Friday Night Hoops 🏀📺
Trail Blazers 128, Nuggets 109
Tonight’s Headlines 🚨
- Suns hand Cleveland fourth straight loss: Just a week ago the Cavaliers were on a franchise-best 16-game winning streak, but after it was snapped by Orlando, they haven’t won a game. Cleveland essentially never recovered from a 2nd quarter slump tonight. Kevin Durant had one of his best scoring nights of the season, finishing with 42 while Devin Booker had 17 points and 10 assists. Phoenix holds on to the 10th spot in the West, though the Dallas Mavericks are right behind them with an identical record.
- Houston’s win streak grows, Miami drops 10th game in a row: Miami’s had a tough March as their losing streak extends to double digits. Half of those losses happening by five points or less, and tonight was no exception. The Heat led at halftime, but it evaporated in the third. Amen Thompson was a menace defensively, racking up seven steals while Fred VanVleet connected on 9-11 shots from downtown. Andrew Wiggins’ 30-point showing was his best since joining the Heat, but not enough to break the longest active losing streak in the league.
- Clippers finding their next gear: Tonight, the Clippers looked the part of a true contender in the Western Conference. Suddenly, this team has a lot of weapons. James Harden was a maestro, scoring 30 points on 14 field goal attempts, along with nine assists. Ivica Zubac and Kawhi Leonard combined for 40 points and a double-double each. Norman Powell was a plus-20 in 27 minutes of play, while Bogdan Bogdanović put in six threes off the bench. When you add in quality minutes from Ben Simmons, Nicolas Batum, Derrick Jones Jr. and Kris Dunn, it appears this team may be peaking at the right time.
Top Performers ⛹️♂️
- Kevin Durant: 42 pts (17-29 FG, 4-9 3PM), six rebounds, eight assists, one block in win over CLE
- Deni Avdija: 36 pts (12-16 FG, 4-6 3PM), eight rebounds, seven assists, one block, three steals in win over DEN
- Fred VanVleet: 37 pts (13-17 FG, 9-11 3PM), three assists, three steals in win over MIA
- Amen Thompson: 18 pts (8-14 FG), nine rebounds, five assists, seven steals, one block in win over MIA
Making it Look Easy ✅
The Intuit Dome came alive in the 4th quarter and with good reason. Early in the period, the Clippers kept the ball moving until it found Derrick Jones Jr. with a runway to the rim. Minutes later, Kawhi Leonard rocked his defenders to sleep before getting to his spot for a trademark jumper. A full Clippers roster was on display tonight, showcasing how hard they can be to stop as the postseason nears.
AIRPLANE MODE 🔛
peep the passing 👀 pic.twitter.com/0codxBixsq
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 22, 2025
👌 TO THE (INTUIT) DOME
BOGI FOR THREEE!!! pic.twitter.com/ojMWLUBDBN
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 22, 2025
🫡 Kristaps kind of Night 🍀
On any given night, almost any Celtic could go for 25+ points and it wouldn’t come as a surprise. Tonight, it was Kristaps Porzingis who made his presence felt the most. The big man had a 27-point double-double against the Jazz in a 121-99 victory. Jayson Tatum added 26 points, while Collin Sexton had an efficient 30-point night for Utah.
Have a night KP 🥳
A strong showing by KP, tonight’s @Gatorade Player of the Game pic.twitter.com/p1o2v2XaNM
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 22, 2025
Vintage KD 🍷
The Suns rode a classic Kevin Durant performance to victory, taking down the Cleveland Cavaliers in the process. Durant scored 42, reliably finding his spots and the Cavaliers could not keep pace. No Cavaliers surpassed the 20-point threshold tonight, an extreme rarity for the league’s highest scoring team. It’s the Cavaliers’ fourth straight loss, and the third consecutive win for Phoenix.
HE’S KEVIN DURANT.
YOU KNOW WHO HE IS. pic.twitter.com/fCXtn5aKmM
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 22, 2025
Clips Flip the Switch 🔄
Los Angeles trailed by six at the half, but outscored Memphis 36-16 in the 3rd quarter to enter the final frame with a comfortable lead. James Harden continued his hot shooting from downtown, he has five made threes and 30 points on just 13 shots.
James Harden with the TOUGH floater for 30 PTS!
Clippers leading through 3 on NBA TV 🍿 pic.twitter.com/LkdFQSLYfP
— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2025
ALLEY ZUOOP!
