February 10th NBA Game Recaps

The Dallas Mavericks crushed the Oklahoma City Thunder, 146-111, at American Airlines Center on Saturday.

The Mavericks (30-23) couldn’t miss a shot in the first quarter as they won the first frame, 47-30, that set the tone for the rest of the contest. The Thunder (35-17) did manage to claw back in the second quarter and entered halftime down by nine points. The second half belong to the Mavericks, however, as they outscored the Thunder, 75-49, over the last 36 minutes. Dallas led by as much as 41 points and both teams opted to empty the benches in the fourth quarter. The Mavericks shot 58.2 percent from the field Saturday, compared to 38.8 percent by the Thunder. Dallas improved their home record to 15-13, while Oklahoma City dropped to 15-11 on the road.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 25 points on 9-for-16 shooting, six rebounds and five assists. Cason Wallace led the bench with 15 points and two rebounds. Chet Holmgren finished with 13 points and 12 assists for his 14th double-double of the season. Josh Giddey added 11 points, three rebounds and three assists, while Jalen Williams had nine points, three rebounds and seven assists.

Luka Doncic came close to notching his 10th triple-double of the season as he led the Mavericks on Saturday with 32 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. Kyrie Irving contributed 25 points, six rebounds and eight assists. Daniel Gafford -- in his first game with Dallas after being acquired from the Washington Wizards at the Feb. 8 trade deadline -- finished with 19 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Fellow newcomer P.J. Washington finished with 14 points and five rebounds in reserve. Maxi Kleber totaled 12 points, 12 rebounds and three assists for his first double-double of the season.

Next up, the Thunder travel home to host the Sacramento Kings on Monday, Feb. 12, while the Mavericks welcome the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, Feb. 13.

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Detroit Pistons, 112-106, at crypto.com Arena on Saturday afternoon.

The Clippers (35-16) had to work harder than expected to get the victory over the Pistons (8-44) at home, snapping Detroit’s two-game road winning streak. It was not an easy game for the Clippers, however. Although Los Angeles jumped to a 31-30 lead in the first quarter, the Pistons controlled the second quarter and outscored the Clippers by a 28-18 score, carrying a nine-point lead at the break. Detroit was still looking good in the early stages of the third quarter, and while the Clippers woke up to win the frame by a 27-23 score, Detroit was still leading by five points with only 12 minutes left. The Clippers woke up when it mattered the most, tightening things up on both ends of the court to seal the win in the fourth quarter thanks to a 36-25 score in the fourth period. With the win, the Clippers moved to 20-5 at home, while the Pistons fell to 4-21 on the road.

Paul George led the way for the Clippers with 33 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Kawhi Leonard recorded 24 points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals. James Harden notched 14 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Russell Westbrook delivered 13 points, three rebounds and two assists off the bench. Amir Coffey had 12 points. Ivica Zubac contributed six points and five rebounds across 20 minutes.

Jaden Ivey led the way for the Pistons with 23 points and four rebounds, while Cade Cunningham chipped in with a 22-point, 10-assist double-double. Jalen Duren also had a double-double after posting 10 points and 18 rebounds. Ausar Thompson contributed 10 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Simone Fontecchio delivered 20 points and nine rebounds off the bench in his Detroit debut.

The Brooklyn Nets defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 123-103, at Barclays Center on Saturday.

The Nets (21-31) enjoyed a solid start but eventually pulled away to secure the victory against a struggling Spurs (10-43) team that can’t stop losing on the road in the middle of their annual Rodeo Trip. The first quarter was a tight affair that ended with a 33-30 lead for the Nets, but a 27-18 score in the second quarter gave Brooklyn a double-digit lead at halftime. The Nets pulled away for good in the third quarter with a 33-27 score, and the Spurs simply didn’t have answers to mount a comeback. The Nets won the final 12 minutes by a 30-28 score, icing the game with ease. With the victory, the Nets moved to 13-16 at home, while the Spurs fell to 5-22 on the road.

Cam Thomas paced the Nets with 25 points and four assists. Ben Simmons had 13 points, five assists, three rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Nic Claxton had 20 points and 11 rebounds. Mikal Bridges recorded 14 points, six rebounds and three assists. Dennis Schroder registered a double-double off the bench in his Brooklyn debut, posting 15 points and 12 assists. Dennis Smith Jr. had 14 points. The Nets shot 56.3 percent from the field.

Victor Wembanyama led the way for the Spurs with 21 points, four rebounds and three assists. Devin Vassell was the only other starter who scored in double digits after posting 17 points, six rebounds and four assists. Jeremy Sochan only had eight points, but he also chipped in with five rebounds and three assists. Keldon Johnson impressed off the bench with 19 points and four rebounds. San Antonio shot 39.6 percent from the field.

