It was good as he could have hoped – and every bit as dramatic as it was for those kids on the creek.
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The New Orleans Pelicans (5-15) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-108 in overtime at the Smoothie King Center. LeBron James is averaging 25.6 points and 6.4 assists while Kevin Love is averaging 19.2 points and 11.6 rebounds.
It gave the Pelicans reason to celebrate but, even before the win, they were riding higher than their record would suggest. They played the best game that they’ve played all season, and there is no coincidence that it comes not long after they got a few more healthy players on the roster. In beating the Thunder behind late free throws from Wade, Miami got a signature win. I don’t think we’re going to play great for forty-eight minutes. Meanwhile the Pelicans were taking the fight right to the defending Eastern Conference champions.
Conversely, he’s first overall in fourth-quarter scoring while playing a team-leading 166 fourth-quarter minutes.
J.R. Smith scored 12 points, while Matthew Dellavedova had 11 points and five assists for the Cavs.
“I thought we did a really good job defensively down the stretch”, said Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry. The former New Orleans Hornet hit five three-pointers in the opening frame for 15 points.
Davis scored six points in the extra period with three jumpers from beyond 12 feet.
Wizards 109, Suns 106: WASHINGTON – Bradley Beal scored 34 points and Ramon Sessions added 18 as Washington rallied to beat Phoenix in a turnover-filled game.
Of any team in the East capable of beating the Cavaliers I believe that this version of the Raptors has the highest chance.
Jefferson led a stagnant offensive attack for Cleveland, scoring 16 points in his first start of the season.
The Heat beat the Cavs 99-84 in a game that was pretty much over after the first half.
It will be a showdown of two heavyweights, as the prolific offense of the Cavaliers (third in the league with an offensive efficiency of 105.3) takes the court against the elite defense of the Heat (second in the National Basketball Association with a defensive efficiency of 96.3).
The Cavaliers scored the final four points of the half, including a hook shot from Love with 1.2 seconds to play, to take a 53-52 lead into halftime.
With so much still relatively unsettled, the Heat managed to settle into first place in the East. And they’re still just starting to figure out what they have and who they are amid a stretch in which, by Monday, they would have played 14 of their first 19 games at home. The Pelicans needed it. After Cleveland’s 6-6 start from the field, they went 3-11 to end the quarter. When LeBron, unprovoked, brought up the Warriors’ least favorite critique, their team health, saying they’d be more impressive if they were winning without Stephen Curry, it seemed like a measured comment. Outside of the one steal and finish on an errant Tyreke Evans pass – could argue he fouled Gordon as he went for the ball – LeBron turned it on and the game went to overtime. “The fact that we’re 0-5 against sub-.500 teams is bothersome”.
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“I thought we did”.
