ReportWire

Tag: double

  • Isaiah Hartenstein nabs first triple-double as Thunder blast Magic

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images)

    Isaiah Hartenstein had his first career triple-double and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder blew out the Orlando Magic 128-92 at home Tuesday.

    Hartenstein had 12 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists, securing the triple-double when he picked up an assist on Isaiah Joe’s 3-pointer five minutes into the fourth quarter.

    Joe came off the bench for a game-high 22 points, tying a season high, while Luguentz Dort scored 18 and Chet Holmgren had 16 points and 10 rebounds.

    The Thunder jumped out to a big lead early and were never seriously threatened the rest of the way in their third win in four games.

    Jalen Suggs led Orlando with 20 points, going 7 of 11 from the field. Paolo Banchero had 17.

    After a quick start, Gilgeous-Alexander cooled considerably, but used a third-quarter burst to keep his streak of 20-plus games alive. Gilgeous-Alexander has now reached the mark in 121 consecutive games, moving him five games from tying Wilt Chamberlain for the NBA record.

    Whether Gilgeous-Alexander would continue the streak was about the only drama left in the second half, after the Thunder outscored the Magic 39-14 in the first quarter.

    The Magic’s 14 points were their lowest in the first quarter since scoring 11 in the first quarter against Golden State in March 2024.

    Orlando missed its first 10 3-point tries, not connecting until early in the second quarter.

    The Magic fell behind big early for the second consecutive game. In Sunday’s loss in San Antonio, Orlando trailed by as many as 18 points in the first quarter.

    Hartenstein’s night was done shortly after his 10th assist as Oklahoma City’s starters were able to get rest late on the first night of a back-to-back.

    By the time Gilgeous-Alexander hit his first shot, he had three assists and three rebounds. Gilgeous-Alexander assisted on the first two made shots of the game — both Dort 3-pointers.

    Gilgeous-Alexander finished 8 of 22 from the field, and added nine assists, five rebounds and two steals. He had 10 points and six assists in the first quarter.

    Joe delivered the highlight of the first half, cutting down the lane through the basket, taking a bounce pass from Hartenstein and finishing with a thunderous dunk over Banchero and drawing the foul midway through the second quarter.

    After trailing by as many as 35, Orlando cut the deficit to 23 midway through the third quarter but Oklahoma City quickly widened the lead again and the Magic never got any closer.

    The Magic shot a season-low 38.2% from the field.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Magic find keys to success in time for clash with Spurs

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

    The Orlando Magic will look to build on a momentum-changing comeback win when they battle the host San Antonio Spurs on Sunday afternoon.

    The Magic head to San Antonio with a two-game winning streak, the most recent victory a 130-120 home victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday. Desmond Bane scored 16 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter and sank seven 3-pointers to lead Orlando back from a 14-point deficit.

    The Magic dominated the final period, outscoring Toronto 44-21.

    ‘It just continues to say what we’re capable of doing,’ Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. ‘We can sit and watch this and learn from it. What were the things that allowed us to be successful here? That was sharing the basketball, playing with intention, and getting back in transition to keep them from easy baskets.’

    Anthony Black connected on all 14 of his free-throw attempts while scoring 25 points for Orlando, with Wendell Carter Jr. adding 23 points and Paolo Banchero dropping in 20. Jalen Suggs (14 points, 10 assists) produced a double-double in the win.

    ‘I thought tonight was really huge,’ Suggs said after the win on Friday. ‘You never want to lose at home. It really was a mindset to come out through fatigue and through mistakes and play hard and leave it all out there.’

    Orlando’s back-to-back wins came on the heels of a four-game losing streak that began with a setback to the Memphis Grizzlies in London.

    ‘We started having real dialogue before the overseas trip, just being intentional about what we want on both ends of the floor,’ Bane said. ‘We have been putting that into action.’

    The Spurs head home for the second game of a back-to-back after a 111-106 loss to the Hornets in snowy Charlotte on Saturday afternoon. The game was moved up to facilitate San Antonio’s return home as difficult travel conditions out of North Carolina were expected.

