NBA Round Up: Warriors, Cavs and Thunder lose as Rockets stay perfect
It was a day to forget for reigning NBA champions the Golden State Warriors, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder after the trio lost on Saturday.
Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant were both ejected late in Golden State’s shock 111-101 defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Two-time NBA MVP Curry finished with 37 points, while Warriors team-mate Durant had 29 in Golden State’s second loss of the season.
The Cavaliers played their third game of the week and first back-to-back of the season and it showed, upstaged 114-93 by the Orlando Magic.
LeBron James had a season-low 22 points on eight-of-15 shooting. The loss broke a streak of 17 consecutive games in which the Cavaliers had beaten Orlando.
As for the Thunder, nothing went right in their 96-87 defeat to the Utah Jazz, who had five players in double-figures.
Thunder star Russell Westbrook scored just six points, while Paul George added 22 and Carmelo Anthony had 26.
The Houston Rockets made it three wins from three games with a 107-91 victory over the Dallas Mavericks thanks to 29 points from James Harden in the absence of injured team-mate Chris Paul.
GIANNIS ENJOYS CAREER HIGH
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a career-high 44 points on 17-of-23 shooting. He added eight points, four rebounds and two steals in the Bucks’ 113-110 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
GASOL LEADS GRIZZLIES PAST WARRIORS
Grizzlies centre Marc Gasol had 34 points on eight-of-16 shooting, but more impressively, he went 16 of 17 from the free-throw line in Memphis’ win over the Warriors.
JOHNSON WITH THE SLAM!
Heat forward James Johnson put Pacers guard Victor Oladipo on a poster in the Miami’s loss to the Indiana Pacers.
#PosterAlert from James Johnson! #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/PZd73TLJPS
— NBA (@NBA) October 22, 2017
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
Toronto Raptors 128-94 Philadelphia 76ers
Orlando Magic 114-93 Cleveland Cavaliers
Miami Heat 112-108 Indiana Pacers
Detroit Pistons 111-107 New York Knicks
Utah Jazz 96-87 Oklahoma City Thunder
Los Angeles Clippers 130-88 Phoenix Suns
San Antonio Spurs 87-77 Chicago Bulls
Memphis Grizzlies 111-101 Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets 107-91 Dallas Mavericks
Milwaukee Bucks 113-110 Portland Trail Blazers
Denver Nuggets 96-79 Sacramento Kings
TIMBERWOLVES AT THUNDER
The Thunder are coming off a poor offensive performance as they fell to the Jazz. Oklahoma City are trying to find their way as they integrate George and Anthony into the offence, but they are taking on another team on Sunday still building chemistry after the Minnesota Timberwolves added Jimmy Butler and Jeff Teague to the fold in the offseason.
