NBA Wrap: Confident Dante Exum helps Jazz to sixth straight win, Heat down Cleveland, Warriors defeat Lakers
DANTE Exum had another strong performance for the Utah Jazz today in their win over Charlotte. Check out the rest of the day’s NBA action.
DANTE Exum had another strong performance for the Utah Jazz today in their 94-66 win over Charlotte.
The Aussie rookie has contributed 51 points and 14 assists in his past five games against the Nets, Knicks, Rockets, Pistons and Hornets.
That’s a notable improvement on his season average of 4.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
“One of the main reasons behind it is just the confidence. I’ve had a couple of games where it’s not been happening for me, and I’ve had people come up to me and say ‘keep shooting it, you can make it’, it just gives me that little bit of confidence that when I take that next shot, it’s going to go down,” Exum said after the game.
“I just think coming in with a mind set to play defence, turn the defence into offense, and everyone is moving the ball well. I’m shooting the ball well and finding those open shots.”
Utah extended its season-best win streak to six with the victory over Charlotte.
The Jazz put together their most prolific first half of the season with a record-setting barrage of 3-pointers. Utah hit 12 of 15 from long range to set a franchise record for most in a half. The Jazz led by 14 after the first quarter and 61-30 at half-time.
Not that this will surprise many, but Dante Exum and Rodney Hood both confirmed for me they'll play in summer league this year.
— Ben Dowsett (@Ben_Dowsett) March 17, 2015Gordon Hayward scored 18 points and Rudy Gobert had 22 rebounds — his third consecutive game with 19-plus boards. Lance Stephenson led the Hornets with 17 points off the bench.
“Great effort by the guys, just the ability in the paint and to find open shooters and knock down the shot,” Exum said about the win.
“Everyone’s feeling good about coming in to practice. Everyone has an energy about it. We’re going to continue to work on defence and hopefully be better.”
Rookie swingman Rodney Hood scored 24 points, setting a career high for the second time in three games.
“Rodney is playing great at the moment. I found him off a few threes tonight. He’s just moving so well off the ball. It’s just a matter of finding where he is and he can keep shooting like that, we’re going to be good,” Exum said.
Joe Ingles' drive and kick game is really nice. Overly unselfish at times, but I'll take that over selfish.
— Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) March 17, 2015AUSSIES IN ACTION
Exum’s teammate Joe Ingles had five points with three assists for the Jazz.
Cleveland’s Matthew Dellavedova was zero-from-three FGs and zero-from-one three-pointers, getting two of his points from free throws in the loss to Miami. He did manage two assists and two steals though.
Andrew Bogut had another productive night with the Warriors, contributing eight points, seven rebounds, three assists, and a block.
HAWKS 110 — KINGS 103
Jeff Teague scored 23 points and Paul Millsap added 19 points and 10 rebounds to help Atlanta set a franchise record with its 23rd road win of the season.
DeMarre Carroll added 16 points and Shelvin Mack had 14 for the Eastern Conference-leading Hawks, who have won 10 of 12 games overall and 14 straight against Sacramento.
DeMarcus Cousins scored 20 points and Jason Thompson added 18 for the Kings, who have lost seven of eight and continue to struggle following their second coaching change of the season.
Sacramento fell to 4-10 under George Karl, who replaced Tyrone Corbin as coach last month. Corbin took over for the fired Michael Malone in December.
HEAT 106 — CAVALIERS 92
Dwyane Wade scored 21 of his 32 points in the first half and Goran Dragic added 20 as the Miami Heat handed LeBron James another loss on his former home floor with a 106-92 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.
Hassan Whiteside had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Mario Chalmers finished with 16 points off the bench for the Heat, who won both of James’ regular-season trips to Miami this season — his first two games back since leaving the team and returning to Cleveland last summer.
Miami closed the first half on a 19-5 run to take a 56-38 lead and pushed the margin to 25 in the third.
James scored 16 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter for Cleveland, which had its four-game winning streak snapped. Kyrie Irving added 21.
