Scoreboard
Heat 111, Rockets 108
Grizzlies 142, Bucks 101
Jazz 132, Pelicans 129 (OT)
Suns 111, Clippers 95
What went down
The Western Conference continues to be unpredictable. The Jazz, the team that many believed would go full tank mode to start the year, made a loud statement by defeating the previously top-seeded Pelicans, 132-129.
Jordan Clarkson said “flame on” and dropped 39 points to help the Jazz outlast the Pelicans in overtime. He was backstopped by Lauri Markkanen who had 31 points while Malik Beasley chipped in with 17.
After Clarkson tied the game with a minute left in regulation, Markkanen drilled a 3-pointer to give the Jazz a 121-118 advantage. But Trey Murphy III tied it up with his own triple with 2.9 seconds left to force the extra session.
In overtime, the Jazz kept going to Clarkson, who delivered by scoring four of his team’s nine points.
This is the second time the Jazz beat the Pelicans this week after their 121-100 victory. The Pels are now second in the West with an 18-10 after their loss and the Grizzlies' win. The Jazz, meanwhile, hold a 17-14 card, winning their last two outings.
Big-time baller
Tyler Herro erupted for a career-high 41 points, spearheaded by a personal-best, franchise-tying 10 triples, in the Heat’s win over the Rockets. He was 13-of-20 from the field and 10-of-15 from deep.
Herro has been on a scoring binge in his last two games. In his previous outing, he dropped 35 points on nine 3-pointers. His 19 triples over a two-game span are the most in Miami history.
What he said
Another big-time baller was Jordan Clarkson who had himself a night in the Jazz win over the Pelicans. The Filipino-American star fired 39 points, seven treys, and grabbed eight rebounds, which were all season-high.
Here’s what he had to say after his explosive performance:
“We all grinding’, we all hungry. When it gets down to those clutch moments we just try to make big shots.”@JordanClarksons joins @Sportsiren on the 🎤.#WalkoffInterview | @lhmauto pic.twitter.com/osjv5RU2pN
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 16, 2022
Did you see that?
It’s not every day you see a 41-point blowout between playoff contenders. The Grizzlies walloped the Bucks in stunning fashion, leading by as many as 50 points in the victory. It was so one-sided that the Grizzlies had some fun on the bench.
Grizzlies bench hit the wave mid-game during their blow out win 💀 pic.twitter.com/HWxGWlBREV
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 16, 2022