    The Spurs were just as cold as the weather outside for three quarters, trailing by as many as 20 points before rallying to within two when Stephon Castle hit a pair free throws with 1:37 to play.

    Rookie guard Dylan Harper paced San Antonio’s seven double-figure scorers with 20 points off the bench. Castle and Victor Wembanyama each finished with 16 points while Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie had 13 points apiece. De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes both hit for 11.Barnes played 25 minutes but came off the bench for the initial time in a Spurs uniform. It was the first time since Jan. 14, 2016, when he was with Golden State that has the 33-year old Barnes (who has played 352 games in a row) did not start, breaking a streak of 775 regular-season games as a starter.’We all occupy a role, and the main focus is winning,’ Barnes said of coming off the bench. ‘So it’s just trying to figure out ways to impact the game, to still be vocal, to do my part, to help contribute to winning.’

    San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said bringing Barnes off the bench was part of a plan to get Vassell back into a starting role. Vassell played in his third straight game after missing 13 contests with an adductor injury.

    ‘I just felt like Devin the last couple of games didn’t quite find his rhythm, and I thought maybe just getting him back to that starting lineup could maybe get him back in that fold,’ Johnson said.

    San Antonio has alternated losses and wins over its past five games since Jan. 20 and went 8-7 in the month of January.

    The Spurs captured the first meeting between the teams 114-112 on Dec. 3 in Orlando.

    -Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Women’s Top 25 roundup: Olivia Miles leads No. 9 TCU past UCF

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Sophia Scheller-Imagn Images)

    Olivia Miles scored 17 points as No. 9 TCU (19-2, 7-1 Big XII) beat UCF in Orlando, Fla., to move into a tie with Baylor for the conference lead.

    Donovyn Hunter added 12 points and Taylor Bigby scored 11 for the Horned Frogs, who raced to a 36-17 halftime lead.

    Mahogany Chandler-Roberts scored 17, and Khyala Ngodu added 10 for the Golden Knights (10-10, 2-7).

    No. 24 Nebraska 81, Illinois 75

    Britt Prince had 20 points to lead four double-figure scorers, and the Cornhuskers (15-5, 4-5 Big Ten) held off the Illini (15-5, 5-4) in Lincoln, Neb., to end a three-game losing streak.

    Cearah Parchment had 25 points and 11 rebounds, Berry Wallace scored 22, Destiny Jackson had 13 and Maddie Webber added 11 to lead Illinois.

    No. 21 Duke 95, Pitt 41

    Toby Fournier scored 19 points, Arianna Roberson and Riley Nelson had double-doubles and the Blue Devils (14-6, 9-0) routed the host Panthers for their 11th straight victory and stayed tied with Louisville atop the ACC.

    Roberson finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds, Nelson had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Delaney Thomas scored 16 and Taina Mair added 12 for Duke, which outscored Pitt 22-8 in the first quarter and 29-8 in the second quarter for a 51-16 halftime lead.

    Mikayla Johnson scored 15 to lead the Panthers (8-14, 1-8), who lost their fifth straight game.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • No. 1 Arizona continues undefeated start, holds on against UCF

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images)

    Corrects typo in headline; clarifies highest-ranked opponent for UCF win in graf 6; adds graf 8 clarifying the undefeated teams to lose this week

    Jaden Bradley scored 23 points and sank five free throws in the final 29 seconds, and top-ranked Arizona avoided the recent trend of undefeated teams getting upset with an 84-77 victory over UCF on Saturday afternoon in Orlando, Fla.

    Bradley made 11 of 13 from the line and added six rebounds, five assists and two steals for the Wildcats (18-0, 5-0 Big 12).

    Brayden Burries notched 18 points and Motiejus Krivas posted a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Ivan Kharchenkov had 10 points while Tobe Awaka totaled 10 points and nine rebounds off the bench before fouling out.

