By the Associated Press

DENVER — Kevin Love had 19 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 113-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night.

Collin Sexton finished with 25 points and Tristan Thompson had 18 points and 13 rebounds for Cleveland, which held off a furious Denver rally to win its second straight.

The Nuggets trailed by as many as 17 and were down 14 to start the fourth before outscoring the Cavaliers 25-10, led by Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, before Cleveland recovered.

Held in check for three quarters, Murray had 14 points in the period while Jokic scored 10 in the fourth and hit a 3-pointer that gave Denver its first lead of the game at 96-95.

Cleveland didn’t wilt, getting 3-pointers from Sexton and Cedi Osman and a floater by Darius Garland to give the Cavaliers a 103-98 led with 2:55 left.

Murray finished with 24 points and Jokic had 19.

Garland finished with 18 points and eight assists.

The Nuggets had a chance to tie but Murray missed a 3-pointer. Will Barton, who had 18 points and nine rebounds, split a pair of free throws and Garland hit a 13-footer.

Love made it 109-101 with a pair of free throws with 42 seconds left.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

DALLAS — Luka Doncic was out for an impressive Dallas win in Philadelphia and didn’t have European sidekick Kristaps Porzingis for the rematch in Texas.

Dwight Powell was the big man around the basket and left the 76ers feeling like they’d had enough of Texas for now in their second straight game without star center Joel Embiid.

Doncic had 19 points and 12 assists, Powell scored 10 of his 19 points in a decisive third quarter and the Mavericks beat the 76ers 109-91 on Saturday night.

Powell was 5 of 6 from the field and had four of his season-high 12 rebounds in the third quarter, when the Mavericks outscored the 76ers 32-16 to turn a nine-point deficit into a 73-66 lead that grew to a 21-point margin in the fourth.

Dallas erased a 12-point deficit from late in the first half, bouncing back a night after getting manhandled by LeBron James and the Lakers, who were without Anthony Davis. Embiid is sidelined after surgery for a torn ligament in a finger on his left hand.

“We’ve had some tough losses,” Doncic said. “We had a nice win. We needed it.”

The Mavericks swept the two-game season series with an Eastern Conference contender after winning by 19 in Philadelphia when Doncic was out with a sprained ankle last month.

It was the second straight loss in Texas for the 76ers, who capped a season-worst four-game losing streak in Houston before winning their previous two games.

Tobias Harris had 20 points and 10 rebounds, but Philadelphia shot 24% (5 of 21) in the third quarter.

“That was the change of the game, was the third quarter,” Harris said. “All throughout the game we had good looks. Third quarter, we missed a bunch in a row.”

It was Dallas’ seventh straight game, and possibly last, without Porzingis. The 7-foot-3 Latvian has been out with right knee soreness — not the same knee he injured in his final game with the New York Knicks. Coach Rick Carlisle said he could play on the upcoming two-game trip to California.

Tim Hardaway Jr. had 12 points and a season-high nine rebounds to help the Mavericks finish 3-3 on a six-game homestand, their longest of the season.

“It’s a great way to end the homestand,” Carlisle said. “We would have loved to have won another game or two. But we are where we are.”

Doncic had another rough shooting night after ripping his jersey in frustration against the Lakers, going 4 of 15 but hitting 10 of 12 free throws. The 2019 Rookie of the Year, this year’s NBA leader with 11 triple-doubles, had eight rebounds.

Ben Simmons had 11 points and 11 assists but was held scoreless in the second half. The 76ers hoisted 98 shots but finished at 38%.

“It was a tale of two halves for sure,” coach Brett Brown said. “To have 19 more shots than a team, you wouldn’t think when you look back down and looked at the score that it was going to equal that margin of a loss.”

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Los Angeles Lakers fully expected victory, even without LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Kyle Kuzma was among those who took advantage. He scored a season-high 36 points and the Lakers rolled past the Oklahoma City Thunder, 125-110 on Saturday night.

Lakers coach Frank Vogel said James had a chest cold. James is averaging 25.4 points, a league-leading 10.7 assists and 8.7 rebounds and has helped the Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference.

Davis, who leads the Lakers with 27.1 points per game, sat out for his second straight game with a gluteus maximus contusion.

