NHL roundup: Isles top Habs to continue surge
By The Sports Xchange
NEW YORK -- Andrew Ladd scored a pair of goals Thursday night, including the go-ahead tally less than eight minutes into the third period, as the New York Islanders continued surging into the All-Star Break with a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens at Barclays Center.
Josh Bailey also scored and Thomas Greiss made 21 saves for the Islanders, who have won five of six (5-0-1) to climb out of last place in the Eastern Conference and into the wild-card race.
Shea Weber scored in the second period for the Canadiens, who were trying to extend their points streak to four games. Carey Price recorded 39 saves.
Oilers 4, Sharks 1
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Edmonton shrugged off fatigue and playing on the road to grind out a victory over San Jose to move into a virtual first-place tie with the Sharks.
The Oilers, 7-0-1 in their last eight games after road wins on consecutive nights over Anaheim and San Jose, snapped the Sharks' season-high six-game winning streak. San Jose and Edmonton enter the break with a division-leading 64 points apiece with the Sharks playing one fewer game.
Rookie Drake Caggiula scored at 11:31 of the third period to break open a one-goal game. The Oilers' Connor McDavid added an empty-net goal -- his 17th -- at 18:08.
Kings 3, Hurricanes 0
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Marian Gaborik and Trevor Lewis scored 38 seconds apart late in the third period, and Peter Budaj recorded his fifth shutout of the season as Los Angeles defeated Carolina.
Budaj recorded his 16th career shutout. He stopped 22 shots to move into a tie for second in the league with his fifth shutout of the season.
Kyle Clifford's empty-net goal capped the scoring while Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward made 26 saves.
Capitals 5, Devils 2
NEWARK, N.J. -- Washington continued its torrid pace with a victory over New Jersey at the Prudential Center.
The league-leading Capitals received a pair of goals from Evgeni Kuznetsov, including an empty-netter, a goal and an assist apiece from Alex Ovechkin and Andre Burakovsky, a goal from Lars Eller and 27 saves from Braden Holtby.
Stefan Noesen and Adam Henrique scored for the Devils.
Flyers 2, Maple Leafs 1
PHILADELPHIA -- Roman Lyubimov snapped a 13-game goalless streak, as well as a third-period tie, scoring with 2:37 remaining in regulation to give Philadelphia a win over Toronto at the Wells Fargo Center.
Wayne Simmonds also scored for the Flyers, and Michal Neuvirth, starting in place of Steve Mason on the second end of back-to-back games, stopped 27 shots to improve to 6-4-0.
William Nylander scored for the Maple Leafs.
Bruins 4, Penguins 3
BOSTON -- Brad Marchand scored two goals in the second period as Boston came from behind for a victory over Pittsburgh.
Patrice Bergeron and Riley Nash also scored for the Bruins.
Justin Schultz, Phil Kessel and Patric Hornqvist scored for the Penguins.
Panthers 2, Lightning 1 (OT)
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Jonathan Marchessault scored a power-play overtime goal and James Reimer produced 31 saves to lead Florida past Tampa Bay at the BB&T Center.
The Panthers, who broke a four-game losing streak, also received a shorthanded goal by Jussi Jokinen. It was just his second shorthanded goal in five seasons.
Nikita Kucherov scored his 19th goal of the season and his seventh on a power play for the Lightning.
Flames 3, Senators 2 (OT)
OTTAWA -- Johnny Gaudreau scored at 4:29 of overtime to snap Calgary's losing streak at four games with a victory over Ottawa at Canadian Tire Centre.
Michael Ferland and Sean Monahan scored for the Flames in regulation.
Chris Wideman and Tommy Wingels scored for the Senators in regulation.
Jets 5, Blackhawks 3
CHICAGO -- Andrew Copp and Bryan Little scored 32 seconds apart late in the third period and Winnipeg rallied to record its fourth win of the season over Chicago.
Mark Scheifele, Patrik Laine and Shawn Matthias also scored for the Jets and Connor Hellebuyck had 37.
Duncan Keith, Nick Schmaltz and Tanner Kero scored for the Blackhawks.
Predators 4, Blue Jackets 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Craig Smith scored two goals as Nashville topped Columbus at Bridgestone Arena.
Calle Jarnkrok and Harry Zolnierczyk also scored for the Predators.
Zach Werenski, Matt Murray and Brandon Saad scored for the Blue Jackets.
Stars 4, Sabres 3
DALLAS -- Patrick Sharp had two goals and Kari Lehtonen stopped 21 shots in relief of Antti Niemi for Dallas in a victory over Buffalo at American Airlines Center.
Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin also scored for the Stars, who snapped a three-game winless streak.
Evander Kane had two goals and an assist and Matt Moulson scored a goal for the Sabres, who saw their three-game winning streak. Anders Nilsson made 33 saves.
Coyotes 3, Canucks 0
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Lawson Crouse, Alex Burmistrov and Tobias Rieder scored and Mike Smith made 19 saves for his first shutout this season as Arizona topped Vancouver for its first three-game winning streak of the season.
The shutout was the 31st of Smith's career and his 20th as a Coyote -- one shy of the franchise record held by Nikolai Khabibulin and Ilya Bryzgalov -- allowing Smith to head to the NHL All-Star Game in style as the team's lone representative.
Wild 5, Blues 1
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Nino Niederreiter had a goal and two assists, and Devan Dubnyk made 25 saves as Minnesota entered the All-Star break with the most points in the Western Conference thanks to a win against St. Louis.
Mikael Granlund added a goal and an assist as the Wild had goals from five different players. Erik Haula, Tyler Graovac and Mikko Koivu also scored for the Wild, who have won 21 of their past 26 games.
Vladimir Tarasenko scored his 21st goal of the season for St. Louis, but the Blues have lost four of their past five games.
By The Sports Xchange
NEW YORK -- Andrew Ladd scored a pair of goals Thursday night, including the go-ahead tally less than eight minutes into the third period, as the New York Islanders continued surging into the All-Star Break with a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens at Barclays Center.
Josh Bailey also scored and Thomas Greiss made 21 saves for the Islanders, who have won five of six (5-0-1) to climb out of last place in the Eastern Conference and into the wild-card race.
Shea Weber scored in the second period for the Canadiens, who were trying to extend their points streak to four games. Carey Price recorded 39 saves.
Oilers 4, Sharks 1
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Edmonton shrugged off fatigue and playing on the road to grind out a victory over San Jose to move into a virtual first-place tie with the Sharks.
The Oilers, 7-0-1 in their last eight games after road wins on consecutive nights over Anaheim and San Jose, snapped the Sharks' season-high six-game winning streak. San Jose and Edmonton enter the break with a division-leading 64 points apiece with the Sharks playing one fewer game.
Rookie Drake Caggiula scored at 11:31 of the third period to break open a one-goal game. The Oilers' Connor McDavid added an empty-net goal -- his 17th -- at 18:08.
