The NBA featured a seven-game slate on Saturday, and four of them ended up as blowouts. So, we take a look at the three that turned out to be close games:
Celtics Escape Pelicans on Jayson Tatum Game-Winner
Jayson Tatum hit the game-winning jumper with 0.7 tick left to nudge the Boston Celtics (34-15) to a close 118-116 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans (12-37) at Smoothie King Center.
The Celtics and Pelicans engaged in a tight, back-and-forth battle virtually throughout, but Boston looked ready to pull away in the fourth after building a 108-101 lead with four minutes left. New Orleans stormed back and tied things up at 116 at a CJ McCollum bucket. The NBA’s defending champs then went to Tatum for the game-winner.
Tatum finished with 27 points and 10 dimes, while Jaylen Brown topscored for the Celtics with 28 points on top of 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White had 16 apiece.
Trey Murphy III fired a game-high 40 points to go along with 5 rebounds and 4 assists for the Pelicans, who lost guard Dejounte Murray to a lower leg injury early in the game.
Up next:
Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers on February 3
Pelicans vs. Denver Nuggets on February 4
Nuggets Survive Tyrese Maxey’s Big Game, Upend Sixers
The Denver Nuggets (29-19) bucked a 40-point explosion by Tyrese Maxey to upend the Philadelphia 76ers (19-28), 137-134, at Wells Fargo Center.
Jamal Murray nearly matched Maxey’s fiery output with 31 points of his own on top of 6 rebounds and 11 assists. Nikola Jokic added 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 13 assists and hit a crucial basket in the paint with less than a minute left for the final tally. Michael Porter Jr. chipped in 24 points on an ultra-efficient 10-for-14 clip from the field.
Guerschon Yabusele continued his strong play for the Sixers with a 28-point effort, while Kelly Oubre Jr. put up 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Up next:
Nuggets vs. Charlotte Hornets on February 2
Sixers vs. Celtics on February 3
Clippers Outlast Hornets as James Harden Joins Elite Company
All five starters of the Los Angeles Clippers (28-20) finished in double-digits to help the team to a hard-fought 112-104 triumph against the Charlotte Hornets (12-33) at Spectrum Center.
Norm Powell led the way for the Clippers with 27 points on 11-for-15 shooting overall. Kawhi Leonard added 21 points and 9 rebounds, while Ivica Zubac and James Harden had 14 apiece. Zubac also hauled down 11 boards while Harden dished off 10 dimes. Amir Coffey off the bench was the sixth Clipper who scored at least 10.
With his 10 assists, Harden joined LeBron James, Oscar Robertson, and Russell Westbrook as the only players with 25,000 points and 8,000 assists for their career.
Miles Bridges fired 27 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 6 assists for the Hornets, who just couldn’t get over the hump without LaMelo Ball. Vasilije Micic added 20.
Up next:
Clippers vs. Toronto Raptors on February 3
Hornets vs. Nuggets on February 2
Daily Fantasy: 'YUN OH! NANDITO NA ANG PBA
