NBA Round Up: Splash Brothers´ struggle in Warriors win, Spurs beat Rockets as Cavs lose to Heat
Steph Curry and Klay Thompson were not at their free-flowing best but the Golden State Warriors still won, while reigning NBA champions the Cleveland Cavaliers went down to the Miami Heat.
It was an off night for ‘Splash Brothers’ Curry and Thompson, however, Andre Iguodala stepped up in Monday’s 119-111 win at the Atlanta Hawks.
Iguodala posted a season-high 24 points for the Warriors.
The Cavaliers were beaten 106-98 at home to the Heat – a loss compounded by Andrew Bogut’s broken leg in his debut for the champions.
Kawhi Leonard starred late as the San Antonio Spurs trumped the Houston Rockets 112-110.
IGUODALA STEPS UP AS CURRY AND THOMPSON STRUGGLE
While Curry scored 24 points, he was eight-of-20 shooting, while Thompson recorded just 13 points following a scoreless first half.
But Iguodala and Golden State’s bench outscored Atlanta’s reserves 55-37 for back-to-back wins.
The Hawks were led by Dennis Schroder, who had 23 points – 19 of those coming in the first quarter.
CAVS LOSE GAME AND BOGUT
If consecutive defeats (against the same opposition) were not bad enough, Bogut’s injury exceeded all of that.
Bogut’s first game for the Cavs since joining last week lasted less than a minute as he suffered a fractured left tibia.
LeBron James, who scored 30 points and 17 rebounds, said: “As soon as the collision happened I heard it break. I went over to him and I knew it.”
LEONARD PERFORMS AT BOTH ENDS
All-Star Leonard made his case for MVP as the Spurs hosted award frontrunner James Harden and the Rockets.
Not only did Leonard score 39 points to help erase a 16-point deficit but he also had the two biggest plays at the end of the game to put the Spurs up for good.
Trailing by two with 25 seconds remaining, Leonard nailed a 25-foot three-pointer to give the Spurs a two-point lead. On the ensuing possession, Harden drove the lane looking for the game-winner but Leonard blocked him from behind and knocked down two free throws to help seal the victory.
Leonard, who added six rebounds and five assists, now has scored double figures in 91 straight games, tying the longest streak of Tim Duncan’s career set in 2002-03.
CLUTCH!
KaWinner. #GoSpursGo#PhantomCam pic.twitter.com/PQLqUOtKoV
— NBA (@NBA) March 7, 2017
So, Dion Waiters is EATING! #HeatIsON
He’s up to 24 PTS at half. @MiamiHEAT lead @cavs 62-52.
Bron Bron: 16 PTS + 11 REB #NBAGIF pic.twitter.com/VjDrU3fhR2
— NBA (@NBA) March 7, 2017
TRAIL BLAZERS-TIMBERWOLVES POSTPONED, PISTONS BEAT BULLS
Slippery conditions meant the clash between the Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves was postponed, while the Detroit Pistons outlasted the Chicago Bulls 109-95.
The New York Knicks rallied past the Orlando Magic 113-105, the Brooklyn Nets trumped the Memphis Grizzlies 122-109, the Charlotte Hornets upstaged the Indiana Pacers 100-88 and the Philadelphia 76ers lost 112-98 to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Elsewhere, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Sacramento Kings 108-96, the Utah Jazz edged the New Orleans Pelicans 88-83 and the Los Angeles Clippers were too good for the Boston Celtics 116-102.
THUNDER HEADLINE SCHEDULE
On a day featuring only three games, the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. The Los Angeles Lakers are at the Dallas Mavericks, while the Phoenix Suns entertain the Washington Wizards.