Still, the Lakers felt they had enough to win, even against a Thunder team that had won 11 of 13.

“That’s why you have a great team,” said Quinn Cook, who led the Lakers’ reserves with 13 points. “We want to have guys who contribute one through 15. That’s the goal of anybody putting a team together. Obviously, this team is talented. Everybody is selfless and everybody is ready. We all put the work in.”

Kuzma, in just his third start of the season, made 15 of 24 shots.

“I just got an opportunity to get scoring opportunities, having the ball in my hands,” Kuzma said.

Rajon Rondo added 21 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers. Los Angeles shot 51.5% to win its eighth in a row.

“Rondo set the tone for us,” Kuzma said. “Going right after CP (Chris Paul) right out of the gate, being aggressive with his scoring. A lot of times, everybody knows him as a pass-first guy. He came out today in attack mode.”

James played on Friday night and had 35 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists in a win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Without him, the Lakers raced to a 73-49 halftime lead over the Thunder behind 58% shooting. Kuzma scored 23 points before the break. It was Oklahoma City’s largest halftime deficit of the season.

The Lakers extended the lead to 32 in the third quarter before Oklahoma City rallied and trimmed its deficit to 102-82 at the end of the period.

The Thunder got as close as 11 points with 2:37 to go before a short jumper and a 3-pointer by Kuzma ended the rally.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari each scored 24 points for Oklahoma City. The Thunder came out flat after an emotional win over the Houston Rockets in Russell Westbrook’s return on Thursday.

It was a tough lesson for the Thunder, who have been surprisingly good this season.

“I thought that they brought the energy and the intensity, and we didn’t match it from the first minute,” Gallinari said.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

DETROIT — Luke Kornet helped the Chicago Bulls to the type of start coach Jim Boylen was looking for.

Kornet scored 12 of his 15 points in the first quarter and the Bulls took a big early lead and then held off Detroit at the end, beating the Pistons 108-99 on Saturday night to snap their six-game losing streak.

Zach LaVine scored 25 points for the Bulls, who shot 64% in the first quarter and led 35-20 after one.

“I thought our energy in the first quarter was maybe the difference in the game for us,” said Boylen, whose team lost the previous night to Indiana. “I was not happy with our start last night and our energy to start the game, so I like that. I liked the adjustment we made.”

Already without injured Blake Griffin, the Pistons lost Andre Drummond when he was ejected early in the third quarter. Still, Detroit rallied from an 18-point second-quarter deficit and trailed by just two in the fourth.

The Bulls, however, built the lead back up to double digits toward the end. Chicago completed a four-game regular-season sweep of Detroit.

“Lack of intensity, and I take responsibility on that,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “We didn’t get having guys ready to play and come out with the right intensity. I thought the second half we did.”

Lauri Markkanen and Daniel Gafford added 14 points each for the Bulls. Kornet went 5 of 6 from the field in the first quarter.

“I just happened to get the ball in some good opportunities, and making the shots,” Kornet said. “I don’t think it was really anything special.”

Derrick Rose led the Pistons with 20 points.

Drummond’s ejection came after he threw the ball off the back of Gafford’s head. The exchange also resulted in a technical foul on Gafford.

Detroit whittled the lead to two later in the third quarter but trailed 81-71 after three. The Pistons fought back again and trailed 89-87 in the fourth. Then Detroit unsuccessfully challenged a foul on Thon Maker inside. Chicago’s Thaddeus Young made two free throws to start an 11-3 run by the Bulls.

Gafford made the first two starts of his career Friday and Saturday. The rookie from Arkansas scored only two points Friday, but he made a significant contribution to the win over the Pistons.

“I could have been better last night, throughout the whole game,” Gafford said. “So tonight I wanted to change that. I wanted to have a different look on it. This was my second start. I wanted to come out and be more efficient, be better on defense, and be way better on offense.”

Drummond finished with nine points and four rebounds, his first game all season with fewer than nine rebounds. It was his fewest rebounds since he had three on Jan. 18, 2019, against Miami. He left that game because of an injury.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

BOSTON — Celtics coach Brad Stevens said giving his team a day off following its worst losing streak of the season felt like the right thing to do.

It certainly re-energized Jayson Tatum.

