NBA scores 2017: DeMarcus Cousins nearly notches triple-double in OT win over Warriors

What was expected to be a one-sided victory turned into a late-night upset.

DeMarcus Cousins powered the Sacramento Kings to a 109-106 overtime win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, nearly posting a triple-double with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists, along with two steals and a block to advance the Kings to a 20-31 record.

Despite a 13-of-30 shooting night, Boogie got the better of All-Star defender Draymond Green, who he was matched up with for much of the night:

He also threw down a reverse one-handed over lanky shot-blocker JaVale McGee:

Sacramento’s win wasn’t all Boogie, though, but a total team effort underscored by a productive second unit. The Kings’ reserves outscored the Warriors bench, 45-16, and Cousins praised his teammates from top to bottom.

“Every guy from start to finish played a part in this win, and I couldn’t be more proud of my team,” Cousins said during his post-game interview.

Golden State fell short despite a magical night from Stephen Curry, who scored 35 points on 11-of-20 shooting, including 8-of-14 on threes. He also had nine assists and three steals, but it was Kevin Durant who vanished late in the game:

Durant’s tough shooting trip may have had something to do with Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who was ejected in the waning moments of the third quarter.

Just seconds after Green picked up a third-quarter technical foul, Kerr uncorked and spewed an expletive-laden assault, prompting officials to toss him from the court:

Moments later, Green got into it with a referee, nearly picking up his second technical foul. If you look at Cousins, you can see him pandering to get the All-Star forward ejected with his coach:

The loss doesn’t hurt Golden State’s standing atop the Western Conference. The Warriors (43-8) still remain the NBA’s lone team with a single-digit loss column. Their roster boasts four All-Stars, and they’re the prohibitive favorite to three-peat as West champions.

But for Sacramento (20-31), the victory helps a well-below .500 team make a push for the West’s eighth seed. The Kings are only 2.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets for the last spot in the playoff picture. And if Sacramento meets Golden State in the post-season, a series-long rematch will be must-see TV.

Amid Carmelo Anthony trade rumors and with LeBron James coming to town, it would have been fitting for the reeling New York Knicks to awaken against a Cleveland Cavaliers team without its All-Star point guard.

New York did wake up, but in typical Knicks fashion. It was too little, too late, and it was James’ game-long omnipotence that dealt Anthony his 30th loss of the season.

The King notched yet another career milestone, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to reach 28,000 points — doing so at Madison Square Garden, nonetheless — as he torched the Knicks for 32 points on 12-of-20 shooting, including 4-of-8 on threes.

James’ scoring dominance came to a climax when he bulldozed the 6’1, 170-pound Brandon Jennings for an and-one layup:

But it wasn’t his scoring that did the Knicks in, rather his court vision to make laser-quick passes to open teammates all night long. James racked up 10 assists, including a game-clinching, head-scratching dime to an open Kevin Love to quell a Knicks rally late in the fourth quarter:

The Knicks were without Derrick Rose, who missed his third straight game after rolling his ankle midway through a Jan. 27 win over Charlotte. Instead, Brandon Jennings stepped up with a double-double of his own, raking in 23 points (8-of-13 shooting), 10 assists — to just one turnover — five rebounds and two steals.

But New York’s big two, Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis, each shot 30 percent from the field, combining for a 9-of-30 shooting night. And while they struggled, Love, who was the focus of a rejected Melo trade, gave James backup with 23 points and 16 rebounds.

After the game, Jennings called New York’s next game against the Los Angeles Lakers a must-win before conceding the obvious: that rhetoric has been the story of the Knicks’ season:

The Knicks (22-30) are 11th in the East and now just a half game in front of the red-hot Miami Heat (winners of 10 in a row). New York is also only 1.5 games behind the conference’s eighth seed, which is a tie between Detroit and Charlotte.

Cleveland (34-15), on the other hand, is the presumptive favorite to repeat as Eastern Conference champions. And if the Cavaliers address The King’s call to add another playmaker to the roster, there’s likely no team that has a legitimate shot at getting in the Cavs’ way.

Not sure which emoji to use for Harris’ attempt at dribbling in traffic, but anything with tears will suffice. The Pistons forward legitimately broke his own ankles trying to put a move on a few Pacers defenders:

A stroke of luck (or genius) turned a potential Shaqtin-a-fool moment into an open three-pointer for Klay Thompson, who was the beneficiary of a clanked dunk that careened into his hands:

The NBA. Where amazing happens.

You be the judge:

Green isn’t known for his leaping ability, but on this fast break, he absolutely obliterated Anthony Tolliver’s soul with a one-handed jam:

It wasn’t the first time in his career Tolliver’s been on the receiving end of a vicious dunk. In fact, he was the front-runner for dunk victim of the year in 2010 when Amar’e Stoudemire rose up and hammered down a nasty tomahawk during his days with Phoenix:

The King racked up point No. 28,000 on Saturday, becoming the youngest to hit that benchmark in NBA history. If he plays another five years at this pace, he can become NBA’s leading scorer.

Whiteside told NBA TV he wanted people to put some respect on his name. If he keeps posting 30-10 games, his play will demand it.

Boogie fell just an assist shy of a triple-double, but he picked up something even more valuable on Saturday: a win over the Warriors.

Curry’s hot shooting helped sneak the Warriors into overtime after their coach was ejected, but it wasn’t enough to cool off the Boogie-led Kings.

Giannis continues stuffing the stat sheets on a nightly basis. In a few years, it’ll be the Greek Freak leading MVP discussions. His time is near.

The Wizards have gone from six games below .500 to a 30-20 record, winning seven in a row and nine of their last 10. Their midseason surge has much to do with Wall’s spectacular play. Washington is now just 2.5 games behind Boston for the second seed in the East and 4.5 games behind Cleveland for the conference’s top spot.

Wizards 105, Pelicans 91 [Bullets Forever recap | The Bird Writes recap]

Hawks 113, Magic 86 [Peachtree Hoops recap | Orlando Pinstriped Post recap]

Pacers 105, Pistons 84 [Indy Cornrows recap | Detroit Bad Boys recap]

Heat 125, 76ers 102 [Hot Hot Hoops recap | Liberty Ballers recap]

Cavaliers 111, Knicks 104 [Fear the Sword recap | Posting and Toasting recap]

Jazz 105, Hornets 98 [SLC Dunk recap | At the Hive recap]

Bucks 137, Suns 112 [Brew Hoop recap | Bright Side of the Sun recap]

Spurs 121, Nuggets 97 [Pounding the Rock recap | Denver Stiffs recap]

Grizzlies 107, Timberwolves 99 [Grizzly Bear Blues recap | Canis Hoopus recap]

Kings 109, Warriors 106 [Sactown Royalty recap | Golden State of Mind recap]