NBA: LeVert stays hot as Nets beat Suns

Caris LeVert continued his torrid start by scoring 26 points and the Brooklyn Nets opened a four-game road trip with a 104-82 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.

The Nets won consecutive games for the first time this season by countering a sluggish shooting performance with effective defense. Brooklyn shot 44.6 percent but allowed a season-low 34.6 percent shooting and forced 20 turnovers two nights after forcing a league-high 27 in Sunday's rout of Philadelphia.

LeVert reached 20-plus points for the seventh time by shooting 10 of 16. He helped the Nets clinch the win with a nifty up and under layup move on rookie big man Deandre Ayton that opened a 90-74 lead with 5:44 remaining.

LeVert became the first Net to score at least 20 points in seven of the first 11 games since Brook Lopez in 2012-13.

D'Angelo Russell added 15 points while Spencer Dinwiddie contributed 12 as the Nets recorded their third double-digit win of the season. Joe Harris added 11 while Jarrett Allen chipped in 10 as the Nets piled up 54 points in the paint.

Devin Booker led the Suns with 20 points but shot 6 of 21 from the floor. Ayton added 15 points and 13 rebounds but shot 6 of 17 as Phoenix turned in its worst shooting performance of the season and shot under 40 percent for the third time.

The Nets led by as many as 14 before settling for a 52-42 halftime lead as the Suns briefly cut the lead under double digits by getting consecutive 3-pointers from rookie Mikal Bridges and Ariza in the final minute.

Five straight points by Ayton and a 3-pointer by Ariza put Phoenix within 63-58 with about 5 1/2 minutes left in the third. Brooklyn pulled ahead with an 11-2 run over the next two minutes and held a 76-66 lead into the fourth before LeVert helped finish it off.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Lakers shoot down Rockets to launch new era

LOS ANGELES -- The new-look Los Angeles Lakers, with Kobe Bryant retired and coach Luke Walton at the helm, opened their NBA season with a 120-114 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

Jordan Clarkson came off the bench to score 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter. D'Angelo Russell scored 20 points and Julius Randle added 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Lakers, who overcame James Harden's 34 points and career-high 17 assists for Houston -- who lost in former Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni's first game in charge of the Rockets.

"It feels good," said Walton, a former Laker who cut his coaching teeth as an assistant to Steve Kerr at Golden State.

"It feels really good. The guys really fought tonight. A big part of what we're trying to do here is develop this identity, this culture ... learning how to win games is a skill at this level. We did some things that could have cost us the win at the end of the game tonight, so obviously we can learn from that -- and that fact that we still got that win feels really good."

Walton admitted to "nerves and excitement" before the contest, but was buoyed by the presence of his father, former NBA star Bill Walton.

"The Walton force will be strong tonight," said the 36-year-old coach, who has been tasked with turning around a Lakers team that plunged to a 21-61 record in 2014-15, only to follow up with a franchise worst 17-65 campaign last season.



Two free throws from Clarkson lifted the Lakers to a 108-104 lead with 6:41 to play. But Harden converted a pair of foul shots with 3:53 left to knot the score at 110.

Two Russell free throws boosted the Lakers to a 113-112 lead with 2:47 remaining and the hosts wouldn't trail from there.

The Rockets, who led by as many as 10 points, grabbed a 71-63 edge at the half. They connected on 64.4 percent of their shots compared to 53.2 percent for the Lakers before the break.

"I was real proud of the way they accepted the challenge in the second half," Walton said of his young team, "real proud that they stuck with it."

While the Lakers are in rebuilding mode -- embarking on their first season since 1995 without superstar Bryant -- there was plenty of glamour at Staples Center, where Hollywood stars Jack Nicholson and Denzel Washington were among the crowd, as was NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

"We're just going to go out there and fight every night and play the right way," Randle said of the Lakers' expectations. "That's all we can promise -- to get better every day and play the right way."

Revamped Heat down Magic

The Miami Heat, forging ahead after the free agent departure of Dwayne Wade, opened the season with a 108-96 victory over the Magic in Orlando.

The Heat made up for what they lack in star power with energy, a well-balanced attack and determined defense.

Hassan Whiteside scored 18 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and blocked four shots.

"We need Hassan to be great, and he was when we needed him," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He really anchored us defensively and ignited everyone out there."

Six Heat players scored in double figures and six players notched at least six rebounds.

"It's just game one, so it's early, but you're starting to see the foundation we want to build," Spoelstra said. "Guys really have to buy into the concept for this to work. You enjoy when it's being played the correct way out there."

The Oklahoma City Thunder, also adjusting to the departure of a star after Kevin Durant signed as a free agent with the Golden State Warriors, leaned on Russell Westbrook in a 103-97 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Big nights, mixed results

In Toronto, DeMar DeRozan poured in 40 points to lead the Raptors to a 109-91 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

DeRozan connected on 17 of 27 shots from the field and six of six free throws in what coach Dwane Casey called "one of the most efficient" performances he'd seen from his star.

A monster 50-point game from New Orleans' Anthony Davis couldn't save the New Orleans Pelicans, however, as they fell 107-102 to the Denver Nuggets.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Lakers build on Warriors win, beat Magic

D'Angelo Russell scored 27 points and Jordan Clarkson added 24 points, guiding the Los Angeles Lakers to a 107-98 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night at Staples Center.

