Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points and the Utah Jazz made a franchise-record 25 3-pointers to win 131-118 at Milwaukee on Friday night and hand the Bucks their first home loss.
Utah (5-4) shot 25 of 53 from 3-point range to snap a two-game skid after double-digit losses at Brooklyn and New York.
Jordan Clarkson had 23 of his 26 points off the bench in the first half. Bojan Bogdanovic and Royce O'Neale each scored 18, with O'Neale going 6 of 8 on 3-point attempts. Mike Conley had 17 points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 35 points and eight rebounds for the Bucks, while Khris Middleton had 31 points and 10 rebounds. Jrue Holiday scored 17 points, Brook Lopez had 12 and Donte DiVincenzo added 11.
Utah broke open a close game by scoring the first 12 points of the fourth quarter to grab a 116-96 edge. The Bucks didn’t score their first points of the final period until Antetokounmpo dunked with 6:47 left.
The Bucks (5-4) had won their first four home games by an average of 23.5 points but trailed most of the way this time.
After Milwaukee scored the first five points of the game, Utah took control by scoring 11 straight points. Although the Bucks tied the score on multiple occasions, they never regained the lead.
LeBron gets 28, Lakers hold off Bulls 117-115 without Davis
LeBron James had 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame the absence of two injured starters for a 117-115 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.
Zach LaVine scored 38 points, but the UCLA product missed a 17-foot jumper with 4.7 seconds left that would have put Chicago ahead.
Montrezl Harrell had 17 points and 14 rebounds for the defending NBA champions, who have won five of six. James and Harrell led the way as Los Angeles held off the Bulls down the stretch without injured starters Anthony Davis and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
LaVine scored 19 points in the first quarter for the Bulls, who have lost two straight in California following an impressive win at Portland.
Dennis Schröder scored 17 points and hit a 3-pointer with 2:39 to play to put the Lakers up 113-107, but Chicago trimmed the lead to 116-115 on Garrett Temple's 3-pointer with 37 seconds left.
James missed an extra-long 3-pointer to put the game in Chicago's hands, but LaVine missed his contested jumper, and his teammates fumbled the ball out of bounds.
Wesley Matthews had 14 points on four 3-pointers in the 34-year-old newcomer’s first start for the Lakers.
Wendell Carter Jr. scored a season-high 23 points and Thaddeus Young had 15 for Chicago.
The Lakers followed up a largely lifeless defensive performance while losing to San Antonio on Thursday with another unimpressive effort in the first half. LaVine went 8 for 8 in a dynamic first quarter, and Carter added 12 points in the third
Raptors set franchise scoring record, win 144-123 over Kings
Pascal Siakam had 17 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds, Toronto made 20 3-pointers and the Raptors set a franchise record for scoring while winning for the second time this season, 144-123 over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Fred VanVleet scored 34 points to help the Raptors (2-6) snap a three-game losing streak. Toronto’s only other win came on Dec. 31 against the New York Knicks.
Nick Nurse’s team won its seventh straight against the Kings despite being without point guard Kyle Lowry (personal reasons).
Chris Boucher added 23 points and 10 rebounds for Toronto. Terence Davis had 18 points.
De’Aaron Fox scored 23 points and rookie Tyrese Haliburton had 15 point and eight assists for Sacramento.
Toronto outscored Sacramento 33-20 in the fourth quarter.
The Raptors' previous record for scoring in the regular season was 140 points, last done against the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 22, 2019. Toronto scored 150 points against the Brooklyn Nets on Aug. 23 in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Brooks leads Grizzlies to 1st home victory 115-110 over Nets
Dillon Brooks scored 24 points and Memphis held on for a 115-110 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night after Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas left midway through the game due to health and safety protocols.
Brandon Clarke added 21 for Memphis, which got its first home win of the season.
The Memphis victory came despite 43 points from Caris LeVert, including 25 in the second half as Brooklyn overcame a 22-point, first-half deficit.
There were key starters missing for both teams. The Nets were without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, while Memphis was continued missing reigning Rookie of the Year Ja Morant and forward Jaren Jackson Jr.
