for a 28-27 lead and beating the buzzer with another trey that pushed the advantage to seven entering the second.

Paul opened the second quarter with a three-point play before Eric Gordon stroked back-to-back 3s that pushed the lead to 45-32.

The Kings faced an uphill battle from there, and despite their hastened pace, failed to put much of a dent into the deficit. For a spell, Sacramento made progress on the offensive glass, but the Rockets excelled in transition (16 fast-break points in the first half) and stayed hot from deep.

The Rockets, who recently logged four consecutive games without scoring 100 points, led 109-86 entering the final quarter on 60.9 percent shooting, including 16 of 34 from behind the arc.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Harden heats up late as Rockets hold off Nuggets

James Harden scored 19 of his 22 points in the second half and also had 11 assists, and the Houston Rockets beat the host Denver Nuggets, 109-99, on Tuesday night.

Clint Capela had 24 points and nine rebounds and Chris Paul had 21 for the Rockets. Houston has won two straight amid a roster shakeup.

The Rockets were playing their third game without Carmelo Anthony, who is expected to be released by the organization. Anthony averaged 13.4 points in 10 games with Houston but the team and the forward decided to amicably end their partnership early into the season.

Monte Morris led Denver with 19 points, Jamal Murray and Gary Harris scored 15 each and Nikola Jokic had 14 points and 12 rebounds. The Nuggets have lost four in a row and eight straight to Houston.

Denver took a 55-54 lead at halftime with a strong first half by Morris off the bench. The guard had 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, but the Rockets grabbed the lead with a big third quarter.

After Jokic's putback cut Houston's lead to 71-70, Capela converted a three-point play, Harden had two free throws and a 3-pointer and Capela hit a layup to give the Rockets an 81-74 lead.

Eric Gordon capped the 15-6 run to end the period with a layup that made it 86-76 heading into the fourth.

Denver was able to get within 89-85 early in the fourth and then 93-89 on Murray's jumper before Harden took over.

He started with two free throws, drove through the defense for a pair of layups and then pulled up for a 25-foot 3-pointer to give Houston a 102-91 lead.

He also drew an offensive foul on Paul Millsap when the Nuggets were trying to get back into the game.

The Nuggets brought back Jokic but he had a shot blocked by Harden.

Harden then hit a layup and finished the night with an assist to Capela on a dunk that gave Houston a 15-point lead with 3:10 left.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Lakers' Ingram on suspension: 'Better than we expected'

Los Angeles Lakers guard Brandon Ingram expected a worse penalty than the four-game suspension he reserved for igniting a brawl against the Houston Rockets.

Ingram, 21, spoke Monday for the first time since Saturday's melee, which began with his hard foul and shouting match against Rockets guard James Harden. 

Lakers guard Rajon Rondo and Rockets guard Chris Paul squared off, with video showing Rondo spitting in Paul's face. Ingram then jumped into the fray with a wild punch.

Ingram and Rondo will serve the first game of their suspensions Monday at home against the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers will remain short-handed for their following contests against the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets and a rematch with the Spurs on the road.

Ingram was banned for four games without pay, Rondo three games without pay and Paul two games without pay.

"Well, it was better than we expected," Ingram told reporters in comments published by ESPN. "I'm happy it's only four but I know I got to control my emotions a little better."

Rondo stayed tight-lipped when asked about the incident.

"It's best for me not to talk about the situation," Rondo said. "It is what it is. You guys see I have three games. I look forward to getting back and helping my team this weekend."

Rondo opted not to address his teammates about the sequence.

"Everyone knows who I am, my team," Rondo said. "And I think they still respect me for what I do and what I bring to this team."

Ingram said he did not regret standing up for his teammates.

"It's my full responsibility," Ingram said. "I think I'm the one that caused action and I'm going to take full responsibility for every action that I did. A hundred percent that I was wrong for my teammates, but I also stepped up for my teammates, and that is what I'm going to do 10 times out of 10."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Rockets officially re-sign Chris Paul to four-year deal

The Houston Rockets officially announced the re-signing of guard Chris Paul to a four-year deal on Sunday.

Terms of the deal were not specified, but the contract was reported last week to be worth $160 million.

Paul, 33, joined the Rockets last season via a sign-and-trade with the Los Angeles Clippers and helped Houston surge to the best record in the NBA's regular season at 65-17.

He averaged 18.6 points, 7.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game, the latter his highest mark since 2008-09, and shot 38.0 percent from 3-point range.

Houston lost to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors in seven games in the Western Conference finals after Paul missed the final two games due to a hamstring injury.

