‘Chris Clutch’ delivers as James is sidelined with injury.
It was a busy night in the NBA on Saturday, with no less than 12 games on the schedule including a thriller between the Portland Trail Blazers and Miami Heat.
Both teams entered the game looking to maintain their push for the top seed in the Western and Eastern Conferences respectively, and in turn put on a fascinating performance full of thrilling plays down the stretch.
Ultimately, Miami Heat center Chris Bosh secured the win with a clutch three-pointer with 0.5 seconds remaining on the clock as the reigning champions were able to deal with the absence of LeBron James and picked up a confidence-boosting win.
James injured his right groin in the loss to the Sacramento Kings on Friday night and was forced to sit out, but with Bosh going for 37 points and 10 rebounds coupled with Dwyane Wade’s 16 points and 7 assists, they were able to win without him.
Nevertheless, it was an enthralling encounter between two talented rosters, and the Trail Blazers will take heart from their performance and ability to trouble their rivals looking ahead to the post-season.
Miami move to 23-7 for the season following the win, while Portland slip to 24-6 and behind the Oklahoma City Thunder at the top of the standings.
Elsewhere, the Indiana Pacers were able to defeat the Brooklyn Nets, with Paul George (24 points) and Lance Stephenson (23 points) inspiring them to victory against their struggling Eastern Conference rivals.
The misery was shared across New York as the Knicks dropped a second game against the Toronto Raptors in as many nights with Kyle Lowry going for 32 points as Carmelo Anthony stayed in New York to get treatment on his injury.
Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks sealed an emphatic win over the Chicago Bulls who saw their recent winning streak ended abruptly, while Kevin Love continues to fire as he helped the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 117-95 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Nevertheless, the headlines remain dominated by Bosh’s heroics, and it undoubtedly sent a statement to the rest of the league that the Miami Heat are ready to fight for a third consecutive championship.
NBA Results:
Cleveland Cavaliers 100-103 Boston Celtics
Brooklyn Nets 91-105 Indiana Pacers
New York Knicks 100-115 Toronto Raptors
Detroit Pistons 82-106 Washington Wizards
Charlotte Bobcats 116-118 Atlanta Hawks
Dallas Mavericks 105-83 Chicago Bulls
New Orleans Pelicans 98-107 Houston Rockets
Denver Nuggets 99-120 Memphis Grizzlies
Minnesota Timberwolves 117-95 Milwaukee Bucks
Philadelphia 76ers 101-115 Phoenix Suns
Miami Heat 108-107 Portland Trail Blazers
Utah Jazz 90-98 Los Angeles Clippers
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