The Orlando Magic defeated the Chicago Bulls, 114-108, at Amway Center on Saturday.

The Magic (29-24) woke up in the dying stages of the fourth quarter and managed to steal the win after overtime against a Bulls (25-28) team that dominated on long stretches of both the second and third quarters. The first half was extremely tight and neither team seemed to have a clear advantage over the other, though Orlando held a two-point lead. However, the Bulls started the second half with a different approach, and they jumped ahead after winning the third quarter by a 36-28 score. Orlando woke up before it was too late, however, and they limited Chicago to just 15 points in the final 12 minutes, which was enough to force overtime. The Magic were the better team in the final five minutes as well and outscored Chicago 13-7, enough to get the victory despite playing extra minutes. With the win, the Bulls moved to 10-16 on the road, while the Magic improved to 17-7 at home.

Franz Wagner recorded 36 points, five assists and three rebounds. Paolo Banchero recorded 19 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Jalen Suggs had 13 points. Cole Anthony posted 14 points and 11 rebounds coming off the bench. The Magic shot 46.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range.

DeMar DeRozan was the leading scorer for the Bulls with 28 points, four rebounds and four assists across 44 minutes. Nikola Vucevic delivered 26 points, 17 rebounds and four assists. Ayo Dosunmu posted 19 points, two rebounds and two assists. Coby White recorded 14 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Alex Caruso had nine points and eight rebounds. Chicago shot 43.4 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from three-point range.

The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Washington Wizards, 119-113, at Capital One Arena on Saturday night.

The 76ers (31-21) were slim road favorites coming in, and they played like it during an opening period during which they forged a 33-26 advantage. The Wizards (9-43) were able to surge back in the second knock four points from their deficit prior to intermission, but Philadelphia had extended its edge out to 10 points going into the final period. However, the visitors were then forced to fight off Washington throughout most of the last 12 minutes before eventually pulling away over the final 22 seconds.

Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 28 points, adding nine rebounds and seven assists. Buddy Hield furnished 23 points, six assists, five rebounds and four steals. Ricky Council IV turned in a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double that included one assist. Kelly Oubre Jr. delivered 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. Paul Reed and Tobias Harris contributed 12 and 11 points, respectively, while pulling down seven rebounds apiece. Harris added three assists and three steals.

Tyus Jones paced the Wizards with 25 points, complementing them with nine assists, three rebounds and one steal. Deni Avdija generated a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double that included five assists and one block. Kyle Kuzma pitched in 21 points, five assists, three rebounds and four blocks. Bilal Coulibaly registered 13 points, five rebounds and one assist.

The 76ers visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night, while the Wizards visit the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night as well.

The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 115-106, at Spectrum Center on Saturday night.

The battle of two non-contending teams was competitive throughout, beginning with an opening period that the Grizzlies (18-35) emerged from with a 28-25 lead. However, the Hornets (11-41) bounced back and essentially turned the tide of the game in the second quarter, when they enjoyed a 33-21 advantage and took a nine-point edge into halftime. Each team would go on to match the other point for point in the second half, leading to a margin of victory of the same amount for the hosts.

Jaren Jackson Jr. led the way for the Grizzlies with 29 points, adding three rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal. GG Jackson furnished 16 points, two assists, one rebound, two steals and one block. Vince Williams Jr. supplied 14 points, eight assists, two rebounds and two steals. Santi Aldama and Luke Kennard posted matching 11-point contributions while recording six rebounds and four assists, respectively. Derrick Rose provided 10 points, five assists and four rebounds.

Miles Bridges paced the Hornets with 25 points, complementing them with six rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block. Brandon Miller and Vasilije Micic generated matching 18-point tallies while adding six rebounds and nine assists, respectively. Grant Williams registered 15 points, eight rebounds and one assist. Nick Richards offered 13 points, seven boards, one assist and two blocks.

The Grizzlies return home to host the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night, while the Hornets host the Indiana Pacers on Monday night as well.

The Atlanta Hawks defeated the visiting Houston Rockets, 122-113, at State Farm Arena on Saturday evening.

The Rockets jumped out to a strong start and led, 31-19, after one quarter. The Hawks turned things around in the second and outscored the visitors, 38-18, to claim an eight-point advantage at the break. Both sides came out rolling in the third, where the Hawks outscored the Rockets, 38-35, to push their lead up to 11, entering the final frame. The visitors continues with a solid effort through the fourth but it was not enough as the Hawks held on for their second straight win. This also marks the fourth straight loss for the Rockets.

Dejounte Murray led the Hawks with 34 points, six rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block, in 40 minutes of action. Saddiq Bey followed up with 24 points, six rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block, while Jalen Johnson added 21 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.

Meanwhile, Jalen Green led the Rockets with 26 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and a steal, in 37 minutes. Jeff Green followed up with 19 points, six rebounds, two assists and a block, while Aaron Holiday tallied 18 points, two assists and a block.