Kings 3, Hurricanes 0
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Marian Gaborik and Trevor Lewis scored 38 seconds apart late in the third period, and Peter Budaj recorded his fifth shutout of the season as Los Angeles defeated Carolina.
Budaj recorded his 16th career shutout. He stopped 22 shots to move into a tie for second in the league with his fifth shutout of the season.
Kyle Clifford's empty-net goal capped the scoring while Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward made 26 saves.
Capitals 5, Devils 2
NEWARK, N.J. -- Washington continued its torrid pace with a victory over New Jersey at the Prudential Center.
The league-leading Capitals received a pair of goals from Evgeni Kuznetsov, including an empty-netter, a goal and an assist apiece from Alex Ovechkin and Andre Burakovsky, a goal from Lars Eller and 27 saves from Braden Holtby.
Stefan Noesen and Adam Henrique scored for the Devils.
Flyers 2, Maple Leafs 1
PHILADELPHIA -- Roman Lyubimov snapped a 13-game goalless streak, as well as a third-period tie, scoring with 2:37 remaining in regulation to give Philadelphia a win over Toronto at the Wells Fargo Center.
Wayne Simmonds also scored for the Flyers, and Michal Neuvirth, starting in place of Steve Mason on the second end of back-to-back games, stopped 27 shots to improve to 6-4-0.
William Nylander scored for the Maple Leafs.
Bruins 4, Penguins 3
BOSTON -- Brad Marchand scored two goals in the second period as Boston came from behind for a victory over Pittsburgh.
Patrice Bergeron and Riley Nash also scored for the Bruins.
Justin Schultz, Phil Kessel and Patric Hornqvist scored for the Penguins.
Panthers 2, Lightning 1 (OT)
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Jonathan Marchessault scored a power-play overtime goal and James Reimer produced 31 saves to lead Florida past Tampa Bay at the BB&T Center.
The Panthers, who broke a four-game losing streak, also received a shorthanded goal by Jussi Jokinen. It was just his second shorthanded goal in five seasons.
Nikita Kucherov scored his 19th goal of the season and his seventh on a power play for the Lightning.
Flames 3, Senators 2 (OT)
OTTAWA -- Johnny Gaudreau scored at 4:29 of overtime to snap Calgary's losing streak at four games with a victory over Ottawa at Canadian Tire Centre.
Michael Ferland and Sean Monahan scored for the Flames in regulation.
Chris Wideman and Tommy Wingels scored for the Senators in regulation.
Jets 5, Blackhawks 3
CHICAGO -- Andrew Copp and Bryan Little scored 32 seconds apart late in the third period and Winnipeg rallied to record its fourth win of the season over Chicago.
Mark Scheifele, Patrik Laine and Shawn Matthias also scored for the Jets and Connor Hellebuyck had 37.
Duncan Keith, Nick Schmaltz and Tanner Kero scored for the Blackhawks.
Predators 4, Blue Jackets 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Craig Smith scored two goals as Nashville topped Columbus at Bridgestone Arena.
Calle Jarnkrok and Harry Zolnierczyk also scored for the Predators.
Zach Werenski, Matt Murray and Brandon Saad scored for the Blue Jackets.
Stars 4, Sabres 3
DALLAS -- Patrick Sharp had two goals and Kari Lehtonen stopped 21 shots in relief of Antti Niemi for Dallas in a victory over Buffalo at American Airlines Center.
Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin also scored for the Stars, who snapped a three-game winless streak.
Evander Kane had two goals and an assist and Matt Moulson scored a goal for the Sabres, who saw their three-game winning streak. Anders Nilsson made 33 saves.
Coyotes 3, Canucks 0
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Lawson Crouse, Alex Burmistrov and Tobias Rieder scored and Mike Smith made 19 saves for his first shutout this season as Arizona topped Vancouver for its first three-game winning streak of the season.
The shutout was the 31st of Smith's career and his 20th as a Coyote -- one shy of the franchise record held by Nikolai Khabibulin and Ilya Bryzgalov -- allowing Smith to head to the NHL All-Star Game in style as the team's lone representative.
Wild 5, Blues 1
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Nino Niederreiter had a goal and two assists, and Devan Dubnyk made 25 saves as Minnesota entered the All-Star break with the most points in the Western Conference thanks to a win against St. Louis.
Mikael Granlund added a goal and an assist as the Wild had goals from five different players. Erik Haula, Tyler Graovac and Mikko Koivu also scored for the Wild, who have won 21 of their past 26 games.
Vladimir Tarasenko scored his 21st goal of the season for St. Louis, but the Blues have lost four of their past five games.
Grand Salami - January
The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.
Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.
*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.
NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
1/1 3 16 19 OVER
1/2 3 15.5 13 UNDER
1/3 7 37.5 40 OVER
1/4 6 33.5 29 UNDER
1/5 7 37.5 45 OVER
1/6 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/7 12 64.5 68 OVER
1/8 6 31.5 36 OVER
1/9 4 21 20 UNDER
1/10 7 37.5 41 OVER
1/11 4 21.5 26 OVER
1/12 9 48.5 54 OVER
1/13 7 37 40 OVER
1/14 12 64 80 OVER
1/15 4 20.5 16 UNDER
1/16 7 38.5 39 OVER
1/17 9 49.5 63 OVER
1/18 5 27.5 37 OVER
1/19 8 44.5 42 UNDER
1/20 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/21 11 58 72 OVER
1/22 6 32.5 37 OVER
1/23 6 31.5 33 OVER
1/24 10 54.5 57 OVER
1/25 4 22.5 15 UNDER
1/26 13 71.5 68 UNDER
1/27 No games scheduled - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 14 - - -
The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.
Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.
*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.
NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
1/1 3 16 19 OVER
1/2 3 15.5 13 UNDER
1/3 7 37.5 40 OVER
1/4 6 33.5 29 UNDER
1/5 7 37.5 45 OVER
1/6 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/7 12 64.5 68 OVER
1/8 6 31.5 36 OVER
1/9 4 21 20 UNDER
1/10 7 37.5 41 OVER
1/11 4 21.5 26 OVER
1/12 9 48.5 54 OVER
1/13 7 37 40 OVER
1/14 12 64 80 OVER
1/15 4 20.5 16 UNDER
1/16 7 38.5 39 OVER
1/17 9 49.5 63 OVER
1/18 5 27.5 37 OVER
1/19 8 44.5 42 UNDER
1/20 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/21 11 58 72 OVER
1/22 6 32.5 37 OVER
1/23 6 31.5 33 OVER
1/24 10 54.5 57 OVER
1/25 4 22.5 15 UNDER
1/26 13 71.5 68 UNDER
1/27 No games scheduled - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 14 - - -
NBA roundup: Thunder top Mavericks, lose Kanter
By The Sports Xchange
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook scored 45 points in Oklahoma City's 109-98 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, but the Thunder lost Enes Kanter to a fractured right forearm.