The teams were tied at 104 with 4:15 left. Memphis scored the next seven points, capped by a 3-pointer from De’Anthony Melton, who had 14 points on the night. LeVert’s 3-pointer with 11.4 seconds left pulled Brooklyn within 113-110, but the Nets could get no closer.
Memphis lost momentum when Valanciunas did not come out for the second half due to the health and safety protocols. What had been Memphis domination on the boards quickly changed, and the Nets began shooting better than they had in the first half.
In the third quarter, LeVert would connect on 6 of 8 from the field, including all five of his 3-pointers to pull the Nets back into the game.
Nets: If Durant continues to test negative, he could return to action Sunday against he Thunder. … Asked several times before the game about Irving’s absence for personal reasons, Brooklyn coach Steve Nash said he talked to the guard, but would keep those conversations private. … LeVert passed Richard Jefferson for 13th on the Nets' career 3-pointers made list.
Grizzlies: Beat the Nets in Brooklyn 116-111 in overtime on Dec. 28 and have now won four straight over Brooklyn … Wrapped up a four-game homestand, their longest of the season’s first half. … G Tim Frazier, signed by the Grizzlies on Jan. 4, saw his first action in the second quarter.
Tatum has 32 to help Celtics hold off Beal, Wizards 116-107
Jayson Tatum had 32 points, Jaylen Brown had 27 points and 13 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics held off Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards 116-107 Friday night for their fourth straight win.
Beal had 41 points and eight rebounds a game after tying the franchise record with 60 points against the 76ers.
Tatum hit 14 of 27 shots to power the short-handed Celtics, who were without Tristan Thompson, Grant Williams and Robert Williams. The trio is sidelined in COVID-19 health and safety protocol for the next seven days.
Rui Hachimura had 17 points and Davis Bertans had 13 as the Wizards dropped to 2-7.
The Celtics were cruising early, outscoring the Wizards 33-19 in the second quarter. They increased a 19-point halftime lead to 28 in the first five minutes of the third quarter.
The Wizards rallied from there, clawing within 99-95 with 7:36 left in the game.
Boston scored seven straight points to build a small cushion. It was 106-101 when Marcus Smart led a fast break and found Brown for a corner 3-pointer with 2:08 remaining.
Russell Westbrook was in action just two days after dislocating a finger on his right hand late in Washington’s loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday night. He played with his right ring and pinkie fingers taped together. He finished with 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting from the field.
Daniel Theis started at center for Boston and picked up two quick fouls, prompting coach Brad Stevens to play second-year, 7-foot-5 Tacko Fall for just the second time this season. Fall made the most of the opportunity, coming up with a block at the rim on Westbrook in the first quarter. He also was the recipient of an alley-oop from Brown in the second.
Hayward's 26 points pace Hornets past Pelicans, 118-110
Gordon Hayward scored 26 points and the Charlotte Hornets methodically came back from an 18-point, second-quarter deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 118-110 on Friday night.
Miles Bridges scored 20 points and Devonte Graham had 17 for the Hornets, who didn't take their first lead until the fourth quarter, when they outscored New Orleans 36-23.
Zion Williamson scored 26 points and Josh Hart had 19 for the Pelicans, who've lost three straight, all at home. Brandon Ingram added 17 points but was 3-of-10 shooting. JJ Redick also scored 17 points
The game marked the first time brothers Lonzo and LaMelo Ball — both top-three draft choices within the past four years — played against one another. LaMelo Ball, picked third overall in 2020, had the better night, nearly notching a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.
LaMelo Ball hit a 3 with his brother guarding him and also blocked his brother's driving layup, forcing a jump ball that Lonzo, who at 6-foot-6 is an inch shorter than his brother, was able to win to a teammate.
Lonzo Ball, a second overall draft pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017, missed 6 of 7 3-point shots and finished with five points.
The Pelicans led by double digits most of the first half and by 18 points when Redick's 3 made it 47-29 in the middle of the second quarter.
New Orleans was still up 59-47 to open the second half, but Charlotte quickly began tightening things up.
Terry Rozier hit a 3 and Hayward added short jumper and another 3, cutting the lead to 62-55.