He was hurt in the waning moments of Game 5, which the Rockets won to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series, but missed Games 6 and 7, both won by the Warriors.

The 13-year veteran, who spent six years each in New Orleans and with the Clippers, has career averages of 18.7 points, 9.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 35.3 minutes per game.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Rockets' Paul to stay put with four-year max contract

Chris Paul tweeted that he has "unfinished business" in Houston.

The star point guard is poised to sign a four-year, $160 million max contract to stay with the Rockets, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported at the stroke of midnight ET on Saturday night, as the NBA free agent period began.

With Paul running the offense, the Rockets surged to the best record in the NBA's regular season at 65-17, but Houston lost to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors in seven games in the Western Conference finals.

Paul sustained a hamstring injury in the waning moments of Game 5, which the Rockets won to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series, but he missed the final two games, both won by the Warriors.

The 13-year veteran, who just finished his first season in Houston after spending six years each in New Orleans and with the Los Angeles Clippers, has career averages of 18.7 points, 9.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 35.3 minutes per game.

The Rockets also will bring back swingman Gerald Green on a one-year minimum salary contract worth $2.4 million, according to multiple reports Sunday.

Green, 32, made $1.4 million last season after joining the Rockets in December, two months after he was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks. 

He averaged 12.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in 22.7 minutes per game across 41 games (two starts) with the Rockets.

Departing Houston is another swingman, starter Trevor Ariza, who will join the Phoenix Suns on a $15 million, one-year deal, according to multiple reports Sunday.

Ariza, who turned 33 on Saturday, made $7.4 million last year, his fourth season of his second stint with the team. 

He averaged 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in 67 contests while often defending opposing teams' top-scoring wing.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Rockets PG Paul to miss Game 6 with hamstring strain

The Houston Rockets announced Friday that point guard Chris Paul will miss Game 6 of the Western Conference finals on Saturday with a strained right hamstring.

Paul is scheduled to be re-evaluated when the team returns to Houston. The only question now is if the Rockets will return home as Western Conference champs, or with a Game 7 against Golden State on deck.

On Friday, James Harden said he and Paul stayed together and "just talking and chopping it up, laughing and talking about life. We're not here to be down and moping around and sad. We'll be good."

Head coach Mike D'Antoni said Eric Gordon would be called upon to fill more of a playmaking role with Paul out.

Paul left in the final 30 seconds of the Rockets' 98-94 victory in Houston on Thursday night and received treatment on the hamstring after the game.

Paul was in good spirits on Friday, laughing and smiling as he entered the team's shootaround.

According to The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears, Paul said "I will be all right" as he left the arena. When he was asked about his readiness for Game 6, Paul reportedly said, "Oh, yeah."

A source told ESPN on Friday that the status of Paul's hamstring was "not good."

The Rockets lead the best-of-seven series with the Warriors 3-2. Paul, a nine-time All-Star, has never been to an NBA Finals in his 13 seasons.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Even without Harden, Rockets blast Bulls by 32

Eric Gordon scored 31 points and his backcourt mate Chris Paul added a double-double as the Houston Rockets rolled to a 118-86 road victory over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday at Toyota Center.

Playing without All-Star guard James Harden and center Clint Capela, both of whom got the night off to rest, the Rockets nonetheless found little resistance en route to their 10th consecutive victory.

This marks the Rockets' third double-digit winning streak on the season, and Houston has won 27 of its last 28 games.

The Rockets swept the season series from the lottery-bound Bulls and have won four consecutive games against Chicago for the first time in nearly five years.

Houston extended its home-court winning streak to 18 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in team history.

Paul chipped in 13 points and 10 assists in his first action after missing three games with a hamstring injury. Paul, Gordon and Trevor Ariza drilled two 3-pointers each in the first quarter to get the Rockets going, with Houston trailing briefly 2-0 before taking charge early, leading 31-23 after one quarter.

Houston turned the modest lead into a runaway down the stretch of the first half, reeling off an 11-0 run that concluded with the first of four consecutive Gordon 3s.

The Rockets led 51-32 before Justin Holiday ended that run with a trey, only for Gordon to convert thrice more from behind the arc, including a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left for a 60-39 halftime lead.

By the 5:07 mark of the third Houston led 83-43, with reserve center Nene providing Houston that 40-point margin with a spinning post move. Nene opened the half with a dunk before Ariza (21 points) and Paul followed with 3s. Ariza added a three-point play prior to the Nene layup.

The Rockets attempted more 3-pointers than 2s (36), shooting 18 for 57 from deep.