    Leading scorer Koa Peat played with foul trouble, was held scoreless in the first half and finished with a career-low four points in 20 minutes.

    The victory continued the second-best start by Arizona in program history since it opened the 2013-14 campaign with a 21-0 record.

    Point guard Themus Fulks had a career-high 30 points but fouled out for the Knights (14-3, 3-2), who were attempting to beat a No. 1-ranked team for the first time in history. The highest-ranked team UCF has beaten was No. 3 Kansas two years ago.

    Jordan Burks netted 16 points, and Riley Kugel put in 12.

    Second-ranked Iowa State suffered its first loss of the season on Tuesday, falling at Kansas. The next day, No. 10 Vanderbilt took its first loss, falling at Texas. Both teams also lost on Saturday.

    In the matchup’s first four minutes, UCF led after John Bol’s slam and Kugel’s three-pointer, but Burries, Awaka and Krivas combined for 20 points in the first 10:07 as the Wildcats began to assert themselves and led 26-11 after a 19-2 run.

    At the 4:02 mark, Fulks canned a 15-footer to bring it to 35-31, and his deep ball inside the final minute brought UCF to within two. But Awaka’s free throw in the final seconds left the visitors with a 41-38 halftime lead.

    Krivas (15 points), Burries (11) and Awaka (nine) accounted for 35 of Arizona’s 41 points in the half, while Fulks carried UCF by tallying 18 points.

    With Peat still not on the scoresheet, Arizona led 49-45 five minutes into the second half as Kharchenkov and Bradley helped out the offense by netting four points apiece.

    The visitors grew the lead to 59-49 on Dwayne Aristode’s layup at 10:50 and led comfortably the next 10 minutes.

    UCF trimmed it to 79-73 in the final minute, but Bradley made 5 of 6 from the stripe to prevent the Knights from achieving an historic victory.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Trail Blazers see opportunity to make move, starting with Jazz game

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images)

    The Portland Trail Blazers have an opportunity to climb the standings by hosting eight of their next 10 games.

    Portland looks to begin that stretch on a positive note when it hosts the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

    The Trail Blazers have momentum, having won four of their past five games, beginning with an impressive 114-108 victory over the Boston Celtics.

    The last three were on the road and Portland went 2-1 and put together a strong effort in Saturday’s 115-110 takedown of the San Antonio Spurs. The Trail Blazers never trailed by more than three points against the 25-win Spurs.

    ‘Down the stretch, I think we kept our composure most of the time,’ Portland interim coach Tiago Splitter said afterward. ‘A couple of mistakes, a couple of missed free throws again, but found a way to win the game and got it done.’

    Donovan Clingan excelled with Spurs star Victor Wembanyama (knee) sidelined and recorded a career-best 24 points to go with 12 rebounds.

    Clingan set the tone by scoring Portland’s first 11 points and he knocked down three 3-pointers during the run.

    ‘Just being aggressive,’ Clingan said of coming out of the gates fast. ‘And then once I saw two go in, I knew I had to get up a third. And then I tried a fourth, and I missed that time.’

    Deni Avdija celebrated his 25th birthday by continuing his strong season with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. It was his third triple-double of the season and fifth of his career.

    Toumani Camara also stood out with 20 points and eight rebounds. He knocked down five 3-pointers and is 9 of 20 from behind the arc over the past two games.

    ‘I think I’m playing better than I was earlier,’ Camara said. ‘This season, just kind of finding a rhythm, stop overthinking the game, just playing with more confidence. I think that’s the biggest thing for me.’

    The Trail Blazers beat Utah 136-134 on Oct. 29 in Salt Lake City in this season’s first meeting between the teams.

    Jrue Holiday had 27 points and eight assists for Portland, while Lauri Markkanen had 32 points and Keyonte George added 29 points and eight assists for the Jazz.

    Markkanen scored 35 points on Saturday but Utah lost 123-114 to the host Golden State Warriors. George added 22 points and nine assists but also had seven turnovers.

