Dallas has been without their star player, Luka Doncic, since late December due to a calf strain. Now, Maxi Kleber has been added to the injury list after suffering a foot fracture in Saturday’s 122-107 loss to the Boston Celtics, a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals.

“It’s tough, but we’ve got to keep going, one step at a time,” said Daniel Gafford after the loss. “Rough to see (Kleber) go down like that. I don’t know what’s going on with it, but next-man-up mentality, honestly.”

With injuries piling up, the Mavericks have had to rely on that mentality. Dereck Lively II, who averages 9.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game, has missed the last six games due to a right ankle stress fracture.

There is no clear timetable for Lively’s return, but Dallas could get Doncic back before the All-Star break, according to Marc Stein.

Without their star guard, the Mavericks are trying to stay competitive in the packed Western Conference. Dallas has a 5-11 record since Doncic’s injury on Christmas Day and is in ninth place in the West.

Meanwhile, Washington sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with the worst record in the NBA. The Wizards are wrapping up a six-game road trip on Monday and are on a 13-game losing streak, their second-longest of the season.

In Saturday’s 119-109 loss to Phoenix, Washington dropped its fourth straight game by double digits. Out of the 13 losses during this stretch, 10 have been by at least 10 points.

However, there were some positives for Washington in the Phoenix game. After falling behind by 15 points in the first half, the Wizards won every quarter in the second half.

Wizards coach Brian Keefe spoke about the improvements after the game.

“We got tighter with our defense, turned them over, cleaned up some of the rebounding issues, and that led to us getting transition baskets and playing the way we want,” Keefe said. “We’re starting to learn what we can do and what we’re capable of.”

Kyle Kuzma ended a three-game scoring slump with 30 points on Saturday, and his 11 rebounds gave him his first double-double since October 28.

At 14.6 points per game, Kuzma is Washington’s second-leading scorer behind Jordan Poole, who averages 21.4 points per game. The Wizards have struggled to find consistent scoring, ranking fourth-lowest in the league with an average of 107.8 points per game.

However, Washington’s biggest problem has been their defense. They allow the most points per game in the NBA, giving up 122.1 points. This is an area Dallas will look to take advantage of.

The Mavericks average 115.1 points per game, but they’ve fallen short of that mark in 11 of their last 17 games. Kyrie Irving leads the team with an average of 24.4 points per game, but without Doncic (28.1 ppg), Dallas lacks another consistent scorer, with only P.J. Washington (13.8 ppg) and Gafford (12.3 ppg) contributing solid points.

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Davis and Role Players Shine in Lakers’ Victory

Anthony Davis was also pivotal in the Lakers’ win, scoring 29 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. Role players Dorian Finney-Smith and Austin Reaves provided valuable support, each contributing 16 points. Finney-Smith also hit four 3-pointers, adding extra firepower to the Lakers’ offense. Together, they ensured the Lakers easily overcame the Wizards, extending their dominance.

Wizards Extend Losing Streak to 11 Games

The Wizards have now lost 11 straight games, falling further behind in the standings. Bilal Coulibaly led Washington with 17 points, while Jordan Poole and Corey Kispert each scored 15. However, the Wizards’ struggles continued on the road, where they are now 1-18. They remain winless since January 1, further adding to their woes.

LeBron James took charge in the second quarter, scoring 10 points to help the Lakers pull away. He completed his triple-double with 3:19 left in the game, moving past Scottie Pippen for 7th place in NBA history for career steals.

The Lakers will host the Boston Celtics on Thursday, while the Wizards face the Clippers in their next matchup.

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The Wizards have only six wins this season, but three of them have come in their last seven games. The Pelicans have won just five games and are on an 11-game losing streak, having lost 20 of their last 21 games.

While Washington is at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, New Orleans is the worst team in the entire league.

The Wizards are coming off their biggest win of the season, a 125-107 victory over the Chicago Bulls at home on Wednesday.

“It’s just been a focus over the last month or so,” Wizards guard Jordan Poole said. “We’ve been trending in the right direction. We’re just playing the right way, getting guys involved, using ball movement to get easy shots. We’re just continuing to learn and grow as a team.”

Poole has been leading the team, scoring 25 points or more in each of his last five games, including 30 points in the win over the Bulls. But he’s not doing it alone. Six other players scored in double figures, and the Wizards finished with 36 assists on 49 made shots against Chicago.

“That’s how we want to play,” said head coach Brian Keefe, who mentioned that the Wizards’ “defense and sharing the ball” have been key to the team’s improvement.

“Jordan creates a crowd,” Keefe said. “He generates two on the ball by his shot-making and his penetration and that gets a lot of our ball movement started.”

The Pelicans lost to Miami 119-108 on Wednesday, but during their current losing streak, they have lost by small margins—five points, two points, three points in overtime, and three points in regulation.

They’ve also had losses by 15, 17, and 20 points during this run, and they’ve lost leads in the fourth quarter or fallen into big holes early. That was the case against the Heat, who took a 20-5 lead midway through the first quarter.

“The sense of urgency has to be there to start the game,” New Orleans head coach Willie Green said. “They got out to an early lead and it was an uphill battle the rest of the way.”

Forward Trey Murphy III has been stepping up recently, averaging 26.1 points over the last seven games, higher than his season average of 20.8 points. Murphy almost reached his season-high with 34 points against the Heat and matched his season-high with five 3-pointers out of 15 attempts.

The Pelicans are still playing without their top two scorers, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, as well as top backup Jose Alvarado. The trio usually combines for more than 55 points per game.