The Rockets (23-29) will look to bounce back as they play host to the Knicks on Monday. The Hawks (24-29) play host to the Bulls on Monday.

The Indiana Pacers defeated the host New York Knicks, 125-111, at Madison Square Garden on Saturday evening.

The game got out to a competitive start as the Knicks led, 27-26, after one quarter. The hosts kept the upper hand until mid way through the second, where the Pacers pulled ahead for a three-point lead at the break. The visitors kept the momentum going in the third and remained in front through the quarter on the way to a nine-point lead entering the final frame. The Pacers kept the pressure on in the fourth and charged to the finish to close out the road win. It also marks the third loss in four games for the Knicks.

Myles Turner led the Pacers with 23 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a steal, in 31 minutes. Tyrese Haliburton followed up with 22 points, three rebounds, 12 assists and a block, while Pascal Siakam added 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal.

Meanwhile, Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 39 points, three rebounds, four assists, and a steal, in 37 minutes. Alec Burks followed up with 22 points on 7-for-14 shooting off the bench, while Precious Achiuwa totaled 15 points, six rebounds, two steals and three blocks.

The Knicks (33-20) will look to bounce back as they clash with the Rockets in Houston on Monday. The Pacers (30-24) take on the Hornets in Charlotte on Monday.

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the host Toronto Raptors 119-95, at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday evening.

The Cavs got out to a strong start and led, 30-24, after one quarter. They picked up the pace in the second and outscored the Raptors, 37-23, to take a 20-point advantage into the break. The Raptors had no answers in the second half and were outscored, 52-48, over the final two quarters, as the Cavs confidently closed out their ninth straight win.

Eight players scored in double digits for the Cavs, led by Jarrett Allen, who totaled 18 points, 15 rebounds, two assists and a block, in 30 minutes. Evan Mobley followed up with 17 points, 11 rebounds and three assists, while Donovan Mitchell finished with 15 points, four rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block.

Meanwhile, Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 24 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, a steal and a block, in 35 minutes. RJ Barrett and Gradey Dick added 14 points each, while Kelly Olynyk logged 11 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block.

The Raptors (19-34) will look to bounce back as they play host to the Spurs on Monday. The Cavs (35-16) play host to the 76ers on Monday.

The Golden State Warriors defeated the visiting Phoenix Suns, 113-112, at Chase Center on Saturday.

There were 16 ties and 22 lead changes in this game, with neither team leading by more than seven points. A game that close ended how it should, with Stephen Curry knocking down a game-winning 30-footer with 2.5 seconds remaining. Golden State shot 41 percent from three-point range (16-of-39), while Phoenix shot 32 percent from long distance (11-of-34). The Warriors out-assisted the Suns, 33-28, while out-rebounding them, 62-51. They also outscored Phoenix in the paint, 54-48, and in second-chance points, 21-13.

The Suns (31-22) were led by Devin Booker, tallying 32 points, four rebounds and six assists. Kevin Durant compiled 24 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks. Bradley Beal accrued 15 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals, while Grayson Allen amassed 10 points, four rebounds and two assists.

The Warriors (25-25) were led by Curry, collecting 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Jonathan Kuminga generated 21 points, five rebounds and two assists. Draymond Green finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. Andrew Wiggins had 12 points, five rebounds and three assists. Brandin Podzeimski led the bench with 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

On deck for Golden State is a road matchup with the Utah Jazz on Monday. As for Phoenix, they return to action on Tuesday in a home meeting with the Sacramento Kings.

The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the host Portland Trail Blazers, 93-84, at Moda Center on Saturday.

There were five ties and eight lead changes in this low-scoring game, with neither team leading by more than 13 points. That was New Orleans in the final frame, riding a 29-21 fourth quarter to their victory. The Pelicans shot 47 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range while holding the Trail Blazers to 43 percent from the field and 27 percent from long range. New Orleans recorded 27 assists to 12 turnovers, while Portland had 19 assists to 17 turnovers. They also outscored them in second-chance points, 20-8, and in fastbreak scoring, 13-5.

The Pelicans (31-22) were led by Trey Murphy, tallying 24 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Brandon Ingram had 17 points, four rebounds and nine assists. Jonas Valanciunas amassed 16 points and nine rebounds, while Herbert Jones had 14 points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals. CJ McCollum missed 12 of his 14 shots in his return to Portland.

The Trail Blazers (15-37) were led by Jeremy Grant, generating 24 points, five rebounds and four assists. Deandre Ayton accrued 18 points, 17 rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks. The other three starters combined for just 18 points and five assists. Dalano Banton led the bench with 12 points, three rebounds and three assists,

On deck for New Orleans is a road matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. As for Portland, they remain home to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday for their next outing.