The third-year forward made six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 41 points as Boston cruised past the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans 140-105 on Saturday night.

Tatum’s first career 40-point performance helped the Celtics snap a season-high, three-game skid.

“Shots were going in. It felt good. I felt like we played with a purpose today on both ends, from the beginning of the game,” Tatum said. “I felt like we did our job. I know we haven’t been playing well lately. It felt good to start the game off right.”

Enes Kanter added 22 points and 19 rebounds, marking season highs in both categories. Gordon Hayward had 19 points and Kemba Walker finished with 17 points and seven assists.

Boston shot 14 of 29 from the 3-point line and tied a season high for points.

Frank Jackson scored 22 points for the Pelicans. Jaxson Hayes added 20.

“We just never got any traction offensively or defensively, really,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. “They took us out of just about everything we tried to do.”

New Orleans played without Derrick Favors because a right hamstring strain, Jrue Holiday sat his fourth straight game with a left elbow contusion, Kenrich Williams missed his third consecutive game with back soreness and J.J. Redick sat with a left hamstring strain.

Hayes and E’Twaun Moore started in place of Williams and Favors.

The Celtics exploited the absences early. Tatum was active from a variety of spots on the floor, connecting on eight of his first nine shots. He scored 22 points in the the first half to help the Celtics build as much as a 22-point lead.

Tatum reached 37 points in the third quarter, but badly missed back-to-back 3-point attempts. During a break in the action, Stevens called him over to the bench for a quick conversation.

Tatum said Stevens told him just to relax and that he’d get to 40.

“I think everybody could tell I wanted to get it,” Tatum said. “So ‘just take a deep breath for a second and go back out there.’”

A few trips and a pair of finger roll finishes at the rim put over the magic number.

Tatum said he’ll take his night in stride like he’s tried to do each of the last three seasons.

“I never get too high or too low when I play well or if I don’t,” he said. “For me, I feel like I got a long way to go. And the guys I look up to, they have nights like this more often than not. … I’m just gonna try to do it more often, be consistent and continue to get better.”

Source: Manila Bulletin

By the Associated Press

HOUSTON — James Harden didn’t have much to say after he surpassed 20,000 points on Saturday in Houston’s blowout win over Minnesota.

“It’s a great accomplishment obviously,” he said. “I have a bigger picture and bigger goals but it’s pretty cool.”

Teammate and longtime friend Russell Westbrook, who also played in the game when Harden got the first points of his NBA career, was much more effusive in his comments about the milestone.

“To be able to do that on a very, very high level is something we don’t take for granted,” Westbrook said. “Growing up in L.A. and being able to see him progress over the years to me is just a blessing to see as his friend and I’m truly happy for him.”

Harden scored 32 points in three quarters to help the Rockets roll to the 139-109 victory.

Houston led by double figures for most of the game and used a huge run in the third quarter to put the game out of reach and bounce back after a lopsided loss to Oklahoma City on Thursday night.

The 30-year-old Harden, who had 12 rebounds and eight assists, is the 45th player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points and the seventh-youngest. He entered the game 10 points away and reached the milestone in fitting fashion, on a step-back 3-pointer midway through the second quarter.

The public address announcer simply said 20,000 after Harden hit the shot, before a video was played during the next timeout to mark the occasion. The video showed him making his first points in the NBA while with the Thunder, then making a free throw that gave him 10,000 points and a replay of the 3 that got him to 20,000.

He got the game ball on Saturday and presented it to his mother.

“‘She has everything,” Harden said. “Every goal and achievement that I have, she has it. I gave it to her and she’ll put it in a safe place.”

Already without Clint Capela because of a bruised heel, the Rockets lost fellow starter P.J. Tucker early in the first quarter when he fell hard on his right shoulder. But Houston was just fine without them thanks to another big game from Harden and a 30-point performance by Westbrook.

Josh Okogie had 16 points off the bench for the Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns remained out with a left knee sprain that has had him sidelined since mid-December. The 30-point defeat was their largest loss of the season.

“We need to be better in terms of withstanding runs, especially against a good team,” coach Ryan Saunders said.

“You give them credit. They got us tonight.”

The Rockets were up by 16 at halftime and 17 in the third quarter before scoring the next 16 points to push the lead to 89-56 with about 5 minutes left in the quarter.