“We’re undermanned right now,” Murphy said. “A lot of those times when you’re undermanned, you really have to fight when the margin of error is really small. We don’t have our guys right now. That’s hard for any team to deal with. People are stepping up, trying to make up for that and figure things out.”

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Poole returned to the Wizards lineup after missing the last two games due to a hip injury. He shot 10 of 21 from the field, including making six 3-pointers.

Justin Champagnie added 15 points, and Carlton Carrington contributed 11 points, making all three of his 3-point attempts, helping Washington earn its third win in the last seven games. While this might not be a great stretch for most teams, the Wizards have only won six games this season and were just coming off a 16-game losing streak that left them with a 2-18 record after 20 games.

Chicago’s Zach LaVine led all scorers with 32 points, shooting 12 of 20 from the field. Coby White scored 17 points, and Nikola Vucevic had 12 points and 13 rebounds in the loss.

Kyshawn George hit a 3-pointer to extend the Wizards’ lead to 16 points, 100-84, with 10:20 left in the game. George then dunked to push the lead to 20 points, capping a 13-4 Wizards run that helped seal the win early in the fourth quarter.

Washington led by as many as 12 points in the second quarter, but the Bulls closed the half with a 12-5 run to cut the Wizards’ lead to four points, 55-51, at halftime. Poole led Washington with 12 points in the first half, while LaVine had 15 points to lead Chicago.

Washington shot 49.5 percent (49 of 99) from the field, including 17 of 36 (47.2 percent) from 3-point range. Chicago made 41 of 92 attempts (44.6 percent) from the field and shot 29.8 percent (14 of 47) from beyond the arc. The Bulls outrebounded the Wizards 44-42 but committed 20 turnovers, which led to Washington outscoring them 33-11 in points off turnovers.

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The Bulls are coming off a 115-108 overtime victory against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. Coby White led the charge with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists, helping the Bulls outscore Charlotte 17-10 in overtime after the Hornets hit a game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation.

Zach LaVine, who missed Monday’s win due to a toe injury, is the team’s top scorer with 22 points per game and is considered a game-time decision for Wednesday’s game.

The Bulls’ previous win came on Saturday, when they beat the Milwaukee Bucks 116-111 in a thrilling game at home. White hit a go-ahead jumper with 31 seconds left, and the Bulls sealed the win with free throws.

White has been a key contributor, averaging 18 points per game this season, after posting a career-high 19.1 points per game last year.

Bulls coach Billy Donovan praised White’s development, saying his ability to impact games in different ways has been key to his growth.

“His defense has gotten better. He finds ways to rebound, come up with loose basketballs, get assists. He’s doing a lot of different things,” Donovan said.

Nikola Vucevic has been consistent for the Bulls, averaging 20.6 points and 10 rebounds per game.

The Wizards, on the other hand, are struggling, having lost their last two games to the New York Knicks. They fell 136-132 in overtime on Saturday and 126-106 on Monday.

In Saturday’s game, Justin Champagnie scored a career-high 31 points, but the Wizards couldn’t stop Jalen Brunson’s 55-point performance.

On Monday, the Wizards’ offense was more in line with their season’s struggles, with Jonas Valanciunas leading the way with 22 points off the bench. Only two starters, Alexandre Sarr and Malcolm Brogdon, scored in double figures.

Jordan Poole, the Wizards’ top scorer with 21.3 points per game, missed the last two games due to a hip injury. He is listed as a game-time decision for Wednesday’s game. Kyle Kuzma returned to the lineup on Monday after missing time with a rib injury, scoring 9 points in 21 minutes.

“We need everybody,” Valanciunas said. “It’s good to see Kuzma back and hopefully, he’s not going to go down again.”

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The Knicks will look to continue their strong month when they face the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.

The two teams will meet again in Washington on Monday.

Jalen Brunson scored 26 points, and Josh Hart added a season-high 23 points with 13 rebounds in the Knicks’ 108-85 win over the Orlando Magic on Friday.

New York won despite committing 18 turnovers and shooting just 4 of 15 (26.7 percent) from beyond the arc.

“The special thing about this team is that we can win games when we don’t shoot the ball well or don’t shoot many threes,” Hart said. “(Brunson) can have a bad game, or (Karl-Anthony Towns) can have a bad game, or whoever, but we have enough depth and talent to win games.”

The Knicks have won 16 of their last 20 games, including 10 of their 12 games this month.

Their success has also been strong on the road this season. New York is 11-6 away from home, tied for the second-most road wins in the NBA, and has won its last six road games.

After struggling defensively earlier in the season, the Knicks have improved in recent weeks. Forward Mikal Bridges said the team remains focused on making small improvements.

“I think we just look at each other and see if we’re getting better or not. I think that’s the biggest thing,” Bridges said. “I think we took a jump this month. Every day we just keep trying to get better. We want to win, that’s the main goal, but sometimes just getting better is what we’re looking for.”

The Knicks have won their last six games against Washington, including a 134-106 victory at home on Nov. 18. In that game, Brunson had 26 points and 11 assists.

The Wizards earned their fifth win of the season on Thursday, defeating the Charlotte Hornets 113-110. Jordan Poole’s 3-pointer with 8.1 seconds left was the game-winner.

“I’ve always felt like I’ve been the man for the moment,” Poole said. “I make big shots all the time. Credit to the coaching staff for putting the ball in my hands.”