James Harden ↗️ Ivica Zubac pic.twitter.com/7gzC5yowaK
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 22, 2025
Portland Running Away from Denver
With the reigning MVP sitting this one out, the Nuggets find themselves down double-digits with time running out for a comeback attempt. Deni Avdija has been hard to stop, scoring a team-high 30 points and counting. Delano Banton is providing a real spark off the bench, adding 17 points with three blocks and steals apiece.
ShaeDunk for the soul 🤲 pic.twitter.com/NZLNVHazsL
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) March 22, 2025
Big Half from Harden
The Grizzlies hold a six-point lead at the half, but they’re going to have to find some answers for James Harden in order to get the road victory. The Beard has 18 points on just seven shot attempts, to go along with five assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. is one of four Grizzlies in double-figures at the break.
James Harden with the range…👌😮💨 pic.twitter.com/BSirFKplzY
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 22, 2025
🤠 Dallas Knocks off Detroit 🤠
The Mavericks survived a frantic finish, and treated the home fans to a victory over a tough Detroit Pistons team. Spencer Dinwiddie was relentless in his attack, getting to the free throw line 13 times and finishing with 31 points to lead the Mavericks. PJ Washington sank five threes and added 27 points as well.
MAVS WIN!!!@Chime // #MFFL pic.twitter.com/zjqrBN7EsK
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) March 22, 2025
In the final minute of the game, Detroit tried its best to overcome a two-possession deficit. They would cut the laed to three with less than 20 seconds to play when Brandon Williams got this and-one layup putting Dallas out of reach for good. Cade Cunningham led all scorers with 35 points in the loss.
Klay to Brandon Williams for the game-icing AND-1 🧊🧊
Mavericks get the win!! pic.twitter.com/UzMd2fFjTm
— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2025
Thunderous Victory 👏
Wire to wire win ✔ pic.twitter.com/0EUasxnpkM
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 22, 2025
This contest was never in question, as OKC grabbed a big lead early and never let go. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led his team in scoring with a 30-point night, even while sitting out the 4th quarter. The Thunder forced the Hornets into 16 turnovers, as they improved to 10-1 during the month of March.
18-0 Thunder run: recapped 🎥🏃 pic.twitter.com/2Rw32xz7DA
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 22, 2025
Suns Stepping Up ☀️
Phoenix holds a 62-51 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers at halftime behind a very balanced attack. Royce O’Neale is the team’s leading scorer at the break, while primary scorers Kevin Durant and Devin Booker have 12 combined assists. Even without their two leading Centers, Nick Richards and Mason Plumlee, the Suns hold a 28-19 advantage in rebounding. No Cavaliers hit double-digits scoring in the first half.
MY GOODNESS RYAN 🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/1VOazGIpeN
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 22, 2025
Royce with his FIFTH 3-pointer of the half! pic.twitter.com/9H4TRSX1PY
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 22, 2025
Amen Soars, Rockets Win 🚀
Houston escapes with a hard-fought victory over the Miami Heat, to earn their 9th straight win. The difference maker was the returning Amen Thompson. After missing the past six games, Thompson stuffed the stat sheet by finishing with 18 points, nine rebounds, five assists and seven steals. His two-way presence was on full display in the final moments of tonight’s game.
AMEN THOMPSON THROW IT DOWN 😤
Big play with 9 straight wins on the line!
Rockets/Heat in the 4Q on NBA TV. pic.twitter.com/cPEjZyyxSI
— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2025
SAY IT WITH US…
AMEN 🙏 pic.twitter.com/VXYTygZ3jp
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) March 22, 2025
CRUNCH TIME 😬
Houston and Miami continue to trade blows, and we’re in the final stretch. Houston is outscoring Miami in the second half, thanks in large to Fred VanVleet who is on fire from deep. He’s closing in on the franchise record for made threes in a game. The Heat are trying to avoid their 10th loss in a row.
9 TRIPLES FOR FRED VANVLEET 🔥🔥
He’s 1 away from tying the Rockets franchise record! pic.twitter.com/3wZ51XOlrJ
— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2025
☔️ CP-THREE 🌧️
Chris Paul is making it rain against the 76ers. He’s scored all 15 of his points from long range, and he’s yet to miss. Four of those triples happened in the 3rd quarter alone.
make that FIVE threes for @CP3! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/ReimJWbC43
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 22, 2025
Jeremy Sochan is also having a big night with 19 points and seven rebounds so far. Stephen Castle is working on a double-double with eight points and 10 assists. Quentin Grimes and Julian Edwards are leading Philadelphia in scoring with 19 and 18 points respectively.
