Antetokounmpo's 40 points, late block lead Bucks past 76ers
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 40 points and had a game-deciding block of Joel Embiid in the final seconds to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 118-116 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in a matchup of two of the Eastern Conferenceโs top teams.
Clippers beat Mavs 104-97, force Game 7 in another road win
Kawhi Leonard tied his playoff career high with 45 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks 104-97 on Friday night, forcing a Game 7 in the first postseason series in NBA history with the road team winning the first six games.
Leonard, Clippers bounce back with 109-99 win over Mavericks
Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George (13) attempts a layup as Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber (42) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 15, 2021, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)DALLAS โ Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers answered a couple of low moments in their season โ and kept rolling on the second night of back-to-backs. Leonard scored 22 points, Marcus Morris Sr. added 14 in a rare start and the Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks 109-99 on Monday. The Clippers won for the second time in six games while Dallas lost for just the second time in its past seven. Paul George scored 15 as seven Clippers finished in double figures.
Antetokounmpo, Bucks rally late to to beat Clippers 105-100
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the LA Clippers Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)MILWAUKEE โ Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks showed they can still rally in the fourth quarter to win games with their defense. Antetokounmpo scored 36 points and sparked a game-closing 9-0 run as the Bucks rallied to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 105-100 on Sunday for their fifth consecutive victory. The Bucks generally havenโt performed quite as well on defense this season but stifled the Clippers down the stretch. Bucks: Antetokounmpo has scored at least 35 points in four straight games, making him the first Bucks player to accomplish that feat since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from Jan. 6-14, 1973.
Clippers beat Thunder 108-101, tie for NBA's best record
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Theo Maledon (11) defends against Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)LOS ANGELES โ Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat Oklahoma City 108-101 on Sunday for their seventh consecutive victory and second straight over the Thunder. Serge Ibaka added 17 points. At 13-4, the Clippers are tied with the Lakers for the best record in the NBA. Oklahoma City has lost three in a row and five of six.
Clippers beat Pacers 129-96 for 1st 4-game winning streak
Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon (7) shoots against Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)LOS ANGELES โ Marcus Morris Sr. scored a season-high 20 points to lead seven players in double figures, and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Indiana Pacers 129-96 on Sunday night for their first four-game winning streak of the season. The Clippers ran off 10 straight points early in the fourth to lead 110-81. It was their fourth straight game with at least 15 3-pointers made, tying the longest such streak in franchise history. ... Williams missed his second straight game with a left hip injury.
George scores 39 points, Clippers hold off Suns 112-107
(AP Photo/Ralph Freso)PHOENIX โ Paul George scored 39 points and the Los Angeles Clippers held on to beat the Phoenix Suns 112-107 on Sunday night after nearly blowing a 31-point lead in a matchup of two of the Western Conference's top early season teams. At 5-2, the Clippers are tied with the Suns and Los Angeles Lakers for the West lead. George was 7 of 10 from 3-point range and Los Angeles was 17 of 29 overall. Chris Paul, who played six seasons for the Clippers, had 15 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Los Angeles opened the second quarter with 15 straight points to make it 50-24.
Mavs destroy Clippers 124-73 to earn 1st win of season
Josh Richardson added 21 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. had 18 points for the Mavs, who kept up their dominance in the second half, too. Paul George led the Kawhi Leonard-less Clippers with 15 points before sitting out the second half. Serge Ibaka added 13 points and nine rebounds over three quarters of the team's first loss. He scored as many points (13) as the Clippers in the first quarter. They swept the Mavs last season, winning all three meetings as the visiting team, including a first-round playoff victory.
Kawhi Leonard out for Clippers against Mavericks
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is helped off the court after suffering an injury during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, Dec. 25, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)LOS ANGELES โ Kawhi Leonard wonโt play for the Los Angeles Clippers against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Leonard was bleeding heavily when he left the court in the fourth quarter. Leonard was replaced in Sundayโs lineup by Luke Kennard for the Clippers' home opener at Staples Center. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Leonard leaves bloodied, but Clippers beat Nuggets 121-108
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is helped off the court after suffering an injury during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, Dec. 25, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)DENVER โ Kawhi Leonard had 21 points before taking an elbow to the face in the fourth quarter, Paul George scored 23 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Denver Nuggets 121-108 on Friday night. The Nuggets used an 11-0 run into early in the fourth, and two 3-pointers by Murray sliced a 98-74 deficit to 106-95 with 7:35 left. โThey made a run, we lost Kawhi so we could have lost our composure, lost our game, but we took a good timeout,โ Nicolas Batum said. Green, who played for the Clippers last season, has yet to play in the regular season after signing with Denver in the short offseason.
George's 33 send Clippers past Lakers 116-109 on ring night
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, is defended by Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)LOS ANGELES โ After the Los Angeles Lakers got their championship rings, the Los Angeles Clippers gave a performance that showed this retooled team is determined to contend for its own jewelry several months from now. Paul George scored 26 of his 33 points in the second half, Kawhi Leonard added 26 points and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied past the Los Angeles Lakers on the NBA championsโ ring ceremony night for a 116-109 victory Tuesday. The Clippers beat the Lakers in the season opener for the second straight year while winning coach Tyronn Lueโs debut. Schrรถder also was impressive in his Lakers debut, with 14 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.
