The Golden State Warriors' offense, led by the Splash Brothers, was at its destructive best in Thursday night's 123-110 victory over the Miami Heat.
In a strong four-quarter performance, the Warriors scored between 29 and 32 points in all four periods, led by iconic backcourt duo Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Curry was the game's top-scorer with 33 points on 13-of-22 shooting, hitting seven of his 14 three-point attempts.
Thompson also got up 14 three-point attempts as the Warriors – who play at the fastest pace in the league at 111.7 possessions per game – were determined to let it fly from deep.
The second Splash Brother hit five of his 14 attempts, while going one-of-five from two-point range for 19 points of his own. They were supported strongly by Andrew Wiggins, who grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds to go with his 18 points (five-of-10 shooting).
For the Heat, Jimmy Butler was terrific on both ends, leading his team with 27 points on an incredibly efficient eight-of-13 from the field (four-of-seven from deep, made all seven free throws), while adding eight assists, six rebounds and six steals.
The win means the defending champions are 3-2 through their first five games, while Miami fell to 2-4.
The Baniac delivers again
Memphis Grizzlies wing Desmond Bane is in a rich vein of form, and he led the way with 31 points in a 125-110 win against the Sacramento Kings.
It is the second consecutive game Bane has top-scored for the Grizzlies in a win, after dropping 38 to tie with teammate Ja Morant and set a new franchise record for points by a duo (76) in their victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
Against the Kings, Bane stayed red-hot as he made 11-of-18 field goal attempts, including six-of-eight from long range in a true sharpshooter's performance.
One of the best shooters in the entire NBA, Bane now boasts a career three-point percentage of 43.3 per cent on 5.6 attempts per game.
Thunder collect another win over the Clippers
The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Clippers for the second time in the past three days with a 118-110 triumph.
Los Angeles were missing stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George when they rolled into Oklahoma City for a two-game road trip, and were still without Leonard as George returned to the lineup.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (24 points on 10-of-23 shooting) and Luguentz Dort (21 points on nine-of-15) carried the offensive load for the Thunder, while George was much less effective for the Clippers.
George could only muster 10 points on four-of-12 shooting, while center Ivica Zubac grabbed a game-high 18 rebounds with his 12 points. After starting their season with two wins, the Clippers have now lost their past three.
Morant allowed to travel, practise with Grizzlies during suspension
Ja Morant won't be able to play his first game for the Memphis Grizzlies until December 19.
He will, however, be allowed to train with the team immediately.
The Grizzlies confirmed Monday that Morant is allowed to travel, practise and even participate in shootarounds during his 25-game suspension.
"I think it's great for Ja, and I think it's great for the group that he can be with us day to day," Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said during the team's media day. "The NBA basically has said that as long as Ja continues to stay on track, he's going to be clear to participate in all private team activities, so practices, shootarounds, traveling with the team. He's not going to be with us obviously for preseason games and the first 25, but we'll see him out there and we can't wait to have him back Game 26."
The NBA suspended Morant for 25 games without pay on June 16 for appearing in a second video on social media while brandishing a gun. He had posed with a firearm for a social media live stream on May 13, less than two months after serving an eight-game suspension for posing with a gun for a video in a Denver nightclub on March 4.
Kleiman said having Morant able to train and be around the team will be beneficial to both the Grizzlies, as well as, Morant as it will help keep him accountable.
"There's steps that I think Ja is continuing to take that are really positive and in the right direction," Kleiman said. "It's great to have him here. I think he's put himself in a position where there’s no reason why he can't keep following through on this. So we're glad he's here and can't wait to have him back."
Coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant won't be working with the starters during practise, seeing as he won't be playing in any games for the first two months of the season and the team needs to be able to function without him, but they have a plan to get him ready.
An All-Star each of the last two seasons, Morant averaged 26.2 points with career highs of 8.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds in 61 games last season.
The 2020 Rookie of the Year is entering the first year of a five-year $197million maximum contract.
Morant allowed to travel, practice with Grizzlies during suspension
Ja Morant won't be able to play his first game for the Memphis Grizzlies until December 19.
He will, however, be allowed to train with the team immediately.
The Grizzlies confirmed Monday that Morant is allowed to travel, practise and even participate in shootarounds during his 25-game suspension.
"I think it's great for Ja, and I think it's great for the group that he can be with us day to day," Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said during the team's media day. "The NBA basically has said that as long as Ja continues to stay on track, he's going to be clear to participate in all private team activities, so practices, shootarounds, traveling with the team. He's not going to be with us obviously for preseason games and the first 25, but we'll see him out there and we can't wait to have him back Game 26."
The NBA suspended Morant for 25 games without pay on June 16 for appearing in a second video on social media while brandishing a gun. He had posed with a firearm for a social media live stream on May 13, less than two months after serving an eight-game suspension for posing with a gun for a video in a Denver nightclub on March 4.
Kleiman said having Morant able to train and be around the team will be beneficial to both the Grizzlies, as well as, Morant as it will help keep him accountable.
"There's steps that I think Ja is continuing to take that are really positive and in the right direction," Kleiman said. "It's great to have him here. I think he's put himself in a position where there’s no reason why he can't keep following through on this. So we're glad he's here and can't wait to have him back."
Coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant won't be working with the starters during practise, seeing as he won't be playing in any games for the first two months of the season and the team needs to be able to function without him, but they have a plan to get him ready.
An All-Star each of the last two seasons, Morant averaged 26.2 points with career highs of 8.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds in 61 games last season.
The 2020 Rookie of the Year is entering the first year of a five-year $197million maximum contract.
Celtics acquire Holiday in trade with Trail Blazers
Jrue Holiday is on the move again.
Four days after being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to Portland, the Boston Celtics have acquired the veteran point guard from the Trail Blazers.
Boston sent point guard Malcolm Brogdon and forward Robert Williams, along with a 2024 first-round draft pick and an unprotected first-round pick in 2029 to Portland for Holiday on Sunday.
Holiday was just acquired by the Trail Blazers on Wednesday as part of the blockbuster three-team trade that saw the Bucks land seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard.
The 33-year-old Holiday earned a second career All-Star nod in 2022-23, averaging 19.3 points and 7.4 assists.
Despite the solid offensive numbers, Holiday is considered one of the NBA's best defenders. He is a five-time All-Defensive selection and has been a finalist for defensive player of the year each of the last three seasons.
With the Celtics, he is expected to take over as the team's starting point guard after Marcus Sent was shipped to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team trade this offseason.
Aside from his four days on Portland's roster, Holiday, who has career averages of 16.4 points and 6.5 assists in 14 seasons, will once again continue playing for an Eastern Conference power, as the Celtics have reached three of the last four conference finals.
Brogdon averaged 14.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in 67 games off the bench last season for the Celtics - his first in Boston after spending the previous three with the Indiana Pacers. Brogdon began his career with the Bucks in 2016-17, and is averaging 15.4 points in his seven-year career.
Williams had spent his first five NBA seasons with the Celtics, and averaged 8.0 points and 8.3 rebounds in 35 games in 2022-23.
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