Scoreboard
Timberwolves 127, Cavaliers 122
Magic 119, Pacers 103
Raptors 133, Nets 97
Heat 112, Bulls 99
Grizzlies 118, Spurs 105
Bucks 130, Hornets 106
Kings 131, Thunder 110
What went down
As we sprint towards the end of the season, the Eastern Conference is braced to have one of the most frantic finishes in recent history.
Today, the top two teams in the East met. Both red hot, the Miami Heat (41-21) edged out the Chicago Bulls (39-23), flashing their depth in front of their home crowd.
The Heat got 20 points from sharpshooter Gabe Vincent and the resurgent Tyler Herro. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, meanwhile, added 15 points apiece as they stifled Chicago’s main guns. The win extended the Heat’s lead over the Bulls in the top of the standings to two games.
Another 20-point performance, another day at the office for #6MOTYLER 🪄 pic.twitter.com/dOr6dY1KoC
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 1, 2022
Zach LaVine led Chicago with 22 points while rookie Ayo Dosunmu and MVP candidate DeMar DeRozan each managed 18. The Bulls are still waiting on a timetable for the return of their two point guards in Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso.
The Milwaukee Bucks (37-25) and Cleveland Cavaliers (36-25) swapped places in the standings today. The Bucks walloped the Charlotte Hornets while Cleveland lost a tight home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
This was a welcome win for the defending champs, who had split their previous 24 games. The Bucks had struggled to close out tight games so a blowout against a team in the play-in picture was a welcome development.
The young Cavaliers, on the other hand, have had similar problems with the Bucks in finding ways to put away teams late. But Cleveland has one of the easiest remaining schedules left in the league, according to NBA.com’s John Schumann, so they should be primed for another late run.
Only slim margins separate the top six teams in the East. Anyone from the teams that played today plus the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers could realistically end up at the top by the regular season’s end.
Big-time baller
Ja Morant isn’t done torching teams and setting career-highs.
Days after dropping 46 points, Morant went off for 52 points against the San Antonio Spurs. It wasn’t your normal 50-piece, either. Ja made sure to get some bodies on his way there.
Ja Morant's highlights from tonight are straight out of a video-game!
— NBA (@NBA) March 1, 2022
He went off for 5??2?? points putting on a show for the crowd in Memphis #GrindCity
🔥 52 PTS
🔥 22-30 FGM
🔥 7 REB
🔥 4 3PM pic.twitter.com/u0Hw3jdDMS
What he said
Mitchell Robinson somehow found a thread of Knicks fans talking about his role in the team and had to chime in.
Everyone knows when everybody gets involved and the ball moving and everyone touching the ball the energy and effort goes to another level let me as you this and be 100% with your answer how would you feel just running up and down the court for 48 or even for 20 minutes?
— Mitchell Robinson (@23savage____) March 1, 2022
Did you see that?
Ja Morant highlights should be all over your feeds. This gem from Anthony Edwards, however, also deserves some love.
OH MY ANTHONY EDWARDS pic.twitter.com/PPcFr1Lj9H
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 1, 2022
Markelle Fultz also returned to action today after missing more than a year due to an ACL tear. He immediately got to work, finishing with 10 points and six assists.
Markelle Fultz lines up the jumper and makes his first basket since returning from injury.
— NBA (@NBA) March 1, 2022
The @OrlandoMagic are live on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa pic.twitter.com/B3zgdVM30b