Kanter, Oklahoma City's third-leading scorer, third-leading rebounder and top candidate for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award, sustained the injury while punching a chair during a timeout in the second quarter.
Victor Oladipo scored 17 points while Adams added 15 points and seven rebounds for the Thunder.
Harrison Barnes paced Dallas with 31 points on 13-of-26 shooting. Justin Anderson came off the bench to post 17 points for the Mavericks, who played without four of their top six players including Dirk Nowitzki, Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews.
Pacers 109, Timberwolves 103
MINNEAPOLIS -- All-Star Paul George scored 32 points and Myles Turner added 23 as Indiana topped Minnesota.
The Pacers snapped a three-game losing streak three days after their third straight loss drew boos from their home crowd. George, who added five rebounds and four assists, was 12 of 22 from the floor and 3 for 4 from 3-point range.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with a game-high 33 points and 10 rebounds, while Zach LaVine scored 23. It was Towns' 35th double-double of the season -- third-most in the NBA.
Nuggets 127, Suns 120
DENVER -- Nikola Jokic had 29 points and 14 rebounds before leaving late in the fourth with an injury as the Nuggets defeated the Suns.
Danilo Gallinari scored 23 points and Will Barton scored 16 off the bench for Denver, which won its five straight at home. Jokic limped off the court with 1:47 left after a hard fall.
Eric Bledsoe had 28 points and Devin Booker scored 22 for the Suns. T.J. Warren added 21 but Phoenix couldn't keep pace down the stretch.
Jazz 96, Lakers 88
SALT LAKE CITY -- Gordon Hayward scored 24 points in his first game after being selected as an NBA All-Star, leading Utah to a victory over Los Angeles.
George Hill added 12 points and Rudy Gobert chipped in nine points, 13 rebounds and a season-high six blocked shots for the Jazz. Utah snapped a two-game losing streak and swept the four-game season series with Los Angeles for the first time.
Lou Williams scored 20 points while Jordan Clarkson and Ivica Zubac added 16 apiece to lead the Lakers. Los Angeles lost for the eighth time in nine games.
By The Sports Xchange
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook scored 45 points in Oklahoma City's 109-98 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, but the Thunder lost Enes Kanter to a fractured right forearm.
Kanter, Oklahoma City's third-leading scorer, third-leading rebounder and top candidate for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award, sustained the injury while punching a chair during a timeout in the second quarter.
Victor Oladipo scored 17 points while Adams added 15 points and seven rebounds for the Thunder.
Harrison Barnes paced Dallas with 31 points on 13-of-26 shooting. Justin Anderson came off the bench to post 17 points for the Mavericks, who played without four of their top six players including Dirk Nowitzki, Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews.
Pacers 109, Timberwolves 103
MINNEAPOLIS -- All-Star Paul George scored 32 points and Myles Turner added 23 as Indiana topped Minnesota.
The Pacers snapped a three-game losing streak three days after their third straight loss drew boos from their home crowd. George, who added five rebounds and four assists, was 12 of 22 from the floor and 3 for 4 from 3-point range.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with a game-high 33 points and 10 rebounds, while Zach LaVine scored 23. It was Towns' 35th double-double of the season -- third-most in the NBA.
Nuggets 127, Suns 120
DENVER -- Nikola Jokic had 29 points and 14 rebounds before leaving late in the fourth with an injury as the Nuggets defeated the Suns.
Danilo Gallinari scored 23 points and Will Barton scored 16 off the bench for Denver, which won its five straight at home. Jokic limped off the court with 1:47 left after a hard fall.
Eric Bledsoe had 28 points and Devin Booker scored 22 for the Suns. T.J. Warren added 21 but Phoenix couldn't keep pace down the stretch.
Jazz 96, Lakers 88
SALT LAKE CITY -- Gordon Hayward scored 24 points in his first game after being selected as an NBA All-Star, leading Utah to a victory over Los Angeles.
George Hill added 12 points and Rudy Gobert chipped in nine points, 13 rebounds and a season-high six blocked shots for the Jazz. Utah snapped a two-game losing streak and swept the four-game season series with Los Angeles for the first time.
Lou Williams scored 20 points while Jordan Clarkson and Ivica Zubac added 16 apiece to lead the Lakers. Los Angeles lost for the eighth time in nine games.
Preview: Kings (18-27) at Pacers (23-22)
Date: January 27, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings meet up again Friday night after facing each other just over a week ago and so there shouldn't be any secrets between the two teams.
The Pacers came away with a 106-100 victory in Sacramento in that last matchup. Indiana trailed by 19 points at halftime and was still able to pull off a rare road victory.
"I thought we came out in the second half and we scrapped," Pacers coach Nate McMillan told pacers.com after that win. "We were just able to fight our way back into the game."
Indiana (23-22) snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating the Timberwolves 109-103 in Minnesota on Thursday night.
That means they'll be on the second night of a back-to-back against the Kings. They're just 1-7 this year in those instances, but they do come in with a 16-6 home record.
Paul George scored 32 points in the win over Minnesota. The Pacers are 12-3 this season when George scores 24 or more points in a game.
"I've got to bring it," George said. "I've got to be ready at all times. I always have to have the mindset to be aggressive."
It has been quite the up and down season for the Pacers to this point. They hadn't won or lost more than two straight games until late December. Since then, they lost four in a row, won seven of eight, then lost three straight before Thursday's win.
Like many Eastern Conference teams, the Pacers are looking for some consistency. Heading into the matchup with the Kings, the Pacers are 10-9 against the Western Conference this season, including 5-2 against the West at home.
Speaking of inconsistent, the Kings (18-27) would fall into that category as well. They lost eight of nine games, but have won two straight, including a stunning 116-112 overtime victory on Wednesday night in Cleveland. With Demarcus Cousins putting up monster numbers (28 points, 10.2 rebounds per game), the Kings are fully capable of playing well above the level their record indicates.
After falling apart in the closing minutes against the Pacers a week earlier, the Kings stay poised in their win over Cleveland.
"Just stay positive," Cousins told the Sacramento Bee. "Get the next stop and get the next one after that."
Fans will enjoy watching Cousins and Paul George in this game. Both players were named as All-Star reserves in their respective conferneces.
Rodney Stuckey is still out (left hamstring strain) for the Pacers but is getting closer to returning. Kevin Seraphin is questionable (sore left knee) after missing the game in Minnesota. For the Kings, Omri Casspi (right plantaris tendon strain) and Rudy Gay (torn achilles) are out.
The Kings have won their last two games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The last time the Pacers defeated the Kings on their home floor was in January 2014.
Date: January 27, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings meet up again Friday night after facing each other just over a week ago and so there shouldn't be any secrets between the two teams.
The Pacers came away with a 106-100 victory in Sacramento in that last matchup. Indiana trailed by 19 points at halftime and was still able to pull off a rare road victory.