    The loss was the third straight and seventh in the past nine for the Jazz.

    The game in Portland is the third of a four-game road trip for Utah.

    Veteran Kevin Love collected 10 rebounds in just 24 minutes against the Warriors for his second double-digit outing on the boards in his last four appearances.

    Love, 37, recently displayed his early career form with 16 points and 16 rebounds in a 128-127 overtime loss to the Orlando Magic.

    Utah coach Will Hardy plans to increase Love’s minutes after the recent uptick in production.

    ‘He’s an elite rebounder, and so those things continue to show up,’ Hardy said. ‘And then obviously, just kind of his general savvy in his 18th year — he’s gotten a little more familiar with his teammates, and I think his spacing element gives us a different look.’

    The Jazz are expected to be without big man Jusuf Nurkic (left toe) for the third straight game.

    Holiday (calf) has missed the last 24 games for Portland.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • UCF extends win streak to 8 with second-half explosion vs. Mercer

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Nadia Zomorodian/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

    Jordan Burks led all scorers with 17 points and Riley Kugel added 16 to lead UCF to an 81-63 win over Mercer on Wednesday in Orlando, Fla.

    Themus Fulks chipped in with 14 points, while Jamichael Stillwell recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

    With the win, the Knights (9-1) extended their winning streak to eight games, the program’s longest since the 2004-2005 campaign.

    Brady Shoulders led Mercer (7-4) with 14 points and Armani Mighty finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. Leading scorer Baraka Okojie was held to 10 points on 3-for-11 shooting.

    UCF outscored Mercer 46-36 in the second half behind its three-point shooting. Burks gave the Knights a 47-31 lead early in the second half with one of his four 3-pointers. Carmelo Pacheco added a 3-pointer of his own with 11:28 remaining to give UCF a 58-39 lead.

    Overall, UCF went 5-for-7 from long distance in the second half and shot 64.3% from the floor. The Knights made their last five field goal attempts.

    In the first half, both teams struggled offensively. UCF missed nine of its first 10 3-point attempts and made just three of its 17 perimeter shots in the first half. The Knights were limited to 30% from the floor in the first half.

    The big difference in the first half was UCF’s 15-2 run that helped the Knights take a 28-14 lead with 6:08 remaining in the half. Mercer, however, responded with an 8-0 run of its own to cut the deficit to 28-22.

    UCF took an 11-point lead in the last minute of the half, but Connor Serven cut the halftime deficit to 35-27 after knocking down a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

    The Knights will put their winning streak on the line on Saturday when they host Florida Gulf Coast in their penultimate non-conference game. Mercer will travel to Washington State on Saturday.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • UCF explores newfound depth with slumping VMI on deck

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Nadia Zomorodian/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

    UCF coach Johnny Dawkins might have found something in Tuesday’s comeback win over Quinnipiac — a go-to big man.

    Dawkins and his Knights will search for their sixth straight win when they host VMI on Saturday afternoon in Orlando, Fla.

    The Knights (6-1) trailed Quinnipiac 60-50 in the second half before reserve Jeremy Foumena lit a fire, sending the home side on an extended 34-10 scoring tear through the Bobcats’ defense that put the game away.

    On a career night, the 6-foot-11 Foumena, a Montreal native who had just 17 points all season, stood out.

    He poured in a career-high 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting by dominating around the rim with his teammates feeding him while UCF committed a season-low 10 turnovers.

    A junior center, Foumena played sparingly in his lone season at his most recent stop at Mississippi State when he saw action in just nine games. He started his career at Rhode Island.

    ‘I’m a kid that stayed the course,’ said Foumena, who grabbed seven rebounds. ‘In the second half, we knew we had to go deep. … We just came out strong.’

    Point guard Themus Fulks handed out a career-high 13 assists, nearly double his average of 7.7 per game, while John Bol notched a career-high 13 points with six rebounds.

