simmytbone
11-20-2014, 08:34 PM
Hey guys,
Last Night, 3 NBA Team from the Pacific Division won their games on the road
2 of them won against 2 Eastern Conference Teams while another one won last night against a Western Conference Team from Texas
Here are the stories:
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20141119_PHO@DET
Bledsoe lifts Suns past Pistons, 88-86
Nov. 19, 2014
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) The Phoenix Suns aren't known for winning games with defense.
On Wednesday night, though, they pulled it off.
The Suns held Detroit to 37.9-percent shooting, including just 7 for 25 on 3-pointers, to pick up an 88-86 victory over the Pistons.
''It was an ugly game, especially in the first half, but we'll take it,'' Phoenix coach Jeff Hornacek said. ''We've had some games where we thought we could win them at the end, and this time we almost let one get away, but we just want to win games any way we can.''
Phoenix appeared to have the game locked up when they led 85-77 with 1:52 to play, but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Brandon Jennings combined to hit three straight 3-pointers to give Detroit the lead with 35 seconds left.
''We hit some big shots and got some big stops in that stretch,'' Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. ''Then they got an easy one to win it.''
On the first possession after Caldwell-Pope had put Detroit ahead, Eric Bledsoe sliced through the Pistons defense for an easy basket.
''That felt good,'' said Bledsoe, who led Phoenix with 18 points. ''My coaches and my teammates let me get the ball and make the play. That gives you confidence.''
Phoenix then knocked away a pass and blocked a shot before Caldwell-Pope missed a desperate 3-pointer on Detroit's final possession and Bledsoe hit a free throw with 1.3 seconds left.
''You are always going to have frustration when you lose, but games like this are even tougher,'' Greg Monroe said. ''We just needed one more play, out of all the plays tonight.''
P.J. Tucker added 16 points for the Suns, who have won four of their last six.
Brandon Jennings scored 19 points to lead Detroit, who is already on its third three-game losing streak after just 12 games of the season.
The game was played on the 10th anniversary of Pacers-Pistons brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills that was started when Ron Artest went into the crowd after being hit by a thrown beer. The closest thing to a repeat came in the second quarter, when Markieff Morris and Caldwell-Pope exchanged shoves.
Phoenix dictated the tempo in the first half, forcing the Pistons to play outside their comfort zone, but weren't able to take advantage. The Suns outshot Detroit in the half, but couldn't keep them off the boards at either end. Detroit used its nine offensive rebounds to trail just 44-43 at the intermission.
The Suns frustrated the Pistons in the third quarter - Monroe and Jennings picked up technicals for arguing the same call - and led by as many as nine, but couldn't finish them off. Jennings finished with 13 in the quarter, and the Suns still only led by one heading to the fourth.
With Jennings on the bench, Phoenix moved the lead back to seven before he returned to start Detroit's late rally.
TIP INS
Suns: Phoenix struggled to keep post players in the game, as both Miles Plumlee and Alex Len had five fouls in the fourth quarter, while Markieff Morris had four. ... The Suns have won nine of their last 12 against Detroit, and snapped a three-game losing streak at the Palace.
Pistons: Tayshaun Prince, now with Memphis, is the only player who played for the Pistons in the brawl game that is still in the league. He was also the only player on either team who didn't leave the bench during the initial confrontation between Artest and the Pistons' Ben Wallace.
UP NEXT
Phoenix: At Philadelphia on Friday.
Detroit: At Atlanta on Friday.
IN THE PAINT
The Pistons continued to struggle at one of the game's simplest skills - scoring in the paint. For the second time this season, Detroit missed 30 inside shots, going 23 for 53 (43 percent). Phoenix, on the other hand, was able to score easily inside, hitting two-thirds of their shots (21 for 32). Detroit averages 48 percent inside this season, one of the worst percentages in the league, while their opponents average 54 percent.
Meanwhile....
2 teams from L.A. also won on the road last night:
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20141119_LAC@ORL
Crawford leads Clippers over Magic 114-90
Nov. 19, 2014
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The Los Angeles Clippers started an exceptionally difficult road trip with an exceptionally easy victory.
The Clippers, who traveled across country to play seven games in 11 days, gave their starters the fourth quarter off Wednesday night in a 114-90 win over the Orlando Magic.
''Our bench outscored our starters (60-54), which is a first,'' Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. ''I thought (reserves) were great in the first half and then they came in in the second half and did the same thing. When you play like that, like a whole team, it's good.''
Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford and the rest of the Clippers reserves used a 27-11 run that spanned the final three minutes of the third quarter and first two minutes of the fourth to run away from Orlando.