Celtics oust Raptors in Game 7, head to East finals vs. Heat
Tatum scored 29 points, Jaylen Brown had 21 and the Celtics topped the Toronto Raptors 92-87 on Friday night in Game 7 of the East semifinal series. The Raptors were bidding to become the seventh franchise in NBA history to win four consecutive Game 7's. Boston pushed the lead to nine, Toronto scored the next eight, eventually took the lead before the Celtics claimed it back. Raptors: Toronto was eliminated 456 days after winning the preceding seasonโs title, obviously the longest such run for a team that didnโt win consecutive championships. 2 seed in the East will make the conference finals since the NBA went to the 16-team playoff format in 1984; this one will feature No.
Raptors beat Celtics 100-93 to even East semifinals at 2-2
Two days after winning Game 3 on OG Anunobys 3-pointer as time expired, the Raptors didnt need any big shots. Jayson Tatum had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics. 7-UPWhen Lowry and Brown fouled each other, it caused some headaches for the public address announcer, who mixed up his No. When Brown fouled Lowry in the first quarter, he announced the foul was on Lowry, saying my bad after a moment of confusion. Lowry hacked Brown in the second and it was announced as a foul on the Celtics player.
OG for 3: Anunoby beats buzzer to lift Raptors over Celtics
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Facing the absolute brink, the Toronto Raptors suddenly have life. OG Anunoby caught a crosscourt inbounds pass from Kyle Lowry and hit a 3-pointer with no time remaining, and the Raptors beat the Boston Celtics 104-103 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series Thursday night. The Celtics took a two-point lead when Kemba Walker found Daniel Theis for a dunk with a half-second left. Theis score left Toronto needing a miracle. When Siakam took a seat for the rest of the half, Toronto trailed 38-37.
Tatum, Smart lift Boston past Toronto, Celtics take 2-0 lead
Boston topped Toronto 102-99 on Monday night, taking a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup. Youve got to win four.Smart scored 19 points, Walker had 17 and Jaylen Brown scored 16 for the Celtics. OG Anunoby had 20 points for Toronto, which got 19 from Fred VanVleet who missed a 28-footer as time expired. The Raptors scored only nine points in the next 10:39, and missed 23 of their final 28 shots overall. FIRST-HALF ANOMALIESThere were a pair of unexpected shooting notes from the first half: Toronto didnt take a free throw and Walker went 0 for 8 from the field.
Celtics roll past Raptors 112-94, take 1-0 East semis lead
Toronto has lost four games by more than 15 points this season three of them against Boston. The Celtics won by 22 on Aug. 7, 18 on Sunday and 16 on Christmas Day. Tatum hit a baseline jumper as time expired, and the lead was 88-73 going into the final 12 minutes. Raptors: Toronto trailed 39-23 after one quarter, the sixth-worst point differential in a span of 547 quarters including playoffs played by the Raptors going back to Jan. 16, 2019. The Raptors and Celtics knelt for that moment and the playings of The Star-Spangled Banner and O Canada that immediately followed.
Celtics build 40-point lead, roll past Raptors 122-100
And Celtics coach Brad Stevens is already making it clear if that happens, a blowout win over the Raptors now won't mean anything then. Jaylen Brown scored 20 points, Jayson Tatum added 18 and the Celtics never trailed on the way to an emphatic 122-100 win over the Raptors on Friday night. It was 91-57 entering the fourth, and the Raptors went with subs the rest of the way. Raptors: Toronto needs one win in its final four games for a fifth consecutive 50-win season. The Raptors missed nine of their first 10 shots on the way to a 12-2 early deficit, setting the tone.
VanVleet scores career-best 36, Raptors top Heat 107-103
Miami Heat's Goran Dragic (7) greets Toronto Raptors' Fred VanVleet (23) after an NBA basketball game Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Fred VanVleet scored a career-high 36 points and made seven 3-pointers, and the defending NBA champion Toronto Raptors added to their strong restart with a 107-103 victory over the Miami Heat on Monday. Jae Crowder hit a 3 and Dragic drew a charge on VanVleet to give the Heat a chance. Heat: The Heat made just 5 of 23 3-pointers in the first half, but trailed only by four. Heat: Play Celtics on Tuesday.
Down in Disney, Bucks hope to finish the job this season
FILE - In this a Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts to his shot the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Milwaukee. If Antetokounmpo can shoot like that in real games, maybe the Milwaukee Bucks can finish the job and win the title this season. The Bucks are too, bringing the NBAs best record into the resumption of the season next week at Walt Disney World. The Toronto Raptors exploited that last season, with versatile, big defenders such as Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam and Serge Ibaka who could keep Antetokounmpo from the rim and make him shoot outside. The Bucks believe this season they have enough to go all the way, even without getting to use the home-court advantage they likely would have earned.