The Boston Celtics are cruising, the New York Knicks are bruising, and Jusuf Nurkic is unhappy to be losing in the latest edition of The Morning Dunk with NBA news, highlights, and betting odds galore.
Warriors Decimated As Boston Wins In Historic Fashion
There's beating opposing teams, and then there's winning in such a way where it almost hurts their feelings.
The Celtics set a new league record with their third victory of the season by at least 50 points, defeating the visiting Golden State Warriors by a final score of 140-88 at the TD Garden on Sunday.
The 51-point margin of victory was also the third-largest point differential in franchise history. A 44-point lead at halftime for Boston was also a franchise record.
The Celtics have won 3 GAMES by 50+ points this season 😲
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 3, 2024
- Beat Warriors by 52 points
- Beat Pacers by 51 points
- Beat Nets by 50 points
Boston is the first team in NBA history to win 3 games by 50+ points in a single season. pic.twitter.com/Lz9MOjK5Mm
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for 56 points, while the only player to score in double digits in the Warriors' starting lineup was Moses Moody with 11.
Boston is now in the midst of a season-best 11-game winning streak, including six wins in a row against the spread after serving as the 7.5-point favorites against Golden State.
Brunson Avoids Major Injury As Knicks Prevail
With O.G. Anunoby and Julius Randle already sidelined, every New York fan and supporter likely gasped as All-Star guard Jalen Brunson went down just a minute into Sunday's matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers with what initially appeared to be a non-contact injury.
Jalen Brunson went down with an apparent knee injury and has been taken back to the locker room.
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 4, 2024
Hope he's okay 🙏 pic.twitter.com/3MyGPWooO9
Thankfully, an X-ray later revealed no structural damage as Brunson was diagnosed with a bruised knee. The Knicks didn't need his services against Cleveland either, prevailing 107-98 at Quicken Loans Arena.
Josh Hart recorded a triple-double of 13 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Donte DiVincenzo led all scorers with 28 points on 11-of-22 shooting with six 3-pointers in 39 minutes.
The win keeps New York in the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 36-25 record SU, but only a half a game lead over the No. 5 seed.
Nurkic Gobbles Rebounds, Upset With Officials In Defeat
Grabbing an obscene amount of boards and not getting to the free-throw line once is ... something.
Following a 118-110 loss by the Phoenix Suns to the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder, Nurkic sounded off on the officiating after securing a franchise-record 31 rebounds, which was also the most by any player in a game in 14 years.
Jusuf Nurkic finished tonight's game with 31 rebounds 🤯
— NBA (@NBA) March 4, 2024
▪️ Suns franchise record for most rebounds in a game
▪️ Most rebounds by any player since the 2010-11 NBA season pic.twitter.com/PUYO2tUMo2
"I don't know, man, I'm just trying to do my role the best I can. But it's kind of really messed up when you have 13 offensive rebounds and 16 shots then zero free throws," Nurkic said, via ESPN. "As hard as I work, and I feel like [I'm] getting fouled as [much as] anybody in the league.
"And I'm not here saying -- we lost the game, it is what it is -- [but] it's just, it's not really common sense. At least one [free throw]. [To] not even have one? But I know it happens. I ain't the first one, and I ain't going to be the last, either, unfortunately."
The Suns fell to the seventh seed in the West following the loss, and are now 1-5 ATS in their last six games after entering as the 1.5-point underdogs.