Poole had 25 points, and Bilal Coulibaly added 20 for Washington, which remains last in the Eastern Conference standings. The Wizards had six players score in double figures against the Hornets.

“Wasn’t always very pretty for either team, but that’s the way high-level basketball games can go,” Washington coach Brian Keefe said. “Who’s going to grind out the games? Who’s going to dive on the floor? Who’s going to win the loose-ball battles? We made some really key plays down the stretch.”

Washington’s Marvin Bagley III (right knee sprain) will miss his second straight game on Saturday, and Kyle Kuzma (left rib strain) will sit out for the 12th game in a row. Poole is listed as questionable due to a left hip contusion.

If Poole is unavailable, the Wizards will need more scoring from players like Coulibaly, Malcolm Brogdon, and Corey Kispert.

In his second season with Washington, Poole is averaging a team-high 21.3 points, shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from three in 26 games.

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Poole’s 3-pointer gave the Wizards a 112-110 lead, and then Charlotte’s Brandon Miller missed a long-range shot with six seconds left. Justin Champagnie grabbed the rebound and made one of two free throws, as the Wizards closed the game on a 13-4 run.

Poole led Washington with 25 points, and Bilal Coulibaly added 20. Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Wizards, who now have five wins this season, two of which came against Charlotte.

LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 31 points but was scoreless in the fourth quarter. Miles Bridges added 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Miller scored 18. The Hornets have now lost six straight games and 14 of their last 15.

Vasilije Micic made two 3-pointers, and Tidjane Salaun also hit one as the Hornets opened the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run to tie the game at 96.

Bridges’ alley-oop layup gave Charlotte its first lead since the first quarter at 101-100, with 7:38 remaining. Mark Williams’ dunk soon extended the lead to 106-100 with 4:33 left.

The Wizards then went on a 7-0 run, with Carlton Carrington’s layup putting them ahead 107-106, but Bridges’ layup gave the Hornets a 108-107 lead with 1:21 to go. Charlotte’s Josh Green missed two free throws with 38 seconds left.

After a miss and a scramble for the loose ball, Alexandre Sarr tipped in a shot to give the Wizards a 109-108 lead with 15 seconds left.

Ball drove and passed to Williams for a dunk, putting Charlotte ahead 110-109, but Poole hit the game-winning shot for Washington.

Charlotte trailed by 14 points at halftime, but Ball’s floater cut the lead to 84-79 with 4:10 left in the third quarter.

The Wizards were up by five early in the second quarter before Corey Kispert hit a 3-pointer to make it 39-31. Kispert’s layup sparked a 7-0 run, capped by a Malcolm Brogdon free throw, giving Washington a 49-35 lead.

Coulibaly’s floater made it 63-47 with 3:38 left in the half, and Poole’s free throw extended the lead to 68-47 before Charlotte cut it to 68-54 at halftime.

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Poole’s 3-pointer with 8.1 seconds left gave Washington the lead, and the Wizards went on to defeat the Charlotte Hornets 113-110 on Thursday night. This win, combined with a loss by New Orleans, means that Washington no longer holds the worst record in the league.

Even though the Wizards had a tough 16-game losing streak earlier this season, they now have a record of 5-23, ahead of the Pelicans (5-26). They are also not far behind teams like Toronto (7-24) and Charlotte (7-23). Since the long losing streak, the Wizards have gone 3-5, including two wins against the Hornets just a week apart.

“I’ve always felt like I’ve been the man for the moment, and I make big shots all the time,” said Poole, who scored 25 points. “Credit to the coaching staff for putting the ball in my hands, and shout-out to my teammates for finding me as well.”

Poole, 25, is one of the veterans on a Washington team with three rookies — Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George — who all play at least 25 minutes a game.

Sarr scored 15 points, including a crucial tip-in with 14.8 seconds left, and also blocked three shots on Thursday.

“We’re learning, we’re trying to get up a lot of 3s, but I think something that coach harps on night in and night out is just relying on our defense,” Poole said. “Because we’re such a young team right now that we’re still trying to find our identity on offense.”

The Wizards won despite scoring only 17 points in the fourth quarter.

“We got gritty defensively,” said coach Brian Keefe. “You can win sometimes when you don’t shoot the ball well. Great effort by our guys.”

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The Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets were not part of those games, as they have only 11 wins combined. Instead, these two teams at the bottom of the Southeast Division will meet on Thursday night in Washington.

Charlotte has lost five games in a row and 13 of their last 14, including a 114-101 loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday. Washington has lost five out of their last six games, with their latest loss being a 123-105 defeat at Oklahoma City.

The Wizards, who have only four wins, have actually won two of their last four home games, while Charlotte has struggled on the road with a 2-11 record this season.

In the game against Houston, Charlotte struggled with their shooting, hitting only 1 of 11 from three-point range. They scored just 15 points in the first quarter and trailed 62-31 at halftime, which led to boos from their home crowd. The Hornets were down by as much as 34 points early in the third quarter before Houston slowed down.

Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 24 points and eight rebounds, while LaMelo Ball added 23 points and eight assists. Mark Williams had 12 points and nine rebounds.

“We didn’t do anything. We didn’t communicate, we weren’t physical,” Bridges said. “That’s not Hornets basketball. It starts with the physicality, communication. … We’ve just got to be better defensively.”

Charlotte started the season 4-5 but has only won three games since then. Their most recent loss led to a players-only meeting.

“I think them (forwards Bridges and Taj Gibson) talking to us, I think they both said what everybody is thinking,” said Williams. “I think it just starts with us. We’ve got to be tougher, got to play harder. Just do all the things it takes to win. Just got to have some pride out there. I think we just lacked that tonight.”

