Timberwolves Down Knicks in OT, NBA Roundup

Print

Published on March 20 2015 6:29 am
Last Updated on March 20 2015 6:29 am
Written by Millie Lange

NEW YORK -- Zach LaVine concentrated on nothing but making his free throws. Let others worry about pingpong balls and mathematical odds. LaVine made the tying and go-ahead free throws with 10.7 seconds left and scored six of his 20 points in overtime as the Minnesota Timberwolves outlasted the New York Knicks 95-92 on Thursday night in a matchup of the NBA's biggest losers.


Knicks 118, Rockets 108

Minnesota (15-53) ended a six-game losing streak and snapped a tie with the Knicks (14-54) for the NBA's worst record. New York can still win for losing, and now has pole position in the race for the No. 1 draft pick. Even the biggest stars of the Houston Rockets' past couldn't outshine James Harden on Thursday night. Harden scored a career-high 50 points with 10 rebounds to lead the Rockets to a 118-108 win over the Denver Nuggets on a night when the team celebrated the 20th anniversary of the franchise's back-to-back NBA titles in 1994 and 1995.


Suns 74, Pelicans 72

Brandan Wright scored 16 points and matched his career high with seven blocked shots, helping the Phoenix Suns to a sluggish, cold-shooting 74-72 victory over a New Orleans Pelicans team playing without star Anthony Davis on Thursday night. Davis rolled his left ankle in the team's shootaround earlier in the day and his availability for the game at Golden State Friday was uncertain. The loss dropped New Orleans a game behind Oklahoma City for the eighth playoff spot in the West. Phoenix is 2 1/2 behind Oklahoma City and 1 1/2 behind the Pelicans.


Jazz 80, Lakers 73

The Utah Jazz overcame plenty of adversity to beat the Los Angeles Lakers, whose injury-placed season reached historic proportions. Gordon Hayward scored 22 points, Trey Burke added 17 off the bench, and the Jazz sent the Lakers to their 50th loss of the season, 80-73 on Thursday night. The Lakers reached the 50-loss mark for the second straight season and only the fifth in the franchise's 67-year history. That compares to 32 seasons with 50 or more victories and 16 NBA championships. The Jazz, coming off an 88-84 loss against that Washington that ended a season-best six-game winning streak, are 12-2 since the All-Star break.


Thursday, March 18 Scoreboard

Minnesota 95, New York 92 (OT)

Houston 118, Denver 108

Phoenix 74, New Orleans 72

Utah 80, LA Lakers 73

 

Friday, March 20 Schedule (All Times Central)

Portland at Orlandom, 6 p.m.

New York at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

Milwaukee at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m.

Indiana at Cleveland, 6:30 p.m.

Denver at Miami, 6:30 p.m.

Atlanta at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.

Memphis at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Boston at San Antonio, 7:30 p.m.

Charlotte at Sacramento, 9 p.m.

New Orleans at Golden State, 9:30 p.m.

Washington at LA Clippers, 9:30 p.m.