    A UCF win Saturday would equal the best start under Dawkins with the 2016-17 team that went 24-12 and advanced to the NIT semifinals.

    The Keydets (3-6) will finish a four-game road swing through Florida and will be looking for better play.

    VMI has dropped five straight games since notching its last win in a 106-54 pounding of Virginia-Lynchburg on Nov. 12.

    ‘I told the guys there’s usually a game every season that you have to wash away,’ Keydets coach Andrew Wilson said after an 87-54 loss to Richmond last week before leaving on the current road trip. ‘… We’ve got a tough journey ahead of us.’

    He was right.

    The Southern Conference school fell 81-48 to Bowling Green at the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Wednesday, making just 10 of 50 shots (20%). Only one player, Linus Holmstrom, hit double figures with 11 points, as VMI lost for the third time in the Sunshine State after losses to Stetson and Buffalo.

    TJ Johnson leads the squad at 20.1 points per game, while Walker Andrews scores 11.3 and Mario Tatum Jr. adds 10.8.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Magic demolish 76ers, set franchise scoring records

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)

    Anthony Black scored a career-high 31 points to highlight the Orlando Magic’s 144-103 annihilation of the host Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday in an NBA Cup game.

    Black scored 27 points in the first half, including a 20-point second quarter as Orlando set a franchise record for points in any quarter with 51 in the stanza. The team also set a new franchise mark with 86 points in the first half.

    Despite continuing to play without Paolo Banchero (groin), the Magic had nine players score in double figures, including Franz Wagner (21) and Desmond Bane (15). The team compiled 82 bench points — the top total in the NBA this season — with Black and Jett Howard (13) leading the way.

    Tyrese Maxey scored 20 points to pace Philadelphia, while Jared McCain pitched in with 15 points. The Sixers played without Joel Embiid, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe, among others.

    The teams were tied 35-35 after one quarter, but the Magic needed less than four minutes in the second quarter to open a double-digit lead. Black scored seven points in that stretch, including a 3-pointer that put the visitors ahead 49-39.

    Shortly thereafter, Jalen Suggs found Black with an alley-oop from beyond half court. Black then made a pair of 3-pointers — both off Suggs assists — as Orlando opened a 57-43 advantage.

    The margin was similar (68-52) with under 3 1/2 minutes left before halftime when the Magic embarked on a quick 9-0 run. Wagner scored the first four points of that burst before Howard took care of the final five.

    Black’s lay-in just before the final buzzer sent Orlando into the locker room with an 86-60 advantage.

    About five minutes into the third quarter, Black’s finger roll sent the lead north of 30 for the first time. That bucket was part of a 17-0 run by the visitors, who went ahead by 42 when Tristan da Silva’s 3-pointer made it 111-69.

    The Magic led by as many as 46 points in the fourth quarter.

    There was an altercation near the end of the second quarter that resulted in six technical fouls, including a double-technical to Suggs. The Magic point guard was subsequently ejected, although he dished out a career-high 11 assists in 16 minutes before heading to the locker room.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Torrid-shooting Magic extend Clippers’ tailspin in rout

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images)

    Jalen Suggs knocked down five 3-pointers on his way to a team-high 23 points, and the Orlando Magic continued the tailspin of the visiting Los Angeles Clippers with a 129-101 triumph on Thursday.

    Orlando overwhelmed Los Angeles defensively, holding the Clippers to just 36-of-89 (40.4%) shooting from the floor while forcing 21 turnovers. The Magic rode their defensive dominance to their fifth win in the last six games, while sending Los Angeles to its ninth loss in the last 10 outings.

    The Clippers mounted little offensive threats outside of James Harden. One game removed from becoming just the 11th player in NBA history with at least 28,000 career points, Harden led all scorers on Thursday with 31.

    The only other Clipper to score in double-figures, however, was Ivica Zubac with 14 points. Zubac also grabbed a game-high 19 rebounds.