"I thought we came out in the second half and we scrapped," Pacers coach Nate McMillan told pacers.com after that win. "We were just able to fight our way back into the game."
Indiana (23-22) snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating the Timberwolves 109-103 in Minnesota on Thursday night.
That means they'll be on the second night of a back-to-back against the Kings. They're just 1-7 this year in those instances, but they do come in with a 16-6 home record.
Paul George scored 32 points in the win over Minnesota. The Pacers are 12-3 this season when George scores 24 or more points in a game.
"I've got to bring it," George said. "I've got to be ready at all times. I always have to have the mindset to be aggressive."
It has been quite the up and down season for the Pacers to this point. They hadn't won or lost more than two straight games until late December. Since then, they lost four in a row, won seven of eight, then lost three straight before Thursday's win.
Like many Eastern Conference teams, the Pacers are looking for some consistency. Heading into the matchup with the Kings, the Pacers are 10-9 against the Western Conference this season, including 5-2 against the West at home.
Speaking of inconsistent, the Kings (18-27) would fall into that category as well. They lost eight of nine games, but have won two straight, including a stunning 116-112 overtime victory on Wednesday night in Cleveland. With Demarcus Cousins putting up monster numbers (28 points, 10.2 rebounds per game), the Kings are fully capable of playing well above the level their record indicates.
After falling apart in the closing minutes against the Pacers a week earlier, the Kings stay poised in their win over Cleveland.
"Just stay positive," Cousins told the Sacramento Bee. "Get the next stop and get the next one after that."
Fans will enjoy watching Cousins and Paul George in this game. Both players were named as All-Star reserves in their respective conferneces.
Rodney Stuckey is still out (left hamstring strain) for the Pacers but is getting closer to returning. Kevin Seraphin is questionable (sore left knee) after missing the game in Minnesota. For the Kings, Omri Casspi (right plantaris tendon strain) and Rudy Gay (torn achilles) are out.
The Kings have won their last two games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The last time the Pacers defeated the Kings on their home floor was in January 2014.
Preview: Bucks (21-24) at Raptors (28-18)
Date: January 27, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
TORONTO -- All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan could be available Friday as the Toronto Raptors try to end a five-game losing streak when they play the Milwaukee Bucks at the Air Canada Centre.
DeRozan, who suffered a sprained right ankle during the second half of the loss to the Phoenix Suns Sunday, was to be examined Friday morning to see if he is ready to return to the court.
The Raptors lost two close games without their leading scorer -- 108-106 to the undermanned San Antonio Spurs at home on Tuesday and 101-99 to the Grizzlies in Memphis on Wednesday.
The Raptors' losing streak is their longest since February, 2015.
"Words mean nothing right now," said point guard Kyle Lowry, who scored 29 points against the Grizzlies. "I mean, fifth straight loss, we're not playing good basketball. We're playing hard, but we're not playing good basketball, we're not shooting well. We've just got to figure it out. Literally, words mean nothing now. Actions speak louder than words."
The Raptors (28-18) face a team that ended its own five-game losing streak Monday with a win over the Houston Rockets before losing to the Philadelphia 76ers 114-109 on Wednesday. Both games were in Milwaukee.
The Bucks (21-24) committed two turnovers and an offensive foul in the last 45 seconds to allow the 76ers to overcome a three-point disadvantage to win. The Bucks had overcome a 14-point first-half deficit.
"We just have to be more consistent," said Greg Monroe who scored 28 points Wednesday. "We don't play with the same focus. Monday, we were locked in on both ends. (Wednesday) we didn't bring that. We won't win every game, still, but it won't be these ups and downs like this. We'll put ourselves in a better position to win.
"As a team, we believe that's where it starts for us. We lose sight of that and it haunts us. We knew they were going to shoot a lot of 3s. So, take that away first and be ready for the ball movement. ... Everybody has to look in the mirror and see what kind of team we want to be."
Said Bucks coach Jason Kidd: "When we play as a team we're really good, but when we fracture and start to think about one guy or two guys, we get as bad as anybody in the league."
Raptors coach Dwane Casey wants his team to try to maintain a positive outlook.
"It's a long year," he said. "Guys have to stay together, stay positive. I didn't feel any quit whatsoever out of our group (Wednesday) and that's important. I told them: 'Your true fans, everyone will still be behind you. Just stay together and grind it out. We are going through a grind time. We will be stronger after this, coming out of this.'"
The Raptors have not been shooting well. The were 10-for-34 in 3-point attempts (29.4 percent) on Wednesday and shot 39-for-92 (42.4 percent) overall.
"Some of it is rhythm, some of it is guys playing in different positions and some of it is just missing shots," Casey said. "I have to do a better job of drawing things up for them, get them different looks, whatever it is. I have all the confidence in the world in our shooters. You have to continue to shoot them, take them with conviction, take them with confidence and they are going to go in. You don't forget how to shoot the basketball."
It is hard to explain, however, how the Raptors shot only 57.9 percent (11-for-19) from the free-throw line.
The Raptors already have two wins this season against the Bucks.
Bucks guard/forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has averaged 29.5 points, eight assists and 7.5 rebounds in the two games.
Date: January 27, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
TORONTO -- All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan could be available Friday as the Toronto Raptors try to end a five-game losing streak when they play the Milwaukee Bucks at the Air Canada Centre.
DeRozan, who suffered a sprained right ankle during the second half of the loss to the Phoenix Suns Sunday, was to be examined Friday morning to see if he is ready to return to the court.
The Raptors lost two close games without their leading scorer -- 108-106 to the undermanned San Antonio Spurs at home on Tuesday and 101-99 to the Grizzlies in Memphis on Wednesday.
The Raptors' losing streak is their longest since February, 2015.
"Words mean nothing right now," said point guard Kyle Lowry, who scored 29 points against the Grizzlies. "I mean, fifth straight loss, we're not playing good basketball. We're playing hard, but we're not playing good basketball, we're not shooting well. We've just got to figure it out. Literally, words mean nothing now. Actions speak louder than words."
The Raptors (28-18) face a team that ended its own five-game losing streak Monday with a win over the Houston Rockets before losing to the Philadelphia 76ers 114-109 on Wednesday. Both games were in Milwaukee.
The Bucks (21-24) committed two turnovers and an offensive foul in the last 45 seconds to allow the 76ers to overcome a three-point disadvantage to win. The Bucks had overcome a 14-point first-half deficit.
"We just have to be more consistent," said Greg Monroe who scored 28 points Wednesday. "We don't play with the same focus. Monday, we were locked in on both ends. (Wednesday) we didn't bring that. We won't win every game, still, but it won't be these ups and downs like this. We'll put ourselves in a better position to win.
"As a team, we believe that's where it starts for us. We lose sight of that and it haunts us. We knew they were going to shoot a lot of 3s. So, take that away first and be ready for the ball movement. ... Everybody has to look in the mirror and see what kind of team we want to be."