The Wizards, playing with fewer key players, kept the game close in Oklahoma City before the Thunder pulled away in the end. Washington was missing some important players, including Bilal Coulibaly (groin), Alex Sarr (back), and Kyle Kuzma (ribs), and Marvin Bagley III also got injured during the game.

Washington made 16 of their first 32 three-pointers, but then missed their last 11, allowing Oklahoma City, a 20-point favorite, to outscore them 32-18 in the final quarter.

“They just made that little run. … I thought we ran out of a little gas during that stretch,” said Wizards coach Brian Keefe. “But our guys battled. Our guys played a terrific game.”

Jordan Poole scored 31 points, including 5-of-12 from three-point range, marking his fourth game this season with over 30 points.

“That’s what Jordan does,” Keefe said. “He’s our primary scorer. He draws so much attention. It wasn’t just his scoring. It was his drawing — they had to put two (defenders) on him. That allowed us to get open threes for other guys. I thought he played a terrific game tonight. Not just for himself, he got other guys going.”

Carlton Carrington added 14 points, including 4-of-8 from three-point range, and Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points and 16 rebounds, the most in the game. This was his eighth double-double of the season.

However, the Wizards had 19 turnovers, which led to 24 points for the Thunder.

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Pritchard is set to play against the Washington Wizards on Sunday, with averages of 16.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists over 25 games this season. He’s shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Pritchard is Boston’s fifth-highest scorer, behind Jayson Tatum (28.2 points per game), Jaylen Brown (24.5), Kristaps Porzingis (20.3), and Derrick White (17.5).

“I just feel like people are playing my 3-ball so heavy and obviously I shoot it from a deep range, so if they come and close out on me, it allows me to get in the paint,” Pritchard said. “And then, obviously, I just manipulate the bigs. If they play me, I dump it off. If they don’t, I finish it. I try to make the game very simple.”

Pritchard came off the bench to make seven 3-pointers, finishing with 27 points and 10 assists in a 123-99 win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday. He also became the 10th player in Celtics history to hit at least 500 career 3-pointers.

His strong start to the season makes him a favorite for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.

“It’s not something I really think about,” Pritchard said about the award. “If I’m fortunate enough to win, that’s, I guess, a testament to the hard work I put in and I think it just means that I helped this team coming off the bench and doing my job at a high level.”

The Wizards, with the worst record in the NBA (3-20), are coming off a strong performance in a 115-105 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. They were within five points with less than two minutes to go. That was Washington’s 18th loss in their last 19 games.

Cleveland shot 40 free throws in that game, 29 more than Washington.

“Our guys really played their tails off (Friday),” said Washington coach Brian Keefe. “We were attacking the rim, and we didn’t get the same calls. Totally inconsistent. Not right.”

Jordan Poole leads Washington in scoring with 20.2 points per game, but Bilal Coulibaly tied his career-high with 27 points, 14.5 more than his season average, in the loss to Cleveland. He also made a career-high five 3-pointers.

The Wizards have also gotten important offensive contributions from Justin Champagnie, who has started the last three games, averaging 17.7 points and 8.0 rebounds during that span. Champagnie, 23, is on a two-way contract with Washington.

Boston won their game against Detroit without Tatum (knee) and Sam Hauser (adductor strain), but both participated in a team workout on Friday.

“Yeah, there’s a chance (they will play Sunday),” said Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. “They’re doing better. We had a walkthrough (Friday) and they went through everything in the walkthrough. They’re feeling better, so we’ll see obviously on Sunday, but they’re both definitely progressing.”

Boston has won both of their games against Washington this season, both on the road. The Wizards, who are 2-10 at home this season, have lost their last six games against the Celtics.

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Garland led the Cavaliers with 24 points, while Allen scored 21 and LeVert added 14. Cleveland improved to 14-1 at home this season.

The Wizards, now 1-10 on the road, shot better than the Cavaliers, making 47.7 percent of their shots compared to 39.6 percent for Cleveland. They also shot 35.0 percent on three-pointers, while the Cavaliers made 30.0 percent. However, the Wizards struggled at the free-throw line, where the Cavaliers scored 28 points to their 9, getting to the line 40 times compared to Washington’s 11.

LeVert scored most of his points from the free-throw line, making 8 of 12 attempts, while Garland was 9 of 10 and Allen was 7 of 10.

Mitchell’s 20-point performance marked his 17th game of the season with 20 or more points. He had 30 points in an earlier win against Washington and made 4 of 11 three-pointers in this game.

Allen also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for the Cavaliers, and Garland recorded 8 assists.

Isaac Okoro added 13 points, and Georges Niang scored 10, making it six Cavaliers in double figures.

The Wizards kept the game close, never trailing by more than 12 points. They were within 94-88 after a dunk by Johnny Davis with 8:52 left, but Washington went scoreless for the next 2:04, allowing the Cavaliers to extend their lead and finish the game comfortably.

Bilal Coulibaly led Washington with a career-high-tying 27 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two blocks.

Jordan Poole contributed 17 points, six assists, and three steals, while Justin Champagnie added 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Alexandre Sarr scored 14 points for the Wizards.

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The Cavaliers have won 21 of their first 25 games, giving them the best record in the NBA. However, two of their four losses came to the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks during the group stage of the NBA Cup, which allowed the Hawks to move on to the quarterfinals. As a result, the Cavaliers had an unexpected four-day break.