Rookie Lauri Markkanen paced the Bulls with 22 points, 14 of which came in the first quarter. Denzel Valentine and Sean Kilpatrick each had 12 points off the bench for Chicago, which has lost six consecutive games.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Harden and Paul carry Rockets past Heat

James Harden and Chris Paul controlled the action late, and the Houston Rockets turned stifling defense down the stretch into a 99-90 win over the Miami Heat on Monday at Toyota Center.

Harden drilled a 3-pointer with just over three minutes remaining to snap an 88-88 tie and added a step-back baseline jumper less than a minute later to help Houston reclaim its three-point lead.

With 38.8 seconds remaining, Paul nailed a midrange jumper over Josh Richardson to seal the win, with Houston erasing a 14-point deficit to sweep its three-game homestand.

Harden finished with 28 points and five assists while Paul scored half of his 16 points in the fourth quarter. Paul added six rebounds and six assists plus three steals to carry Houston home.

Eric Gordon scored 16 points off the bench for Houston but finished 0-for-7 on 3s after going 0-for-9 in a win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. The Rockets have won six of seven.

Hassan Whiteside paced the Heat with 22 points, 13 rebounds and three steals. But with 28 seconds left and the Rockets leading by five, Whiteside had his second-chance shot attempt blocked by Harden, with Houston turning that defensive play into an easy transition basket.

Wayne Ellington added 13 points for Miami but missed 8 of 11 3-pointers. Richardson chipped in 12 points while James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk tallied 10 points apiece for the Heat.

After a scorching start, Miami shot just 39.3 percent (24 of 61) following its 33-point first quarter. The Heat dominated in the paint with a 56-34 edge on interior points but missed 23 of 30 3s.

Brilliant execution set the table for Miami to surge to a 26-12 lead in the first quarter, with the Heat recording seven assists on nine baskets while Whiteside dominated his matchup with Rockets center Clint Capela.

Whiteside was 6-for-6 before Capela gave way to Nene.

Offensively, Harden scored nine consecutive points to get Houston back into contention.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Lakers down undermanned Clippers

The Los Angeles Lakers took advantage of the Los Angeles Clippers' injury woes as they claimed a 111-102 victory over their neighbors in the final game of the NBA's 2016 Christmas Day schedule.

With Chris Paul and Blake Griffin out due to various injuries, the Lakers were able to snap an 11-game losing streak against the Clippers and improve to 12-22 in the season. The win also ended their four-game slide.

All five starters scored in double digits for the Lakers, with Nick Young and Timofey Mozgov each tallying 19 points. Luol Deng had a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Julius Randle flashed his all-around game with 13 points, seven boards, and eight assists.

After trailing by three points, 55-58, at the half, the Lakers used an 11-0 run to open the third quarter to seize control of the game. They wound up outscoring the Clippers, 34-16, in the frame to take an 89-74 lead heading into the final quarter.

The Clippers opened the fourth frame with 11 unanswered points of their own to come to within four, 85-89, with nine minutes left to play, but free throws by Deng and Lou Williams, as well as lay-up by Jordan Clarkson afforded the Lakers some breathing room.

The Lakers restored a double-digit lead when Williams got inside the paint for a lay-up with 3:40 left to make it 103-92, and the Lakers cruised from there.

JJ Redick led the Clippers with 22 points, making four of his seven triples, but had to sit out the final frame due to a sore left hamstring. Jamal Crawford also had 22 points off the bench, while DeAndre Jordan had seven points, 10 rebounds, and six assists.

The Clippers now have a 27-5 win-loss record.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Clippers take down Spurs again, but lose Chris Paul to injury

Despite losing Chris Paul to a hamstring injury, the Los Angeles Clippers beat the San Antonio Spurs 106-101 at Staples Center on Thursday.

Paul suffered a strained left hamstring early in the third quarter and did not return. He finished with a team-high 19 points, six assists and seven rebounds in 23 minutes.

Without Paul, the Clippers received a boost from their bench. Marreese Speights had 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Raymond Felton added 13 points.

Jamal Crawford chipped in 11 points as the Clippers' reserves outscored the Spurs' bench 58-31.

Center DeAndre Jordan had 11 points and nine rebounds, and J.J. Redick also scored 11 for the Clippers (22-8), who beat the Spurs for the second time this season.

Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs (23-6) with 27 points and nine rebounds. Pau Gasol contributed 21 points and eight rebounds. Danny Green and LaMarcus Aldridge scored 10 apiece.

The Spurs lost for only the second time on the road and are 15-2 away from home.

The Spurs played without reserve Manu Ginobili after Spurs coach Gregg Popovich decided to rest the 39-year-old before the trip.

