Wednesday night in the NBA was a slate of 10 games that featured the Pistons getting their first win and James Harden getting back on track in a win over the Hornets, but here are four games that really stood out after a busy night in the association.
Grizzlies 107, Thunder 97
The Thunder had a 10 point lead after one, but it was all Memphis from there. Rudy Gay proved to be sensational down the stretch, scoring 28 and always keeping the Thunder from making this one really close. This win gives the Grizzlies six straight and they are now the hottest team outside of New York. They did it all without Marc Gasol and Mike Conley having their best games, but Zach Randolph, Quincy Pondexter and Jerryd Bayless all chipped in to help Gay hold off OKC. The Thunder got 34 from Kevin Durant and 17 from Serge Ibaka, but Russell Westbrook and Kevin Martin really struggled shooting. In a game that could easily be a playoff preview in the West, the Grizzlies have to feel great that they were able to win one in OKC.
Bobcats 89, Timberwolves 87
Kemba Walker relived his college days for a night when he hit a game-winner with 0.7 seconds left that was eerily similar to his signature shot at Connecticut. This win moves the Bobcats to 4-3, giving them their first three-game winning streak in almost two years. Minnesota did not have their best team on the court. Six of their top seven players were injured, leaving only Andrei Kirilenko and Luke Ridnour to carry the load. For Charlotte, they have to like how this season has started. Kemba Walker is up to 19 points a game and they are playing much more inspired ball than they ever did last year.
Bulls 112, Suns 106 in OT
The Bulls blew an 18 point lead in this one, but were able to fight off the Suns in overtime. Carlos Boozer lead the way with 28 points and 14 boards, and Joakim Noah and Luol Dend each had 21. The Suns rallied from 14 down in the fourth, lead by Luis Scola's 24-14 night and Sebastian Telfair scoring 17 off the bench. The talent of Chicago was too much for the Suns in OT and they have now won four straight out in the desert.
Clippers 107, Heat 100
The Clippers got a huge win last night and have now beaten the Heat, Lakers and Spurs. Jamal Crawford continued his stellar play off the bench with 22 points, Blake Griffin had 20 points with 14 rebounds and Chris Paul had an efficient 16 points and 10 assists. Only LeBron really showed up for Miami in this one. He had 30 points and almost outscored the rest of his starting lineup. Chris Bosh was dismal with 11 points on 3-13 shooting and Dwyane Wade was even worse with only six points. After a few big wins, this could have been a letdown for the Clips, but they showed a national audience that they are contenders in the West. This ended as a seven point game, but it felt more like 17 as the Clippers bench put away the Heat early in the fourth quarter.
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