The 2014-15 NBA regular season continued on Sunday, April 12. There was a slate of six games featuring 12 teams, including seven squads that entered the evening in the postseason hunt.
This is how it all transpired.
1. Stephen Curry, 34 points, led the Golden State Warriors past Zach LaVine, who scored a career-high 37 points, and the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 110-101 victory. Andrew Wiggins had 17 points, nine assists, six rebounds, three steals and a block for Minnesota, while Klay Thompson had 23 points on 10-of-25 shooting for Golden State.
The Warriors improve to 65-15. The last team to win at least 65 games: the 2012-13 NBA champion Miami Heat.
2. It wasn’t pretty, but the Los Angeles Clippers won a 94-86 slugfest with the Memphis Grizzlies. DeAndre Jordan had 16 points and 16 rebounds, and Chris Paul tallied 15 points and 14 assists for the Clippers, while Zach Randolph put up 21 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three steals for the Grizzlies.
The Clippers have quietly won five consecutive games and 12 of 13.
3. Pau Gasol put up 24 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks to lead the Chicago Bulls past the Philadelphia 76ers 114-107. Derrick Rose added 22 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals to a chorus of, “MVP,” chants for the Bulls, while Robert Covington scored 22 points for the 76ers.
Gasol is the oldest player in NBA history to lead the league in double-doubles.
4. Trevor Booker blindsided the Portland Trail Blazers with 36 points and nine rebounds on 12-of-15 shooting to lead the Utah Jazz to a 111-105 upset. Rodney Hood added 21 points and eight assists for the Jazz, while Damian Lillard scored 28 points, C.J. McCollum had 26 and Robin Lopez tallied 21 for the Trail Blazers.
Booker’s 36 points set a new career-high. His previous career-best scoring mark: 26 points on March 18, 2011.
5. Louis Williams took over with 29 points and DeMar DeRozan tallied 24 to help the Toronto Raptors defeat the Miami Heat 107-104. Dwyane Wade had 30 points, Goran Dragic put up 22 and Hassan Whiteside posted 16 points, 18 rebounds, six blocks and a steal, but the Heat failed to secure a victory.
Toronto’s 48 wins match the franchise record it set in 2014-15.
Bonus Fact: Cole Aldrich had 19 points and 14 rebounds, and Tim Hardaway Jr. beat the buzzer as the New York Knicks pulled out a rare 80-79 win over the Orlando Magic. The two sides combined for 15 points in the second quarter.
That’s the lowest combined score for any team in NBA history.