Roundup: Thunder prime Kings, enhance to 15-1

OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 factors and the Oklahoma City Thunder gained their seventh straight recreation to enhance to 15-1, beating the Sacramento Kings 113-99 on Wednesday night time. 

Chet Holmgren had 21 factors and Lu Dort scored all 14 of his factors within the second half, together with 11 within the fourth quarter for the defending champion Thunder. They have gained all three matchups with the Kings.

Dennis Schroder scored 21 factors and DeMar DeRozan added 17 for the Kings, who misplaced their seventh straight. Kings large man Domantas Sabonis sat out due to soreness in his left knee. 

The Thunder began the season with a pair of double-overtime wins and had some shut calls earlier than lastly dropping to Portland. Since the loss, they’ve gained each recreation — with a mean margin of 20.3 factors. All have been by double digits. Included within the run is a 24-point victory over Golden State and a 29-point win over the Los Angeles Lakers on back-to-back nights final week at house.

Former Thunder star Russell Westbrook, as common, obtained a heat reception from the Oklahoma City crowd throughout starter introductions. He was the league MVP in 2017 and a two-time scoring champion with the Thunder. He had one other strong recreation within the acquainted environment, posting seven factors, 10 rebounds and 6 assists.

Sacramento’s Zach LaVine made a shot from past halfcourt as the primary half expired, nevertheless it was dominated that he shot it after the buzzer, and the Thunder maintained a 58-50 lead on the break.

Gilgeous-Alexander labored some magic late within the third quarter. He banked in a mid-range jumper from close to the suitable aspect of the free throw line and was fouled and made the free throw to place the Thunder up 83-67. Oklahoma City took an 83-69 benefit into the fourth.

ROCKETS 114, CAVALIERS 104

CLEVELAND — Alperen Sengun had 28 factors and 11 rebounds, Kevin Durant scored 20 factors, and Houston prolonged its successful streak to 5 with a victory over Cleveland.

Aaron Holiday scored 14 of his 18 factors within the fourth quarter for Houston, which is 10-1 since beginning the season with two losses. Jabari Smith Jr. scored 14 and Amen Thompson had 12 factors, 9 boards and 5 steals.

De’Andre Hunter scored 25 factors to tempo the Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell added 21 factors, 19 within the ultimate interval after they obtained as shut as 77-76 earlier than the Rockets answered with back-to-back hoops by Sengun and Thompson.

Evan Mobley had 18 factors, however missed six of his 10 free throw makes an attempt for Cleveland, which fell to 2-2 on a six-game homestand, its longest of the season. Jarrett Allen added eight factors and 7 rebounds.

Houston prolonged its result in 69-47 halfway by way of the third on Smith’s jumper, however the Cavaliers ended the quarter on a 23-5 run to tug inside 74-70. Mobley had eight factors and Lonzo Ball added seven through the surge.

Durant had 13 factors and Sengun had 10 factors and 6 rebounds, powering the Rockets to a 57-40 benefit at halftime. Houston led by 14 within the opening quarter and by 20 within the second.

Smith and Hunter have been each known as for flagrant fouls and technicals within the first half, whereas Cleveland’s Nae’Qwan Tomlin picked up a technical.

Cavaliers level guard Darius Garland (left nice toe) and swingman Jaylon Tyson (concussion) each missed their fifth straight video games, whereas taking pictures guard Sam Merrill (proper hand sprain) was damage Monday in opposition to Milwaukee. Tyson might return Friday.

PHILADELPHIA — Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett every scored 22 factors and Toronto gained its fifth straight recreation, surging within the third quarter to beat Philadelphia.

Jakob Poeltl scored 19 factors, and Immanuel Quickley had 18 — hitting two 3-pointers within the ultimate two minutes — to assist the Raptors win for the ninth time in 10 video games. Scottie Barnes added 16 factors, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.

Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 24 factors. VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes had 21 factors every.

The 76ers led 56-53 at halftime behind 15 factors from Maxey. Toronto took the lead with an 18-7 run to start out the third quarter, powered by seven factors from Ingram. The Raptors outscored the 76ers 44-28 within the interval.

Toronto shot 2 for 15 from 3-point vary within the first half, then went 5 for six from deep within the third quarter. Toronto is 7-3 on the highway and 9-2 in opposition to Eastern Conference opposition.

Sixers centre Joel Embiid (proper knee harm administration) missed a fourth straight recreation and his ninth out of 14 this season. Paul George, who made his season debut Monday, was held out as a part of administration of his left knee harm. The 76ers introduced earlier than the sport that Kelly Oubre Jr. will miss a minimum of two weeks with a sprained LCL in his left knee.