    Orlando countered with six double-figure-point scorers, including four of its five starters. Franz Wagner complemented Suggs with 20 points, Tristan da Silva added 17 points and eight rebounds, and Desmond Bane converted 3-of-6 from 3-point range on the way to 15 points.

    Suggs and Bane paced Orlando to a torrid 18-of-34 shooting (52.9%) from long distance. Nine different Magic shooters made at least one 3-pointer, including Anthony Black, who led Orlando reserves with 12 points.

    The Magic owed their balanced scoring to effective ball movement, scoring 32 of their 45 made field goals off of assists. Suggs led the way with seven assists, while Wendell Carter Jr. dished out six.

    The Magic were also excellent at the free-throw line, going 21-of-24.

    Orlando led almost wire-to-wire, but the Magic’s definitive stretch came in the back-half of the third quarter when they held the Clippers without a point for almost three minutes. The Los Angeles drought overlapped with a 16-7 Orlando run, during which the Magic opened up an 88-69 lead with 1:56 to play in the stanza.

    Orlando’s advantage swelled to as many as 30 points when Jase Richardson knocked down a 3-pointer in the final minute.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Cameron Carr nets 27, as Baylor holds off pesky Tarleton State

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images)

    Cameron Carr scored 17 of his 27 points in an efficient first-half, and four other players reached double figures for Baylor, as the Bears defeated Tarleton State 94-81 in Waco, Texas.

    In staking the Bears to a 55-42 lead at the break, Carr made seven of his eight shots from the field, scoring a point per minute as the Bears shot 57.6% as a team.

    Isaac Williams scored 16 for Baylor (3-0), Dan Skillings Jr. contributed 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Obi Agbim scored 14 and Tounde Yessoufou added 12.

    Dior Johnson was a constant source of pain for Baylor, keeping Tarleton State (2-3) in the game with a sensational 42 points to lead all scorers.

    The Texans’ Freddy Hicks reached double digits in scoring for the fifth straight game to open the season, scoring 13.

    Carr got going early, scoring five straight at one point to give Baylor a 15-9 advantage 4:45 into the contest.

    The Bears opened up their largest lead in the opening stanza, 48-30, when Carr punctuated a 9-2 run with a slam-and-one, 3-point play with 4:27 left.

    Agbim (11) and Skillings (10) joined Carr in reaching double digits in the first half. Johnson paced the Texans with 14.

    Tarleton State twice got the lead down to single digits early on in the second half, with Johnson cutting it to 65-56 with 13:09 to play on a short jumper.

    Baylor quickly answered with back-to-back 3-pointers from JJ White and Carr to regain control. A Williams’ 3-pointer with 10:14 left gave the Bears their largest lead at 77-58.

    But the Texans remained pesky, twice more getting the margin down to single digits via Johnson scoring plays.

    A Skillings’ 3-pointer with 4:16 left to make it 84-72 essentially shut the door.

    Johnson hit 17 of 24 shots from the floor, 2 of 3 from behind the arc and 6 of 7 from the charity stripe. The junior competed at UCF in 2024-25.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Magic continue dominance over Wizards with decisive win

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

    Paolo Banchero scored 28 points and added 11 rebounds and the visiting Orlando Magic thrashed the Washington Wizards 125-94 on Saturday.

    Orlando shot 51.1% from the field and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half. The Magic have won two straight following a four-game losing streak.

    Washington was unable to recover after being outscored 43-21 in the second quarter. The Wizards have lost four straight and five of their first six games.

    Franz Wagner added 25 points, while Wendell Carter Jr. recorded 16 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando, which outscored the Wizards 62-52 on points in the paint. Goga Bitadze chipped in 15 points and six rebounds in 20 minutes of action.

    The Magic won their 11th straight meeting against Washington, dating back to March 21, 2023. Orlando shot 33.3% from 3-point range and 86.4% (19-for-22) from the free throw line.

    Kyshawn George led the Wizards with 17 points. CJ McCollum scored 13 points, and Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly added 10 apiece.