Before leaving, Paul passed Kevin Garnett (16th) for career steals with 1,859. Paul is one theft shy of moving pass Isiah Thomas for 15th place at 1,861.

Paul's problem added to the Clippers' injury woes. Forward Blake Griffin underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday and could be out for up to six weeks.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Paul, Griffin carry Clippers to win over Raptors

LOS ANGELES -- Another group effort boosted the Los Angeles Clippers.

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin scored 26 points apiece, and the Clippers held off the Toronto Raptors 123-115 Monday night at Staples Center.

Paul also had 12 assists as Los Angeles ended a four-game losing streak to the Raptors. The Clippers (13-2) own the best record in the NBA.

Griffin added seven rebounds and six assists. All five Los Angeles starters reached double figures, including DeAndre Jordan, who finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Jordan went 9 of 14 on free throws to top 1,000 made in his career -- on 2,383 attempts.

J.J. Redick had 20 points for the Clippers, while Jamal Crawford came off the bench to score 12.

"We've still got to be better," said Paul, who scored 16 points in the second half. "There were a lot of fouls down the stretch. We gave up a lot of buckets down the stretch, but all in all ... a win is a win."

Kyle Lowry had 27 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and DeMar DeRozan added 25 points and seven assists for the Raptors (8-6). Jonas Valanciunas chipped in 15 points and eight rebounds for Toronto, which fell for the fourth time in five games.

DeRozan said the Raptors' defense was their downfall.

"We let them catch rhythms and we're letting teams finish off quarters well," DeRozan said. "We let them score too many points in quarters. We have to have a conscious effort of trying to win every quarter on both ends of the floor. Things like that we have to limit."

The Raptors, who trailed by as much as 15, found a groove and closed within 100-96 after a 3-pointer with 5:54 left by Patrick Patterson, who had 14 points off the bench. However, the Clippers increased the deficit to double digits before Toronto made it a five-point game late. The Raptors were never able to overcome the Clippers, though.

"They made shots. They made some shots and we didn't get stops," said Lowry, who was 8 of 18 from the floor and 3 of 7 from behind the 3-point arc. "We didn't get defensive stops. Once you don't get defensive stops, it's kind of tough to get out on a run."

The Clippers used a third-quarter surge to take command briefly. After Lowry's 3-pointer cut the gap to 68-62 with 6:48 left in the quarter, the Clippers had a 13-3 spark for an 81-65 advantage after a free throw by Jordan with 3:34 remaining. However, an 8-2 Raptors run to close the period sliced the margin to 88-79 heading into the final quarter.

"We got some stops early in the beginning of the second half and got out in transition and got some easy buckets," Griffin said. "It's always nice to see the ball go through the hoop."

Three Redick foul shots to end the half gave the Clippers a 54-45 lead at the break. The Clippers used their 3-point shooting largely to gain an edge, converting 7 of 17 attempts (41.2 percent) to 2 of 8 (25 percent) for Toronto.

For the game, the Clippers hit 10 of 25 (40 percent) from long distance, while the Raptors were 8 of 19 (42.1 percent). Both teams shot well from the floor, with Los Angeles making 52.7 percent of its shots to 50 percent for Toronto.

"We know that every night we're going to get the other team's best shot," Paul said. "But for us, it's about us. We talk about that every night, going into every game, we know if we execute offensively and defensively like we're capable of, we control our own destiny."

Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll was given the night off to rest with the team on the second half of back-to-back games.

Clippers forward Wesley Johnson returned after missing the previous five games with a left heel contusion. Johnson failed to score in 12 minutes.

NOTES: Clippers coach Doc Rivers said the Raptors got a raw deal in their controversial loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. The officials waved off a score-tying shot by Toronto's Terrence Ross at the contest's end, ruling, after a lengthy review, that the game clock had expired. "I don't think you should be able to look at the clock and do that. That's awful," Rivers said. Raptors coach Dwane Casey, who was livid after the game, said he heard from league officials but refused to divulge any of the details. Casey added that the club's front office will handle any further discussions. ... Both clubs resume play Wednesday. The Raptors conclude their four-game journey at the Houston Rockets, while the Clippers open a six-game road trip Wednesday at the Dallas Mavericks.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Clippers drop Timberwolves, spoil Rubio return

LOS ANGELES -- Blake Griffin scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds on Saturday in a 119-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis that spoiled the return of guard Ricky Rubio.

Point guard Chris Paul had 19 points and eight assists for the Clippers. J.J. Redick added 18 points and Luc Mbah a Moute contributed a season-high 15 as half a dozen players scored in double figures for the Clippers, who improved to a league-best 9-1.

