Nets 91 (5-14), Knicks 108 (10-10)
The Knicks jumped out to a 21-point lead by the end of the first quarter and never looked back, snapping Brooklyn’s two-game winning streak. Lance Thomas provided some fireworks early on, while Arron Afflalo and Carmelo Anthony posted 18 and 28 points, respectively. Kristaps Porzingis got the second half started with a two-handed jam, and would eventually finish with his 10th double-double of the season. When asked about his confidence after the game, the Latvian rookie didn’t hold back.
"I've got that European swag" pic.twitter.com/KVkbrtgMp2
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) December 5, 2015
Suns 106 (8-12), Wizards 109 (8-9)
A 34-point effort from Bradley Beal propelled Washington to a come-from-behind victory at home- albeit one with a bizarre ending. With a three-point lead and only 11 seconds remaining, Bradley Beal committed an ill-advised shooting foul on Brandon Knight from behind the three-point line. To make matters worse, after Knight bricked the first attempt, Suns forward Markieff Morris received a technical foul for delaying the game.
Markieff Morris tries to change sides of the lane between free throws, gets told to stop. Does it again, gets T pic.twitter.com/8anQ8HUI6M
— The Cauldron (@TheCauldron) December 5, 2015
With Friday’s defeat, Phoenix has dropped seven of their last eight.
Bucks 95 (7-13), Pistons 102 (11-9)
The Pistons have overcome a sluggish 3-8 run by winning three straight, punctuated Friday by outstanding efforts from Andre Drummond (17 points, 23 rebounds), Marcus Morris (23 points), and Reggie Jackson (23 points, 5 assists). Now leading the league with 18 double-doubles, nobody seems to have an answer for Andre Drummond.
Lakers 87 (3-16), Hawks 100 (13-9)
The Kobe Bryant farewell tour hit a snag Friday night, as Bryant went a dismal 4-19 from the field (including a 20 percent rate from downtown). An 18-point effort off the bench from Louis Williams wasn’t enough to stop Atlanta, as the Hawks now sit just a half- game behind Miami in the Southeast Division.
Rockets 100 (9-11), Mavericks 96 (11-9)
Despite an improbable circus shot from Devin Williams, Dallas fell to 11-9 after a closely-contested match-up with Houston. While he may have gotten off to a 3-12 start from the field, James Harden sunk a clutch jumper to ultimately secure Houston’s second straight victory.
Cavaliers 108 (13-6), Pelicans 114 (5-15)
Friday’s NBA slate was capped with a thrilling showdown between LeBron James and Anthony Davis. While King James led Cleveland with 37 points, Anthony Davis and Jrue Holliday made big plays to ensure an overtime win for the Pelicans. While contention may not be on the horizon in 2015-16, it’s possible that- with a healthy Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans- the Pelicans are a better team than their 5-15 record suggests.
