Published 16:30 IST, January 7th 2021
NBA scores: 76ers weather Beal storm, Giannis leads Bucks' surge, PG clips Curry's wings
NBA scores: Warriors tamed by LA Clippers, Bucks bag three wins on the trot and Celtics clinch last gasp win in an exciting day of NBA action on Wednesday.
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NBA promised some feisty basketball action with 11 games scheduled for Wednesday night, and it is fair to say that the teams lived to their billing with some thrilling contests on a show for the fans. The games began with teams like Bucks, Celtics and Heat expressing their grief over the Jacob Blake decision and ended with some performances worth remembering for long. Here are all the NBA scores, results, key moments and highlights from the basketball action on Wednesday night (Thursday IST).
NBA scores: Notable results and highlights
76ers vs Wizards: Bradley Beal's 60 point haul not enough as Philadelphia trump Washington
Philadelphia breathed a sigh of relief at the buzzer after the 76ers clinched an entertaining 141-136 win over the visiting Washington Wizards. Despite going down early in the first half, Wizards were always in the game thanks Bradley Beal, who managed a whopping 57 points in the first three-quarters of the game. The 76ers rallied to deny the 27-year-old any more opportunities in the last quarter, which eventually helped them seal the game. Beal's 60 points haul was his career-best, and the second-best this season behind Steph Curry's 62-pointer at the weekend.
Also Read: Draymond Green Trade: Damian Lillard ‘campaigned’ To Sign Warriors’ Star At Trail Blazers
NBA results: Orlando show 'Magic' as Cleveland suffer successive losses
Orlando are hot on the heels of the 76ers in the Eastern Conference standings, and the Magic continued their charge with a 105-94 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Terence Ross contributed 20 points on the night, with three more of his teammates getting into double figures in a night to forget for Cleveland. The Cavaliers sorely missed their shooting boots, with only Colin Sexton and Andre Drummond scoring over the 15-point mark.
NBA highlights: Paul George, Kawhi star as Clippers beat Curry's Warriors
The Golden State Warriors headed into the clash against the Clippers on the back of two impressive wins. However, the Clippers who had a night to forget against the Spurs exposed chinks in their armour to win 108-101 at the Chase Center. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard both scored 21 each, while it was a day to forget for Steph Curry, who managed just 13 points on the night, after 92 in his last two games. Clippers are now third in the Western Conference standings with six wins, but 0.5 games behind both Suns and the Lakers.
NBA highlights: Tatum-Brown coolly brush off Miami's Heat in close clash
Celtics had Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to thank as the duo combined for 48 points in their 107-15 win over NBA finalists Miami. The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler with Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson as supporting acts as they came close to overturning a 17-point lead and a 10-point lead during the course of the game. In the end, Boston needed a Pritchard’s putback with two-tenths of a second left to off a thrilling game with the win.
Jeremy can't 'Grant' Pistons a win as Giannis fires in all cylinders
Giannis was back to his usual self as the Greek Freak slammed home 25 points in Milwaukee's 130-115 win over the Pistons. The two-time reigning MVP was well supported by Khris Middleton who scored 23, while Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis also got into double figures. Jeremy Grant scored a game-high 31 points for Detroit, but Pistons couldn't get him enough support with only Saddiq Bey and Wayne Ellington getting into double figures. This was Milwaukee's third successive win, as they look to climb up in the Eastern Conference standings after a slow start.
Raptors fall to three straight defeats, as Booker leads Suns' charge
Phoenix jumped to the top of the Western Conference standings with a comfortable win over the Raptors on Wednesday. Devin Booker showed glimpses of his bubble form scoring a team-high 24 points, while Jae Crowder also went past the 20-point mark. Five more Suns star got into double figures as Toronto struggled to deal with an all-round threat. Raptors had their moments with Pascal Siakam (32 points), OG Anunoboy (20 pts) and Kyle Lowry (24 pts) but couldn't muster enough strength to topple the Suns.
Late drama as Thunder seal one-point win over Pelicans
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points, George Hill hit the go-ahead free throws with 12 seconds left as Thunder sealed an emphatic one-point win over New Orleans. The Pelicans star duo Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson both had their chances to get the game-winning shot but a resolute Oklahoma City defence turned over possession to seal the game in what could be a defining moment in the season. Pelicans had as many as six players reaching double figures, but they were no match for the OKC Thunder's resilience.
Other NBA results
- Indiana Pacers 114-107 Houston Rockets
- Atlanta Hawks 94- Charlotte Hornets 102
- New York Knicks 112- Utah Jazz 100
- Sacramento Kings 128-124 Chicago Bulls
(Image Courtesy: NBA Twitter)
16:30 IST, January 7th 2021