Crawford led Los Angeles with 22 points. Blake Griffin contributed 20 and Chris Paul added 16 points and nine assists and Matt Barnes had 13.
However, it was Crawford and his fellow subs who made the difference, outscoring Orlando's bench 60-23. Jordan Farmar had 13 points and five assists, and Spencer Hawes gave the Clippers six players in double figures with 10.
Los Angeles hit 53.6 percent from the field and was 12 of 21 (57.1 percent) from behind the 3-point line.
''We passed up good shots for great shots,'' Crawford said. ''The ball went where it needed to go every possession.''
The Magic rode Tobias Harris and Nik Vucevic for the first 2 1/2 quarters, but didn't get help from anyone else. Harris led all scorers with 25 points and Vucevic had 19 points and 14 rebounds. Channing Frye had all 10 of his points in the first half and Andrew Nicholson added 10, most of them late in the fourth quarter with the game already decided.
The Magic's starting backcourt of Victor Oladipo and Willie Green combined for 5-for-23 shooting as the Magic hit just 39.5 percent for the game.
''It was not our best night,'' Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said. ''We showed some signs and some glimpses, but (the Clippers) played well tonight.''
Los Angeles led 56-48 at halftime, but couldn't pull away from Orlando until Crawford checked in for the last three minutes of the third quarter. He hit a 3-pointer, fed Barnes for a fast-break layup and nailed another 3-pointer as Los Angeles finished the quarter with a 15-8 run and 84-68 lead.
UP NEXT
Clippers: head to Miami to play the Heat on Thursday.
Magic: go back on the road to play at Charlotte on Friday night.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Rivers started his coaching career in Orlando and four members of the Clips played for the Magic, including starters J.J. Redick and Matt Barnes. Glen Davis and Hedo Turkoglu are the others. ... This was just the second game this season outside the Staples Center for Los Angeles.
Magic: Shooting guard Evan Fournier didn't play because of a bruised left heel. He expects to return Friday. ... Willie Green replaced Fournier in the Magic lineup. He started nine games last season for the Clippers. ... The Magic's 41.6 shooting percentage from behind the 3-point line led the NBA at the start of the night, but they were just 8 for 24 from behind the arc against the Clippers.
BOARD MEETING
The NBA's top two rebounders, the Clippers C DeAndre Jordan (12.4) and Orlando's Vucevic (11.8) faced off. Vucevic had 14 rebounds in 30 minutes. Jordan had 11 rebounds in 24 minutes.
THREE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER, OR IS IT?
Rivers was asked if a team can win the NBA title without at least three All-Stars in its lineup. ''Detroit did it (in 2004), but it takes a special group of guys where everyone buys in, knows their roles and they all have to be really good,'' Rivers said. ''I do think it can happen, but you know how our league is. Until someone does it, no one is going to try it. Then if someone does it, everyone is going to try it.''
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20141119_LAL@HOU
Bryant leads Lakers to 98-92 win over Rockets
By KRISTIE RIEKEN | AP Sports Writer
Nov. 20, 2014
HOUSTON (AP) Kobe Bryant has been insisting the Los Angeles Lakers are a much better team than their terrible start indicated.
For the past two nights, the Lakers have shown he might be right.
Bryant had 29 points, Wesley Johnson made key free throws down the stretch and the Lakers took advantage of Dwight Howard's absence Wednesday in a 98-92 victory over the Houston Rockets.
It was the second consecutive win for the Lakers following a 1-9 start.
''Look, we had a bad start,'' Bryant said. ''Are we a 3-9 team? No. We're a much better team than that. We got off to a really bad start, but we'll (get better).''
Los Angeles used a 7-1 run, highlighted by Bryant's three-point play and capped by four free throws from Johnson, to take a 94-92 lead with less than a minute left. Nick Young and Bryant added two free throws apiece to secure the victory.
Young scored 16 points in his second game back from a right thumb injury. He had 17 in his season debut Tuesday night, causing him to jokingly wonder if he was what the Lakers had been missing this season. Bryant didn't argue with that theory.
''Listen, if that's what's rolling, that's what's rolling,'' Bryant said, flashing a huge smile. ''I'll take it.''
Tarik Black, a rookie who was filling in for the injured Howard (knee), missed a free throw and a jump shot down the stretch.
Houston coach Kevin McHale appreciated Black's effort.
''He was fighting out there hard,'' McHale said. ''He hadn't been in those positions.''
James Harden had 24 points for the Rockets, who dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Los Angeles took its first lead since the second quarter when Young capped an 8-0 run with a nifty reverse layup to make it 82-81 midway through the fourth. Houston missed three 3-pointers and had a turnover during that stretch.