Another 3 by Hayward, two more by Rozier and one by Bridges in a span of less than three minutes got the Hornets within 72-69.
The Pelicans gradually rebuilt their lead to eight late in the period, but LaMelo Ball hit a step-back 3 while being defended by his brother to make it 87-82 heading into the final quarter.
Graham's driving right-handed floater as he was fouled by Nickeil Alexander-Walker put Charlotte up for the first time at 105-103 with 5:46 to go. Hayward's 3 with 3:43 left put the Hornets ahead 109-105.
Pistons rally from 23 down, beat Suns 110-105 in OT
Even while losing seven of their first eight games, the Detroit Pistons competed. None of those defeats was by more than 15 points.
So perhaps it was no surprise that after falling behind by 23 against an impressive Phoenix team, Detroit gamely fought back.
Jerami Grant had 31 points, 10 rebounds and a crucial assist near the end of regulation, and the Pistons beat the Suns 110-105 in overtime Friday night. Coach Dwane Casey was pleased his team's effort resulted in a win.
“They’ve got to get some reward," Casey said. "Slowly but surely, I think we’re going to come together — we’re coming together.”
Detroit scored the first nine points of the extra session after barely leading at all during regulation. Grant had only two assists on the night, but one of them was to Mason Plumlee for a dunk that tied it at 93 with 9.6 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
“I’m very impressed with his patience and his decision-making,” said teammate Blake Griffin, who had 16 points and 12 rebounds. “Had a big pass to Mason, obviously, to tie the game. So his decision-making is unbelievable.”
Devin Booker missed a jumper that could have won it for the Suns at the end of the fourth.
Booker scored 23 points for Phoenix, including a 3-pointer with 40.7 seconds left in overtime that brought the Suns within three. Grant answered with a 3-pointer in front of the Detroit bench to double the lead.
The Pistons said the win marked their largest comeback victory in at least the last 20 years.
Phoenix entered the game with the best record in the Western Conference. Detroit came in with the worst mark in the NBA. It looked like that for much of the first half.
Langston Galloway scored 17 points in the half for the Suns against his former team, and Phoenix led 54-31 in the second quarter. Detroit went on a 17-2 run to end the half and eventually tied it at 70 in the third quarter.
Rockets sprint to 42-point win over Magic
James Harden and Christian Wood recorded double-doubles and the Houston Rockets took full advantage of the shorthanded Orlando Magic, rolling to a 132-90 win Friday at Toyota Center.
The Rockets, who entered play 28th in the NBA in 3-point percentage, drilled 11 of 23 3s in a runaway first half. Harden got in on the action by making 2 of 5 treys but P.J. Tucker and Ben McLemore, playing in his first game this season, were the linchpins of the perimeter onslaught.
McLemore and Tucker scored nine points apiece prior to the intermission, with Tucker making 3 of 4 3s while McLemore finished 3 of 3 from behind the arc. McLemore was sidelined for the first six games following a positive COVID-19 test and subsequent health and safety protocols.
Harden finished with 15 points and 13 assists while Wood returned from a one-game injury hiatus and posted 22 points and 15 rebounds. Six Rockets scored in double figures as McLemore finished with 15 points on 5-for-5 3-point shooting while Tucker added 15 points.
The Magic, down seven rotation players including guards Markelle Fultz (knee) and Evan Fournier (back spasms), received a double-double from center Nikola Vucevic (22 points, 12 rebounds). Otherwise, the Magic were punchless offensively, falling into a 32-point first-half hole by missing 11 of 12 treys. Conversely, the Rockets shot 53.3 percent from the floor prior to the break.
The Rockets used a 13-0 run in the first quarter to seize control. Tucker and Harden drilled 3s and David Nwaba capped the rally with a dunk at the 3:10 mark. Orlando missed eight consecutive shots during the Houston run and finished the first with as many turnovers as field goals (five).
Houston opened the second hitting 4 of 6 3s to stretch its advantage to 46-21. When Harden sank a trey off a John Wall assist with 1:17 left in the half, the Rockets led 60-28.
The Rockets led by as many as 42 points in the second half and made a season-high 22 3s.