NBA roundup: Grizzlies get past Magic, win 7th straight

 

[March 29, 2023]  Desmond Bane scored 31 points and Xavier Tillman added a career-high 20 as the Memphis Grizzlies extended the NBA's longest active winning streak to seven games with a 113-108 victory over the visiting Orlando Magic on Tuesday.

Jaren Jackson Jr. added 16 points and 10 rebounds for Memphis, which led by as many as 23 in the third quarter before Orlando stormed back in the fourth. Luke Kennard scored 16 points and Dillon Brooks had 13.

Orlando had its three-game winning streak snapped despite Franz Wagner's 25 points. Paolo Banchero had 24 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, while Wendell Carter Jr. added 14 points, Goga Bitadze had 13, Markelle Fultz scored 11 and Cole Anthony chipped in 10.

The win moved Memphis three games ahead of the Sacramento Kings for the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference playoff race. The Grizzlies played minus star Ja Morant, who is listed as day-to-day due to right thigh soreness.

Hornets 137, Thunder 134

P.J. Washington scored a career-high 43 points to lead Charlotte past host Oklahoma City, giving the Hornets their third straight win, all against Western Conference opponents in the thick of the playoff race.

The Thunder had a chance to send the game into overtime at the buzzer after a long inbounds pass with 2.8 seconds left deflected into Jalen Williams' hands just outside the arc. But Williams' 3-pointer bounced off the back of the rim as the Hornets escaped.

The Thunder have lost three of their last four. Isaiah Joe scored a career-high 33 points to lead Oklahoma City.

Heat 120, Cavaliers 118

Dejounte Murray scored 29 points, five in the final 2:14, to help host Atlanta defeat short-handed Cleveland to end the Cavaliers' four-game winning streak.

Murray made three free throws with 2:14 remaining and hit a clutch jumper from the foul line to give Atlanta a four-point lead with 58.6 seconds left. Atlanta also got 21 points and nine rebounds from Onyeka Okongwu and 16 points and 10 assists from Trae Young.

Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell scored 44 points, including a 3-pointer with 55.6 seconds left to cut the deficit to one. But Mitchell missed a 3-pointer with 12.5 seconds left and hit the back of the rim on a half-court shot at the buzzer.

Wizards 130, Celtics 111

Washington was without a couple of its best players, but the ones they had were good enough to defeat visiting Boston.

Kristaps Porzingis amassed 32 points, 13 rebounds and six assists for the Wizards, who were without Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma. It was the fourth straight game Beal missed because of a sore left knee, while Kuzma hasn't played the past five games because of a right ankle sprain.

Mar 28, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey (3) drives to the basket against Charlotte Hornets forward JT Thor (21) during the second half at Paycom Center. Charlotte won 137-134. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Jayson Tatum had 28 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Celtics, who shot 11 of 44 from 3-point range. Jaylen Brown added 18 points for the Celtics, while Marcus Smart scored 14 and Malcolm Brogdon had 13.

Raptors 106, Heat 92

Pascal Siakam had 26 points and nine rebounds, and Toronto defeated visiting Miami.

Scottie Barnes added 22 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists for the Raptors, who completed a 3-1 homestand and are at .500 for the first time since Dec. 9. Tyler Herro scored 33 points and handed out six assists for the Heat, who were without Jimmy Butler (sore neck) and have lost two in a row.

Duncan Robinson's 3-pointer reduced the margin to 13 points with 9:33 to play, but Toronto responded, and Precious Achiuwa's 3-pointer gave the Raptors a 19-point lead with 7:15 remaining. Bam Adebayo cut the lead to 12 on a driving dunk with 3:56 to play and Herro's floater trimmed the lead to 10 with 3:25 left. Fred VanVleet's 3-pointer with 1:31 to play pushed the lead to 13 to close it out.

Warriors 120, Pelicans 109

Stephen Curry scored a game-high 39 points and joined Klay Thompson in a second-half 3-point barrage, sending Golden State to a come-from-behind victory over New Orleans in San Francisco.

Curry finished with eight 3-pointers and Thompson five, helping Golden State outscore the Pelicans 36-9 from beyond the arc in the second half. The win moved the Warriors into sole possession of the No. 6 playoff spot in the Western Conference with just five games remaining.

Brandon Ingram had a team-high 26 points for the Pelicans (38-38), who could have moved past the Warriors with a sixth straight win. New Orleans led 63-46 but couldn't hold on.

--Field Level Media

[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.