Nikola Jokic posted his league-leading 17th triple-double of the season, combining 24 points with 12 rebounds and 10 assists in the Denver Nuggets’ 133-113 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night.
Jamal Murray led all scorers with 30 points for Denver, which won for the fifth time in six games and defeated Miami for the 10th straight time.
The game marked the return of Heat star Jimmy Butler, who had served a seven-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. Butler, who has requested a trade, played 33 minutes and posted 18 points, three rebounds, and two assists.
Tyler Herro, who scored at least 32 points in three consecutive games, had a team-high 22 for Miami. Bam Adebayo added 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Nikola Jovic also scored 16 for the Heat in their third straight loss.
Mavericks 106, Thunder 98
Kyrie Irving scored 25 points to lead Dallas to a home win over Oklahoma City, which was missing star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander due to a sprained right wrist.
The Mavericks ended a three-game losing streak, while the Thunder lost for only the second time in their past 16 games. Oklahoma City, which had won four consecutive games, including a 20-point win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, played without Gilgeous-Alexander for the first time this season.
P.J. Washington and Spencer Dinwiddie each scored 16 for Dallas, which scored 29 points off the Thunder’s 15 turnovers, while Oklahoma City managed just 17 off the Mavericks’ 17 turnovers. Jalen Williams led Oklahoma City with 19 points but shot just 7 of 22 from the field, while Luguentz Dort added 18.
Pelicans 136, Jazz 123
CJ McCollum scored 26 points, and Zion Williamson recorded a double-double as New Orleans defeated Utah.
Williamson finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds, Trey Murphy III and Jose Alvarado each scored 19, Daniel Theis had a season-high 18, and Jordan Hawkins added 11 for the Pelicans, who had their highest point total and largest margin of victory this season.
Keyonte George scored 26, Collin Sexton had 24, Drew Eubanks had 17, Svi Mykhailiuk had 16, and Brice Sensabaugh added 15 for the Jazz, who will visit New Orleans again on Monday night.
Grizzlies 140, Spurs 112
Santi Aldama scored a career-high 29 points as Memphis, playing without Ja Morant (right foot soreness), defeated San Antonio to complete a two-game series sweep.
Jaylen Wells and Desmond Bane each scored 22 points, and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 19 for the Grizzlies. Bane also had 14 assists.
Devin Vassell led San Antonio with 21 points. Stephon Castle scored 20, and Victor Wembanyama had 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Celtics 121, Magic 94
Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 30 points, and Kristaps Porzingis added 23 to lead Boston past Orlando.
Jaylen Brown contributed 20 points, six rebounds, and a game-high six assists for the Celtics, who had lost three of their previous five games by double digits.
Cole Anthony scored 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds, and Paolo Banchero added 21 points for the Magic, who lost their fourth game in five outings.
Timberwolves 116, Knicks 99
Anthony Edwards scored 36 points and grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds as Minnesota defeated New York with excellent outside shooting.
Edwards hit 8 of 13 from 3-point range, and Naz Reid made all six of his 3-point attempts. The Timberwolves finished with 22 3-pointers, tying a season-high, and shot a season-best 55 percent from beyond the arc. Minnesota closed the fourth quarter with a 25-12 run to win their fifth game in seven tries.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 26 points. Cameron Payne and OG Anunoby each scored 18 points, while Mikal Bridges finished with 15 points and Josh Hart added 12.
Hornets 125, Bulls 123
LaMelo Ball scored 26 points and had nine assists, and Mark Williams posted a double-double of 19 points and 19 rebounds to lead Charlotte to a win over Chicago.
Charlotte opened the fourth quarter with a 21-2 run before holding on for consecutive road wins, their first back-to-back victories of the season. The Hornets had previously won back-to-back games only once this season, in early November.
Miles Bridges scored 21 points for Charlotte. Seth Curry and Nick Smith Jr. each added 15 points. Chicago’s Nikola Vucevic posted a double-double of 40 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 17-for-25 from the field. Zach LaVine scored 19 points, and Coby White added 18, but Chicago lost for the fifth time in six games.
Bucks 130, Raptors 112
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 35 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Milwaukee past Toronto.
Damian Lillard added 26 points, and Bobby Portis contributed 15 off the bench as the Bucks earned their sixth win in seven games.
RJ Barrett scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who had a two-game winning streak snapped and lost for the sixth time in eight games.
Lakers 102, Nets 101
Austin Reaves scored a career-high 38 points, LeBron James added 29 points with eight assists, and Los Angeles won against Brooklyn without Anthony Davis.
Gabe Vincent scored 10 points off the bench as the Lakers improved to 2-1 in a stretch of six consecutive games in the Los Angeles area, with five of those at home.
D’Angelo Russell scored 19 points off the bench against his former team, while the Nets dropped to 1-4 on a six-game road trip that ends Sunday at Oklahoma City. Russell had been traded from the Lakers to the Nets on December 29. Ziaire Williams and Tosan Evbuomwan each scored 15 points for Brooklyn.