Raptors rookie ahead Collin Murray-Boyles missed the sport due to proper knee soreness.

INDIANAPOLIS — Bennedict Mathurin scored 24 factors and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Indiana snapped an eight-game dropping streak with a victory over Charlotte.

The Pacers, off to their worst begin in franchise historical past with 12 losses in 13 earlier video games, pulled away within the second quarter as Mathurin scored 9 of his group’s final 11 factors for a 70-54 halftime lead. Indiana has been with out as many as seven gamers as a consequence of accidents, together with Mathurin, who returned Monday after lacking 10 video games with a toe harm.

Pascal Siakam scored 22 factors and backup centre Jay Huff scored 20 because the Pacers had six gamers in double digits.

Indiana hit 16 of 38 from past the arc whereas the Hornets have been 13 of 45.

Rookie guard Kon Knueppel led the Hornets with 28 factors, together with 5 3s. Miles Bridges scored 25.

The Hornets (4-11) are 1-7 on the highway.

WASHINGTON — Norman Powell scored 25 factors, Bam Adebayo returned to attain 20 and Miami pulled away late to prime extraordinarily short-handed Golden State.

Former Warriors ahead Andrew Wiggins scored 17 and Kel’el Ware grabbed 16 rebounds for Miami, which outscored Golden State 38-22 within the fourth quarter.

The Warriors, on the finish of a six-game, nine-day journey, have been with out their 4 highest-paid gamers: Stephen Curry (ankle), former Heat ahead Jimmy Butler (again), Draymond Green (sickness) and Jonathan Kuminga (knee), a bunch making about $162 million this season. Al Horford, who isn’t enjoying back-to-backs and appeared in Golden State’s loss at Orlando on Tuesday, additionally sat out.

Brandin Podziemski scored 20 for Golden State, which obtained 19 from Quinten Post and 18 from Buddy Hield. The Warriors gave up 23 turnovers that Miami changed into 34 factors — 20 greater than Golden State scored off Miami’s 14 giveaways.

The groups mixed to shoot 38.4%, the second-worst taking pictures recreation within the NBA thus far this season. Toronto and Atlanta mixed to shoot 37.4% within the Raptors’ 109-97 win on Nov. 7.

Adebayo missed Miami’s six earlier video games with a toe harm. The Heat are nonetheless with out guard Tyler Herro, although he might make his season debut within the coming days after offseason ankle surgical procedure.

NUGGETS 125, PELICANS 118

NEW ORLEANS — Nikola Jokic had 28 factors, 12 assists and 11 rebounds, and Denver defeated New Orleans.

Peyton Watson scored a career-high 32 factors as Denver gained for the eighth time in 9 video games. Jamal Murray had 14 factors, together with a pair of free throws with 31 seconds left.

Zion Williamson scored 14 factors for New Orleans in 29 minutes in his return from a left hamstring harm that had sidelined him for eight video games.

Rookie Derik Queen, who began reverse Jokic at centre, scored a season-high 30 factors to go along with 9 rebounds, and Trey Murphy III added 23 factors for the Pelicans, who misplaced their seventh straight and fell to 0-3 underneath interim coach James Borrego.

After trailing by as many as 19, New Orleans lowered its deficit to single digits within the ultimate minutes, however former Pelican Jonas Valanciunas, who scored 14 factors, hit a pair of clutch jumpers for the Nuggets.

Pelicans rookie Jeremiah Fears scored 16, giving the guard 11 or extra factors in all however one among New Orleans’ 15 video games this season.

Watson scored 11 of his factors within the first six minutes of the second half, when the Nuggets widened their lead from 62-58 at halftime to 81-70.

That’s when Jokic began to take over, hitting a putback layup, a 7-foot pull-up jumper and a 3 that made it 93-76.

With Williamson again within the beginning lineup, the Pelicans raced to a 13-point lead when Herb Jones’ 3 made it 23-10 within the first quarter. But Denver steadily erased its deficit and took the lead for good when Watson’s 3 made it 51-49 with 3:02 left within the second quarter.

TIMBERWOLVES 120, WIZARDS 109

MINNEAPOLIS — Julius Randle had 32 factors and 10 rebounds and Minnesota held off a late rally by Washington to safe the victory. 

The Timberwolves, who’ve gained six of their final seven video games, have been with out ahead Jaden McDaniels, who has a sprained left wrist and missed his first recreation in almost two years. Naz Reid had 28 factors off the bench. 

