Celtics Earn First Win Over IT-Less Cavs
The Boston Celtics welcomed Isaiah Thomas back for the first time since the blockbuster trade in the off-season, although, the point guard was not on the floor when they faced off with the Cleveland Cavaliers. IT sat out after debuting the night before against the Portland Trail Blazers, as the Celtics earned their first win over the Cavaliers this season, 102-88. Terry Rozier scored 20 points in 20 minutes to lead the way in a game that was headlined by Thomas's return and the matchup between LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Boston got off to a quick start and led by 11 in the first quarter, as Rozier scored the final eight points of the opening 12 minutes, and then added eight in a row in the fourth to extend the lead to 21. Irving finished with 11 points, as did Al Horford, in the Celtics' fourth straight win. Marcus Smart and Jayson Tatum chipped in 15 points apiece, helping their team avenge an opening night loss to the defending Eastern Conference Champions. James finished the night with 19 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, but his team finished with a season-low in points. They will look to bounce back when they visit the Orlando Magic on Saturday, while the Celtics stay home to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
Curry's Late Shot Sends Warriors to 30th Win
The Golden State Warriors are glad to have Steph Curry back, and their star took over on the road Wednesday night, sending the defending champs to their 30th win of the year. Curry hit the game-winning three-pointer with three seconds left to help the Warriors survive against the Dallas Mavericks with a 125-122 victory. The late 28-foot shot gave Curry 32 points on the night, as he has posted a combined 70 points in the two games since returning from an ankle injury. Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson added 25 points apiece, while Draymond Green recorded a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds, as Golden State improved to 15-3 away from home. The Mavericks did make things interesting despite trailing by 12 with over four minutes left, as Wesley Matthews led that attack with 22 points, including seven three-pointers. Harrison Barnes tied the game against his former team with 39.9 seconds left, but Dennis Smith Jr. missed a heave at the buzzer to seal the loss. Dwight Powell tied a career high with 21 points in the Mavericks' 26th defeat of the season. The Warriors extended their road win streak to eight games, as they have not lost away from Oracle Arena since Thanksgiving. They remain on the road Thursday night in a battle with the James Harden-less Houston Rockets, while the Mavericks return home to host the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.
Tre Young Continues to Impress With Oklahoma
Trae Young has almost single-handily carried the Oklahoma Sooners to their seventh-ranked position in the recent AP Polls, and he didn't slow down on Wednesday night. Young fell an assist short of a triple-double in the Sooners' 109-89 rout of the Oklahoma State Cowboys at home. Young scored 27 points and recorded 10 assists, leading his team to its 12th win, and a 2-0 Big 12 record. The young phenom would've been the fourth player in school history to record a triple-double, and the first to do so with double-digit rebounds. Freshman Brady Manek led the scoring with a season-high 28 points in the Sooners' 10th straight victory. Manek shot 9-of-11 overall, including 6-of-8 from three-point range. That all helped Oklahoma put up 100 points against the Cowboys for the first time since 1990, as they currently lead the country in scoring with 94.7 points per game. Oklahoma State allowed a season-high in points after giving up just 67.2 points per game coming in. Thomas Dziagwa had a season-high 19 points in their loss fourth loss of the year. They will take their 0-2 conference record into a home matchup with Iowa State on Saturday. Young and the Sooners look to keep on rolling when they visit West Virginia in a top-10 showdown that night.
The Boston Celtics welcomed Isaiah Thomas back for the first time since the blockbuster trade in the off-season, although, the point guard was not on the floor when they faced off with the Cleveland Cavaliers. IT sat out after debuting the night before against the Portland Trail Blazers, as the Celtics earned their first win over the Cavaliers this season, 102-88. Terry Rozier scored 20 points in 20 minutes to lead the way in a game that was headlined by Thomas's return and the matchup between LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Boston got off to a quick start and led by 11 in the first quarter, as Rozier scored the final eight points of the opening 12 minutes, and then added eight in a row in the fourth to extend the lead to 21. Irving finished with 11 points, as did Al Horford, in the Celtics' fourth straight win. Marcus Smart and Jayson Tatum chipped in 15 points apiece, helping their team avenge an opening night loss to the defending Eastern Conference Champions. James finished the night with 19 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, but his team finished with a season-low in points. They will look to bounce back when they visit the Orlando Magic on Saturday, while the Celtics stay home to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
Curry's Late Shot Sends Warriors to 30th Win
The Golden State Warriors are glad to have Steph Curry back, and their star took over on the road Wednesday night, sending the defending champs to their 30th win of the year. Curry hit the game-winning three-pointer with three seconds left to help the Warriors survive against the Dallas Mavericks with a 125-122 victory. The late 28-foot shot gave Curry 32 points on the night, as he has posted a combined 70 points in the two games since returning from an ankle injury. Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson added 25 points apiece, while Draymond Green recorded a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds, as Golden State improved to 15-3 away from home. The Mavericks did make things interesting despite trailing by 12 with over four minutes left, as Wesley Matthews led that attack with 22 points, including seven three-pointers. Harrison Barnes tied the game against his former team with 39.9 seconds left, but Dennis Smith Jr. missed a heave at the buzzer to seal the loss. Dwight Powell tied a career high with 21 points in the Mavericks' 26th defeat of the season. The Warriors extended their road win streak to eight games, as they have not lost away from Oracle Arena since Thanksgiving. They remain on the road Thursday night in a battle with the James Harden-less Houston Rockets, while the Mavericks return home to host the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.
Tre Young Continues to Impress With Oklahoma
Trae Young has almost single-handily carried the Oklahoma Sooners to their seventh-ranked position in the recent AP Polls, and he didn't slow down on Wednesday night. Young fell an assist short of a triple-double in the Sooners' 109-89 rout of the Oklahoma State Cowboys at home. Young scored 27 points and recorded 10 assists, leading his team to its 12th win, and a 2-0 Big 12 record. The young phenom would've been the fourth player in school history to record a triple-double, and the first to do so with double-digit rebounds. Freshman Brady Manek led the scoring with a season-high 28 points in the Sooners' 10th straight victory. Manek shot 9-of-11 overall, including 6-of-8 from three-point range. That all helped Oklahoma put up 100 points against the Cowboys for the first time since 1990, as they currently lead the country in scoring with 94.7 points per game. Oklahoma State allowed a season-high in points after giving up just 67.2 points per game coming in. Thomas Dziagwa had a season-high 19 points in their loss fourth loss of the year. They will take their 0-2 conference record into a home matchup with Iowa State on Saturday. Young and the Sooners look to keep on rolling when they visit West Virginia in a top-10 showdown that night.