Said Bucks coach Jason Kidd: "When we play as a team we're really good, but when we fracture and start to think about one guy or two guys, we get as bad as anybody in the league."
Raptors coach Dwane Casey wants his team to try to maintain a positive outlook.
"It's a long year," he said. "Guys have to stay together, stay positive. I didn't feel any quit whatsoever out of our group (Wednesday) and that's important. I told them: 'Your true fans, everyone will still be behind you. Just stay together and grind it out. We are going through a grind time. We will be stronger after this, coming out of this.'"
The Raptors have not been shooting well. The were 10-for-34 in 3-point attempts (29.4 percent) on Wednesday and shot 39-for-92 (42.4 percent) overall.
"Some of it is rhythm, some of it is guys playing in different positions and some of it is just missing shots," Casey said. "I have to do a better job of drawing things up for them, get them different looks, whatever it is. I have all the confidence in the world in our shooters. You have to continue to shoot them, take them with conviction, take them with confidence and they are going to go in. You don't forget how to shoot the basketball."
It is hard to explain, however, how the Raptors shot only 57.9 percent (11-for-19) from the free-throw line.
The Raptors already have two wins this season against the Bucks.
Bucks guard/forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has averaged 29.5 points, eight assists and 7.5 rebounds in the two games.
Preview: Nets (9-36) at Cavaliers (30-14)
Date: January 27, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
The defending champions have lost six of their last eight games and the franchise player seems to be in a staredown with the organization. In other words, now is the perfect time for the league's worst team to visit.
The Cleveland Cavs host the Brooklyn Nets on Friday at a time when a win might go a long way toward soothing rising tensions within the best team in the East.
James called out the organization's desire to win this week and called the roster "top heavy" while maintaining they need more playmakers.
General Manager David Griffin countered by pointing out the Cavs have the league's highest payroll for the second consecutive year and said James' rant "wasn't appropriate from a teammate perspective."
Coach Tyronn Lue, meanwhile, is tired of talking about off-court issues, trade rumors and distractions.
"I hate it," Lue said Thursday. "I gotta come and deal with you guys every time it happens."
On the court, the Cavs can't do much of anything right these days. Their defense failed them in a loss at New Orleans, which was playing without Anthony Davis). Their free-throw shooting was terrible in home overtime losses to the Spurs and more recently the Kings on Wednesday.
At times their ball movement on offense has been poor and in other instances it was transition defense or guarding the 3-point line. Add it up and James is mired in his deepest losing funk since his first season in Miami.
"We gotta be better, that's all," James said. "We know we're going to get everybody's best, so we just gotta be better."
The circus sideshows are nothing new for the Cavs. James sent out a cryptic tweet about fitting in and fitting out during his first team back in Cleveland that team officials eventually acknowledged was aimed at Kevin Love.
Last season, James unfollowed the Cavs' Twitter account late during the regular season and sent out a series of mysterious tweets that left teammates and others in the organization shaking their heads. Now this.
Griffin said last season the Cavs functioned best amid the dysfunction. It's just the way they are wired. Now they're back in it again.
"We're a team that will create an opportunity for ourselves to have to dig out of a hole," Griffin said. "We do it in every single game. It's just how we are. We're not good from the front. We're much better when we're the hunter. I see us every year put ourselves in position to have to fight out of something.
"It's hard for me to tell you we're dealing with a lot of adversity when we're No. 1 in the East. But we have a tendency to be our best when our backs are against the wall so I have no reason to believe that won't be true now.
The Nets have lost three straight and 14 of their last 15. They have just two road wins this season.
"Sports, entertainment in general, is such what-have-you-done-for-me-lately, I-need-it-now, instant-gratification-type business," Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie told the New York Post. "We want it now.
"But you've got to keep the proper head so you can stay on the right track because if you get sidetracked or you buy into losing, it becomes a problem."
Date: January 27, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
The defending champions have lost six of their last eight games and the franchise player seems to be in a staredown with the organization. In other words, now is the perfect time for the league's worst team to visit.
The Cleveland Cavs host the Brooklyn Nets on Friday at a time when a win might go a long way toward soothing rising tensions within the best team in the East.
James called out the organization's desire to win this week and called the roster "top heavy" while maintaining they need more playmakers.
General Manager David Griffin countered by pointing out the Cavs have the league's highest payroll for the second consecutive year and said James' rant "wasn't appropriate from a teammate perspective."
Coach Tyronn Lue, meanwhile, is tired of talking about off-court issues, trade rumors and distractions.
"I hate it," Lue said Thursday. "I gotta come and deal with you guys every time it happens."
On the court, the Cavs can't do much of anything right these days. Their defense failed them in a loss at New Orleans, which was playing without Anthony Davis). Their free-throw shooting was terrible in home overtime losses to the Spurs and more recently the Kings on Wednesday.
At times their ball movement on offense has been poor and in other instances it was transition defense or guarding the 3-point line. Add it up and James is mired in his deepest losing funk since his first season in Miami.
"We gotta be better, that's all," James said. "We know we're going to get everybody's best, so we just gotta be better."
The circus sideshows are nothing new for the Cavs. James sent out a cryptic tweet about fitting in and fitting out during his first team back in Cleveland that team officials eventually acknowledged was aimed at Kevin Love.
Last season, James unfollowed the Cavs' Twitter account late during the regular season and sent out a series of mysterious tweets that left teammates and others in the organization shaking their heads. Now this.
Griffin said last season the Cavs functioned best amid the dysfunction. It's just the way they are wired. Now they're back in it again.
"We're a team that will create an opportunity for ourselves to have to dig out of a hole," Griffin said. "We do it in every single game. It's just how we are. We're not good from the front. We're much better when we're the hunter. I see us every year put ourselves in position to have to fight out of something.
"It's hard for me to tell you we're dealing with a lot of adversity when we're No. 1 in the East. But we have a tendency to be our best when our backs are against the wall so I have no reason to believe that won't be true now.
The Nets have lost three straight and 14 of their last 15. They have just two road wins this season.
"Sports, entertainment in general, is such what-have-you-done-for-me-lately, I-need-it-now, instant-gratification-type business," Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie told the New York Post. "We want it now.
"But you've got to keep the proper head so you can stay on the right track because if you get sidetracked or you buy into losing, it becomes a problem."
Preview: Magic (18-29) at Celtics (27-18)
Date: January 27, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics picked up their first victory of the season against one of the NBA's elite when they downed the Houston Rockets at TD Garden Wednesday night.
Friday night, they host one of the league's ... well, non-elites when the 18-29 Orlando Magic hit town.
Wednesday, there was a playoff-like atmosphere. Friday night ... probably not so much.
"Yeah, it was (playoff-like), it was a game we needed," Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas said after his latest fourth-quarter magic. "It was a must win for us and we played like it. We got to try to be a little more consistent in playing that way and we'll be all right."
The win allowed the Celtics to avoid what would have been their first four-game losing streak.
