NBA Scores: The Warriors can’t cease D’Angelo Russell and Naz Reid

Celtics trounce Nets by 43, 139-96

With three-and-a-half minutes left within the first quarter, the Boston Celtics held a 38-9 lead and had drained all seven of its three-point makes an attempt. By the tip of the primary quarter, Boston’s benefit swelled to 30, the rating 46-16. The time period “unconscious” is usually thrown round because it pertains to photographs falling in basketball, however I’m unsure it had ever been utilized as aptly because it was by Mike Breen describing the Celtics within the opening body.

Hell, he may have stated it each second for the remainder of the sport, and it wouldn’t have misplaced which means. Had it been the lone phrase he repeated for the following three quarters — “Unconscious,” he’d say, adopted by Doris Burke’s eloquent breakdowns of dribble hand-offs — nobody would have bat a watch. The Celtics have been that good, nay, nice, nay, excellent on Wednesday, led by Jayson Tatum (31 factors) and Jaylen Brown (26), plus Robert Williams III, Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon, and Luke Kornet, who all completed in double-figures. At one level, Boston led by 49; at no level did they path.

Everyone else within the NBA is taking part in for second-best in the meanwhile.

Timberwolves drop Warriors in OT, 119-114

Despite seven gamers ending in double-figures, led by (who else) Steph Curry’s 29, the Warriors simply didn’t have sufficient to cease — *checks notes* — D’Angelo Russell and Naz Reid. Russell matched Steph’s game-high 29 factors to proceed his ridiculously scorching month of January, and Reid dropped 24 and pulled down 13 rebounds within the win. After Russell fouled out in additional time, Anthony Edwards picked up the slack. He scored half of Minnesota’s additional time factors and completed with 27.

Trail Blazers prime Grizzlies, 122-112, behind one other massive night time from Dame

Speaking of unconscious, Damian Lillard is on the heater of all heaters in the meanwhile. He hasn’t scored fewer than 24 factors since Jan. 8, and is averaging 38 factors per sport since then. He has scored 30 or extra in 11 of these 13 video games, 40 or extra in six of them, and 50–plus in two. On Wednesday, he scored 42 factors, which paired properly together with his eight rebounds and 10 assists. He outdueled Ja Morant (32-9-12) handily, which is hardly a simple ask.

The Blazers might be something on any given night time — good, dangerous, ugly, beautiful, and so forth. If they squirm their approach into the play-in event by season’s finish, that ought to (oddly) make them one of many extra daunting matchups within the West.

Sixers keep away from second-straight loss to Magic, win 105-94

When Joel Embiid (28 factors in Tuesday’s win) and James Harden (26) are taking part in this properly, each individually and collectively, the Philadelphia 76ers are going to be onerous to beat. The solely factor standing of their approach of a title — a notion I need to take into account, at the same time as they proceed to expertise their hottest stretch of the season — may be that night-in-nigh-out third possibility. Tobias Harris (16 factors on Tuesday) match the invoice towards the lesser Orlando opponent Philly drew on Tuesday. But he’s as streaky as they arrive. Tyrese Maxey may very well be the man, however he’s gone chilly over his final three, scoring a mixed 31 factors and capturing simply 10-of-31 over that stretch.

A win is a win. I’m simply being the curmudgeon who yells at clouds; which I prefer to name “thinking big,” however alas.

Hawks wallop Suns in Phoenix, 132-100

Sometimes, it’s simply a kind of nights.

Rockets stun Thunder, 112-106, with out Green, Porter Jr.

Somehow, a way, on this universe — the one we’re presently dwelling in, sure, this one — the Houston Rockets, with out the often-chaotic companies of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., beat the Oklahoma City Thunder. In an alternate timeline, this makes a lot sense. In this one, a timeline during which Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is having one of the best season of his profession and Jabari Smith Jr. can hardly handle to attain 9 factors towards the middling Thunder of Oklahoma City, it’s baffling.

But alas, it’s what occurred. Eric Gordon, a person who positively hates being a member of the Houston Rockets, led all scorers with 25 factors and was confidently flanked by Tari Eason, who added 20. SGA had 24 and Josh Giddey, 20, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient.

Yes, certainly one of my parlays tanked due to this sport. Can you inform?

Sabonis drops season-high 34 to steer Kings previous Spurs, 119-109

It would not take a rocket scientist to decipher that San Antonio and Sacramento are two groups heading in the other way. With this loss, the Spurs have dropped seven in a row and 12 of their final 13. Meanwhile, the Kings — led by Domantas Sabonis’ 34 factors and 11 rebounds — have received 9 of their final 12 and are third within the West. Even although the Spurs stored issues shut on this one, thanks largely to a 69-33 benefit in scoring off the bench, the Kings by no means budged en path to their second-straight win.

Jazz sneak previous Raptors, 131-128

I’ve stated it earlier than and I’ll say it once more: Utah received the Rudy Gobert commerce, and it’s not notably shut.