Julius Randle collected 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers (14-51), who won a second consecutive game for only the third time this season. Tuesday's win comes on the heels of a rout Sunday of the Golden State Warriors.

The Magic (27-36), who were coming off a 119-113 loss to the Warriors on Monday night, were led by Victor Oladipo's 26 points. Evan Fournier chipped 23 points for Orlando, which lost its third straight.

Lakers forward Kobe Bryant sat out with a sore right shoulder. It marked the fourth time in the past six games Bryant was out of the lineup and the 14th game he missed this season.

A strained right groin kept Magic center Nikola Vucevic out of for the second game in a row.

Los Angeles turned a seven-point lead entering the fourth quarter into a double-digit advantage and dictated for much of the period. Orlando closed within 97-86 with 5:13 remaining in the contest on a jumper by Oladipo but got no closer until the final moments.

The Magic led 51-45 at halftime before the Lakers took control in the third quarter. Los Angeles grabbed a 79-69 lead after a 3-pointer by Marcelo Huertas with 3:20 left, but the Magic cut the deficit to four on two free throws by C.J. Watson with 2:12 remaining.

However, Los Angeles pushed the margin to 84-77 heading into the fourth quarter. Los Angeles outscored Orlando, 39-26, in the third, which tied the highest output in a quarter this season for the Lakers.

The Lakers shot 49.4 percent overall to 48.7 percent for the Magic. Los Angeles made nine of 26 (34.6 percent) from 3-point range, while Orlando made five of 18 (27.8 percent).

Los Angeles had a 56-44 edge on points in the paint and also had a 19-8 advantage in second-chance points. The Lakers outrebounded the Magic, 45-35.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

WATCH: Highlights of Lakers' win over Golden State

The Los Angeles Lakers registered one of the biggest regular season upsets in NBA history on Sunday when they stunned the league-leading Golden State Warriors, 112-95, at the Staples Center.

Jordan Clarkson led the way for the Lakers with 25 points, while rookie point guard D'Angelo Russell added 21 points and five assists. Julius Randle had a double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds, while Kobe Bryant scored 12 points in his final game against the Warriors.

Marcelo Huertas came off the bench to give the Lakers a huge boost, tallying 10 points and nine assists in the shocking victory.

Golden State entered the game with a 55-5 record and on track to better the 72-10 mark set by the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls, but suffered a rare setback against a Lakers team that entered the game with a 12-51 slate.

    Season lows of four three-point field goals on 13.3 percent from three-point range for the Warriors (4-of-30 3FG)

— GSWStats (@gswstats) March 6, 2016
 
The Warriors, however, did not play up to their usual standards. Reigning MVP Stephen Curry had 18 points but shot only 6-of-20 from the field, while Klay Thompson had 15 points on 7-of-20 shooting. The "Splash Brothers" made only one of their combined 18 attempts from beyond the arc.

The Warriors fall for the sixth time this season. Despite the loss, their 55-6 record is the best mark through 61 games in NBA history

— GSWStats (@gswstats) March 6, 2016

The loss dropped Golden State to 55-6, which is still the best record through 61 games in NBA history.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Bryant inspires Lakers to first victory in 7 games

Forward Kobe Bryant scored 22 points in three quarters, allowing the Los Angeles Lakers to snap a six-game losing streak by defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 113-95 at Staples Center on Tuesday.

Rookie point guard D'Angelo Russell came off the bench to score 19 points and record seven assists as seven Lakers reached double figures in scoring.

Guard Lou Williams scored 16 points, forward Julius Randle finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds and center Roy Hibbert added 12 points and a season-high 11 rebounds for Los Angeles (4-21), which won for only the second time at home this season.

Reserve guard Michael Carter-Williams had 19 points and guard Khris Middleton chipped in 16 to lead Milwaukee (10-16), which has dropped three of its last four games.

Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo contributed 15 points, six rebounds and five assists.


The Bucks did not play anything close to their performance in Saturday's 108-95 win over Golden State that ended the Warriors' perfect 24-0 start to the season. Against the Lakers, the Bucks fell into an early hole and never recovered.

Milwaukee also was hurt playing without center Greg Monroe, who was a late scratch with a sore left knee. Monroe apparently bumped knees with a team mate during the team's shoot-around on Tuesday morning. He will be re-evaluated on Wednesday.

The Lakers dictated the first half en route to a 55-46 lead at the break and continued their dominance in the second half.

Los Angeles opened the third quarter with a 10-2 surge, including a crowd-pleasing dunk by forward Larry Nance Jr over Bucks center John Henson, for a 17-point advantage after a Bryant fadeaway at 8:47.

Another Lakers run that featured a four-point play by Bryant pushed the lead to 75-53 after a reverse layup by Russell on an assist from Bryant. Los Angeles led 86-66 heading into the final quarter.

With the victory, the Lakers also ended a run of 14 straight opponents scoring at least 100 points.

The Bucks outshot the Lakers 47.1 percent to 46.1 percent but Los Angeles had an edge in three-pointers, making 10-of-27 (37 percent) to only 4-of-13 (30.8 percent) for Milwaukee.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com