Pistons complete season sweep of Raptors; Sixers beat Bucks despite 52 from Giannis; Wade leads Heat past Hornets
Monday 18 March 2019 00:44, UK
LeBron James' 33 points were in vain as the New York Knicks staged a fourth-quarter rally to stun the Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden.
Emmanuel Mudiay highlighted his 28-point performance with a pair of late free throws as the NBA-worst New York Knicks erased an 11-point deficit late in the fourth quarter for a 124-123 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday afternoon.
Damyean Dotson scored 25 points and Kevin Knox chipped in 19 for the Knicks, who benefited from a season-high 41-point first quarter to post their first win since a 108-103 victory against Orlando on February 26.
New York's DeAndre Jordan collected 15 points and 17 rebounds to record his fifth double-double in his past six games.
LeBron James scored 33 points after sitting out Friday's 111-97 setback versus Detroit for what the team called "load management" connected to the groin injury that sidelined him for 17 games earlier this season.
The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player shot 11-for-26 from the field and overcame an 0-for-6 performance from the three-point line by making 11-of-13 attempts from the free-throw line during his 35 minutes of play.
Kyle Kuzma had 18 points and Reggie Bullock added 14 for the Lakers, who have lost eight of nine and were swept in the season series by New York.
James' jumper gave Los Angeles a 122-111 lead with 3:45 to play before New York answered with a flourish, with Dotson's lay-up bringing New York within one with 37.1 seconds to play.
Mudiay then made a pair of free throws with 22.3 seconds left before Mario Hezonja blocked James' jumper in the waning seconds to preserve the victory.
Some teams just have the number of another team. That was the case for the Detroit Pistons against the Toronto Raptors during this regular season.
Blake Griffin scored 25 points to lead the Pistons to a 110-107 win over visiting Toronto on Sunday, helping Detroit sweep the three-game regular season series against the Raptors.
Trailing 110-107 with 2.4 seconds left, Toronto had a glimmer of hope after Griffin missed two free throws.
Griffin intentionally fouled Toronto's Kawhi Leonard on the rebound with 1.4 seconds remaining, but Leonard missed the first throw.
After Leonard intentionally missed the second, Pistons center Andre Drummond gathered the rebound and the clock ran out.
The second half was close throughout. With the score tied 100-100, the Pistons took a 102-100 lead with 1:25 remaining on two free throws by Drummond.
On Toronto's next possession, Drummond stole a pass, dribbled down the court, then fed a pass to Wayne Ellington, who hit a lay-up to give the Pistons a 104-100 lead with 1:07 left.
Toronto closed within 104-102 with a minute left on two free throws by Leonard, but Griffin hit a hook in the lane to give the Pistons a 106-102 lead with 42.4 seconds left.
Detroit took a 108-102 lead with 20.6 seconds left on two free throws by Reggie Jackson, but Danny Green hit a three-pointer for Toronto with 14.3 seconds left to bring the Raptors within 108-105.
After getting fouled, Jackson hit two free throws again to put Detroit up 110-105 before Leonard's missed free throw sealed the Raptors' fate.
Drummond had 15 points and 17 rebounds for Detroit, while Leonard scored 33 points to lead Toronto.
Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic came off the bench to combine for 22 points in the fourth quarter to boost Miami to a 93-75 victory against the visiting Charlotte Hornets on Sunday afternoon.
The game was not much to look at offensively through three quarters, but Wade stepped up in the final frame with 12 points and Dragic added 10 to help the Heat bolster their playoff position.
Wade's three-pointer with 4:44 left capped an 8-0 run and Miami outscored Charlotte 32-15 in the fourth. The win kept the Heat in the No 8 spot in the East, two games up on the Hornets with 13 games left for both clubs.
Dragic finished with a team-high 19 points and Wade added 17. Bam Adebayo had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Dion Waiters added 12 points for the Heat, who have won eight of their past 10 against Charlotte.
Jeremy Lamb scored a game-best 21, Frank Kaminsky had 13, Nicolas Batum added 12 and Tony Parker chipped in 11, while leading scorer Kemba Walker had just 10 for Charlotte, who are 2-5 in their last seven.
Joel Embiid scored 40 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to lead the visiting Philadelphia 76ers past the Milwaukee Bucks 130-125 on Sunday.
It was Embiid's 52nd double-double and the 25th time he has scored at least 30 points and swept 10 rebounds in a game. He scored 18 points alone in the fourth quarter.
Jimmy Butler had 27 and JJ Redick 19 for the Sixers, who won their fourth in a row and officially clinched a playoff spot.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was terrific for the Bucks with a career-high 52 points to go along with 16 rebounds and seven assists. Khris Middleton added 19 points.
The Bucks played without guard Malcolm Brogdon, who will be sidelined for at least six weeks with a plantar fascia tear in right foot.
The Sixers still led 89-82 after three quarters. Philadelphia came out aggressive in the fourth and extended their advantage to 98-86 with 9:34 left when Mike Scott drained a three-pointer.
After Antetokounmpo reached the basket, got fouled and made one of two shots, the Bucks trailed 107-99 with 4:49 to go.
Butler responded in a big way with a three-pointer to put the Sixers back ahead by 11. He then knocked down two more shots to stay hot and the Philadelphia lead was 116-103 with 3:02 remaining.
Leading 120-116, Embiid hit a trey from the top of the key for a seven-point lead with 34.9 seconds left.
Embiid made two free throws in the waning seconds to help seal the win.
