NBA: Another milestone for James as Cavs down Knicks

LOS ANGELES, United States — Cleveland star LeBron James scored 32 points — and became the youngest player to score 28,000 in an NBA career — as the Cavaliers downed the New York Knicks 111-104 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

James, 32, took his career points tally to 28,020, good for eighth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

He reached the milestone with a step-back jumper that gave the Cavaliers a 45-31 lead with 6:49 left in the second quarter.

He also handed out 10 assists, and with two more will pass Lenny Wilkens (7,211) for 13th on the career list.

The NBA champion Cavaliers were without guard Kyrie Irving, who sat out with soreness in his right quadriceps. Deandre Liggins started in his place, scoring five points without an assist.

Kevin Love returned to the Cavs lineup after missing two games with back spasms. He contributed 23 points and 15 rebounds as Cleveland took their Eastern Conference-leading record to 34-15.

The Knicks fell to 22-30. They haven’t won two straight games since December 20-22.

Brandon James paced New York with 23 points and 10 assists. Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, the subject of persistent trade rumors, scored 17 points but connected on just six of 21 from the floor.

The Knicks were without point guard Derrick Rose, sidelined for a fourth straight game by a sprained left ankle. And starting center Joakim Noah departed early with a sore left hamstring.

New York showed signs of life late, scoring six straight points to trim Cleveland’s lead to 106-101 with 59 seconds remaining.

But James found Love for an uncontested three-pointer as the Cavs pulled away again.  CBB

source: sports.inquirer.net

NBA: Westbrook climbs ladder with 60th career triple-double

LOS ANGELES, United States — Russell Westbrook notched the 60th triple-double of his career in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 114-105 victory over New Orleans on Wednesday to pass Larry Bird forth fifth place on the all-time list.

Westbrook posted 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to fuel the Thunder with his 23rd triple-double of the season and his second in three victories over the Pelicans this season.

Despite Westbrook’s effort — and another early injury exit for Pelicans star forward Anthony Davis — New Orleans challenged until the end.

Oklahoma City led by 22 points in the second half but withstood a 9-0 Pelicans scoring run in the fourth quarter that cut the deficit to 105-100 with 5:33 remaining.

Davis reinjured his right thigh late in the second quarter and finished with eight points and five rebounds.

Guard E’Twaun Moore paced the Pelicans with 18 points. CBB

source: sports.inquirer.net

Lakers stun Warriors, end Curry’s 3-point streak

LOS ANGELES — Lou Williams scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped Stephen Curry’s NBA-record streak of 157 games with a 3-pointer in a 117-97 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.

Julius Randle had 20 points and 14 rebounds for the rebuilding Lakers, who pulled off their second straight shocking home upset of the mighty Warriors with an impressive effort from their exciting young roster.

Lakers coach Luke Walton also won his first meeting with his former team and his coaching mentor, Steve Kerr.

Curry scored 13 points while going 0 for 10 from 3-point range, ending several incredible long-distance streaks. He had hit a 3-pointer in every regular-season game since Nov. 11, 2014.

Including the postseason, Curry had at least one 3 in 196 straight games, and he had also hit in 116 straight regular-season road games – both NBA records.

Walton was Kerr’s assistant during the Warriors’ 2014-15 championship season and again last year, when he led Golden State to a 39-4 start while Kerr was recovering from a back injury.

Golden State didn’t lose its second game under Walton that year until Dec. 30, but these reconfigured Warriors are off to a 4-2 start with this shocker coming one night after an important victory over Oklahoma City.

The young, exciting Lakers jumped to a 21-point lead in the third quarter with ball movement resembling the Warriors’ style. They fought off star-studded Golden State’s challenge in the fourth quarter with huge games from Williams and Randle, their versatile forward. D’Angelo Russell added 17 points, and rookie Brandon Ingram had 12.

Golden State lost 112-95 to the Lakers at Staples Center in March, one of the biggest regular-season upsets in NBA history and one of the Warriors’ mere nine losses last season.

One night after Kevin Durant scored 39 points against his former Thunder teammates, the Warriors got off to an awfully slow start in LA.

The Warriors scored a season-low 15 points in the first quarter. That’s also the fewest points allowed by the Lakers in any quarter this season.

Golden State missed its first seven 3-pointers, only getting its first on Andre Iguodala’s buzzer-beater. Durant, Curry and Klay Thompson were a combined 5 for 18.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Jackson compares Curry to NBA journeyman Abdul-Rauf

Never seen anything like Stephen Curry?

How about NBA journeyman Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf?

Multi-titled NBA coach compared the hotshooting Golden State guard to Abdul-Rauf, who played eight years in the NBA before spending the rest of his career in several continents.

“Never seen anything like SCurry? Remind you of Chris Jackson/ Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, who had a short but brilliant run in NBA?,” the legendary coach tweeted on Sunday (Monday Manila time).

Abdul-Rauf was drafted in 1990 by the Denver Nuggets, where he spent six years before playing for the Sacramento Kings for two years. His last stint in the NBA was with the then Vancouver Grizzlies in 2001.

The Louisiana State guard averaged 14.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. He was a career 35.4-percent shooter from three and 44.2-percent from the field.

Jackson later on tried to clarify his first tweet, saying it was all about the style of play.

“How does commenting on Rauf mean I’m comparing him to Curry? Remind, yes, quick release, cross over, Yep, MVP, nope. Get a grip!”

The closest stat Abdul-Rauf had that can be compared with Curry’s is his 90.5-percent free-throw shooting clip and his 1993 Most Improved Player award.

In contrast, Curry is fresh from winning his first Most Valuable Player award in last season’s championship run with the Warriors.

He is averaging 30.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.6 assists on a 46.8-percent shooting from three this year, leading Golden State to a 53-5 record to become the fastest team to clinch a playoff spot with still six-and-a-half weeks left in the regular season.

Curry also set the NBA record for most threes in a single season with 288 made triples on Saturday (Sunday Manila time) in the Warriors’ 121-118 overtime victory. He poured 46 points on that record-setting night, powered by 12 threes, his last being the unbelievable game-winner from 42-feet away from the hoop.

That sent the Twitter world ablaze, with NBA peers firing out tons of praise to the diminutive dynamo.

However, Jackson had a different reaction.

source: sports.inquirer.net