Kyshawn George had 23 factors for the Wizards, who’ve misplaced 12 straight. 

The Timberwolves led by as many as 27 factors, however the Wizards closed the hole within the fourth quarter when George’s 3-pointer made it 98-93 with 7:06 to go. 

Randle’s dunk pulled Minnesota away 105-96 with 5:51 left however Khris Middleton’s jumper obtained the Wizards inside 106-101. The Timberwolves by no means surrendered the lead and put the sport away on Donte DiVincenzo’s 3-pointer that made it 116-106 with 1:29 to go. 

The reeling Wizards have gained only one recreation this season and there may be speak that coach Brian Keefe might be on the new seat. The solely NBA coach dismissed thus far this season has been Willie Green, fired Saturday by the New Orleans Pelicans after a 2-10 begin. 

Randle’s driving layup put Minnesota up 32-24 late within the first quarter. The Timberwolves pulled away within the second quarter, taking a 50-29 lead on Reid’s nook 3-pointer from a no-look go from Rudy Gobert. Randle’s emphatic dunk made it 61-37 and Minnesota led 71-46 at halftime. 

The Wizards opened the half on a 10-2 run then closed the hole to 78-67 on Marvin Bagley III’s brief jumper halfway by way of the third quarter as they mounted their rally. 

McDaniels was averaging a career-best 17.5 factors per recreation when he left Monday’s 120-96 win over Dallas on Monday late within the third quarter. 

BULLS 122, TRAIL BLAZERS 121

PORTLAND, Ore. — Nikola Vucevic hit a 3-pointer on the buzzer and Chicago held off a livid comeback try by Portland Trail Blazers for a victory. 

Vucevic completed with 27 factors and Coby White had 25 off the bench for the Bulls, who led by 21 factors within the fourth quarter. 

Deni Avdija’s 3-pointer tied it for the Blazers at 116 and Donovan Clingan’s layup put the Blazers in entrance with 47 seconds left. Clingan added a free throw to cap a 31-7 run and provides Portland a 119-116 lead. 

White’s 3-pointer with 9.1 seconds pulled the Bulls inside 120-119. After Jerami Grant hit the second of two free throws, White popped the ball out to Vucevic on the perimeter for the game-winner. 

Grant completed with 33 factors for the slumping Blazers, who’ve misplaced 4 straight and 6 of the final seven. 

The Bulls have been coming off a 130-127 victory over the Nuggets that ended a five-game dropping streak. White sat out that recreation after returning the night time earlier than in opposition to Utah from a calf harm that had stored him out the primary 11 video games of the season. 

The Blazers have been enjoying the second of a back-to-back after falling 127-110 to the visiting Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night time. 

Jrue Holiday missed a 3rd straight recreation with a calf harm and the Blazers have been additionally with out Shaedon Sharpe due to proper calf soreness. Grant, who missed Tuesday’s recreation with an sickness, began. 

The Blazers led for many of the first quarter earlier than the Bulls pulled in entrance 33-31 early within the second on White’s 26-foot working jumper. Chicago led 62-58 on the break. 

KNICKS 113, MAVERICKS 111

DALLAS — Jalen Brunson had a game-high 28 factors in his return from a two-game absence, Landry Shamet scored a pair of 3-pointers within the ultimate 1:02 and drew an important charging foul within the ultimate second, and New York beat Dallas.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 18 factors and 14 rebounds whereas Josh Hart had 16 factors and 10 rebounds off the bench for the Knicks, who gained for the primary time in 5 highway video games.

Brunson, who had a grade 1 ankle sprain, hit a free throw with 3.8 seconds left for a two-point lead. Dallas’ P.J. Washington inbounded to Brandon Williams at midcourt, Williams drove to the basket and scored with 0.7 seconds left however was known as for charging into Shamet.

D’Angelo Russell and Naji Marshall scored 23 factors every off the bench for the Mavericks, who’ve misplaced 5 of their final six video games.

Brunson’s free throw ended a string of 5 straight Knicks misses from the road within the ultimate 22 seconds. They shot 19 for 35 (54.3%) on free throws general.

The Knicks have been 12 for 42 from 3-point vary after hitting 3 of twenty-two through the first half.

The Mavericks, who have been final within the NBA averaging 10.5 3-pointers per recreation, hit 13 by way of the primary three quarters however have been 3 for 11 within the fourth.

Dallas tied a season excessive with 64 factors from its bench to New York’s 39, however Mavericks starters scored solely 47 factors.

The Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg, the highest choose on this yr’s draft, missed his first NBA recreation on Wednesday night time with an sickness.