The Milwaukee Bucks held off a career-best 50-point performance from LaMelo Ball to defeat the Charlotte Hornets 125-119, extending their winning streak to four games.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists for the Bucks, while Damian Lillard contributed 31 points. Ball, who also recorded 10 assists, had a slow start, making just 1 of 8 shots in the first quarter. However, he picked up his play after halftime and surpassed his previous career-high of 38 points. Brandon Miller scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. In the fourth quarter, Miller and Ball scored all of Charlotte’s 34 points as the Hornets almost overcame a 20-point deficit.
Jazz 121, Knicks 106
Lauri Markkanen scored 34 points to help Utah end a four-game losing streak with a win over New York in Salt Lake City. Markkanen made 11 of 15 field goals, including 5 of 8 from beyond the arc, and also pulled down nine rebounds. Collin Sexton added 25 points with six 3-pointers, and John Collins had 20 points and 13 rebounds. For New York, OG Anunoby scored 27 points, Jalen Brunson had 23 points and eight assists, and Karl-Anthony Towns posted 16 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists.
Grizzlies 142, Bulls 131
Scotty Pippen Jr. set a career-high with 30 points as Memphis earned a wire-to-wire victory against Chicago. Pippen also had 10 assists, while Jaylen Wells scored a career-high 26 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 23 points. Zach LaVine led Chicago with 29 points, Nikola Vucevic scored 26 points, and Matas Buzelis contributed 14 points. Josh Giddey added 12 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists, but the Bulls have lost four of their last six games.
Magic 111, Pistons 100
A 15-0 run in the fourth quarter helped Orlando defeat Detroit, giving the Magic their eighth win in the last nine games. Franz Wagner led Orlando with 30 points, marking the 11th time in 12 games he was the team’s leading scorer. He also had nine rebounds and eight assists. Jaden Ivey led the Pistons with 19 points as Detroit missed Cade Cunningham, who is sidelined with an ankle injury. Malik Beasley added 18 points, and Marcus Sasser finished with 13 points off the bench.
Trail Blazers 104, Rockets 98
Anfernee Simons hit a crucial 3-pointer with 28.7 seconds left to help Portland win their second game in a back-to-back set against Houston. Simons scored 25 points and helped the Blazers survive a chaotic fourth quarter, which featured six ties and four lead changes. Simons responded to a layup by Amen Thompson with one of his own, tying the score at 96-96 with just over a minute left. Alperen Sengun scored 22 points, Thompson added 19 points and seven rebounds, but the Rockets’ starting backcourt of Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green struggled, shooting a combined 7 for 27, including just 1 of 15 from three-point range.
Nuggets 127, Lakers 102
Nikola Jokic led Denver to a win over Los Angeles with 34 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists. Michael Porter Jr. scored 13 of his 24 points in the third quarter, helping the Nuggets outscore the Lakers 37-15 and take a 94-78 lead into the final period. Porter also grabbed 11 rebounds. Austin Reaves scored 19 points, LeBron James had 18 points, seven assists, and six rebounds, and Anthony Davis added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who have lost two straight after a six-game win streak.
Spurs 104, Warriors 94
Victor Wembanyama scored 25 points, and rookie Stephon Castle added 19 points, including six in a crucial late run, to lead San Antonio to a fourth-quarter comeback win against Golden State. Andrew Wiggins scored 20 points, and Stephen Curry added 14 for the Warriors, who struggled in the final period, getting outscored by 20 points. Harrison Barnes had 22 points for San Antonio, which played without Devin Vassell (knee) and Keldon Johnson (hamstring).