Guard Darius Garland thinks the time off, especially after their 122-113 loss to Miami in their most recent game on Sunday, might actually be helpful.

“We’ll go back to the drawing board,” he said about the team’s workouts this week. “Get ourselves back together, get our bodies back together and just get ready for Friday.”

Any team that didn’t make it to the NBA Cup quarterfinals had two extra games added to its schedule. The Cavaliers got a break with two of the easiest added games: one at home against the 3-19 Wizards, followed by a road game against the 10-14 Nets in Brooklyn on Monday.

According to Power Rankings Guru, the Cavaliers have had the easiest schedule in the NBA so far. The schedule will become much tougher going forward, ranking 17th in difficulty among the 30 teams.

Based on past performances this season, starting with the Wizards should make for an easy transition. The Cavaliers easily beat the Wizards 135-116 in Washington during the first week of the season, and then had an even easier time with a 118-87 home win during the NBA Cup.

That victory was part of a four-game winning streak before Sunday’s loss at Miami.

The Wizards, who went 0-4 in the same NBA Cup group as Cleveland, were in the midst of a 16-game losing streak until they surprisingly defeated the Denver Nuggets 122-113 at home last Saturday.

However, Washington returned to their losing ways, getting beaten 140-112 by the Memphis Grizzlies at home on Sunday. Like Cleveland, the Wizards had the last four days off.

As if things couldn’t get worse for Washington, their other extra game is on Sunday at home against the Celtics.

Wizards coach Brian Keefe has experience with losing situations. He was part of the Oklahoma City coaching staff when the Thunder started the 2008-09 season with a 3-29 record. The team made the playoffs the next year and reached the NBA Finals three years later.

“It wasn’t like they just rolled out of bed and were winning 50 or 60 games,” Keefe recalled. “They had to go through some adversity, and I think we used that adversity as a foundation piece for what we were doing there.”

“(The Wizards) are working and developing a work rate and effort and habit-building that’s setting us up for long-term success.”

Friday’s game will feature the NBA’s best 3-point shooting team (Cleveland, at 40.4 percent) against the team that has allowed the fourth-highest 3-point shooting percentage (Washington, at 37.4 percent).

In the first two games against Washington, the Cavaliers outscored the Wizards 102-57 on 3-pointers, with Donovan Mitchell (10-for-19), Sam Merrill (7-for-16), and Garland (6-for-10) scoring 69 of those points.

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Memphis played without Ja Morant, who was scratched before the game due to back soreness, but still showed no signs of slowing down after a tough win in Boston the night before.

The Grizzlies quickly took a double-digit lead in the first quarter and maintained control throughout the game, securing their third straight victory.

The Grizzlies pushed the pace, scoring 18 fast-break points compared to just eight for Washington. They also forced 21 turnovers and held the Wizards to 43-for-100 shooting from the field, including a poor 6-for-32 from three-point range.

Washington, coming off a win against Denver that ended a 16-game losing streak, briefly cut the Grizzlies’ lead to single digits early in the third quarter.

This run was sparked by Jordan Poole, who had a scoreless first half but finished with nine points. However, Memphis responded with a 16-0 run to take control of the game.

Scotty Pippen Jr. contributed 14 points and 12 assists, helping the Grizzlies’ bench score 76 points, more than half of their total. Santi Aldama led the bench with 19 points, and Jay Huff and Cam Spencer added 17 and 14 points, respectively.

For the Wizards, Marvin Bagley III scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Jared Butler contributed 14 points and seven assists. Jonas Valanciunas led Washington with 20 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Bilal Coulibaly finished with 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Justin Champagnie had 14 points and a career-high five steals.

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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).

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Poole made a career-best nine 3-pointers and was one of four Wizards players to score in double figures. Justin Champagnie scored 23 points, Jonas Valanciunas had 20 points and 12 rebounds, Jared Butler added 12 points, and Carlton Carrington chipped in with 10 points. Washington’s 16-game losing streak matched a franchise record.

The Nuggets were without Jamal Murray (hamstring) and Aaron Gordon (calf), so they relied heavily on Jokic. The three-time NBA MVP made 22 of 38 shots, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range, and also grabbed 16 rebounds while dishing out eight assists. His 56 points was the second-highest in Nuggets history, just behind David Thompson’s 73 in 1978.

For the Nuggets, Julian Strawther scored 18 points off the bench, Christian Braun added 14 points, and Michael Porter Jr. contributed 11 points. Denver has now lost three of its last four games.

The Wizards, shooting 48.4 percent from the floor, earned their first win since October 30, even without their No. 1 pick, Alex Sarr, who missed the game due to a sore back.

Washington led by as much as 15 points during the game. They went on a 7-0 run to take a 30-19 lead with 3:26 left in the first quarter. The Wizards scored a season-high 69 points in the first half, leading 69-57 at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Wizards extended their lead to 78-63 after Valanciunas made two free throws with 9:15 left. But the Nuggets cut the lead to 81-77 after Jokic completed a three-point play with 5:22 remaining. Jokic added another basket to make it 91-88 with 2:08 left in the third. Butler’s layup with 0.3 seconds left gave Washington a 99-93 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Jokic scored 23 points on 9-of-20 shooting in the third. Poole led the Wizards with 14 points in the quarter.

Washington opened the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run, pushing their lead to 106-93 on Carrington’s floater with 9:56 left. Strawther’s basket inside cut the Nuggets’ deficit to 116-111 with 1:29 remaining, but Denver couldn’t complete the comeback.

