Jordan Poole scored 39 points to help the Washington Wizards defeat the Denver Nuggets 122-113 on Saturday, ending their 16-game losing streak. Poole made a career-high nine 3-pointers and was one of five Wizards players to score in double figures. Justin Champagnie scored 23 points, and Jonas Valanciunas had 20 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and five blocked shots.
With Jamal Murray (hamstring) and Aaron Gordon (calf) out, the Nuggets relied heavily on Nikola Jokic. The three-time NBA MVP scored 56 points, going 22-for-38 from the field and 3-for-5 from 3-point range. He also grabbed 16 rebounds and had eight assists. Jokic’s 56 points is the second-most in Nuggets history, behind David Thompson’s 73 points in 1978.
The Wizards shot 48.4% from the field and earned their first win since October 30, despite not having No. 2 overall pick Alexandre Sarr, who missed the game with a sore back.
Pistons 120, Knicks 111
Cade Cunningham led the Detroit Pistons to a 120-111 victory over the New York Knicks, finishing with 29 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds. Cunningham made 9 of 17 shots, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. Malik Beasley added 23 points off the bench, hitting 7 of 10 three-pointers. The Pistons ended their three-game losing streak.
The Knicks played without their top scorer, Karl-Anthony Towns, due to a knee injury. Jalen Brunson scored 31 points and had 10 assists, while Mikal Bridges added 20 points. The Knicks’ four-game winning streak came to an end.
Cavaliers 116, Hornets 102
Evan Mobley scored a career-high 41 points, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 116-102 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Mobley had a strong first quarter and was key to the Cavaliers’ success. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell each scored 18 points, and Jarrett Allen finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Cavaliers won their fourth straight game.
Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 25 points, while DaQuan Jeffries added 17 points off the bench. Despite their efforts, Charlotte couldn’t recover from a poor 3-point shooting performance, making only 11 of 39 attempts. The Hornets have lost eight games in a row.
Thunder 119, Pelicans 109
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 119-109 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Oklahoma City never trailed in the game. Jalen Williams added 27 points, and Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso contributed 14 points each. Isaiah Hartenstein finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds. The Thunder won their seventh game in the past eight contests.
Dejounte Murray scored 26 points for the Pelicans, and Herbert Jones had 24 points. Trey Murphy III added 16 points. However, Brandon Ingram, who had just returned from a calf injury, left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury. The Pelicans have lost 10 of their last 11 games.
Mavericks 125, Raptors 118
Luka Doncic recorded a triple-double with 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists, leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 125-118 win over the Toronto Raptors. Kyrie Irving added 29 points as the Mavericks extended their winning streak to seven games. Dallas has now won 11 of their last 12 games.
Gradey Dick scored 27 points for the Raptors, while Scottie Barnes contributed 19 points and 14 assists. Jakob Poeltl added 20 points and 7 rebounds, and RJ Barrett finished with 18 points. Kelly Olynyk made his season debut, scoring 13 points. The Raptors have lost two games in a row.
Grizzlies 127, Celtics 121
Ja Morant led the Memphis Grizzlies to a 127-121 victory over the Boston Celtics with 32 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. It was the Grizzlies’ first win in Boston since 2013. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 27 points, nine rebounds, and three steals.
Jayson Tatum recorded 17 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists for the Celtics. Marcus Smart, who was traded from Boston to Memphis in a three-team deal, struggled, shooting 1 of 11 from the field and finishing with only three points.
Heat 121, Suns 111
Bam Adebayo had 25 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists to lead the Miami Heat to a 121-111 victory over the Phoenix Suns. Adebayo scored 12 points in the third quarter, helping Miami take the lead for good.
Jimmy Butler added 24 points, including nine consecutive points in the final five minutes. Duncan Robinson scored 19 points, and Tyler Herro finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.
Royce O’Neale led the Suns with a season-high 23 points, and Devin Booker added 21 points. Phoenix was missing two starters: Kevin Durant (sprained left ankle) and Jusuf Nurkic (right thigh contusion).
