Just when it seemed like things couldn’t get much worse for the Warriors.
Golden State’s turbulent season hit a new low, with its full-strength side falling to a depleted Memphis Grizzlies unit 116-107 on Tuesday (all times AEDT).
Despite the return of Draymond Green and the Grizzlies playing without Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart, the home side broke away from the Warriors in the fourth quarter of the contest as Memphis’ role players stepped up.
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In fact, Jaren Jackson Jr was on the bench for the majority of the fourth quarter when the Grizzlies ballooned out their lead, with Vince Williams Jr (24 points, three threes, seven rebounds, two steals) and rookie GG Jackson (21 points, five triples, six rebounds, two steals, two blocks) – the youngest player in the NBA at 19 years of age – taking full advantage of extra responsibilities.
Post-match, Jackson’s reaction to huge praise by Shaquille O’Neal was priceless, with the rookie clearly taken aback by the NBA legend’s kind words.
The loss saw the Warriors fall to 18-22 on the season to fall to two games outside the play-in the West’s 12 seed, while the Grizzlies improved to 15-25.
IRVING, HARDAWAY COMBINE FOR 83 POINTS IN WIN OVER PELS
Kyrie Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr. combined for 83 points as Dallas got revenge on the New Orleans Pelicans in a 125-120 win after losing to them days earlier.
With the Mavericks down by seven points going into the fourth quarter, Hardaway got hot with back-to-back threes inside the last five minutes to give his side the lead before Irving finished the job in clutch time, while Josh Green’s late three-pointer iced the victory.
Playing without his co-superstar Luka Doncic (ankle), Irving amassed 42 points, seven rebounds and seven assists and Hardaway poured in 41 points including nine triples.
According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, it marked the 20th time in NBA history one team has had two players score 40-plus.
Zion Williamson went off for 30 points, however only converted one of two throws down the stretch that could’ve evened the scores Orleans ahead after the Mavs appeared to intentionally foul him with 17.1 seconds remaining. In total, the former No. 1 pick shot 6-of-11 from the line.
It came in a game Green, who had 13 points, four threes, four rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes, faced off with fellow Aussie Dyson Daniels.
After starring in Sunday’s game between the two sides in a starting role with several Pelicans stars sidelined, Daniels played just 18 minutes off the bench in this one for two points, three rebounds and two assists.
Dante Exum meanwhile missed a seventh-straight game due to a heel injury.
The win saw Dallas reclaim the sixth seed in the West, with both Dallas and New Orleans tied on a 24-17 record.
EMBIID GOES OFF FOR 41 POINTS
Joel Embiid scored 41 points in a dazzling return from injury on Monday as the Philadelphia 76ers romped past the Houston Rockets 124-115.
Kicking off a packed slate of NBA fixtures as the US marked the Martin Luther King Jr. public holiday, the Sixers were always in control as they cruised to victory.
Embiid had missed the Sixers’ past three games after twisting his left knee in a January 6 defeat to the New York Knicks.
But the NBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player showed no sign of rustiness as he posted his seventh 40-point game of the season, adding 10 rebounds and three assists.
Embiid shot 12-of-21 from the field, and was near-perfect from the foul line, making 16 of 17 free throws in a comfortable win for the Sixers, who improved to 25-13 to remain in third place in the Eastern Conference.
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Embiid’s performance also extended a remarkable scoring streak. The 29-year-old has now gone 16 consecutive games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the second-longest streak of its kind in NBA history. Only Wilt Chamberlain is ahead of Embiid and Abdul-Jabbar.
Embiid received scoring support in Monday’s rout from Tyrese Maxey with 27 points while Patrick Beverley added 11 from the bench and Tobias Harris 10.
Jalen Green led Houston’s scoring with 20 points while Alperen Sengun finished with 19.
Houston (19-20) made a bright start to lead by one point early in the first quarter, but were unable to respond as the Sixers kicked it up a gear and surged clear by 14 points by the end of the period.
The Sixers controlled the remainder of the game, roaring into a 28-point lead at one stage.
Elsewhere, Anthony Davis finished with 27 points, 15 rebounds and five assists while LeBron James added 25 points as the Los Angeles Lakers ended Oklahoma City Thunder’s four-game winning streak with a 112-105 win at the Crypto.com Arena.
A game that saw 17 lead changes swung the Lakers’ way in the third quarter as Los Angeles outscored the Thunder 34-26 to take the lead for the final time.
ALL RESULTS
ROCKETS 115 76ERS 124
PELICANS 120 MAVERICKS 125
PISTONS 129 WIZARDS 117
MAGIC 98 KNICKS 94
SPURS 99 HAWKS 109
WARRIORS 107 GRIZZLIES 116
BULLS 91 CAVALIERS 109
CELTICS 105 RAPTORS 96
HEAT 96 NETS 95
PACERS 105 JAZZ 132
THUNDER 105 LAKERS 112
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