Nine 2018-19 NBA regular season games took place on Saturday with two game records being broken in the second battle between LA Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs this week. Spur's head coach Gregg Popovich nailed his 1,200th career win and LeBron James' jumper ushered him to the sixth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
LeBron moves up scoring list in Lakers loss
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a free throw during a game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 27, 2018 at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. /VCG Photo
DeMar DeRozan finished with 30 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists to help the San Antonio Spurs post a 110-106 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers.
Rudy Gay had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Bryn Forbes also scored 16 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 15 as San Antonio defeated Los Angeles for the second time in less than a week.
Head coach of Spurs, Gregg Popovich joined Don Nelson, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan, and Pat Riley as the only coaches with 1,200 career wins.
LeBron James registered 35 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers. His 17-foot jumper with 7:51 left in the third quarter moved him into sixth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 31,202 career points, 14 more than Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks.
In fifth place on the list is Wilt Chamberlain with 31,419 points.
Jazz deal Pelicans first loss as injured Davis sits
Jrue Holiday #11 of the New Orleans Pelicans shoots the ball against the Utah Jazz on October 27, 2018 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. /VCG Photo
Ricky Rubio scored 28 points as Utah took advantage of the absence of All-NBA forward Anthony Davis to hand host New Orleans its first defeat of the season.
Davis, who averaged 27.3 points and 13.3 rebounds during the Pelicans' 4-0 start, did not play because of a right elbow strain sustained a night earlier in a victory against Brooklyn.
Rubio added 12 assists and six rebounds, and Rudy Gobert had 25 points and 14 rebounds. Nikola Mirotic led the Pelicans with 25 points and eight rebounds, and Jrue Holiday scored 18 points.
Celtics hand Pistons first loss of season
Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball against the Detroit Pistons on October 27, 2018 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. /VCG Photo
Jaylen Brown scored 19 points, and Marcus Morris led a strong bench effort with 18 points as Boston handed host Detroit its first loss.
Boston controlled the game virtually from the opening tap and led by 22 at halftime. Daniel Theis had 17 points and eight rebounds, Gordon Hayward supplied 15 points and Terry Rozier added 14.
Pistons forward Blake Griffin, who entered the game averaging 33.8 points, was held to seven points on 2-of-13 shooting from the field. Andre Drummond led Detroit with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Stanley Johnson contributed a season-high 16 points.
Other games on Saturday included: (home team in Bold)
Chicago Bulls 97-85 Atlanta Hawks
Indiana Pacers 119-107 Cleveland Cavaliers
Charlotte Hornets 103-105 Philadelphia 76ers
Portland Trail Blazers 111-120 Miami Heat
Phoenix Suns 96-117 Memphis Grizzlies
Orlando Magic 91-113 Milwaukee Bucks