Rockets & Heat Dueling 🤺
This one heads to halftime with Miami leading 59-51. Andrew Wiggins has been nearly automatic, scoring 20 of his 22 points in the second quarter while shooting 7-8 from the floor. He’s hitting threes, getting to the free throw line, and soaring for dunks like this one below.
Andrew Wiggins flashes some POWER at the rim 💪
He leads the way for Miami late in the 2Q against the red-hot Rockets on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/8qYpQity5O
— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2025
Houston is within striking range, however, and have a returning Amen Thompson in the lineup tonight. Thompson is playing his first game in two weeks with a sprained ankle.
Terror Twins are BACK 😏 pic.twitter.com/WVEAe3zAC0
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) March 22, 2025
Hefty Thunder Lead Early
Oklahoma City is putting together another smothering defensive effort tonight, resulting in a 20-point first quarter lead. The Thunder held Charlotte to just 25% shooting in the opening quarter and lead 34-14 after one.
OKC also has a knack for flair offensively, demonstrated by this contested buzzer beater from Kenrich Williams.
KENRICH WILLIAMS FROM WAY DOWNTOWN 🎯
Ends the first quarter for OKC on the DEEP bank! pic.twitter.com/XQ1e9NMssq
— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2025
Shai Gilegous-Alexander has 13 early points while shooting 6-9 from the field. The Hornets are also without their leading scorer LaMelo Ball tonight.
Fast Break Ant 🐜
Anthony Edwards is taking flight early tonight, skying for the alley-oop slam in transition. Julius Randle leads the break before leaving it up for Edwards to finish.
GO GET IT 🐜 pic.twitter.com/g8rIMkkUiW
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 22, 2025
CJ McCollum has had answers on the other end, however. The veteran guard has two early triples to keep things even in the first quarter.
headband 3J yesssssir pic.twitter.com/gD609JJSau
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 22, 2025
P5 Stepback 🤑
This highlight sums up Paolo’s first half performance against the Wizards. He was exceptional, finishing the half with 20 points, five rebounds and three assists. This triple is one of three he sank in the first half.
stepback on ’em P5@Pp_doesit pic.twitter.com/gW06kWoYKS
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) March 21, 2025
Banchero began the season playing at an extremely high level, before tearing his oblique. Since returning in January, Banchero has found his stride again. Over the last month, he’s the NBA’s second leading scorer averaging 29.1 points per game.
Heat Looking for a Spark 🧨
Miami needs a win tonight to avoid a double-digit losing streak. In this stretch of nine straight losses, four games were decided by five points or less. The Heat have already beaten this Rockets team once, 104-100 in their first matchup in late December.
tipoff otw pic.twitter.com/InpZ0c32Ip
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 21, 2025
Shai’s Scoring Tear 🔥
The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Hornets tonight. It’s another opportunity to see the league’s leading scorer do what he does best. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 35.1 points per game over the past month, upping his season average to 33 ppg. He’s scored more than 30 in three straight games, and tonight could very well be the fourth.
Thunder basketball coming up next 🔜 pic.twitter.com/iNrGc6mSsV
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 21, 2025
High-Scoring 1Q in DC
After the first 12 minutes.#ForTheDistrict | @CapitalOne pic.twitter.com/7PpmSquWkY
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) March 21, 2025
Both teams crossed the 30-point threshold in the opening frame of this Eastern Conference matchup. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner lead the Magic in scoring, while Jordan Poole is pacing Washington’s scoring attack.
The Wizards have the worst record in the East, but have upset several teams with winning records in recent weeks. The first quarter result is a sign that the Wizards will not go down easy tonight.
🔑 Key Stories to Watch 👇
- Opposing Streaks head-to-head: An interesting scenario is at play in tonight’s matchup between the Rockets and Heat. Miami hasn’t won a game since March 3rd, losing their last nine. Houston has been red hot, reeling off eight consecutive wins and climbing to 2nd in the West. Tonight’s result will determine whether the longest active winning and losing streaks continue, or come to an end.
- Cavaliers looking to sweep Suns: The Phoenix Suns have a chance to build some momentum tonight, as they host the East’s best team, the Cavaliers. Phoenix sits at 10th in the Western Conference at 33-37. A win tonight would be huge in holding their edge over Dallas for the final play-in spot, as the two teams have the same record.
- Quentin Grimes’ impressive play: One reason to tune in to tonight’s Spurs-76ers game, is to see if Quentin Grimes keeps up his outstanding stretch of play. He’s riding a stretch of six consecutive 25-plus point games. In the past month he’s topped 30 points four times, and has two 40-plus point bursts. Grimes is capitalizing on additional opportunity in since being dealt from Dalls to Philadelphia last month.
