The early games Friday night (Nov. 17) featured an unbelievable comeback by the Spurs over the Thunder, another LeBron James dominant performance, and 47 points by Kemba Walker in a loss. The late games didn't provide the same entertainment. But for every team, except the Warriors and Celtics (so far), each win is starting to matter more and more.
Timberwolves (10-5) defeat Mavericks (2-14) 111-87
The Mavericks were looking to shock the NBA with their first-half performance. Dallas held a five-point lead over Minnesota after the first quarter and extended that margin to twelve at the break.
But following the high the Mavericks must have been feeling at intermission, it was all downhill after that.
Timberwolves’ forward Andrew Wiggins scored nine points in the third quarter as Minnesota outscored Dallas 31-17 to take a two-point lead. The avalanche got deeper for the Mavericks in the fourth; they scored just six points in the first 6:36 of the quarter as the Timberwolves ran away with the game. All five Minnesota starters finished in double figures; Jimmy Butler led the way with 21 points. Harrison Barnes had a team-high 18 points for Dallas.
Kings (4-11) defeat Trail Blazers (8-7) 86-82
It’s been a tough season so far for Sacramento, and it’s probably not going to get a whole lot better.
While a team like the Trail Blazers don’t necessarily need to play their best to earn a victory over the Kings, this is a game they have to win. In a competitive Western Conference, teams (like Portland) that are fighting for a playoff spot need every win possible and can't afford to give them away.
The score was tied 60-60 heading into the fourth quarter, and if it wasn’t for Kings’ center, Willie Cauley-Stein, Portland may have pulled out the victory.
But Cauley-Stein did his best Joel Embiid impression in the paint, scoring 13 points in the final period. The Kings were up by as much as seven with 2:24 left, but a layup by Portland guard Damien Lillard cut the lead to three with 32 seconds left. Lillard had a chance to tie the game, but couldn’t knock down the game-tying three-point shot.
Cauley-Stein came off-the-bench for Sacramento to score 22 points and grab 10 rebounds. Lillard had a game-high 29 points.
Suns (6-11) defeat Lakers (6-10) 122-113
Both these teams came into the matchup, coming off tough losses. The Lakers’ young players were outmanned and outmuscled versus the 76ers young superstars on Wednesday (Nov. 15), while the Suns were humiliated by the Rockets in their previous game; Houston scored 90 points in first half on them. Friday night (Nov. 17) in the Staples Center, Phoenix jumped out 29-28 after the first period and pushed that one-point lead to 12 by halftime. The Lakers chipped away at that number, and by the start of the fourth quarter, the Suns had just a seven-point lead.
The closest the Lakers got in the final period was when reserve Corey Brewer cut the margin to two with a driving layup. But Phoenix star Devin Booker answered immediately with a layup of his own. The Lakers would never again make it a one-possession game as the Suns secured the nine-point win. Booker had 33 points for the Suns, while Lakers’ rookie forward, Kyle Kuzma, finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds.
Nuggets (9-6) defeat Pelicans (8-8) 146-114
The game wasn’t a complete disaster for the Pelicans, at least in the first half. While Denver shot out the gate to a 37-19 first quarter lead, New Orleans battled back to cut that lead to a manageable 12 points by intermission. An Anthony Davis jumper even reduced the Pelicans’ deficit to eight early in the third quarter.
But on the Nuggets’ next possession, Nikola Jokic knocked heads with Davis, sending him out of the game. It was later reported by ESPN, that Davis suffered a concussion.
Following Davis’ exit, that is exactly when the wheels fell off for New Orleans. What was once an eight-point game turned into a 26-point massacre by the end of the period. And it got worse from there. The Nuggets scored 82 second-half points to steamroll the Pelicans by 32. Denver guard, Jamal Murray, had 31 points on 13-of-18 shooting.