RAPTORS 117 — PACERS 98
Kyle Lowry had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and Lou Williams scored 24 points as Toronto pulled away from Indiana.
The Raptors (40-27) set a franchise record by earning their 40th win in just 67 games. They had never achieved that feat in fewer than 70.
Indiana (30-36) lost its second straight despite getting 23 points from George Hill and 20 from Rodney Stuckey.
WIZARDS 105 — TRAIL BLAZERS 97
John Wall had 21 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds and two blocks as Washington let a 25-point lead dwindle to three before beating Portland.
Two nights after becoming the first NBA team to trail by 18 at half-time before eventually winning by 16, in a home victory against Sacramento, the Wizards were the ones who nearly blew a large advantage.
But they held on for their fourth consecutive victory, a streak that began right after a 4-13 stretch.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and Nicolas Batum added 12 points and a season-high 15 boards for Portland, which had won three games in a row and eight of its last nine.
CELTICS 108 — 76ERS 89
Tyler Zeller scored a career-high 26 points and Avery Bradley had 20 as Boston won its season-high fifth straight game.
Brandon Bass added 12 points and Marcus Smart 11 for Boston, which entered the day in a group of four teams separated by one game for the Eastern Conference’s final two playoffs spots. Bradley also had 10 rebounds and six assists.
Nerlens Noel led Philadelphia with 18 points and seven boards, and reserve Ish Smith had 16 points in the 76ers’ 14th straight road loss.
Boston swept the season series, 4-0, for the first time since 2008-09.
The Celtics were 4 of 5 on 3-pointers and shot 66.7 percent in the opening quarter en route to a 38-18 lead.
GRIZZLIES 92 — NUGGETS 81
Zach Randolph had 21 points and 16 rebounds as Memphis thwarted a fourth-quarter rally by Denver.
Marc Gasol and Tony Allen each added 14 points, while Nick Calathes finished with 12 as Memphis won its second straight. Memphis broke a 79-all tie in the fourth quarter by outscoring Denver 13-2 the rest of the way.
Jameer Nelson scored 24 points for the Nuggets on 11-of-18 shooting, while starting back-court mate Randy Foye finished with 16 points. Wilson Chandler scored 13 for Denver, making both his 3-point shots.
The Nuggets, who had won four straight, were coming off a double-overtime win at New Orleans on Sunday. Denver rested starters Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried and Danilo Gallinari, eliminating an average of 38.6 points, plus their leading rebounder (Faried) and assist leader (Lawson).
NETS 122 — TIMBERWOLVES 106
Joe Johnson scored 22 points and rookie Bojan Bogdanovic had 21 as Brooklyn beat shorthanded Minnesota.
Thaddeus Young chipped in 19 for the Nets in his first game against Minnesota since being dealt to Brooklyn for Kevin Garnett at the trade deadline.
The Nets, who entered play three games out of the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, won their second straight following a five-game losing streak.
Kevin Martin scored 23 points and Zack LaVine added 20 for the Timberwolves, who had just eight healthy players and were missing three starters due to injury. Garnett sat out with a sore left knee.
WARRIORS 108 — LAKERS 105
Klay Thompson scored 26 points, Stephen Curry had 19 points and nine assists and the Golden State Warriors secured a playoff spot before beating the depleted Los Angeles Lakers 108-105 on Monday night.
The Warriors sealed their postseason berth during a time-out late in the second quarter when they learned Oklahoma City lost 119-115 at Dallas. The videoboards above halfcourt displayed “CLINCHED,” and fans inside the sold-out arena gave the home team a standing ovation.
It’s the first time the franchise has made the playoffs in three consecutive seasons since 1975-77.
The Lakers (17-49), who have tormented Golden State for most of the last three decades, are the team trying to climb out of the Pacific Division cellar now. Los Angeles kept the game close but never overtook the Warriors in the final minutes.
Originally published as NBA Wrap: Confident Dante Exum helps Jazz to sixth straight win, Heat down Cleveland, Warriors defeat Lakers
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