While the world watched the Kansas City Chiefs score 21 points in six minutes to snag Super Bowl LIV from the San Francisco 49ers, four games in the NBA had already been played beforehand.
Detroit shocked Denver, Houston soared past the Pelicans, Milwaukee got out of the headlights and blinded the Suns, and Toronto took care of business with the visiting Chicago Bulls.
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Denver Nuggets 123
Detroit Pistons 128 (OT)
After Denver jumped out to a 44-30 first quarter, the Detroit Pistons revved their engines and pulled it to a 111-111 tie by the end of regulation, forcing an overtime where they shifted into overdrive and skirted past the Denver Nuggets by five, despite a nice triple double from Nikola Jokic. Will Barton and Monte Morris combined for another 39 points, matching Jokic, but the Pistons finished with seven players in double figures, led by Andre Drummond’s 21 and 17.
| NUGGETS (34-16) 3rd in the West | PISTONS (18-33) 11th in the East |
| Nikola Jokic 39 points – 10 rebounds – 11 assists – three steals – two blocks | Andre Drummond 21 points – 17 rebounds – four assists – two blocks |
| Will Barton 20 points – nine rebounds – five assists | Reggie Jackson 20 points – three rebounds – six assists |
| Monte Morris 19 points – seven rebounds – seven assists – one steal | Bruce Brown 19 points – 10 rebounds – eight assists |
NEXT GAMES
Detroit at Memphis – Tonight
Portland at Denver – Tuesday
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New Orleans Pelicans 109
Houston Rockets 117
The New Orleans Pelicans have been soaring gracefully lately, but nose dived in their jaunt out west on I-10, crashing in Houston with a 16 point fourth quarter while the Houston Rockets scored 25 to take the eight point win last night. James Harden missed a triple double by one assist, scoring 40 to lead all scorers. Russell Westbrook and Ben McLemore combined for 44 more (22 apiece) while Danuel House, Jr. posted a 12 and 12 evening in the win. Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans, as he and Zion Williamson failed to exploit Houston’s 6’6” and under lineup.
| PELICANS (20-30) 12th in the West | ROCKETS (31-18) 5th in the West |
| Brandon Ingram 28 points – 12 rebounds – three assists | James Harden 40 points – 10 rebounds – nine assists – two blocks |
| Zion Williamson 21 points – 10 rebounds – one assist – one steal – one block | Russell Westbrook 22 points – six rebounds – seven assists – one steal |
| Josh Hart 16 points – 10 rebounds – one assist – one steal | Ben McLemore 22 points – two steals |
NEXT GAMES
Milwaukee at New Orleans – Tuesday
Charlotte at Houston – Tuesday
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Phoenix Suns 108
Milwaukee Bucks 129
Not wanting to suffer a second consecutive loss, the Milwaukee Bucks scored at least 30 points in each period last night while the Phoenix Suns never touched 30 points in any period, giving the Bucks a 21 point win going away. Brook Lopez made sure of that, with nine blocks in the game, to go along with 17 points. He was up against Deandre Ayton, who finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds, but only one block. Devin Booker turned in an All Star performance for naught, as Giannis Antetokuonmpo and Khris Middleton combined for 55 points, 27 rebounds, and 15 assists.
| SUNS (20-29) 11th in the West | BUCKS (42-7) 1st in the East, NBA |
| Devin Booker 32 points – seven rebounds – six assists | Giannis Antetokuonmpo 30 points – 19 rebounds – nine assists – one steal – one block |
| Deandre Ayton 20 points – 14 rebounds – two assists – one steal – one block | Khris Middleton 25 points – eight rebounds – six assists – one block |
| Kelly Oubre, Jr. 15 points – 10 rebounds – two assists – one steal | Brook Lopez 17 points – four rebounds – one assist – nine blocks |
NEXT GAMES
Phoenix at Brooklyn – Tonight
Milwaukee at New Orleans – Tuesday
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Chicago Bulls 102
Toronto Raptors 129
The Toronto Raptors doubled up the Chicago Bulls in the second half last night at ScotiaBank Arena, 69-39, to run away with what had looked to be a semi-competitive game in Chicago’s favor going into the locker rooms at the half. Chicago was up three, but deflated in the second half to lose yet another winnable affair. Terence Davis matched his career high with his 31 point night rising to the occasion as Thaddeus Young did for the Bulls, with 21 and seven on the night.
| BULLS (19-33) 9th in the East | RAPTORS (36-14) 2nd in the East |
| Thaddeus Young 21 points – seven rebounds – one assist – two steals (fouled out) | Terence Davis 31 points – four rebounds – one assist |
| Zach LaVine 18 points – seven rebounds – seven assists – three steals | Pascal Siakam 17 points – nine rebounds – five assists |
| Chandler Hutchison 17 points – five rebounds – one assist – one steal | Serge Ibaka 16 points – six rebounds – one assist – three blocks |
NEXT GAMES
Indiana at Toronto – Wednesday
New Orleans at Chicago – Thursday
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MONDAY’S LINEUP
(All Times Eastern Standard Time)
| 7 p.m. Orlando Magic Charlotte Hornets Fox Sports Florida, Fox Sports Southeast | 7 p.m. New York Knicks Cleveland Cavaliers MSG Network, Fox Sports Ohio |
| 7 p.m. Dallas Mavericks Indiana Pacers Fox Sports Southwest, Fox Sports Indiana | 7 p.m. Golden State Warriors Washington Wizards NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Washington |
| 7:30 p.m. Boston Celtics Atlanta Hawks NBC Sports Boston, Fox Sports Southeast | 7:30 p.m. Phoenix SunsBrooklyn Nets Fox Sports Arizona, YES |
| 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers Miami Heat NBATV | 8 p.m. Detroit Pistons Memphis Grizzlies Fox Sports Detroit, Fox Sports Southeast |
| 10 p.m. Minnesota Timberwolves Sacramento Kings Fox Sports North, NBC Sports California | 10:30 p.m. San Antonio Spurs Los Angeles Clippers NBATV |
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| WESTERN CONFERENCE | EASTERN CONFERENCE |
| Los Angeles Lakers (37-11) .771 | Milwaukee Bucks (42-7) .857 |
| Los Angeles Clippers (34-15) .694 | Toronto Raptors (36-14) .720 |
| Denver Nuggets (34-16) .680 | Boston Celtics (33-15) .688 |
| Utah Jazz (32-17) .653 | Miami Heat (33-15) .688 |
| Houston Rockets (31-18) .633 | Indiana Pacers (31-18) .633 |
| Dallas Mavericks (30-19) .612 | Philadelphia 76ers (31-19) .620 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder (30-20) .600 | Brooklyn Nets (21-27) .438 |
| Memphis Grizzlies (24-25) .490 | Orlando Magic (21-28) .429 |
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Tracy Graven is a Senior NBA Analyst for BackSportsPage.com.
He has written the NBA, and done NBA radio, for the last two decades for HoopsWorld, Swish Magazine, and HoopsHype, the Coach Scott Fields Show and NBARadioShow.com, and is also tackling the NFL, NCAA, and will be pinch-hitting on some Major League Baseball coverage for BackSportsPage.
He’s spent 20 years in locker rooms in
- Orlando
- Boise (G League)
- San Antonio
- Phoenix
- Denver
- Oklahoma City
- Atlanta
A corporate trainer by day, he currently resides in SEC Country near Knoxville, Tennessee.
Reach him on Twitter at @RealTMoneyMedia
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