Red-hot Jazz blow out Lakers, Thunder's Dort drops buzzer-beater
February 25, 2021 12:01 MYT
LeBron James was left helpless as the Utah Jazz destroyed the Los Angeles Lakers, 114-89, with the defending champions slipping to a fourth straight loss.
James was the game's top scorer with 19 points while six Jazz players hit double-figures, with Rudy Gobert and Jordan Clarkson dropping 18, and the NBA leaders raced away with this contest between two championship contenders.
Utah stormed to a 16-point half-time lead before restricting the Lakers to a season-low 17-point third quarter, and the hosts once again set the bar high from downtown, shooting 22 threes, including a franchise-high 14 in the first half.
The lifeless Lakers offered little resistance while slipping to their biggest loss of the season as the Western Conference leaders cruised to a 22nd win in 24 games.
The Jazz's league-leading 15-2 home record improves them to 26-6 overall.
With Anthony Davis joined by Dennis Schroder on the sidelines, Montrezl Harrell (16 points) and Markieff Morris (12 points) were the only other Lakers players to hit double-figures as their record fell to 22-11.
The @utahjazz are the first team in NBA history to make 50 threes over a 2-game span. They have now won 14 straight home games by double digits, the second-longest streak in NBA history behind the 1989-90 Suns (15).
— Stats By STATS (@StatsBySTATS) February 25, 2021
Gallinari writes Hawks and NBA history
Danilo Gallinari set an Atlanta Hawks franchise record of 10 three-pointers in the 127-112 win against the Boston Celtics.
The Italian veteran had the best shooting day of his career, burying 13 of his 16 attempts from the field, while putting up a personal-best 38 points.
Danilo Gallinari of the @ATLHawks went 13-for-16 from the floor tonight, including 10-for-12 on three-pointers. He's the second player in NBA history to shoot 80+ percent overall and make 10+ threes in a game, joining Klay Thompson (1/21/2019).
— Stats By STATS (@StatsBySTATS) February 25, 2021
Siakam ineffective for Raps
Pascal Siakam was only able to put up five points from his 24 minutes on court in the Toronto Raptors' 116-108 defeat by the Miami Heat.
The Raps center landed one of six field-goal attempts, sinking one of his three from distance and adding a pair of free throws, before being benched in the fourth quarter.
Dort beats the clock and comes up clutch
Luguentz Dort's three-point buzzer-beater earned the Oklahoma City Thunder a dramatic 102-99 win over the San Antonio Spurs, after a career-high 42 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Canadian becomes only the third player in franchise history to sink a game-winning three since the move to Oklahoma, joining Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
LU DORT. CATCH. FIRE. BALLGAME. Lu Dort rises up and buries the #TissotBuzzerBeater to lift the @okcthunder! #ThisIsYourTime pic.twitter.com/RLYubAusQx
— NBA (@NBA) February 25, 2021
Wednesday's results
Atlanta Hawks 127-112 Boston Celtics
Pelicans at Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo has led the Milwaukee Bucks (19-13) to third in the east and they host the Zion Williamson-inspired New Orleans Pelicans (14-17) on Thursday.