The Rockets outscored Los Angeles 8-2 after that to regain an 89-84 lead.
The Lakers used a 9-0 run at the end of the third quarter and early in the fourth to cut Houston's lead to 75-74. Ed Davis led the way with four points.
The Rockets broke a scoring drought of 4 minutes with a 3-pointer by Patrick Beverley, and another 3 - this one by Jason Terry - that extended the lead to 81-74 with 8 1/2 minutes remaining.
Kostas Papanikolaou had a season-high 19 points for Houston. Beverley added 15.
Howard sat out with a strained right knee, announced just minutes before the game, and his absence eliminated the drama that accompanied Houston's opening-night win over the Lakers.
In that game, Howard had 13 points and 11 rebounds and got into a shouting match with Bryant, his ex-teammate. They received matching technical fouls when Howard elbowed Bryant in the face after grabbing a rebound in the fourth quarter.
McHale didn't have any more details on Howard's injury after the game.
Howard spurned the Lakers in 2013 after one season with them to take about $30 million less as a free agent in Houston.
Harden's scoring spree pushed Houston's lead to 75-65 in the third, but then the Lakers scored the last five points of the quarter.
---
TIP-INS
Lakers: Los Angeles made 19 of 23 free throws. ... Bryant has led the team in scoring 10 times this season.
Rockets: F Terrence Jones missed his eighth straight game with nerve inflammation in his left leg. McHale said Jones is slowly getting better. ... Trevor Ariza had a pair of steals for his NBA-leading ninth game this season with at least two.
IN MY DAY
Los Angeles coach Byron Scott got a chuckle out of Young's joke on Tuesday that he is one of the top five shooters in the league. Scott thinks he might need to remind Young how good a shooter he was during his 14-year playing career.
''Give him a copy of a classic NBA game,'' Scott said. ''Just like I used to tell the other guys ... I shot the ball pretty well.''
WARM WELCOME
Jeremy Lin, who spent the previous two seasons in Houston before signing with the Lakers, received a hearty ovation when he was pictured on the big screen and welcomed back to town in the first quarter. Lin finished with three points, four assists and five turnovers.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Visit Dallas on Friday.
Rockets: Host Dallas on Saturday.
credit: cbssports.com
Last Night, 3 NBA Team from the Pacific Division won their games on the road
2 of them won against 2 Eastern Conference Teams while another one won last night against a Western Conference Team from Texas
Here are the stories:
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20141119_PHO@DET
Bledsoe lifts Suns past Pistons, 88-86
Nov. 19, 2014
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) The Phoenix Suns aren't known for winning games with defense.
On Wednesday night, though, they pulled it off.
The Suns held Detroit to 37.9-percent shooting, including just 7 for 25 on 3-pointers, to pick up an 88-86 victory over the Pistons.
''It was an ugly game, especially in the first half, but we'll take it,'' Phoenix coach Jeff Hornacek said. ''We've had some games where we thought we could win them at the end, and this time we almost let one get away, but we just want to win games any way we can.''
Phoenix appeared to have the game locked up when they led 85-77 with 1:52 to play, but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Brandon Jennings combined to hit three straight 3-pointers to give Detroit the lead with 35 seconds left.
''We hit some big shots and got some big stops in that stretch,'' Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. ''Then they got an easy one to win it.''
On the first possession after Caldwell-Pope had put Detroit ahead, Eric Bledsoe sliced through the Pistons defense for an easy basket.
''That felt good,'' said Bledsoe, who led Phoenix with 18 points. ''My coaches and my teammates let me get the ball and make the play. That gives you confidence.''
Phoenix then knocked away a pass and blocked a shot before Caldwell-Pope missed a desperate 3-pointer on Detroit's final possession and Bledsoe hit a free throw with 1.3 seconds left.
''You are always going to have frustration when you lose, but games like this are even tougher,'' Greg Monroe said. ''We just needed one more play, out of all the plays tonight.''
P.J. Tucker added 16 points for the Suns, who have won four of their last six.
Brandon Jennings scored 19 points to lead Detroit, who is already on its third three-game losing streak after just 12 games of the season.
The game was played on the 10th anniversary of Pacers-Pistons brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills that was started when Ron Artest went into the crowd after being hit by a thrown beer. The closest thing to a repeat came in the second quarter, when Markieff Morris and Caldwell-Pope exchanged shoves.