The Nuggets finished 5-of-24 from three-point range, while the Wizards made 16 of 41.

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The Wizards have now lost 16 games in a row, matching a franchise record set in the 2009-10 season. They are currently in last place in the Eastern Conference, but coach Brian Keefe believes this is all part of the learning process for a young team.

“These guys believe in what we’re doing, they believe in the process,” Keefe said Thursday night after a 137-101 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. “We’re building some habits that are important and we have to build them when times are tough. Every team has their moments, it’s how you deal with those moments, but I’ve always believed in the character of our team.”

Out of the 16 losses, only one has been by less than 10 points, a nine-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 13. Three of the last four losses have been by 25 points or more.

This is the second straight season the Wizards have lost 16 games in a row, making them one of only six NBA teams to have such long losing streaks in consecutive seasons. The record for the longest losing streak in a single season is 28 games, set by the Detroit Pistons last year.

Wizards second-year forward Bilal Coulibaly has especially struggled. He was 0-of-10 from the field against the Mavericks, and in the past four games, he is 4-of-31 from the field and 1-of-12 from 3-point range.

Keefe remains confident in Coulibaly.

“I think he’s a little out of rhythm, sometimes different things can cause some of that,” Keefe said. “Sometimes you have to go through those things in a season and in your career. I have great faith in his character and who he is. He will get out of this.”

Jordan Poole leads the Wizards with 20 points and five assists per game. No. 1 pick Alexandre Sarr is averaging 10.6 points per game and playing 26.8 minutes per game. The Wizards also face the toughest schedule in the league this month, according to NBA.com.

“I embrace the challenges,” Keefe said. “The schedule is the schedule. You have to go after it and I think that’s what our group is about.”

The Nuggets have been alternating wins and losses over their past eight games and are ranked eighth in the Western Conference. They allowed 22 three-pointers in a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night while making only six themselves.

Denver has yet to find the rhythm that made them an NBA powerhouse in the past two seasons.

“We’re a team that’s trying to find itself,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “I think everyone has to own where they’re at, where we’re at, and it starts with me as the head coach to look in the mirror and say what can I do better and how can I help this team more.”

Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic leads the Nuggets with 29.9 points and tops the NBA with 13.4 rebounds. Five different Nuggets are averaging at least 15 points per game, but defensively, the team ranks 24th in the NBA, allowing 116.8 points per game.

This will be the 101st matchup between the two teams. Denver has won the last six games in the series.

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Doncic finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, earning his 78th career triple-double in the regular season.

Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 25 points, while Daniel Gafford, a former Wizards player, scored 16 points off the bench. Dallas has now won 10 of their last 11 games.

For the Wizards, Malcolm Brogdon scored 16 points, and Carlton Carrington added 15. This loss marked their 16th in a row, tying the franchise’s longest losing streak.

The Mavericks made 20 of 38 three-pointers (52.6 percent), while the Wizards hit just 13 of 40 (32.5 percent). Dallas also dominated the boards, outrebounding Washington 64-48.

Dallas led by 18 points at halftime. Irving and Dereck Lively II helped spark a 9-2 run to start the third quarter, increasing the Mavericks’ lead to 77-52.

Washington attempted a comeback, and Alex Sarr’s three-pointer cut the lead to 83-69. However, Irving and Gafford led a 12-0 run that gave Dallas a 95-69 lead.

Gafford scored five quick points early in the fourth, pushing the lead to 110-78, and the Mavericks’ lead grew as large as 42 points near the end of the game.

The Wizards played without their second-leading scorer, Kyle Kuzma, due to a left rib sprain, and Corey Kispert, who has a left ankle sprain.

Washington briefly led 6-3, but Dallas quickly responded with a 15-0 run. The Wizards fought back, but Spencer Dinwiddie’s three-pointer helped the Mavericks end the first quarter with a nine-point lead.

In the second quarter, Klay Thompson hit two three-pointers, and Dallas extended their lead to 39-24. Doncic’s jumper gave them a 20-point advantage, and P.J. Washington’s two free throws pushed the lead to 53-31, their largest of the half.

Jordan Poole’s three-pointer cut the lead to 15, but Irving scored the last five points of the half, and Dallas led 68-50 at the break.

The Mavericks shot 12 of 22 (54.5 percent) from beyond the arc in the first half, while the Wizards made just 5 of 20 (25 percent).

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Dallas secured their ninth win in the last 10 games with a 121-116 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, advancing to the knockout round of the NBA Cup.

The Wizards, on the other hand, have lost 15 games in a row, including a tough 118-87 defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers, which eliminated them from the NBA Cup group stage for the second consecutive season.

The Mavericks struggled in the third quarter against the Grizzlies, committing more turnovers (11) than field goals made (10), but they came back from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

Spencer Dinwiddie contributed 16 points off the bench, including two crucial 3-pointers to put Dallas ahead 116-111 with 1:09 remaining. He made 5 of 10 shots in 25 minutes, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc.

Dallas managed to win despite committing 25 turnovers and missing 14 free throws.

“I thought the group did a great job of staying together,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said. “There was a lot of positivity on the bench. We just kept fighting. (We had) a lot of turnovers — things that we haven’t been doing. But the team stayed together.”

Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 37 points, bringing his total to 73 in the past two games. He also had 12 rebounds and four steals, shooting 11 of 22 from the field and 5 of 9 from three-point range. P.J. Washington scored 18 points, and Dereck Lively II added 17 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks.