The Celtics played great defense against James Harden, who was 3 of 15 from the floor before hitting three meaningless baskets late in the game. Jae Crowder was the primary defender, but every time there was a screen, Harden had a different Celtic -- including even big man Al Horford -- in his face.
And as so often happens, Crowder, the player in charge of defense, had 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens liked what he saw from his team, which was playing without the injured Avery Bradley -- a top defender.
"I thought our guys did a really good job tonight. I thought they stayed together through the good times and the bad times. I thought they were tough," Stevens said. "I thought we got stops when we needed to. And obviously I thought the execution and the shot-making in the fourth quarter was outstanding."
Al Horford suffered what he thought was a minor groin pull Wednesday night, saying before he left the building he didn't think it was a big deal. Before that, he told Celtics radio: "We'll see what it is. I think it's the groin. It was a very weird feeling."
Tuesday night, the injury-riddled Magic lost to the Bulls in Orlando, their second straight loss and fifth in the last six games.
"It was a tough loss -- a tough loss," said Magic forward Jeff Green, a former Celtic. "But we've got to regroup."
Regrouping could be tough as the Magic have been attacked by injuries at the guard spot. Jodie Meeks had thumb surgery this week and could be gone for the season. Evan Fournier has missed six games with a foot injury. D.J. Augustin has a sprained right ankle.
Updating the limping wounded Thursday, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reported neither Fournier nor Augustin practiced, both working individually. No word on their status for Friday.
The Celtics (27-18) have won 11 straight over the Magic at TD Garden.
Robbins pointed out Thursday that Orlando has lost to its next three opponents -- Boston, Toronto and Minnesota -- by 30, 30 and 16 points and are 0-5 against their next four opponents (Toronto twice) with an average margin of defeat of 21.2 points.
To show it's not all gloom and doom with this team, the Magic's website reported Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon both "worked" for Southwest Airlines Wednesday -- helping out in everything from ground work to handing out snacks.
"It was a really fun experience," Vucevic said. "You get to see stuff that you can't really see as a passenger."
Said Gordon: "I learned how to bring in an airplane and guide an airplane out to take off."
This was the second time they hung out with Southwest, even greeting passengers.
"It's nice to see the expressions on people's faces," Gordon said. "They are smiling, laughing, it's really cool."
Green moved into the starting lineup Tuesday and scored 13 points, but went 3 for 11 from the floor, adding seven rebounds and a steal in 34 minutes.
Date: January 27, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics picked up their first victory of the season against one of the NBA's elite when they downed the Houston Rockets at TD Garden Wednesday night.
Friday night, they host one of the league's ... well, non-elites when the 18-29 Orlando Magic hit town.
Wednesday, there was a playoff-like atmosphere. Friday night ... probably not so much.
"Yeah, it was (playoff-like), it was a game we needed," Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas said after his latest fourth-quarter magic. "It was a must win for us and we played like it. We got to try to be a little more consistent in playing that way and we'll be all right."
The win allowed the Celtics to avoid what would have been their first four-game losing streak.
The Celtics played great defense against James Harden, who was 3 of 15 from the floor before hitting three meaningless baskets late in the game. Jae Crowder was the primary defender, but every time there was a screen, Harden had a different Celtic -- including even big man Al Horford -- in his face.
And as so often happens, Crowder, the player in charge of defense, had 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens liked what he saw from his team, which was playing without the injured Avery Bradley -- a top defender.
"I thought our guys did a really good job tonight. I thought they stayed together through the good times and the bad times. I thought they were tough," Stevens said. "I thought we got stops when we needed to. And obviously I thought the execution and the shot-making in the fourth quarter was outstanding."
Al Horford suffered what he thought was a minor groin pull Wednesday night, saying before he left the building he didn't think it was a big deal. Before that, he told Celtics radio: "We'll see what it is. I think it's the groin. It was a very weird feeling."
Tuesday night, the injury-riddled Magic lost to the Bulls in Orlando, their second straight loss and fifth in the last six games.
"It was a tough loss -- a tough loss," said Magic forward Jeff Green, a former Celtic. "But we've got to regroup."
Regrouping could be tough as the Magic have been attacked by injuries at the guard spot. Jodie Meeks had thumb surgery this week and could be gone for the season. Evan Fournier has missed six games with a foot injury. D.J. Augustin has a sprained right ankle.
Updating the limping wounded Thursday, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reported neither Fournier nor Augustin practiced, both working individually. No word on their status for Friday.
The Celtics (27-18) have won 11 straight over the Magic at TD Garden.
Robbins pointed out Thursday that Orlando has lost to its next three opponents -- Boston, Toronto and Minnesota -- by 30, 30 and 16 points and are 0-5 against their next four opponents (Toronto twice) with an average margin of defeat of 21.2 points.
To show it's not all gloom and doom with this team, the Magic's website reported Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon both "worked" for Southwest Airlines Wednesday -- helping out in everything from ground work to handing out snacks.
"It was a really fun experience," Vucevic said. "You get to see stuff that you can't really see as a passenger."
Said Gordon: "I learned how to bring in an airplane and guide an airplane out to take off."
This was the second time they hung out with Southwest, even greeting passengers.
"It's nice to see the expressions on people's faces," Gordon said. "They are smiling, laughing, it's really cool."
Green moved into the starting lineup Tuesday and scored 13 points, but went 3 for 11 from the floor, adding seven rebounds and a steal in 34 minutes.
Preview: Hornets (23-23) at Knicks (20-27)
Date: January 27, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
NEW YORK -- The off-court drama surrounding Carmelo Anthony continues, and so does the losing for the New York Knicks.
The Knicks (20-27), who host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, have lost 14 of 18 games since Christmas. New York has allowed at least 100 points in 16 of those contests, including a 103-95 defeat Wednesday at Dallas, where they scored just seven points in the last 6:57 of the game and recorded eight fourth-quarter turnovers.
After saying he was committed to staying in New York a week ago, Anthony is once again the subject of trade talk. According to published reports, the Knicks approached the Cleveland Cavaliers to offer Anthony in exchange for Kevin Love, but Cleveland turned them down.
Knicks president Phil Jackson is still shopping his star small forward, according to various media outlets.
Anthony would have to approve any deal because of the no-trade clause in the contract he signed in the summer of 2014 that pays him $124 million over four years.
"I really don't have a reaction to it," Anthony said regarding the speculation. "Until management comes to me and says something, then it's not something to look forward to or feed into it at this point. I really don't have a reaction to it."
Anthony scored 30 points on Wednesday, making it four of his past seven games in which he dropped in at least 30 points. However, he failed to score in the fourth quarter for the second time in three games.
Clearly the frustration to losing is mounting.
"We were 14-10," said Knicks guard Brandon Jennings. "Now we're fighting to try and even not be last."
The Hornets (23-23) lost their past two games to the Washington Wizards and Golden State Warriors both by 10 points. They may be without center Cody Zeller, who missed the defeat against Golden State on Wednesday because of a quadriceps contusion.
