Thompson hits jumper with 0.6 seconds to go to conquer Indiana.
There were six games on the NBA schedule on Tuesday night, with the Golden State Warriors securing a rare win on the road against the Indiana Pacers.
Having scored 16 of his 25 points in the final 12 minutes, Thompson hit the biggest shot of the night with his 12-foot turnaround jumper with 0.6 seconds to go to seal the victory.
It is undoubtedly a huge win for the Warriors who improve to 37-24, and they have now won five of six and are 6-2 since the All-Star break as they continue to solidify their playoff spot.
In contrast, it was a disappointing loss for the hosts who slip to 46-14 after having won five straight games, and they also missed out on the chance to clinch a playoff spot in front of a sellout crowd.
Paul George had 26 points and 12 rebounds but missed a potential go-ahead three-pointer with 23.9 seconds remaining, and then missed again with a 29-foot buzzer beater that would have won it.
However, despite the disappointment of losing, Indiana didn’t lose any ground in their lead at the top of the Eastern Conference, as the Houston Rockets defeated the Miami Heat.
There were no repeats for LeBron James after his 61-point night against Charlotte on Monday, with the MVP candidate conceding after the game that he was “extremely tired”, and it showed in the second half against the Rockets.
The two-time NBA champion had 22 points, while Dwyane Wade and Michael Beasley both finished with 24 points apiece, however it wasn’t enough for the visitors as James missed a late chance to win the game while Miami slip to 43-15 as a result.
Dwight Howard had 22 points and 16 rebounds, while James Harden added 21 points, with the center revealing after the game that it is important that the team learn from these experiences and stay composed in the final stages of close games.
That is something the San Antonio Spurs know all about, but it wasn’t required on Tuesday as they secured a comfortable win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Danny Green scored 24 points as the Spurs put on a basketball clinic, with Kawhi Leonard (18), Patty Mills and Boris Diaw (16) all contributing to seal a fourth straight win.
Tim Duncan and Tony Parker combined for just 14 points as coach Gregg Popovich gave them most of the night off, as San Antonio put up a season-high 39 assists on 43 field goals.
With a healthy roster at his disposal, Popovich will be delighted with the timing of his team putting everything together, as they moved to 44-16 for the season and continue to put pressure on the Oklahoma City Thunder at the top of the Western Conference.
However, the Thunder were also victorious on Tuesday to maintain their one-and-a-half game lead, with a comprehensive win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Kevin Durant scored 42 points while Russell Westbrook had a 21-minute triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists after putting on a show against rookie rival Michael Carter-Williams.
It was a staggering 15th loss in a row for the Sixers, but the night was all about Westbrook and Durant, who continue to stave off the challenge of the Spurs.
NBA Results:
San Antonio Spurs 122-101 Cleveland Cavaliers
Golden State Warriors 98-96 Indiana Pacers
Miami Heat 103-106 Houston Rockets
Philadelphia 76ers 92-125 Oklahoma City Thunder
Los Angeles Clippers 104-96 Phoenix Suns
New Orleans Pelicans 132-125 Los Angeles Lakers
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