“We can fight, and we know we can fight,” Lively said. “We all lean on each other to try to play the best we can.”

The Wizards struggled against the Cavaliers, suffering their biggest defeat of the season. Washington is now just one loss away from matching the franchise record for consecutive losses, which is 16.

Jonas Valanciunas, Jordan Poole, and rookie Bub Carrington each scored 13 points for Washington. Valanciunas also grabbed 11 rebounds in 19 minutes.

Washington committed eight turnovers in the first quarter and trailed 35-20 at the end of the first. Although they cut the lead to 10 in the second quarter, the Cavaliers went on a 10-0 run to extend their advantage.

“The first quarter they came out and hit us in the mouth,” Wizards coach Sheldon Keefe said. “I thought we fought back at the start of the second quarter.”

The Wizards shot 38.6 percent from the field and 15.4 percent from beyond the arc, and they committed 21 turnovers.

“We probably played in crowds too much,” Keefe said, “and then we did miss some wide-open shots.”

The Wizards also faced injuries, with rookie forward Kyshawn George and guard Corey Kispert each suffering sprained left ankles in the second quarter and being ruled out. Guard Malcolm Brogdon also left the game in the third quarter due to right knee soreness.

Dallas won both matchups with Washington last season, claiming a 130-117 victory in Washington behind 31 points from Tim Hardaway Jr. and a 112-104 win in Dallas, with Doncic and Kyrie Irving each scoring 26 points.

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Seven players scored in double figures for Cleveland, which had a lead as large as 31 and improved to an NBA-best 19-3 record. Sam Merrill and Georges Niang each added 14 points off the bench, Darius Garland contributed 12, Jarrett Allen scored 11, and Caris LeVert had 10.

Mobley also grabbed 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who won their 10th consecutive game against the Wizards.

Cleveland made 48.3 percent of their shots from the field (43 of 89) and 34.8 percent from beyond the arc (16 of 46). Washington was limited to 38.6 percent shooting from the field (32 of 83) and 15.4 percent from 3-point range (4 of 26).

Jordan Poole, Bub Carrington, and Jonas Valanciunas each scored 13 points for the Wizards. Jared Butler and Alex Sarr added 10 points each.

Washington is one loss away from tying its franchise record for the longest losing streak at 16 games.

The Cavaliers took an early 19-6 lead and finished the first quarter up 35-20. Washington committed eight turnovers and shot 33.3 percent (7 of 21) in the opening period.

Cleveland continued to build on their momentum in the second quarter, extending their lead to 60-38 with 1:36 left in the half.

Mobley had 13 points in the first half, helping Cleveland to a 60-42 lead at the break. Washington shot just 34.1 percent from the field and 14.3 percent (2 of 14) from 3-point range in the half.

Cleveland maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half, and both teams rested their starters for most of the fourth quarter.

Washington played without forward Kyle Kuzma, who missed his second straight game due to a sprained left rib.

Wizards forwards Corey Kispert and Kyshawn George both left with left ankle sprains in the second quarter and did not return. Malcolm Brogdon also left in the third quarter with right knee soreness.

Cleveland forward Dean Wade returned after missing six games due to a sprained left ankle and had six rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench.

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Damian Lillard added 25 points and 10 assists, Brook Lopez scored 18 points, AJ Green came off the bench for 13 points, and Taurean Prince contributed 11 points. This victory marked the Bucks’ eighth win in their last nine games.

Antetokounmpo achieved his first career 40-point triple-double, making 15 of 24 shots from the field.

Washington’s losing streak reached 14 games, and they are now just two losses away from tying their franchise record of 16 consecutive losses. The Wizards struggled with their shooting, making only 28.1 percent (9-for-32) of their three-point attempts.

Jordan Poole led the Wizards with 31 points. Malcolm Brogdon, a former Bucks player, posted season highs of 29 points and 11 rebounds, while Jonas Valanciunas and Corey Kispert each scored 16 points.

With 4:57 remaining in the game, the Wizards pulled within 105-103 after a 9-2 run. However, Milwaukee responded with 10 unanswered points, including back-to-back three-pointers from Prince and Lopez to give the Bucks a 115-103 lead with 1:29 left.

Milwaukee’s win moved them over .500 for the first time since their season opener on Oct. 23. The Bucks shot 51.2 percent from the field and made 16 of 35 three-point attempts (45.7 percent).

Antetokounmpo returned after missing one game due to a left knee issue and scored 15 points in the first quarter. Poole had 12 points for Washington, which led 29-28 at the end of the first quarter.

Lillard hit a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer to end the second quarter, giving the Bucks a 63-58 lead at halftime. Lillard had 18 points in the first half, while Poole scored 17 for the Wizards.

The Bucks extended their lead to 83-73 with Bobby Portis’ three-pointer at 4:32 left in the third quarter, but Washington fought back and trailed 92-86 heading into the final period.

Washington played without forward Kyle Kuzma, who was sidelined with a left rib sprain.

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White made five 3-pointers, and Zach LaVine hit four to finish with 18 points.

The Bulls had a strong second quarter, outscoring the Wizards 40-18, which helped them take control of the game.

Talen Horton-Tucker scored 13 points, while Jalen Smith and Ayo Dosunmu each had 12. Josh Giddey contributed 11 points and eight assists, helping Chicago send Washington to their 12th straight loss.

The Bulls shot 50.0 percent from the field and made 19 of 22 free throws.

