It was a busy 10-game day in the NBA on Saturday, but all eyes were in Los Angeles and Boston. Here’s a recap of three notable games today:
Lakers Fend Off Clippers to Win NBA’s Battle of LA
Luka Doncic fired 10 of his game-high 31 points in the fourth quarter to help the Los Angeles Lakers (37-21) fend off the Los Angeles Clippers (32-27), 106-102, at crypto.com Arena in another Battle of LA in the NBA.
Doncic struggled with his shot in his 26th birthday but managed to make them down the stretch as the Lakers won their fifth straight and 11 of their last 13. LeBron James was masterful once more, finishing with 28 points and 13 rebounds to help the Purple and Gold withstand injuries to Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.
Ivica Zubac paced the Clippers with 27 points and 16 boards, while Kawhi Leonard added 21. James Harden had 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists but was just 5-for-22 from the field and coughed the ball up six times.
Up next:
Rematch on March 3
Cavs Rally Past Celtics in Statement Win
Donovan Mitchell won a high-octane duel with Jayson Tatum to power the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers (49-10) to a 123-116 come-from-behind win over the Boston Celtics (42-18) at TD Garden.
Mitchell finished with 41 big points, including five that put the Cavs up by five, 119-114, after the Celtics had tied the game at 114. Mitchell was also instrumental in leading Cleveland back from a 22-point deficit after the NBA’s defending champs raced out to a 25-3 lead on some torrid three-point shooting to start the game.
Tatum led the way for Boston with 46 points, 16 rebounds, and 9 assists and already had a 30-point, 9-rebound, and 7-assist game going after one half. He is the first to accomplish those numbers at the half in the NBA’s play-by-play era that started in 1997. Jaylen Brown added 37, but his and Tatum’s 84 combined points were not enough as no other Celtic scored more than 6.
Up next:
Cavs vs. Portland Trail Blazers on March 3
Celtics vs. Denver Nuggets on March 3
Knicks Frustrate Grizzlies as Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby Come Up Big
Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby hit huge threes late to help the New York Knicks (39-20) eke out a 114-113 thriller over the Memphis Grizzlies (38-21) at FedEx Forum.
Brunson hit a trey to put the Knicks up, 111-110, with 24.1 seconds remaining. But Ja Morant answered back with a three-point play to give the Grizzlies back the lead, 113-111. Anunoby then put New York back up, 114-113, with his own trey. Morant’s game-winning lay-in rolled off in Memphis’s final possession.
Brunson finished with 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Anunoby had 19 markers. Morant fired a game-high 25 points to go along his 4 rebounds and 7 assists. Desmond Bane added 24 points and 12 rebounds but had 6 turnovers.
Up next:
Knicks vs. Miami Heat on March 3
Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs on March 3