    George scored 10 of Washington’s first 18 points to help the Wizards take a 35-32 lead at the end of the first quarter.

    The Magic built a double-digit lead in the second quarter while scoring 43 points, including a 17-8 run to close the half. That gave them a 75-56 lead at intermission and marked the Magic’s most first-half points this season.

    Banchero scored 23 points in the first half and Wagner had 20 for Orlando, which shot 60.9% from the field for the half.

    Orlando’s 43 points during the second quarter tied the franchise record for most points ever scored in a second period.

    The Magic maintained their momentum and led 87-61 after opening the third quarter on a 12-5 run.

    Orlando outscored Washington 28-19 in the third quarter and took a 103-75 lead into the final period.

    Both teams rested their starters in the final minutes, and Orlando made three straight 3-pointers during an 11-2 run to close out the game.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Well-rounded Bulls leaning on each other as Hawks pay a visit

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images)

    Pushing the ball and defending the length of the floor has been the mantra of Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan for some time.

    It is a small sample size, but the newest edition of the Bulls has proven to be a quick study to the strategy. Chicago has produced a pair of season-opening victories and is out to continue its early run against the visiting Atlanta Hawks on Monday.

    Seven Bulls players finished in double figures in scoring during Saturday’s 110-98 win at Orlando. The group effort is an ideal byproduct of sharing the ball after fighting to get it back on the defensive end.

    ‘Our depth is something we will have to lean on all year, especially with the style of play that we have,’ Chicago guard Tre Jones said. ‘We play extremely fast, especially when we are playing physical like we are (now). We are going to have to lean on everybody. We have a couple of guys down right now, so it is a next-man-up mentality.

    ‘We continue to lean on each other.’

    Jones is benefiting from increased early-season minutes as guard Coby White (right calf strain) recovers from a preseason injury. The absence of Bulls reserve center Zach Collins (left wrist fracture) has opened opportunities in the frontcourt.

    Usual suspects Nikola Vucevic and Josh Giddey have provided steady scoring, with both averaging at least 20 points through two games. Vucevic is adding 11.0 rebounds per game.

    Atlanta knows the impact of being short-handed to start the season. Kristaps Porzingis (flu-like symptoms), Zaccharie Risacher (right ankle sprain) and Jalen Johnson (right ankle sprain) each missed Saturday’s 117-100 home loss to the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

    Monday’s game marks the beginning of a four-game road trip for the Hawks, who won at Orlando on Friday around a pair of double-digit home defeats.

    Six Hawks players scored in double figures Saturday, led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker (17 points) and Trae Young (15). Young is optimistic that the team’s consistency will grow alongside the comfort level of a youthful rotation.

    ‘I think the positive experience some of these guys got to get with each other, and Mo (Gueye) gets more minutes and starting,’ Young said. ‘I mean, Asa (Newell) coming out there still playing in his second real (NBA) game.

    ‘I think really without those (rotation) guys, it’s hard to really judge us. But at the same time, we got games to play. It doesn’t matter and nobody cares. So, we got to keep playing.’

    Vucevic has posted a double-double in seven of his past 10 games against the Hawks.

    Atlanta has won two straight versus Chicago, but the Bulls hold a 141-122 edge in the all-time series.

    Staying physical under the boards will be key, Donovan stressed. Entering NBA play on Sunday, the Bulls ranked third in the NBA with 104.5 points allowed per game.

    ‘We’re competing, we’re putting our bodies in play,’ he said. ‘We’re trying to get on the glass and rebound.’

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Aces putting 12-game win streak on line vs. WNBA-leading Lynx

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images)

    The top two teams in the WNBA meet Thursday night with the Minnesota Lynx visiting the Las Vegas Aces.

    The Lynx (32-8) own the league’s best record, but the Aces (26-14) are the hottest team, riding a 12-game winning streak.

    Minnesota won the first three meetings vs. Las Vegas, including a 111-58 victory Aug. 2 in the most recent matchup. Kayla McBride poured in 24 points for Minnesota in that game.