Phoenix dictated the tempo in the first half, forcing the Pistons to play outside their comfort zone, but weren't able to take advantage. The Suns outshot Detroit in the half, but couldn't keep them off the boards at either end. Detroit used its nine offensive rebounds to trail just 44-43 at the intermission.
The Suns frustrated the Pistons in the third quarter - Monroe and Jennings picked up technicals for arguing the same call - and led by as many as nine, but couldn't finish them off. Jennings finished with 13 in the quarter, and the Suns still only led by one heading to the fourth.
With Jennings on the bench, Phoenix moved the lead back to seven before he returned to start Detroit's late rally.
TIP INS
Suns: Phoenix struggled to keep post players in the game, as both Miles Plumlee and Alex Len had five fouls in the fourth quarter, while Markieff Morris had four. ... The Suns have won nine of their last 12 against Detroit, and snapped a three-game losing streak at the Palace.
Pistons: Tayshaun Prince, now with Memphis, is the only player who played for the Pistons in the brawl game that is still in the league. He was also the only player on either team who didn't leave the bench during the initial confrontation between Artest and the Pistons' Ben Wallace.
UP NEXT
Phoenix: At Philadelphia on Friday.
Detroit: At Atlanta on Friday.
IN THE PAINT
The Pistons continued to struggle at one of the game's simplest skills - scoring in the paint. For the second time this season, Detroit missed 30 inside shots, going 23 for 53 (43 percent). Phoenix, on the other hand, was able to score easily inside, hitting two-thirds of their shots (21 for 32). Detroit averages 48 percent inside this season, one of the worst percentages in the league, while their opponents average 54 percent.
Meanwhile....
2 teams from L.A. also won on the road last night:
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20141119_LAC@ORL
Crawford leads Clippers over Magic 114-90
Nov. 19, 2014
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The Los Angeles Clippers started an exceptionally difficult road trip with an exceptionally easy victory.
The Clippers, who traveled across country to play seven games in 11 days, gave their starters the fourth quarter off Wednesday night in a 114-90 win over the Orlando Magic.
''Our bench outscored our starters (60-54), which is a first,'' Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. ''I thought (reserves) were great in the first half and then they came in in the second half and did the same thing. When you play like that, like a whole team, it's good.''
Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford and the rest of the Clippers reserves used a 27-11 run that spanned the final three minutes of the third quarter and first two minutes of the fourth to run away from Orlando.
Crawford led Los Angeles with 22 points. Blake Griffin contributed 20 and Chris Paul added 16 points and nine assists and Matt Barnes had 13.
However, it was Crawford and his fellow subs who made the difference, outscoring Orlando's bench 60-23. Jordan Farmar had 13 points and five assists, and Spencer Hawes gave the Clippers six players in double figures with 10.
Los Angeles hit 53.6 percent from the field and was 12 of 21 (57.1 percent) from behind the 3-point line.
''We passed up good shots for great shots,'' Crawford said. ''The ball went where it needed to go every possession.''
The Magic rode Tobias Harris and Nik Vucevic for the first 2 1/2 quarters, but didn't get help from anyone else. Harris led all scorers with 25 points and Vucevic had 19 points and 14 rebounds. Channing Frye had all 10 of his points in the first half and Andrew Nicholson added 10, most of them late in the fourth quarter with the game already decided.
The Magic's starting backcourt of Victor Oladipo and Willie Green combined for 5-for-23 shooting as the Magic hit just 39.5 percent for the game.
''It was not our best night,'' Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said. ''We showed some signs and some glimpses, but (the Clippers) played well tonight.''
Los Angeles led 56-48 at halftime, but couldn't pull away from Orlando until Crawford checked in for the last three minutes of the third quarter. He hit a 3-pointer, fed Barnes for a fast-break layup and nailed another 3-pointer as Los Angeles finished the quarter with a 15-8 run and 84-68 lead.
UP NEXT
Clippers: head to Miami to play the Heat on Thursday.
Magic: go back on the road to play at Charlotte on Friday night.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Rivers started his coaching career in Orlando and four members of the Clips played for the Magic, including starters J.J. Redick and Matt Barnes. Glen Davis and Hedo Turkoglu are the others. ... This was just the second game this season outside the Staples Center for Los Angeles.
Magic: Shooting guard Evan Fournier didn't play because of a bruised left heel. He expects to return Friday. ... Willie Green replaced Fournier in the Magic lineup. He started nine games last season for the Clippers. ... The Magic's 41.6 shooting percentage from behind the 3-point line led the NBA at the start of the night, but they were just 8 for 24 from behind the arc against the Clippers.
