MIAMI (AP) – Hassan Whiteside wants a recount.
Even if that doesn’t happen, he finally knows what it’s like to beat San Antonio.
Whiteside had 29 points, 20 rebounds and an NBA season-high nine blocked shots – he thinks it was 10, and some of his teammates and coaches feel the same way. That was all the Miami Heat had to fret about Wednesday night, after they snapped a four-year drought against San Antonio by beating the Spurs, 95-88.
“It would have been pretty cool for him to get that triple-double” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. :But the context of his winning plays had nothing to do with the stat line. When he brings that kind of intensity, competitiveness, the defensive efforts … we’re clearly a different team”
Spoelstra’s postgame news conference was interrupted by a crasher – Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who burst through a side door.
“That’s baloney. Everything he just said is pure crap,” Popovich said, before jumping onto the platform where Spoelstra was speaking and giving the Heat coach a hug.
The coaches laughed, and Popovich then said “go to hell” before walking out.
LAKERS 114, WOLVES 110
In Los Angeles, LeBron James had 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, and Kyle Kuzma scored six of his 21 points in the final minutes of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 114-110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
Josh Hart scored 21 points and Brandon Ingram added 20 for the Lakers, who avenged a loss at Minnesota nine days earlier with a tenacious finish at Staples Center.
Kuzma’s fourth 3-pointer put the Lakers up 111-104 with 1:51 to play for their biggest lead of the night. Derrick Rose promptly hit back-to-back 3-pointers for the Wolves, trimming the lead to one with 1:06 left.
Kuzma hit one of two free throws with 9.5 seconds left after two huge offensive rebounds by Tyson Chandler, who had nine boards in an auspicious Lakers debut. Rose missed a 3 under heavy defensive pressure from Chandler, and Hart hit two free throws to seal it.
