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NBA Friday recap: Celtics snap Warriors 54 game home win streak, LeBron James powers Cavs to OT win

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Boston Celtics 109-106 Golden State Warriors

NBA reigning Champions the Golden State Warriors finally dropped a game at home, their first since losing to the Chicago Bulls on January 27th, 2015. On friday the Warriors went down to the Boston Celtics, the only team this season to take the Warriors to a double overtime this season prior to this game. A key stat that was uncharacteristic of Golden State was their 22 turnovers, nine of which were by the team’s point guard Stephen Curry. 

Here a couple of stats that stand out from this game:

 

Other than his 9 turnovers, league MVP Curry had 29 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds while Draymond Green nearly had a triple double with 16 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 6 steals but neither All-Star could prevent the loss to the C’s. Isaiah Thomas had 22 points, Evan Turner filled up the stat sheet with 21 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals and Jared Sullinger had 20 points, 12 rebounds and 3 assists.

The surprising fact about the result of this game was that the C’s were coming off a back to back after playing Portland last night and Golden State were coming off a day’s rest. Other than the huge deal of snapping the Warriors home winning streak of 54, this game was of no importance at all. The Warriors are still marching on towards breaking the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls record and Boston still has to continue competing for the highest Playoff spot possible in a tight race in the East. 

Dallas Mavericks 98-89 Detroit Pistons

The Dallas Mavericks rode East for a one off game at Detroit and come away with a win, keeping them in the race for the last two Playoff spots in the West. The Mavericks were led by a team high 29 points from J.J. Barea and 19 points from veteran Dirk Nowitzki. Meanwhile for the Pistons, all five starters scored in double figures led by Andre Drummond’s 12 points and 17 rebounds, and Marcus Morris’ 31 points and 12 rebounds.

In a battle between two teams that were fighting for Playoff spots in their respective conferences, the game was a simple case of one team scoring more points more efficiently than the other. Both teams had roughly the same number of turnovers and assists, Dallas just made more field goals at a better shooting percentage of 45.9% as compared to Detroit’s 38.3%.

With Houston’s loss to Chicago on Thursday, this win helps Dallas jump from the nineth seed to the seventh. They are however tied with the Utah Jazz for their seventh spot. Meanwhile for the Pistons, the loss reduces the margin the team held over the Indiana Pacers for the seventh spot to just half a game. If the Pacers and Pistons finish with tied records, Indiana takes the seventh spot as they hold the advantage in the season series (2-1)

Cleveland Cavaliers 110-109 Atlanta Hawks (OT)

A moster stat line of 29 points, 16 rebounds and 9 assists was needed from LeBron James for the Cleveland Cavaliers to overpower the rising Atlanta Hawks in overtime. Trailing by 14 during the half, Atlanta came right back into it courtesy of a defensively disastrous third quarter by the Cavs. Although they already have the first seed in the East locked up, the win with the Playoff atmosphere in Atlanta will surely give the Cavs a huge much needed confidence boost.

During the game, James passed Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson for the 11th spot in the all-time scoring list, however it wasn’t the only spot he conquered on Friday:

In a tight mid-table race in the East, the loss cost the Hawks their third seed. They are now tied for third with the Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets. Paul Millsap filled the stat sheet for Atlanta with 29 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Despite the loss, the battle that the Hawks fought with the Cavs was much harder and stronger than earlier in the season and last year in the Playoffs, a testament to the quietly improving Hawks since the All-Star Game. 

Toronto Raptors 99-95 Memphis Grizzlies

DeMar Derozan (TOR): 27 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts

Jonas Valanciunas (TOR): 11 pts, 14 rebs, 3 stls, 7 blks.

Charlotte Hornets 100-91 Philadelphia 76ers

Kemba Walker (CHA): 27 pts, 11 rebs, 4 asts

Nicolas Batum (CHA): 19 pts, 7 asts 4 rebs

New York Knicks 105-91 Brooklyn Nets

Langston Galloway (NYK): 18 pts, 7 asts, 6 rebs

Thomas Robinson (BKN): 14 pts, 13 rebs, 5 stls, 3 asts

Milwaukee Bucks 113-110 Orlando Magic

Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL): 18 pts, 11 rebs, 11 asts, 3 blks, 2 stls

Nikola Vucevic (ORL): 22 pts, 4 rebs, 3 asts, 2 blks

Utah Jazz 98-98 Minnesota Timberwolves

Gordon Hayward (UTA): 22 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls

Karl Anthony Towns (MIN): 17 pts, 11 rebs, 3 asts

Washington Wizards 106-99 Phoenix Suns

John Wall (WAS): 22 pts, 10 asts, 8 rebs

Mirza Teletovic (PHO): 24 pts, 12 rebs

Top 10 plays

A lot of posterizing dunks on Friday. Watch the top plays from last night here:

 

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