"We did a lot of good things," Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said about the setback to the Warriors. "We were right there to win the game. To beat the elite teams, there's two things. If we're going to have 15 turnovers, it's going to be hard. That's the biggest thing.
"The second thing is related to turnovers, it's fastbreak points. We lost in Houston for the same reason. We were good enough to win. But it doesn't matter who you play, you have to do things. Victory favors the team with the least amount of mistakes."
Hornets power forward Frank Kaminsky was named one of 10 first- or second-season players on the United States squad for the Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star weekend in New Orleans next month.
Kaminsky is in his second NBA season, after the Hornets selected him ninth overall out of Wisconsin in the 2015 draft. Kaminsky, who backs up Marvin Williams, is one of six Hornets to average at least 10 points a game. Kemba Walker leads the group at 23 points a game.
The Knicks and Hornets met on back-to-back days in late November, with New York earning a 113-111 home win in overtime before falling 107-102 in Charlotte. Anthony scored 35 in the first game, while Walker scored 28 in the second.
Date: January 27, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
NEW YORK -- The off-court drama surrounding Carmelo Anthony continues, and so does the losing for the New York Knicks.
The Knicks (20-27), who host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, have lost 14 of 18 games since Christmas. New York has allowed at least 100 points in 16 of those contests, including a 103-95 defeat Wednesday at Dallas, where they scored just seven points in the last 6:57 of the game and recorded eight fourth-quarter turnovers.
After saying he was committed to staying in New York a week ago, Anthony is once again the subject of trade talk. According to published reports, the Knicks approached the Cleveland Cavaliers to offer Anthony in exchange for Kevin Love, but Cleveland turned them down.
Knicks president Phil Jackson is still shopping his star small forward, according to various media outlets.
Anthony would have to approve any deal because of the no-trade clause in the contract he signed in the summer of 2014 that pays him $124 million over four years.
"I really don't have a reaction to it," Anthony said regarding the speculation. "Until management comes to me and says something, then it's not something to look forward to or feed into it at this point. I really don't have a reaction to it."
Anthony scored 30 points on Wednesday, making it four of his past seven games in which he dropped in at least 30 points. However, he failed to score in the fourth quarter for the second time in three games.
Clearly the frustration to losing is mounting.
"We were 14-10," said Knicks guard Brandon Jennings. "Now we're fighting to try and even not be last."
The Hornets (23-23) lost their past two games to the Washington Wizards and Golden State Warriors both by 10 points. They may be without center Cody Zeller, who missed the defeat against Golden State on Wednesday because of a quadriceps contusion.
"We did a lot of good things," Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said about the setback to the Warriors. "We were right there to win the game. To beat the elite teams, there's two things. If we're going to have 15 turnovers, it's going to be hard. That's the biggest thing.
"The second thing is related to turnovers, it's fastbreak points. We lost in Houston for the same reason. We were good enough to win. But it doesn't matter who you play, you have to do things. Victory favors the team with the least amount of mistakes."
Hornets power forward Frank Kaminsky was named one of 10 first- or second-season players on the United States squad for the Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star weekend in New Orleans next month.
Kaminsky is in his second NBA season, after the Hornets selected him ninth overall out of Wisconsin in the 2015 draft. Kaminsky, who backs up Marvin Williams, is one of six Hornets to average at least 10 points a game. Kemba Walker leads the group at 23 points a game.
The Knicks and Hornets met on back-to-back days in late November, with New York earning a 113-111 home win in overtime before falling 107-102 in Charlotte. Anthony scored 35 in the first game, while Walker scored 28 in the second.
Preview: Rockets (34-15) at 76ers (17-27)
Date: January 27, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
The rejuvenated Philadelphia 76ers are fast becoming the talk of the NBA.
They won on Tuesday and Wednesday despite the absence of Joel Embiid, their leading scorer and rebounder, and have won five of six games and 10 of 13 heading into Friday's home game against the Houston Rockets.
One of the league's worst teams the last three years, the 76ers are 17-27 and are in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, just 4 1/2 games out of the eighth and final playoff spot.
"They're playing great," Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd told Philly.com after a 114-109 loss to the 76ers on Wednesday night in Milwaukee. "They're one of the hottest teams in the league. They've won with Embiid or with Embiid out. Coach (Brett Brown) has done a great job. They have always played hard and now they have some confidence. Embiid has given them the breath of winning and competing to win. I think it's become contagious through that locker room.
"With him out, maybe it might be a little bit different, but they've won with him out of the lineup. They're used to playing with him and without him, and that's another great credit to the coach of having those guys prepared."
Gerald Henderson scored 20 points and Ersan Ilyasova and Dario Saric added 17 apiece against the Bucks. Nerlens Noel, who started in Embiid's place for the second straight night, contributed 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Noel, who also scored a season-high 19 points in Tuesday's 121-110 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, nailed two free throws with 35.9 seconds left to put the Sixers ahead of Milwaukee to stay. He added a jumper with 15.6 seconds remaining.
Embiid, who has missed the last three games, is expected to return Friday. It remains unclear as to whether backup center Jahlil Okafor, out the last two with a sore right knee, will be back.
The Rockets (34-15) will be making the fourth stop on a five-game road trip, having dropped their last two, and three of four. They are also 3-6 since seeing a nine-game winning streak snapped, and in those six losses the opponents have averaged 118.3 points on 51.9-percent shooting.
In Wednesday's 120-109 loss in Boston, the Celtics made 66.7 percent of their second-half shots while outscoring Houston 68-51.
"We couldn't get a stop in the fourth quarter, and it seemed like they scored on every one of our mistakes," guard Patrick Beverley told the Houston Chronicle. "They were more desperate than us. They came out a little more aggressive than us.
"We are up and down. We're just going through one of those times of the year, everything is a little harder. We have to dig down a little deeper. We got to gut up."
James Harden had 30 points and 12 assists against the Celtics, his 17th game this season with at least 30 points and 10 assists. According to basketball-reference.com, that is the most in a season since the first year such things can be measured (1983-84).
Harden, whose average of 28.6 points a game is third-best in the league, poured in 33 in a 115-88 defeat of the Sixers on Nov. 14.
Date: January 27, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
The rejuvenated Philadelphia 76ers are fast becoming the talk of the NBA.
They won on Tuesday and Wednesday despite the absence of Joel Embiid, their leading scorer and rebounder, and have won five of six games and 10 of 13 heading into Friday's home game against the Houston Rockets.
One of the league's worst teams the last three years, the 76ers are 17-27 and are in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, just 4 1/2 games out of the eighth and final playoff spot.
"They're playing great," Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd told Philly.com after a 114-109 loss to the 76ers on Wednesday night in Milwaukee. "They're one of the hottest teams in the league. They've won with Embiid or with Embiid out. Coach (Brett Brown) has done a great job. They have always played hard and now they have some confidence. Embiid has given them the breath of winning and competing to win. I think it's become contagious through that locker room.
