NBA Roundup: Nikola Jokic Dominates as Nuggets Triumph Over Celtics 115-109

After the All-Star break, Denver had won seven of the last eight games and won the season series. For the Nuggets, Aaron Gordon scored 16 points, Peyton Watson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope each scored 11 points, and Jamal Murray scored 19.

Brown scored a season-high 41 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, but he missed seven free throws. For Boston, who dropped its first two games of the season, Kristaps Porzingis finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds, Jayson Tatum finished with 15 points, and Jrue Holiday added 12 more.

Boston scored the first eight points of the third quarter, cutting Denver’s lead to 62–54 at the half. Before Denver went on a 14-5 run to go up 82-73 and take a 90-80 advantage into the fourth quarter, the teams swapped baskets.

KINGS 131, SPURS 129

Shorthanded San Antonio was upset by host Sacramento thanks to a game-winning steal and dunk by Domantas Sabonis, who finished with 31 points, 17 rebounds, and a dunk with 7.7 seconds remaining.

In addition, Sabonis contributed nine assists, narrowly missing a triple-double. Before fouling out with 57.1 seconds remaining in the game, De’Aaron Fox scored 33 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter. Keon Ellis scored 11 points, Harrison Barnes scored 17, and Malik Monk scored 18. In the last four games, the Kings have triumphed three times.

With 30 points, Devin Vassell led San Antonio, followed by Malaki Branham with 23. Zach Collins and Keldon Johnson each scored 22 points, while Wesley scored 11. Despite having a game-high 12 assists, Tre Jones and the Spurs lost their next two games.

TIMBERWOLVES 113, PACERS 111

With 1.6 seconds left, Anthony Edwards scored 44 points and recorded a crucial block to lead Minnesota to a victory over Indiana in Indianapolis.

Despite appearing to be injured after treading on a defender’s foot 26 seconds into the game, Edwards made 18 of his 35 field goals. The Timberwolves overcame Karl-Anthony Towns’ absence with a double-double from Rudy Gobert (18 points and 14 rebounds) and Naz Reid (13 points and 8 rebounds).

Tyrese Haliburton scored 23 points and dished out 13 assists, while Pascal Siakam of Indiana scored 24 points. The Pacers have dropped three of their previous four games, but Jalen Smith scored 14 points off the bench for them.

MAVERICKS 114, HEAT 108

As Dallas defeated visiting Miami, Luka Doncic recorded his 15th triple-double of the year with 35 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds. He also helped spark a late-game burst of 3-pointers.

Doncic recorded a triple-double of 30 points or more for the sixth straight game, tying Russell Westbrook’s NBA record. In just 17 minutes off the bench, Dante Exum scored 13 points by making 3 of 5 free throws, 2 of 2 three-pointers, and 5 of 5 free throws from the charity stripe. Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 11 points off the bench, P.J. Washington scored 10 points and pulled down eight rebounds, and Daniel Gafford scored 12 points on 5 of 5 from the floor.

Among the six Miami scorers with at least 13 points was Terry Rozier. To score 19 points, Duncan Robinson shot 7 of 10 from the field overall and matched Rozier’s 5-of-8 shooting from outside the 3-point arc. Caleb Martin contributed another 13 points in a reserve position, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 13 points off the bench by making 3 of 4 long-range shots. Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, who both average more over 20 points per game, both scored 14 points.

SUNS 120, RAPTORS 113

Phoenix defeated visiting Toronto with a first-half point total of 35 from Kevin Durant and 26 from Grayson Allen.

With 20 points and eight assists from Bradley Beal, Phoenix won for the fourth time in its previous six games. With Devin Booker (ankle) out for the third straight game, Bol Bol led the Suns with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Royce O’Neale chipped in with 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Allen’s seven three-pointers in the first quarter set a franchise record. After failing to score in the second half of the game, he finished with eight.

Toronto never had a lead and dropped its fourth straight game in five games, although Gary Trent Jr. scored 30 points and drained five 3-pointers. For the Raptors, Immanuel Quickley finished with 21 points and a career-high 18 assists, while RJ Barrett scored 23 points. For Toronto, Chris Boucher had 11 points and nine rebounds, and Gradey Dick scored 12 points.

PISTONS 118, NETS 112

With 34 points from Jaden Ivey, host Detroit defeated Brooklyn.

For the Pistons, who had dropped nine of their previous ten games, Cade Cunningham scored 32 points and dish out 11 assists in the first game of a six-game homestand. Jalen Duren contributed 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Ausar Thompson finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.

Dennis Schroder scored 31 points and had eight assists to lead the Nets. Nic Claxton chipped up with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Lonnie Walker IV scored 21 points. Dorian Finney-Smith and Mikal Bridges both contributed 13 points.

BULLS 125, WARRIORS122

Chicago defeated Golden State in San Francisco when DeMar DeRozan made the game-winning three-point play with 26 seconds left, and Nikola Vucevic finished with two game-winning free throws 20 seconds later, capping a 33-point effort.

In addition, Vucevic grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds. For Chicago, which had already won two of its four games away from home against Sacramento and Utah, Coby White added a career-high seven assists to go along with his 20 points. Jevon Carter scored 10 points, and Ayo Dosunmu scored 14.

For the Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds. With a team-high 25 points, Klay Thompson was followed in scoring by Chris Paul and Stephen Curry with 15, Brandin Podziemski with 11, and Moses Moody with 10.