Friday, February 28 marked the end of another month in the 2013-14 NBA regular season. As the playoffs rapidly approach and the contenders emerge, every team and player in action looked to send a message.
Many were successful, achieving feats that will not soon be forgotten. Others were not, continuing to fall in the standings. If you had any action on the games with a site such as SportsBettingDime.com, it was riveting.
Here’s everything that you need to know about last night’s action.
1. Kevin Durant scored 37 points and Russell Westbrook tallied 21 on 7-of-12 shooting to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a much-needed 113-107 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Oklahoma City converted 27-of-32 from the free throw line to help overcome a 62.5 percent shooting performance from beyond the arc by Memphis.
The win snaps a season-worst three-game losing streak for OKC. It’s the first time that the Thunder have won with Westbrook in the lineup since December 25, 2013.
2. Kyrie Irving put his team on his back with 21 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds and a block as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Utah Jazz 99-79. Tristan Thompson added 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Spencer Hawes put 16 points and 13 boards to continue to gel as Cleveland’s newly formed interior.
As for Irving, all he did was become the first Cavaliers player to record a triple-double since LeBron James on March 16, 2010.
3. Not to be outdone by Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry posted a triple-double of his own to lead the Golden State Warriors past the New York Knicks 126-103. Curry finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and a block, while Klay Thompson scored 27 on 9-of-17 shooting.
Curry joins LeBron as the only two visiting players with a 50-point game and a triple-double at the current Madison Square Garden.
4. After winning 10 games in January, the Knicks lost 10 games in February. From 10-6 to 2-10.
5. Tim Duncan stepped up on a sloppy evening to provide 17 points, 16 rebounds, six assists, one block and a steal as the San Antonio Spurs survived a scare against the Charlotte Bobcats, 92-82. It was an ugly game for both teams, with the Spurs committing 19 turnovers and the Bobcats shooting 17.6 percent from beyond the arc.
The win clinches the Spurs’ 17th consecutive winning season. That’s the second-longest streak in NBA history behind the 19 straight that the Utah Jazz pulled off between 1985-86 and 2003-04.
6. Goran Dragic scored a career-high 40 points to will the Phoenix Suns to a critical 116-104 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Suns, including two straight defeats at home.
As for Dragic, he’s set a new career-high twice in the past week.
7. Two of the hottest teams in the NBA met as the Chicago Bulls went on the road to take down the Dallas Mavericks 100-91. Taj Gibson led the charge with 20 points and 15 rebounds for Chicago, while Monta Ellis scored 20 points for Dallas.
Chicago closes out February at 9-4, while Dallas ends it at 9-3. The Bulls have won eight of nine.
8. Since January 1, the Chicago Bulls are 20-8. That’s the best record in the Eastern Conference during that two-month timeframe.
9. The Los Angeles Lakers put on a shooting clinic, converting 19-of-27 3-point field goal attempts during a 126-122 win over the Sacramento Kings. Jordan Farmar scored a career-high 30 points, MarShon Brooks tallied a season-high 23, both Pau Gasol and Jodie Meeks added 22 points, and Kendall Marshall dished out 10 assists.
According to Basketball-Reference.com, the Lakers are the first team since the Atlanta Hawks on December 17, 1996 to convert at least 19 3-point field goals while shooting better than 70.0 percent from distance.
10. Rudy Gay (32), Isaiah Thomas (26), Derrick Williams (26) and Jason Thompson (17) combined for 101 points on 55.7 percent shooting from the floor. The rest of the Kings combined for 21 on 34.8 percent shooting from the field.
Bonus Fact: During the Spurs’ win over the Bobcats, Tim Duncan passed Hakeem Olajuwon for 12th on the all-time rebounds list. He’s 16 shy of Wes Unseld at No. 11.