BOARD MEETING
The NBA's top two rebounders, the Clippers C DeAndre Jordan (12.4) and Orlando's Vucevic (11.8) faced off. Vucevic had 14 rebounds in 30 minutes. Jordan had 11 rebounds in 24 minutes.
THREE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER, OR IS IT?
Rivers was asked if a team can win the NBA title without at least three All-Stars in its lineup. ''Detroit did it (in 2004), but it takes a special group of guys where everyone buys in, knows their roles and they all have to be really good,'' Rivers said. ''I do think it can happen, but you know how our league is. Until someone does it, no one is going to try it. Then if someone does it, everyone is going to try it.''
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20141119_LAL@HOU
Bryant leads Lakers to 98-92 win over Rockets
By KRISTIE RIEKEN | AP Sports Writer
Nov. 20, 2014
HOUSTON (AP) Kobe Bryant has been insisting the Los Angeles Lakers are a much better team than their terrible start indicated.
For the past two nights, the Lakers have shown he might be right.
Bryant had 29 points, Wesley Johnson made key free throws down the stretch and the Lakers took advantage of Dwight Howard's absence Wednesday in a 98-92 victory over the Houston Rockets.
It was the second consecutive win for the Lakers following a 1-9 start.
''Look, we had a bad start,'' Bryant said. ''Are we a 3-9 team? No. We're a much better team than that. We got off to a really bad start, but we'll (get better).''
Los Angeles used a 7-1 run, highlighted by Bryant's three-point play and capped by four free throws from Johnson, to take a 94-92 lead with less than a minute left. Nick Young and Bryant added two free throws apiece to secure the victory.
Young scored 16 points in his second game back from a right thumb injury. He had 17 in his season debut Tuesday night, causing him to jokingly wonder if he was what the Lakers had been missing this season. Bryant didn't argue with that theory.
''Listen, if that's what's rolling, that's what's rolling,'' Bryant said, flashing a huge smile. ''I'll take it.''
Tarik Black, a rookie who was filling in for the injured Howard (knee), missed a free throw and a jump shot down the stretch.
Houston coach Kevin McHale appreciated Black's effort.
''He was fighting out there hard,'' McHale said. ''He hadn't been in those positions.''
James Harden had 24 points for the Rockets, who dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Los Angeles took its first lead since the second quarter when Young capped an 8-0 run with a nifty reverse layup to make it 82-81 midway through the fourth. Houston missed three 3-pointers and had a turnover during that stretch.
The Rockets outscored Los Angeles 8-2 after that to regain an 89-84 lead.
The Lakers used a 9-0 run at the end of the third quarter and early in the fourth to cut Houston's lead to 75-74. Ed Davis led the way with four points.
The Rockets broke a scoring drought of 4 minutes with a 3-pointer by Patrick Beverley, and another 3 - this one by Jason Terry - that extended the lead to 81-74 with 8 1/2 minutes remaining.
Kostas Papanikolaou had a season-high 19 points for Houston. Beverley added 15.
Howard sat out with a strained right knee, announced just minutes before the game, and his absence eliminated the drama that accompanied Houston's opening-night win over the Lakers.
In that game, Howard had 13 points and 11 rebounds and got into a shouting match with Bryant, his ex-teammate. They received matching technical fouls when Howard elbowed Bryant in the face after grabbing a rebound in the fourth quarter.
McHale didn't have any more details on Howard's injury after the game.
Howard spurned the Lakers in 2013 after one season with them to take about $30 million less as a free agent in Houston.
Harden's scoring spree pushed Houston's lead to 75-65 in the third, but then the Lakers scored the last five points of the quarter.
---
TIP-INS
Lakers: Los Angeles made 19 of 23 free throws. ... Bryant has led the team in scoring 10 times this season.
Rockets: F Terrence Jones missed his eighth straight game with nerve inflammation in his left leg. McHale said Jones is slowly getting better. ... Trevor Ariza had a pair of steals for his NBA-leading ninth game this season with at least two.
IN MY DAY
Los Angeles coach Byron Scott got a chuckle out of Young's joke on Tuesday that he is one of the top five shooters in the league. Scott thinks he might need to remind Young how good a shooter he was during his 14-year playing career.
''Give him a copy of a classic NBA game,'' Scott said. ''Just like I used to tell the other guys ... I shot the ball pretty well.''
WARM WELCOME
Jeremy Lin, who spent the previous two seasons in Houston before signing with the Lakers, received a hearty ovation when he was pictured on the big screen and welcomed back to town in the first quarter. Lin finished with three points, four assists and five turnovers.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Visit Dallas on Friday.
Rockets: Host Dallas on Saturday.
credit: cbssports.com