NBA News Wire
NBA game roundup: Pistons stay hot, beat slumping Raptors
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
TORONTO — Guard Brandon Jennings scored 34 points and had 10 assists as the ascending Detroit Pistons defeated the slumping Toronto Raptors 114-111 on Monday.
Guard Jodie Meeks, who had 13 points, hit a decisive 3-pointer in the final minute as the Pistons (14-24) won their second game in a row and their ninth in the past 10 games after starting the season 5-23.
The Raptors (25-12) have lost five of their past six games.
Forward Greg Monroe added 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Pistons.
The Raptors, who led by as many as 14 points in the first half and by 12 at halftime, got a career-best 31 points from center Jonas Valanciunas, who also added 12 rebounds.
Toronto trailed by a point and had possession with 14.8 seconds to play. After a timeout, Raptors guard Kyle Lowry missed a shot, and Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit two free throws with 6.6 seconds to play to clinch the win.
Rockets 113, Nets 99
NEW YORK — Guard James Harden scored 30 points in three quarters to help Houston pull away.
The NBA’s leading scorer made nine of 13 shots, sank four of seven 3-point attempts and converted all eight of his foul shots in 30 minutes.
Center Dwight Howard, who got into a first-quarter altercation with Brooklyn forward Kevin Garnett, finished with eight points and five rebounds in 28 minutes.
Garnett was ejected after headbutting Howard.
Center Mason Plumlee collected 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets, who dropped their sixth straight.
Celtics 108, Pelicans 100
BOSTON – The Celtics rallied from six points down in the final 7:20 to win.
The Boston win came several hours after the two teams were involved in a three-team trade in which Memphis acquired Jeff Green from the Celtics and the Pelicans re-acquired forward Quincy Pondexter.
Boston forward Jared Sullinger, who iced the game with four free throws in the closing seconds, had 27 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.
Center Anthony Davis, who had all but one of the Pelicans’ field goals over the last 10:22, scored 34 points and added nine rebounds and five assists.
Magic 121, Bulls 114
CHICAGO — Center Nikola Vucevic and guard Victor Oladipo each scored 33 points to help the Magic snap a six-game losing streak.
The Bulls (26-13), in first place in the Central Division, lost for the seventh time to a team with a record currently under .500, five of those games in Chicago.
Forward Pau Gasol scored 28 points to lead five Bulls in double figures.
