There were plenty of high drama and thrills in the NBA’s seven-game slate on Tuesday. But things took a sobering tone when one beloved superstar suffered what appeared to be a serious injury. We take a look at that game plus to more notables in today’s recap:
Kings Handle Mavs as Kyrie Irving Leaves with Knee Injury
The Sacramento Kings (32-28) dominated the middle two quarters en route to a 122-98 dismantling of the Dallas Mavericks (32-30) at American Airlines Center.
Zach Lavine led the way for the Kings with 22 points on 4-for-5 from downtown, while DeMar DeRozan chipped in 20. Malik Monk had 13 markers and 8 dimes. Kai Jones and Naji Marshall fired 21 and 18, respectively, for the Mavs, who lost Irving to what appears to be a serious knee injury.
Irving, Dallas’ leading scorer and heart and soul, was driving to the basket when his left leg buckled and then hyperextended backwards as he planted it for the gather. He immediately clutched his left knee in obvious pain. He was helped to the foul line to shoot his two free throws, but it looked like he couldn’t put weight on his injured leg.
If ever, Irving will join a long list of Mavs with serious injuries this season. That list already includes big men Daniel Gafford and Derrick Lively II, new acquisition Anthony Davis, and forward PJ Washington.
Up next:
Kings vs. Sacramento Kings on March 6
Mavs vs. Milwaukee Bucks on March 6
Hawks Eke Out Victory as Grizzlies Lose in the Endgame Again
Someway, somehow, teams are finding ways to beat the Memphis Grizzlies (38-23) in the last 20 seconds of the game. That happened again, this time with the Atlanta Hawks (28-33) pulling out a 132-130 victory on a buzzer-beating lay-in at FedEx Forum.
Down 130-125 with less than three minutes left in regulation, the Hawks scored the game’s final seven points—the last a lay-in by Caris LaVert off a steal by NBA steals leader Dyson Daniels. LaVert, a trade deadline acquisition, finished with 25 points off the Atlanta bench. Daniels added 14 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals.
Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with a season-high 35 points on top of 10 rebounds and 10 assists but committed 5 turnovers—the last of which was Daniels’s takeaway with 3.8 seconds remaining in the fourth. Memphis played without Ja Morant and Santi Aldama due to injuries. Jaren Jackson Jr. then left the game due to a left ankle sprain.
This is the third straight game Memphis has lost in the final 20 seconds.
Up next:
Hawks vs. Bucks on March 5
Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on March 6
Thunder Outlast Rockets Behind SGA’s 51
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fired 51 points to power the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-11) to a 137-128 triumph over the reeling Houston Rockets (37-24) at Paycom Center.
SGA, an MVP frontrunner, scored 28 in the first half alone and helped the Thunder wipe out an early nine-point lead by the Rockets. He fired 17 more in the third as OKC outscored Houston 39-27 to wrest control. Gilgeous-Alexander added 5 rebounds and 7 assists. Jalen Williams put up 24 points of his own to provide additional firepower to SGA’s exploits, while Chet Holmgren chipped in an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double.
Cam Whitmore’s season-high of 27 points on top of 11 rebounds paced the Rockets, who were without injured starters Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks, and Fred VanVleet, as well as sixth man Tari Eason.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s latest 50-piece is his fourth of the season—all coming in the last seven weeks. It is also the ninth time he has breached the 40-point mark.
Up next:
Thunder vs. Grizzlies on March 6
Rockets vs. Indiana Pacers on March 5
