Jarrett Allen scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help the host Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 129-122 on Wednesday, ending a rivalry between the NBA’s two top teams.
Evan Mobley added 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Cavaliers, who won their 11th straight game and improved to 11-0 against Western Conference opponents. Oklahoma City enters Wednesday’s game having won a franchise-record 15th straight game.
Cleveland’s Darius Garland scored 18 points and Max Strus hit five 3-pointers to highlight his 17-point performance off the bench.
Oklahoma City superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and Jalen Williams contributed 25 points and 9 assists. Isaiah Hartenstein had 18 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for the Thunder, which beat its Eastern Conference opponent 11-1.
Bucks 121, Spurs 105
Damian Lillard scored 26 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 25 as Milwaukee beat the visiting Spurs.
Lillard also contributed 8 assists, and Antetokounmpo added 16 rebounds and 8 points. This was his 432nd career double-double, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and becoming Bucks history. the first person. Brook Lopez scored 22 points for Milwaukee, which held off a 34-19 victory in the second quarter.
Keldon Johnson scored 24 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench for the Spurs, while Chris Paul contributed 18 points and 7 assists. Victor Wembanyama had 10 points, 10 rebounds and a game-high three blocks.
Nuggets 126, Clippers 103
Jamal Murray had 21 points and nine assists, Russell Westbrook and Michael Porter Jr. each scored 19 points, and host Denver defeated Los Angeles.
Julian Strawther added 16 points for the Nuggets, who lost to the visiting Boston Celtics on Tuesday but improved to 8-0 in the second game of a back-to-back. Denver center Nikola Jokic missed his second straight game (illness).
Norman Powell scored 30 points for the Clippers, who have lost four of their last five games. Kawhi Leonard was absent after returning to Los Angeles to reunite with his family due to wildfires in Southern California.
Knicks 112, Raptors 98
Mikal Bridges of the New York Knicks dribbles against Grady Dick of the Toronto Raptors. |Photo credit: AP
Mikal Bridges of the New York Knicks dribbles against Grady Dick of the Toronto Raptors. |Photo credit: AP
Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart each scored double-doubles for host New York, which gradually moved away from Toronto and ended a three-game losing streak.
Towns, who was listed as questionable after missing Monday with a knee injury, finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds for his 31st double-double of the season. Hart had 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Immanuel Quickley scored 22 points, Scottie Barnes scored 18 points and RJ Barrett scored 16 points for the Raptors, who have lost 14 of 15 games.
76ers 109, Wizards 103
Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points, including the go-ahead score with 24 seconds left, to help shorthanded Philadelphia defeat visiting Washington.
Maxey’s finger roll broke the 103-103 deadlock, making up for the previous possession when the game’s top scorer missed a contested fadeaway jumper. The basket was part of the 76ers’ 8-0 run that ended the game.
Washington went on a 20-5 run, led by backups Jared Butler and Corey Kispert, to take the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the game. The two scored 8 points each in this game, including Butler’s career-high 26 points and Kisper’s season-high 23 points.
Pistons 113, Nets 98
Malik Beasley scored 23 points to help Detroit move over .500 and beat a tired Brooklyn team in New York to extend its winning streak to five games.
The Pistons won for the eighth time in nine games and moved to 19-18. Beasley made 9 of 17 shots and 4 three-pointers, scoring 16 points in the first half.
Noah Clowney scored a career-high 29 points for the Nets, who lost their seventh straight home game and 14th in 18 games. Brooklyn was missing 10 players.
Trail Blazers 119, Pelicans 100
Deni Avdija scored 26 points to lead Portland in a balanced scoring victory over host New Orleans.
Shaedon Sharpe scored 21 points, and six Blazers scored in double figures. Portland shot 54.5% from the field and 36.1% from beyond the arc.
The Pelicans were without forward Zion Williamson (rested), with CJ McCollum scoring 23 points and Dejounte Murray adding 20 points. Williamson returned from missing 27 games with a hamstring strain and scored 22 points on Tuesday.
Pacers 129, Bulls 113
Pascal Siakam scored 26 points to help Indiana beat Chicago in Indianapolis.
Thomas Bryant scored 22 points and 8 rebounds, Tyrese Haliburton had 16 points and 13 assists, and the Pacers won their fourth consecutive victory.
Zach LaVine scored 31 points for Chicago. Coby White scored 19 points for the Bulls, whose two-game winning streak was ended.