"That was good," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said of his team's quick start a night after their hard-fought victory over the Thunder in Oklahoma City. The Clippers made 15 of their first 22 shots and led 34-21 after the first quarter.

"I thought our starters came out and performed great. The defensive energy was great," Rivers said. "Luc -- there's nobody in the league right now (who is) a better defensive player than Luc."

He was especially pleased with how the Cameroonian forward teamed defensively with DeAndre Jordan, saying that with both of them on the floor "it makes our defense special."

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 24 points for Minnesota who welcomed Spanish guard Rubio back after he missed five games with a sprained right elbow.

Rubio produced seven points with six assists and six rebounds but the Timberwolves never led after the first quarter.

Griffin surpassed 9,000 career points in the game, the 420th of his NBA career.

Griffin became the fastest player to reach 9,000 points, 4,000 rebounds and 1,500 assists since Larry Bird accomplished the feat in 398 matches.

"He's a great scorer," Rivers said. "But he's such an unselfish scorer it makes our team better."

The Timberwolves face another Los Angeles test on Sunday when they host the Lakers, who powered past the Pelicans in New Orleans, 126-99, on Saturday.

Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points, D'Angelo Russell added 22 and Lou Williams contributed 21 as the Lakers won for the fifth time in six games.

Spurs shoot down Rockets

In Houston, scoring bursts from Kawhi Leonard and Manu Ginobili helped the Spurs to a 106-100 victory over the Rockets, who were playing just their second home game of the season after opening with seven of eight on the road.

Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge notched a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, point guard Tony Parker added 16 points and center Pau Gasol contributed 15.

Leonard started strong en route to 20 points total, keying an 18-4 scoring run in the first quarter that rattled the Rockets.

Ginobili finished with 12 points, eight of them in a vital third-quarter stretch after the Rockets had trimmed a 15-point deficit to 69-63 and the Spurs withstood James Harden's triple-double of 25 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists.

The Boston Celtics handed the Indiana Pacers their first home defeat of the season, 105-99 in Indianapolis.

Isaiah Thomas made just four of 13 shots from the field, but he came through when the Celtics really needed him, scoring 12 of his 23 points in the final five minutes.

"This is what the game is all about -- the fourth quarter," Celtics guard Avery Bradley said. "Isaiah did a lot for our team tonight, even though he was not shooting well. He created shots for other players and helped out by just penetrating and collapsing the defense."

The Pacers were without star Paul George, who sprained his left ankle in an overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday.

"It was frustrating, especially at home against a good team," George said of having to watch the Pacers' home win streak end from the sideline. "I just thought we were real stagnant on offense."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Paul scores 28 as Clippers beat Trail Blazers

Chris Paul scored 28 points, dished out 11 assists and grabbed six rebounds, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 115-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of a Western Conference quarterfinal playoff series Sunday night at Staples Center.

Blake Griffin added 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for Los Angeles, and DeAndre Jordan contributed 18 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks.

J.J. Redick chipped in 17 points for the Clippers, who blew the game open in the third quarter. Jamal Crawford and Austin Rivers came off the bench to score 13 and 11 points, respectively, for Los Angeles, which beat Portland for the fourth consecutive meeting.

Damian Lilliard had 21 points and eight assists for the Trail Blazers, while Gerald Henderson finished with 16 points. CJ McCollum managed just nine points. Al-Farouq Aminu scored 10 points and collected 12 rebounds.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Wednesday at Staples Center.

Los Angeles increased its eight-point margin at the half into a double-digit advantage in the third quarter. Griffin's dunk pushed the lead to 65-48, and the margin grew to as much as 21 before the Clippers carried an 81-66 edge into the final period.

The lead never dipped below 14 in the fourth quarter. The Blazers intentionally fouled Jordan, a 43 percent free-throw shooter during the regular season who converted eight of 18 attempts for the game, but that failed to generate a rally, either.

Paul scored eight of his 12 second-quarter points in the final 1:34 of the half as the Clippers closed on a 10-2 run and seized a 50-42 lead at the break.

The Clippers held the Trail Blazers to 35.4 percent shooting in the first half while hitting 50 percent of their shots. They also had the edge on foul shots, making 14 of 19 (73.7 percent) to only three of six (50 percent) for Portland.

Overall, the Clippers hit 53.8 percent of their shots to 39.8 for the Blazers. From the foul line, Los Angeles made 25 of 39 (64.1 percent) at the foul line to 19 of 26 (73.1 percent) for Portland.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com