For the Wizards, Kyle Kuzma led the way with 23 points and seven rebounds. Rookie Alexandre Sarr added 20 points and seven rebounds, while Malcolm Brogdon scored 15 points and grabbed six boards. Washington has not won since sweeping the Atlanta Hawks on October 28 and 30.

Washington’s Jordan Poole missed his second straight game due to left hip flexor soreness.

Kyshawn George gave the Wizards a 39-36 lead in the second quarter with a 3-pointer, but Chicago responded with a 25-8 run to close the half, with White contributing seven points during the run.

The Bulls continued their strong play into the third quarter, with White and LaVine hitting 3-pointers, and LaVine’s driving layup helping extend the Bulls’ lead to 77-56.

Washington tried to rally, with Sarr’s 3-pointer cutting the deficit to 101-90 in the fourth quarter. However, the Bulls quickly answered with a three-point play by Julian Phillips and a hook shot from Smith. The Wizards couldn’t make a serious comeback after that.

Kuzma scored 15 points in the first quarter to give Washington a 29-21 lead. The Wizards scored 16 points in the paint and took advantage of Chicago’s poor shooting from the 3-point line, where the Bulls made just 1 of 13 attempts.

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Moses Brown came off the bench to score 15 points for the Pacers, who had lost three straight games and five of their last six. Myles Turner also contributed with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

For the Wizards, Alexandre Sarr posted a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Bilal Coulibaly also scored 17 points, while Corey Kispert, Malcolm Brogdon, and Kyshawn George each added 15 points. Kyle Kuzma finished with 10 points. Washington was without its top scorer, Jordan Poole, who missed the game due to left hip soreness.

Indiana shot 47.7 percent from the field, including 12-of-27 (44.4 percent) from three-point range. Haliburton made 5 of his 11 three-point attempts. Washington shot 45.6 percent overall, but struggled from beyond the arc, making just 11-of-35 (31.4 percent).

Washington closed the gap to 98-96 early in the fourth quarter on a 3-pointer by Carlton Carrington, but Siakam quickly answered with a three of his own to make it 103-96 with 8:06 remaining.

After Washington pulled back within five points, Obi Toppin hit a three-pointer to push the Pacers’ lead to 108-100 with 3:47 left. Siakam followed with a layup to extend the lead to 10 points, and the Wizards couldn’t get any closer than seven points for the rest of the game.

Haliburton’s three-pointer gave the Pacers a 76-73 lead with 6:44 left in the third quarter, and Siakam’s free throws helped Indiana build its biggest lead of the night, 78-73.

Haliburton hit his fourth three-pointer of the quarter to extend the lead to 81-73, and two more free throws by Siakam increased the lead to double digits. The Wizards then went over four minutes without scoring.

Washington responded with a 5-0 run from Kispert to cut the deficit to 88-84, but Indiana still led by five going into the final quarter. Haliburton scored 14 points in the third.

The Wizards went into halftime with a 59-57 lead after Sarr’s dunk. The first half was closely contested, with 10 lead changes and no team leading by more than four points.

Brown led all Pacers scorers with 11 points in the first half, while four Wizards players had 10 points each.

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Now, the Pacers will look to extend the New Orleans Pelicans’ losing streak to five games when the two teams meet in Indianapolis on Monday night.

Indiana, which had lost three games in a row during a winless road trip to Toronto, Houston, and Milwaukee, was much better defensively against Washington. The Pacers had allowed 130, 130, and 129 points in those previous losses but held the Wizards to just 16 points in the fourth quarter.

“We got better defensively,” said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. “We were better at keeping their drivers square in front of us, and we made some good things happen offensively.”

Pascal Siakam scored 22 points, and Tyrese Haliburton added 21 to help lead the Pacers, who had seven players score in double figures.

Indiana improved to 5-2 at home, even though they were missing three key players due to injuries: Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, and Ben Sheppard.

“Right now, we’re looking for anybody with energy that will run and will give the best possible effort defensively,” Carlisle said.

The Pelicans are hoping to break their losing streak as they slowly start getting some injured players back on the court.

Brandon Ingram, the team’s leading scorer, returned from an ankle injury and played in the 112-108 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday, after missing one game. Jordan Hawkins also returned after missing seven games due to a back injury.

“I had a minute restriction on me, but I felt like I got up and down a lot,” Hawkins said. “Still trying to get my conditioning right but it felt good.” Hawkins scored six points in 20 minutes of play.

Ingram finished the game with 18 points and seven assists in 36 minutes.

“He’s battling through some bumps and bruises right now,” said Pelicans coach Willie Green. “We’re putting a lot on his shoulders. He’s been doing a really good job of coming in every day and getting his work, getting his treatment, and keeping himself available to get on the floor and help his team.”

Trey Murphy III has missed the second game of two recent back-to-back sets as he works through a hamstring injury. He had already missed the first 10 games of the season due to injury. In the five games Murphy has played, his point total has steadily increased, reaching a high of 24 points against Golden State.

Green praised his team’s “game-plan discipline and execution” in the loss to the Warriors but added, “Unfortunately, in the NBA, there are just no moral victories.”

Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, who has missed 13 games due to a strained adductor, hopes to return to action on Monday.

Dejounte Murray, Zion Williamson, Herbert Jones, and Jose Alvarado are all still sidelined indefinitely.

Since defeating the Pacers 125-118 on Nov. 1, the Pelicans have won only one of their last 11 games. Williamson had 34 points and 10 assists, while Ingram added 26 points and seven assists in that game. For the Pacers, Sheppard scored 20 points, Bennedict Mathurin added 19, and Siakam chipped in 16.

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