NBA
roundup: Grizzlies in playoffs for 7th straight year
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[April 01, 2017]
The Sports Xchange
MEMPHIS,
Tenn. -- Behind 28 points from Mike Conley and 22 from Zach
Randolph, the Memphis Grizzlies clinched their seventh straight
playoff berth Friday night with a 99-90 victory over the Dallas
Mavericks at FedExForum.
The Grizzlies (42-34) secured the playoff trip with a combination of
their victory and Denver's 122-114 loss at Charlotte. Dallas (31-44)
dropped its fourth straight but not without nearly erasing a
15-point, fourth-quarter deficit.
Dirk Nowitzki finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds to lead the
Mavericks but went 3 of 17 from the field, including 1 of 6 from
beyond the arc.
The Grizzlies own the third-longest active streak in the league for
consecutive playoff appearances.
Pelicans 117, Kings 89
NEW ORLEANS -- DeMarcus Cousins scored a game-high 37 points and
grabbed 13 rebounds in his first game against his former team and
Anthony Davis added 19 points and 12 boards to power New Orleans
past Sacramento at the Smoothie King Center.
Cousins, acquired by the Pelicans from the Kings after the All-Star
break in a blockbuster trade, was 5 of 8 from 3-point range, scored
18 fourth-quarter points and had four assists as the Pelicans won
for the eighth time in their last 11 games.
The Kings committed 22 turnovers. They were led by former Pelicans
guard Ben McLemore, acquired in the Cousins trade, who scored 15
points off the bench.
Spurs 100, Thunder 95
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points to lead San Antonio
to a victory over Oklahoma City at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Leonard shot 10 of 22 from the field and grabbed 10 rebounds. Pau
Gasol added 17 points while LaMarcus Aldridge scored 14.
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Russell Westbrook posted 32 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists to
get his 39th triple-double of the season. He is only two
triple-doubles behind Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson, who holds the
season record with 41.
Celtics 117, Magic 116
BOSTON -- Boston stayed a half-game ahead of Cleveland in the
Eastern Conference race, but it wasn't easy.
Al Horford's two free throws with 1:22 left turned out to be the
final points of the game as the Celtics hung on for a victory over
Orlando to cap a 5-1 homestand.
The win, the Celtics' 15th in their last 17 home games, wasn't
secured until Amir Johnson contested Elfrid Payton's layup attempt
as time was running out, capping a wild final minutes.
The victory kept the Celtics a half-game in front of the winning
Cavaliers atop the conference. The teams meet in Boston Wednesday
night.
Knicks 98, Heat 94
MIAMI -- Kristaps Porzingis scored 22 points as New York played
spoilers, defeating Miami at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Heat guard Goran Dragic missed what would have been a score-tying
layup with 6.6 seconds left, and Hassan Whiteside was called for
offensive basket interference.
The Heat have lost in three attempts to reach .500 this season, with
losses to the Portland Trail Blazers on March 19 and to the Toronto
Raptors four nights later. All three losses were at home.
Hornets 122, Nuggets 114
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kemba Walker scored 31 points as Charlotte
rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Denver at the Spectrum Center.
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Walker scored nine straight points in a 15-0 run as the Hornets
fought back from a 12-point deficit. Walker hit a 3-pointer at the
end of the third quarter, then the Hornets scored the first 12
points of the fourth to take the lead for good.
Charlotte outscored Denver 36-20 in the fourth quarter.
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Raptors 111,
Pacers 100
TORONTO -- DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 40 points to lead
Toronto to a win over Indiana at Air Canada Centre.
The Raptors guard added nine rebounds and four assists. For the 30th
time this season, DeRozan registered at least 30 points in a game,
tying Vince Carter's Raptors record (2000-01).
The Raptors, winners of seven of their last eight, kept pace with
the Boston Celtics as Toronto chases a fourth consecutive Atlantic
Division banner.
Jonas Valanciunas added 16 points and 17 rebounds and Serge Ibaka
finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Raptors.
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Cavaliers 122, 76ers 105
CLEVELAND -- LeBron James scored 34 points and helped Cleveland
forge a merciful end to a difficult month of March with a win over
Philadelphia.
Kyrie Irving scored 24 points in three quarters and Kevin Love added
18 points and 10 rebounds. The Cavaliers are still 1/2 game behind
Boston for first place in the Eastern Conference after the Celtics
beat Orlando on Friday, but Cleveland also lost three straight and
five of seven coming in. The Cavs ended the month with a 7-10
record.
This season has been another long April Fool's joke for the Sixers,
who dressed just nine players because of an unending stream of
injuries. Richaun Holmes and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot each scored 19
points and Shawn Long added 16 off the bench for Philadelphia.
Bucks 108, Pistons 105 (OT)
MILWAUKEE -- Thon Maker scored a career-high 23 points as Milwaukee
rallied late to force overtime and pull away from Detroit at the
Bradley Center.
Maker hit nine of 12 shots, including four 3-pointers, for the
Bucks, who also got 28 from Giannis Antetokounmpo and 25 from Khris
Middleton.
Antetokounmpo added 14 rebounds and nine assists.
Jazz 95, Wizards 88
SALT LAKE CITY -- Gordon Hayward scored 19 points while Rudy Gobert
chipped in 16 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks to lead Utah to a
win over Washington.
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Shelvin Mack chipped in 15 points off the bench -- including several
clutch baskets down the stretch. Utah earned its sixth straight home
victory, matching a season high.
Bradley Beal scored 27 points and John Wall added 16 to lead the
Wizards. Washington lost its second straight game after winning four
in a row.
Warriors 107, Rockets 98
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Golden State held Houston scoreless over almost
seven minutes of the fourth quarter, enabling the two-time defending
Western Conference champs to overcome a four-point deficit en route
to a victory.
In a battle of clubs that already have clinched playoff spots, the
Warriors recorded a 10th straight win thanks to a 12-0,
fourth-quarter run that featured 10 points from their reserves.
The win allowed Golden State to remain 3 1/2 games up on the San
Antonio Spurs in the race for the top seed in the upcoming Western
playoffs. The Rockets, meanwhile, dropped a half-game closer to Utah
in their duel for the No. 3 seed in the West. [© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All
rights reserved.]
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