Harden made two 3-pointers in that span and added another three points when he was fouled on a 3 and made all the free throws. The Timberwolves had three turnovers, including two from Andrew Wiggins, to help Houston pad the lead.

Minnesota cut the lead to 26 entering the fourth quarter, but the Rockets extended it to 115-82 with about 9 minutes left by opening the quarter with a 13-6 run.

Westbrook made a layup soon after that before stealing the ball on a bad pass by Jeff Teague and dishing it to Ben McLemore, who found Thabo Sefolosha for a 3 that made it 124-86. The Timberwolves called a timeout and all of Houston’s starters except Isaiah Hartenstein went to the bench after that with about 8 minutes to go.

Hartenstein started in place of Capela and had 17 points and 15 rebounds. Eric Gordon added 17 points and tied a season high with five 3-pointers.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Game Sunday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

6:30 p.m. — Ginebra vs Meralco

(Series tied 1-1)

Series Summary

Game 1: Ginebra 91, Meralco 87
Game 2: Meralco 104, Ginebra 102

Meralco is hoping to give Allen Durham better scoring opportunities and another productive showing from the locals as it seeks a 2-1 lead over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel as the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals returns to the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Bolts are determined to capitalize on their massive win in Lucena City two nights ago and gain the series edge in the match set at 6:30 p.m.

For that to happen, coach Norman Black will try to map out a strategy that will benefit his durable import and the likes Baser Amer, Raymond Almazan, Chris Newsome and the bench that came out of nowhere to play big roles in the 104-102 triumph.

“(Ginebra) went to a box-and-one against (Durham) to try and shut him down. They put one guy to just shadow him everywhere he went,” said Black.

“It’s a little bit more difficult for him but he’s been carrying us the entire conference, so it’s good that his teammates stepped up and really helped him out,” added Black.

Black is anticipating the same defense to be applied on Durham, who still finished with 21 points, 18 rebounds and six assists.

Ginebra coach Tim Cone, however, mentioned that his team can’t rely on such scheme he described as “gimmick defense” in order to win the series.

While Cone acknowledged his team’s efforts in erasing a 17-point halftime deficit, there’s still more to be improved moving forward.

“We battled back, which I’m proud of, but that’s not going to be enough for this series,” Cone said. “Being proud of the guys is not going to win the series for us. We got to do more.”

As evident in the first two games, the play of the locals will be more of a deciding factor than how Durham and Ginebra counterpart Justin Brownlee can deliver.

Meralco got an unlikely lift from reserves John Pinto and Nico Salva before chief playmaker Baser Amer, who struggled in Game 1, came up with big shots entering the homestretch to cap off the win highlighted by 16 treys.

Ginebra, on the other hand, will now need to get more production outside of Brownlee right from the start, particularly from LA Tenorio, Stanley Pringle and Japeth Aguilar.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Game Sunday

(OCBC Arena, Singapore)

4 p.m. — Singapore vs Alab Pilipinas

San Miguel Alab Pilipinas aims for a repeat over the host Singapore Slingers when they clash Sunday in the ASEAN Basketball League at the OCBC Arena.

Alab shoots for a sixth win in eight games and stay on top of the 10-team field in the 4 p.m. match against a Slingers side struggling with a 1-4 record.

Coach Jimmy Alapag’s side enters the match coming off a hard-fought 101-96 win over the Taipei Fubon Braves last Tuesday at The Arena in San Juan.

The victory enabled Alab to split the two-game homestand which started with a shock 98-93 defeat to the struggling Macau Wolf Warriors.

Imports Khalif Wyatt, Sam Deguara and Nick King and locals Jason Brickman and Jeremiah Gray are eager to help Alab defeat Singapore for the second time this season.

The Philippine side escaped past Singapore 90-83 last Dec. 15 at the City of Sta. Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex in Laguna, with Wyatt erupting for 20 of his 28 points in the fourth.

Alab will be wary this time of Singapore’s main weapons Xavier Alexander, Anthony McClain and Marcus Elliott.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Nico Salva had just navigated his way past a sea of humanity following Meralco’s win over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City when he received a thunderous welcome from his teammates inside the locker room.

