The Hangover: Spurs Beat Cavs, Win 10th Straight; Chalmers, Gay Make Game-Winners

Hangover, Previews/Recaps Leave a comment

This is the Hangover. We get basketball-wasted all the time. Yes, we recap the NBA every night in our own way.

(PHOTO CREDIT: Edward Ornelas/San Antonio Express-News.)

Six games on Thursday. Including a game in Europe and a possible Finals preview.

01/14/2016

THE GAMES

TORONTO RAPTORS 106 (25-15) @ ORLANDO MAGIC 103 (20-19) (OT)

This game was a designated Orlando Magic home game that was played in England.

(PHOTO CREDIT: Clive Rose/Getty Images.)

While their best Raptors players didn’t shoot well, Kyle Lowry made sure Team Canada didn’t lose in front of the London fans. The game would go to OT and that’s where Lowry did his damage. He made free throws to put the Raptors up five. After a Victor Oladipo three, Lowry missed a shot but stole the ball back from Oladipo. Lowry split his foul shots and that three-point lead (and win) held after Nikola Vucevic‘s desperation shot didn’t go down.

Does Lowry get to say hello to Adele?

BEHIND THE LINES
DeMar DeRozan (TOR): 13 pts (4/19 FG), 11 rebs.
Kyle Lowry (TOR): 24 pts (5/20 FG), 8 rebs, 7 assts.
Victor Oladipo (ORL): 27 pts, 6 rebs, 6 assts.
Evan Fournier (ORL): 21 pts.
Tobias Harris (ORL): 16 pts, 11 rebs.
Nikola Vucevic (ORL): 17 pts, 11 rebs, 3 blks.

CHICAGO BULLS 115 (23-15) @ PHILADELPHIA 76ERS 111 (4-37) (OT)

The Bulls (without Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol) were as down as by many as 24 points to the lowly Sixers. But Jimmy Butler couldn’t be stopped, whether it was on the field or going to the line. His three-point play late in regulation gave the Bulls a two-point lead. But with the Bulls up three with 17 seconds left, Ish Smith made a clutch three that sent the game to an extra period.

In OT, Butler’s fastbreak lay-up gave the Bulls a five-point lead. Ish Smith would make another three to cut the deficit to two. The Sixers would get another shot at it but Ish missed a lay-up. Free throws gave the win to the Bulls and Jimmy Butler tied the best individual scoring game of the season.

BEHIND THE LINES
Jimmy Butler (CHI): 53 pts, 10 rebs, 6 assts, 3 stls.
Taj Gibson (CHI): 11 pts, 11 rebs.
Joakim Noah (CHI): 6 pts, 16 rebs, 8 assts.
Robert Covington (PHI): 25 pts, 6 rebs.
Ish Smith (PHI): 24 pts, 8 assts.

DETROIT PISTONS 101 (21-18) @ MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 103 (22-19)

The Grizzlies’ 13-point fourth quarter lead was quickly erased by the Motor City as they went on a monstrous 23-2 run. With three minutes left, the Pistons led by five. But Mario Chalmers or should I say, Super Nintendo Chalmers pulled the Chrono Trigger. He made a driving lay-up to cut it to three. Then he got fouled on a three-pointer later; he would make all three free throws.

With eight seconds left, Matt Barnes stole the ball from Marcus Morris. In a wild scramble, Aron Baynes dove for the loose ball just as Chalmers picked up the ball. Mario converted the jumper with 0.8 seconds left as he got clipped by the Aussie. Chalmers missed the foul shot but it really didn’t matter.

BEHIND THE LINES
Mario Chalmers (MEM): 25 pts, 8 assts, 4 stls.
Stanley Johnson (DET): 19 pts.
Andre Drummond (DET): 11 pts, 11 rebs.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 95 (27-10) @ SAN ANTONIO SPURS 99 (35-6)

The Spurs trailed by 15 early in the second quarter but Tony Parker closed the first half strong with three consecutive baskets. Then in the fourth quarter, the Spurs bench went on a 13-0 run. San Antonio would close it out for good with an old-school Tim Duncan Windows 98 bank shot and a lay-up that seemed way too easy for Manu Ginobili.

Excellent game and one of the best-played so far this season.

BEHIND THE LINES
Tony Parker (SA): 24 pts, 3 stls.
Kawhi Leonard (SA): 20 pts, 10 rebs, 5 assts.
Tristan Thompson (CLE): 18 pts, 14 rebs.
LeBron James (CLE): 22 pts, 7 rebs, 5 assts.
Kevin Love (CLE): 10 pts, 12 rebs.

SACRAMENTO KINGS 103 (16-23) @ UTAH JAZZ 101 (17-22)

The Kings led by eight with 80 seconds left but the Jazz erased that lead. Joe Ingles would make a three with 4.1 seconds left to tie the game.

But the Jazz couldn’t make one final stop. Rudy Gay (NO! NOT THIS GUY!!!), who had scored the last six Kings points, got the ball and dropped the elbow with 0.6 seconds left. Jazz had no timeouts and couldn’t get a good shot off. Sactown escaped with the win.

BEHIND THE LINES
DeMarcus Cousins (SAC): 36 pts, 17 rebs.
Rudy Gay (SAC): 24 pts, 9 rebs, 3 stls.
Gordon Hayward (UTA): 21 pts.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS 98 (9-32) @ GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 116 (37-3)

All the focus was on Kobe Bryant‘s retirement tour that we sort of forgot that the Lakers were keeping it close for nearly three quarters. Then the Dubs went on a 13-2 run to end the third. The Lakers couldn’t come back from that and the Warriors boost their record to 37-3, which ties the best record in league history after 40 games.

(PHOTO CREDIT: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images.)

BEHIND THE LINES
Stephen Curry (GS): 26 pts (8/16 3FG), 6 rebs.
Jordan Clarkson (LAL): 22 pts.
Lou Williams (LAL): 21 pts.
Larry Nance, Jr. (LAL): 4 pts, 6 stls.

GETTING SOCIAL

WATCH THIS PLAY

Yeah, I know there was Rudy Gay’s game-winner but I’ll give it to Super Mario because the Grizz were down before that moment.

(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)

THE TAKEAWAY

IT’S RUDY GAY! NO! NOT THIS GUY!!! Great job, Kings social media.

The Cavs hung in there with the Spurs and some people say that’s all you can ask for. But Kevin Love was exploited on the defensive end and has looked lost once again in the offense. So much for being “the center of the offense” like LeBron said at the start of the season. I guess all they can do is keep working at it; they did re-sign Love to a hefty extension last summer.

Memphis must LOVE playing Detroit. Both times this season, the Grizz won by some flukish game-winner. What? You don’t remember this from Matt Barnes?

There’s been a debate lately on where to put Jimmy Butler as far as shooting guards go. Is he the best in the league? All I know is this: his story has been really inspirational. It’s not like people thought he was going to be a star but look at him now. By the way, Butler ties the season-high for points in the league (Curry also scored 53).

All I got. I’ll have more tomorrow!

Follow Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass for all tweets about the NBA and terrible pop music. Also, check out his podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental.

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