The 2014-15 NBA regular season continued on Tuesday, March 17 with a slate of five games featuring 10 competitive teams. There was a tremendous performance by an embattled player, a number of vital victories in the postseason picture and a shocking upset.
This is how it all transpired. 1. Reggie Jackson went off for 23 points and a career-high 20 assists to lead the Detroit Pistons past the Memphis Grizzlies 105-95. Jeff Green scored 21 points and Marc Gasol put up 17 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, one block and a steal, but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s 24 points for the Pistons were too much to overcome.
The last player to put up at least 20 points and 20 assists: injured Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings on January 21, 2015.
2. Anthony Davis recorded 20 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal to lead the New Orleans Pelicans past the Milwaukee Bucks 85-84. Davis hit a huge shot late in the fourth quarter after Eric Gordon hit the 3 to give New Orleans the 83-80 lead, thus overcoming Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three blocks for Milwaukee.
With this victory, New Orleans takes the No. 8 seed back from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
3. Blake Griffin stepped up with 19 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three steals to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a critical 99-92 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. J.J. Redick had 23 points, Chris Paul put up 21 points and eight assists, and DeAndre Jordan tallied 12 points and 14 rebounds for Los Angeles, while Al Jefferson had 21 points and Mo Williams tallied 18 points and eight assists for Charlotte.
Nate Robinson scored a big 12 points for the Clippers. He had 11 points in his previous three games combined.
4. Donatas Motiejunas recorded 23 points and Trevor Ariza, James Harden and Josh Smith all scored 17 points to lead the Houston Rockets past the Orlando Magic 107-94. Victor Oladipo erupted for a game-high 29 points for the Magic, but it was Houston which secured a vital victory.
Orlando’s dropped five consecutive games.
5. Langston Galloway scored 22 points and Alexey Shved had 21 to lead the New York Knicks to a stunning 104-100 overtime win over the San Antonio Spurs. Andrea Bargnani added 16 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks for the Knicks, while Tony Parker had 20 points, six assists, six rebounds and a steal for the Spurs
New York is 2-2 in its past four games. It was 2-13 in its previous 15 games.
Bonus Fact: Before Jackson and Jennings recorded 20-point and 20-assist games in 2015, it hadn’t been done since Steve Nash on November 9, 2009.