“Sobrang saya ng Finals,” Salva said after being one of the key reasons why the Bolts tied the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals at 1-1 Friday night with a 104-102 victory over the Kings.

Salva and Nard Pinto were among the bench players that came through with major contributions as the Bolts prevailed despite blowing a 17-point halftime deficit and import Allen Durham having worked hardly for his numbers against the Ginebra defense.

The two accounted for 21 of the Bolts’ 29 bench points, a key statistic that benefited Meralco after blowing a 10-point lead in a 91-87 defeat in Game 1.

“Without them I don’t think we’d even win the game,” said Durham, who finished with 21 points, 18 rebounds and six assists.

Pinto scored all of his 12 points in the first quarter, hitting four threes in the process, as Meralco took control after Ginebra jumped out to a 13-6 lead behind the exploits of Justin Brownlee.

He hit all of his threes during the latter part of an 18-4 run that put the Bolts ahead 31-17. It was an unexpected lift from Pinto, who is mostly known for his defensive abilities more than being an spark on offense.

Even Pinto was somewhat surprised.

“Siyempre parang nagulat,” said Pinto, who joined Meralco from Blackwater at the start of the season. “Ang role ko naman dito is to defend. Nagulat pero sa practice naman ginagawa ko talaga everyday.

“Hindi naman sa pag-aano pero nagshoshooting ako before ng practice kaya siguro nadala ko rin yung ginagawa ko before practice,” he added.

Pinto ran out of ammo the rest of the way, though it Meralco had plenty of surprises in store.

Salva, who before Game 2 had never played a single Finals game despite being a part of Ginebra’s 2016 Governors’ Cup title team. Black inserted his former Ateneo player early in the third, with Meralco’s big lead reduced to single digits.

And Salva was quick to make an immediate impact, hitting a medium-range jumper to put Meralco up 63-56, 8:32 left in the third. He later drained two consecutive shots to extend the Bolts’ lead to 70-61 with over five minutes remaining in the said period.

Not even a Ginebra rally that evened things up at 70-all prevented Salva from continuing his shooting exploits, hitting one of four threes Meralco made late in the third.

“I felt like yung defense of Ginebra was clogging inside so we really need to make some baskets from the outside para to give them some space for the defense to extend. Thankfully, I was able to make some shots,” he said.

“For a player na hindi nakalaro the game before, that really boosts your confidence,” Salva later said.

The Bolts also got quality minutes from veteran center Bryan Faundo, whose three before the end of the third gave them an 82-76 lead.

Anjo Caram steady playmaking in the fourth was also crucial before handing the reins back to Amer, who eventually delivered the coup de grace with two long threes.

Black could only hope such trend can continue the rest of the series in order for Meralco to enhance its chances of finally beating Ginebra and win its first-ever crown.

“We really got a big lift from the bench and that’s what we’re gonna need in the series,” Black said.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jan Carlo Anolin

After baring the composition of the 24-man pool for the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifier, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) found it necessary Saturday to explain the absence of big man June Mar Fajardo in the roster.

In a statement, SBP president Al Panlilio said Fajardo’s exclusion for now is part of the ‘development plan’ in preparation for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Panlilio said the long haul plan will help build up and expose younger players worthy of wearing the Gilas jersey.

“We all know what we can get from June Mar Fajardo as he has proved himself time and again on the international stage,” Panlilio said. “He has served Gilas for so long and will continue to be part of the program.”

“The wear and tear of chasing a PBA Grand Slam and spending his off days with the San Miguel Beermen playing for Gilas will take a toll on anyone,” Panlilio stressed, adding the 6-foot-10 center deserves an extended break.

Panlilio believes the five-time Season MVP and three-time Finals MVP in the PBA may reach ‘peak form’ come the World Cup.

SBP announced the training pool Friday made up of 11 pro players and 13 amateur standouts. The coach has yet to be named though as of this posting.

Gilas will face Thailand on Feb. 20 and Indonesia on Feb. 23 for the first window.

ASPeaks;

The best Filipino big man will always be part of the #GilasPilipinas program leading up to #FIBAWC2023 ! #SBP #LabanPilipinas #ParaSaBayan pic.twitter.com/GHBb1IuRxs

— SBP (@officialSBPinc) January 11, 2020

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Source: Manila Bulletin