Two buzzer-beaters, a number of upsets, a triple-double and some throwback performances. What more could you ask for from a day in the NBA?
The 2014-15 NBA regular season resumed on Wednesday, November 5 with 24 teams taking part in 12 games. The end result was another day with career-best performances and surprising upsets.
Here’s how it all transpired.
1. Gordon Hayward beat the buzzer to give the Utah Jazz a 102-100 upset of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Derrick Favors posted 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Jazz, while Kyrie Irving had 34 points and LeBron James posted 31 for the Cavaliers.
Hayward had seven assists. Cleveland had six as a team.
2. Stephen Curry scored 28 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 121-104 decimation of the Los Angeles Clippers. Chris Paul put up 15 points, 12 assists and four steals for the Clippers, but the Warriors shot 58.1 percent from the field, went 15-of-25 from beyond the arc and went a perfect 20-of-20 from the free throw line.
Draymond Green finished the game with a career-high 24 points.
3. Al Jefferson posted 28 points and 10 rebounds, and Kemba Walker scored 18 points on just six field goal attempts to lead the Charlotte Hornets to a 96-89 victory over the Miami Heat. Dwyane Wade scored 25 points and Chris Bosh put up 23 points and 13 rebounds, but Miami shot just 39.0 percent from the field.
The win snapped Charlotte’s 16-game losing streak against the Heat.
4. John Wall was magnificent, posting 31 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, three steals and a block as the Washington Wizards defeated the Indiana Pacers 96-94 in overtime. The win helps Washington improve to 4-1, while Indiana fell to 1-4.
Donald Sloan scored a career-high 31 points for the Pacers.
5. Greg Monroe went off for 23 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 98-95 victory over the New York Knicks. Carmelo Anthony countered with 13 points, eight assists and six rebounds, but he shot just 5-of-21 from the field.
With Detroit’s win, the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers become the final two teams without a win.
6. Rajon Rondo recorded the second triple-double of 2014-15, but it was the Toronto Raptors which pulled away for a 108-105 victory over the Boston Celtics. Rondo put up 13 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds, while Kyle Lowry scored 35 on 12-of-17 shooting to lead the Raptors to the W.
Since 2008-09, the year of Rondo’s first triple-double, he and LeBron James are tied for the league lead with 20 triple-doubles.
7. Taj Gibson put up 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Pau Gasol tallied 22 points and 14 boards to lead the Chicago Bulls past the Milwaukee Bucks 95-86. Brandon Knight struggled to shoot, but he posted 10 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and five steals for Milwaukee.
Derrick Rose returned from a sprained ankle to put up 13 points and seven assists in 31 minutes.
8. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker both scored 17 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs past the Atlanta Hawks 94-92. Duncan led the charge with 17 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, six blocks and three steals in what was a two-way display of pure dominance.
Atlanta has lost 17 consecutive road games against the Spurs. It’s never won at San Antonio during the Duncan era.
9. Mike Conley put up 24 points and 11 assists as the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Phoenix Suns 102-91. Eric Bledsoe scored 23 points for the Suns, while Courtney Lee tallied 22 points and Marc Gasol had 18 for the Grizzlies.
Memphis is 5-0 for the first time in franchise history.
10. DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay dominated the Denver Nuggets to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 131-109 victory. Cousins tallied 30 points and 11 rebounds on 10-of-14 shooting in 22 minutes, while Gay put up 29 points on a mark of 9-of-12 from the field.
Sacramento is 4-1 for the first time since 2001-02. It went to the Western Conference Finals that season.
Bonus Facts
- Tony Wroten put up 28 points, eight assists, three rebounds, five steals and two blocks, but the Philadelphia 76ers fell 91-89 to the Orlando Magic. Tobias Harris scored 18 points and drained the buzzer-beater to give Orlando its first victory of the season.
- Kevin Martin scored 26 points and Ricky Rubio tallied 14 points, 12 assists, eight rebounds and two steals to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 98-91 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. No. 1 overall draft pick Andrew Wiggins scored 17 points for Minnesota, marking the first time he’s been in double-figures.