NBA wrap: Andrew Bogut blasts Golden State Warriors to huge 31-point win over Los Angeles Lakers
ANDREW Bogut’s 12 first-quarter points provided the spark for the Golden State Warriors’ 31-point demolition of Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers.
ANDREW Bogut’s 12 first-quarter points provided the spark for the Golden State Warriors’ 31-point demolition of Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers.
Bogut had 10 points inside the first six minutes of the game as the Lakers struggled to deal with his size and physicality. The Australian centre finished the game with 15 points to his name while also pulling in 10 rebounds - his third double-double of the season - and contributing four assists in just 21 minutes of court time.
His points tally was his best haul of the season and was the third consecutive game in which he has reached double digits.
Warriors teammate Stephen Curry was outstanding with 30 points on 10-of-19 shooting, while Kobe Bryant played a solo hand for the Lakers, scoring 44 points.
The win took the Warriors’ record to 8-2 and kept them in touch with Eastern Conference leaders Memphis and Houston (9-1).
They next take on Dante Exum, Joe Ingles and the Utah Jazz on Saturday AEDT.
BUCKS 91, HEAT 84
Brandon Knight made three three-pointers down the stretch and scored 20 points, helping the Milwaukee Bucks down the slumping Miami Heat 91-84.
Jabari Parker added 13 points for the Bucks (5-5), who started 5-21 last season. Larry Sanders, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Zaza Pachulia each scored 11.
Milwaukee beat Miami for the first time in the last 10 meetings, including playoffs.
Mario Chalmers scored 18 for Miami, which was again without Dwyane Wade and lost its third straight. Shawne Williams had 13 points for the Heat, who got 11 from Norris Cole and 10 apiece from Luol Deng, Chris Bosh and Shabazz Napier.
Wade missed his second straight game with a bad hamstring.
ROCKETS 69, THUNDER 65
James Harden scored 19 points to help the Houston Rockets crawl past the Oklahoma City Thunder 69-65 for their third consecutive victory.
Dwight Howard had 12 points and nine rebounds for Houston and Patrick Beverley added 12 points and eight boards.
The last time a team won with 69 or fewer points was Detroit’s 64-62 victory over Utah on March 13, 2005. Both teams shot below 30 per cent from the field — the last time that happened was October 29, 2003, when Denver beat San Antonio 80-72.
Houston shot at just 28.8 per cent. The last time an NBA team won with a lower percentage was on February 19, 2000, when Chicago shot 28.6 per cent and beat the Los Angeles Clippers 74-72.
Reggie Jackson had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Thunder. Lance Thomas also had 15 points.
KNICKS 109, NUGGETS 93
New York held the Nuggets to one basket in the second quarter as the Knicks finally ended a seven-game losing streak.
With the game tied at 31 entering the period, the Knicks outscored the Nuggets 31-8, with Ty Lawson’s layup at the buzzer the lone field goal for Denver for the entire quarter.
Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith each scored 28 points for New York.
Arron Afflalo had 18 points and Lawson added 17 points and nine assists for the Nuggets, who have now dropped seven of their last eight games.
Originally published as NBA wrap: Andrew Bogut blasts Golden State Warriors to huge 31-point win over Los Angeles Lakers
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