    Las Vegas hasn’t lost since, tying the franchise record for longest winning streak. Three of the last six outcomes have come by double-figure margins.

    ‘This team is etching out their presence,’ Aces coach Becky Hammon said.

    Thursday night’s game features the two leading scorers in the WNBA.

    A’ja Wilson has reached the 30-point mark in six of the Aces’ last nine games. She also has led the team in rebounding 10 times during the winning streak.

    Most recently, the Aces swept three games on a road trip by winning at Washington, Chicago and Atlanta. Las Vegas is coming off a seven-day layoff.

    ‘That ability to kick it up an extra notch, we’ve really been able to do that on the defensive end, and it’s winning us games,’ Hammond said.

    Since losing three of five games, Minnesota has posted back-to-back victories with blowouts of Connecticut and Dallas. In Monday’s 96-71 domination of visiting Dallas, Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman became the fifth pair of teammates in WNBA history with 15 or more points and nine or more assists in a game.

    ‘I feel like me and Courtney are like a dynamic duo,’ said Hiedeman, whose 20 points and 10 assists resulted in her first double-double.

    Meanwhile, Lynx forward Napheesa Collier is averaging a league-leading 23.5 points per game — barely ahead of Wilson (23.4)

    Minnesota guard DiJonai Carrington played only 10 minutes against Dallas because of a shoulder ailment.

    ‘I know this is something she deals with,’ Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said.

    The Lynx have wrapped up the league’s best regular-season record, while the Aces are assured of a spot in the playoffs. But with two other teams with the same record as Las Vegas entering Wednesday, there’s still quite a bit at stake for the Aces in terms of postseason seeding.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Double lottery winner almost skipped buying Maryland tickets. ‘About to leave the store’

    Double lottery winner almost skipped buying Maryland tickets. ‘About to leave the store’

    [ad_1]

    A Maryland woman who won $50,000 each on two Maryland lottery tickets almost passed up buying them, lottery officials say.

    A Maryland woman who won $50,000 each on two Maryland lottery tickets almost passed up buying them, lottery officials say.


    Vladimir Sukhachev

    Getty Images/iStockphoto

    A Baltimore resident won $50,000 each on two scratch-off “Pick 5” tickets, but it almost didn’t happen, Maryland lottery officials say.

    “It’s funny, because I was playing my boyfriend’s tickets and I almost didn’t play for myself,” she told the lottery. “I was about to leave the store, but thought, ‘Let me go ahead and get mine too.’”

    Then she forgot about the tickets, which she bought for $1 each on Dec. 30, the lottery said in a news release.

    Days later, she checked the tickets and discovered she won the top prize of $50,000 on two of them.

    “I looked and was like, ‘Hold up, this cannot be right,’” she said. “I showed my boyfriend so he could double check.”

    The couple visited Maryland Lottery headquarters on Thursday, Feb. 22, to claim the prizes.

    The woman, who recalls predicting she would win with the Pick 5 tickets in 2022, said she plans to invest her winnings.

    Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

    If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

    Don Sweeney has been a newspaper reporter and editor in California for more than 25 years. He has been a real-time reporter based at The Sacramento Bee since 2016.

    [ad_2]

    Don Sweeney

    Source link

  • Double Detective: ‘True Detective: Night Country’ Episode 3 and ‘Monsieur Spade’ Episode 3

    Double Detective: ‘True Detective: Night Country’ Episode 3 and ‘Monsieur Spade’ Episode 3

    [ad_1]

    Chris and Andy break down the latest episode of True Detective: Night Country. They talk about how the lack of Easter-egging in this episode worked to its advantage (1:00) and the dynamic between Danvers and Navarro (24:07). Then they talk about the latest episode of Monsieur Spade and the show’s very dense plotline (35:55).

    Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald
    Producer: Kaya McMullen

    Subscribe: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / Stitcher / RSS

    [ad_2]

    Chris Ryan

    Source link