The 2014-15 NBA regular season continued on Tuesday, March 24 with six games featuring 12 hungry teams. A pair of MVP candidates took center stage for their respective teams, while multiple other squads4 competed in the hunt for the postseason.
This is how it all transpired.
1. James Harden went off for 44 points, seven assists, four rebounds, two blocks and a pair of steals to lead the Houston Rockets past the rugged Indiana Pacers 110-100. George Hill led the Pacers with 20 points and Roy Hibbert had 18 points and 10 assists on 8-of-12 shooting, but Harden proved to be too much to overcome.
Harden’s eight 40-point games are the most in the NBA this season.
2. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol were dominant as the Memphis Grizzlies blew out the New York Knicks 103-82. Z-Bo finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Gasol tallied 21 points, eight rebounds and three dimes as Memphis improved to 50-21.
Memphis has won at least 50 games in three consecutive seasons. The Grizzlies had one 50-win season in their previous 17 seasons of existence.
3. Stephen Curry scored 24 points in 28 minutes as the Golden State Warriors used smothering defense to dismantle the Washington Wizards 107-76. Marreese Speights had 16 points in 14 minutes and Festus Ezeli pulled down 10 rebounds in 14 minutes as the Warriors put on a clinic in the second half.
Golden State held Washington to one field goal made in the third quarter. Don’t be shocked; it’s the second time this month that Golden State has done such a thing.
4. Nikola Mirotic went off for 28 points and eight rebounds, including 14 points in the fourth quarter, to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 98-86 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Pau Gasol stepped up with 27 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, four blocks and a steal for Chicago, while Kemba Walker led Charlotte with 29 points.
With its win over Charlotte, the Bulls clinch a berth in the 2015 NBA Playoffs.
5. Evan Turner recorded 17 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds as the Boston Celtics moved into the No. 8 seed with a 110-91 blowout of the Brooklyn Nets. Brook Lopez scored 31 points for the Nets, but it wasn’t enough to overcome 20 points from Avery Bradley and 18 points from both Kelly Olynyk and Tyler Zeller.
This was Turner’s second triple-double of the season. Only four players have more: Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Michael Carter-Williams and Rajon Rondo.
Bonus Fact: Zach LaVine scored 27 points and Andrew Wiggins had 22 as the Minnesota Timberwolves secured a 106-104 overtime victory against the Utah Jazz. Rudy Gobert finished with 18 points, 17 rebounds and six blocks for the Jazz.