"With him out, maybe it might be a little bit different, but they've won with him out of the lineup. They're used to playing with him and without him, and that's another great credit to the coach of having those guys prepared."
Gerald Henderson scored 20 points and Ersan Ilyasova and Dario Saric added 17 apiece against the Bucks. Nerlens Noel, who started in Embiid's place for the second straight night, contributed 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Noel, who also scored a season-high 19 points in Tuesday's 121-110 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, nailed two free throws with 35.9 seconds left to put the Sixers ahead of Milwaukee to stay. He added a jumper with 15.6 seconds remaining.
Embiid, who has missed the last three games, is expected to return Friday. It remains unclear as to whether backup center Jahlil Okafor, out the last two with a sore right knee, will be back.
The Rockets (34-15) will be making the fourth stop on a five-game road trip, having dropped their last two, and three of four. They are also 3-6 since seeing a nine-game winning streak snapped, and in those six losses the opponents have averaged 118.3 points on 51.9-percent shooting.
In Wednesday's 120-109 loss in Boston, the Celtics made 66.7 percent of their second-half shots while outscoring Houston 68-51.
"We couldn't get a stop in the fourth quarter, and it seemed like they scored on every one of our mistakes," guard Patrick Beverley told the Houston Chronicle. "They were more desperate than us. They came out a little more aggressive than us.
"We are up and down. We're just going through one of those times of the year, everything is a little harder. We have to dig down a little deeper. We got to gut up."
James Harden had 30 points and 12 assists against the Celtics, his 17th game this season with at least 30 points and 10 assists. According to basketball-reference.com, that is the most in a season since the first year such things can be measured (1983-84).
Harden, whose average of 28.6 points a game is third-best in the league, poured in 33 in a 115-88 defeat of the Sixers on Nov. 14.
Preview: Wizards (25-20) at Hawks (27-19)
Date: January 27, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
ATLANTA -- Two months ago, the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards were simply concerned with survival. Now they're both jockeying for homecourt advantage in the playoffs.
The Hawks host the Wizards on Friday at Philips Area. They currently hold fourth place in the NBA Eastern Conference, 1 1/2 games ahead of Washington.
But Atlanta has bigger dreams; the Hawks trail Toronto by a game and Boston by a half-game in the East, and want to keep climbing.
"Right now we have an opportunity to really gain some ground," Atlanta center Dwight Howard said. "I think that is what everybody is focused on."
Such aspirations seemed unlikely for either team earlier this season. Washington got out of the gate with a 2-8 start under first-year coach Scott Brooks. After starting the season 9-2, the Hawks endured a 1-10 streak.
Both have recovered nicely; Atlanta (27-19) has won 12 of its last 15, while Washington (25-20) has won eight of its last 10.
The Hawks are coming off an impressive 119-114 road win against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Atlanta trailed by 10 points with 3:02 remaining when it knocked down three consecutive 3-pointers and closed the game by outscoring the Bulls 19-4. Atlanta was 17-for-30 on 3-pointers, the third-most in team history, in beating the Bulls for the seventh straight time.
"We hit some big shots," Howard said. "We stayed composed. It shows our growth as a team."
Atlanta has gotten a recent offensive boost from Kent Bazemore. The guard struggled with his shot earlier this season but has averaged 19 points over the last three games, including a season-high 25 against the Clippers.
Washington has gotten exceptional play from guard John Wall, who had 27 points, seven assists and seven rebounds in Tuesday's 123-108 win over Boston. He averages 23 points, 10.2 assists and 4.5 rebounds.
"He's as good as any guard in the conference," Brooks said. "The other 14 coaches have a tough decision when voting all-stars."
Teammate Bradley Beal deserves All-Star consideration, too. He scored 31 against the Celtics, averages 21.6 points and has led the team in scoring 16 times.
"I think we're the best backcourt in the league," Beal said. "The way we're going, we're both playing at a high level right now, we're staying healthy, we're a tough tandem to deal with."
The Bullets have struggled on the road, going 6-14 away from the Verizon Center. Atlanta is 13-9 at Philips Arena.
Atlanta is likely to be without reserve forward Mike Muscala, who has missed six straight games with a sprained ankle.
It will be the third meeting of the season between the two clubs. Atlanta won the first game 114-99 and Washington prevailed 95-92 in the rematch, with each team winning at home. The final meeting will come March 22 in Washington.
Date: January 27, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
ATLANTA -- Two months ago, the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards were simply concerned with survival. Now they're both jockeying for homecourt advantage in the playoffs.
The Hawks host the Wizards on Friday at Philips Area. They currently hold fourth place in the NBA Eastern Conference, 1 1/2 games ahead of Washington.
But Atlanta has bigger dreams; the Hawks trail Toronto by a game and Boston by a half-game in the East, and want to keep climbing.
"Right now we have an opportunity to really gain some ground," Atlanta center Dwight Howard said. "I think that is what everybody is focused on."
Such aspirations seemed unlikely for either team earlier this season. Washington got out of the gate with a 2-8 start under first-year coach Scott Brooks. After starting the season 9-2, the Hawks endured a 1-10 streak.
Both have recovered nicely; Atlanta (27-19) has won 12 of its last 15, while Washington (25-20) has won eight of its last 10.
The Hawks are coming off an impressive 119-114 road win against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Atlanta trailed by 10 points with 3:02 remaining when it knocked down three consecutive 3-pointers and closed the game by outscoring the Bulls 19-4. Atlanta was 17-for-30 on 3-pointers, the third-most in team history, in beating the Bulls for the seventh straight time.
"We hit some big shots," Howard said. "We stayed composed. It shows our growth as a team."
Atlanta has gotten a recent offensive boost from Kent Bazemore. The guard struggled with his shot earlier this season but has averaged 19 points over the last three games, including a season-high 25 against the Clippers.
Washington has gotten exceptional play from guard John Wall, who had 27 points, seven assists and seven rebounds in Tuesday's 123-108 win over Boston. He averages 23 points, 10.2 assists and 4.5 rebounds.
"He's as good as any guard in the conference," Brooks said. "The other 14 coaches have a tough decision when voting all-stars."
Teammate Bradley Beal deserves All-Star consideration, too. He scored 31 against the Celtics, averages 21.6 points and has led the team in scoring 16 times.
"I think we're the best backcourt in the league," Beal said. "The way we're going, we're both playing at a high level right now, we're staying healthy, we're a tough tandem to deal with."
The Bullets have struggled on the road, going 6-14 away from the Verizon Center. Atlanta is 13-9 at Philips Arena.
Atlanta is likely to be without reserve forward Mike Muscala, who has missed six straight games with a sprained ankle.
It will be the third meeting of the season between the two clubs. Atlanta won the first game 114-99 and Washington prevailed 95-92 in the rematch, with each team winning at home. The final meeting will come March 22 in Washington.
