ORLANDO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – There was a healthy slate of games – including key In-Season Tounament contests across the landscape of the NBA as team returned from a Thursday, Thanksgiving holiday break.
Magic 113, Celtics 96
Orlando turned in a dominant second half and extended its winning streak to six games by beating visiting Boston in an NBA in-season tournament game.
Orlando outscored Boston 65-40 in the final two quarters and improved its record to 3-1 in East Group C. Boston’s tournament record in the group stage fell to 2-1.
Mo Wagner came off the bench to score a game-high 27 points for the Magic, who have won their past four home games. Paolo Banchero added 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Magic. Jayson Tatum scored 26 points for the Celtics, who shot 24.1 percent from 3-point range (7 of 29).
MILWAUKEE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Brook Lopez, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard each eclipsed 30 points as the Milwaukee Bucks improved to 3-0 in in-season tournament play with a 131-128 win over the visiting Washington Wizards.
It’s the first game in Bucks franchise history in which three players had 30 points or more. Lopez tied his career high with 39, while Antetokounmpo (nine rebounds) and Lillard (10 assists) each had 31.
Washington had four 20-point scorers, led by Milwaukee native Jordan Poole with 26 and seven assists. Kyle Kuzma and Tyus Jones each added 22 while Corey Kispert scored 20.
In the final seconds, Antetokounmpo made two free throws before Washington’s Landry Shamet air-balled a wide-open, potential game-tying 3-point attempt.
Rockets 105, Nuggets 86
Jalen Green scored a team-high 25 points while Alperen Sengun and two more teammates added double-doubles as Houston extended its homecourt winning streak to eight by beating Denver in an NBA in-season tournament game.
Green and Sengun combined to carry Houston after Denver used a 14-0 run bridging the final two periods to close to within 84-75 on a Justin Holiday 3-pointer with nine minutes left to play.
Sengun posted 21 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists. Jabari Smith Jr. added 16 points and 15 rebounds, and Fred VanVleet chipped in 17 points and 11 assists for Houston. Nikola Jokic paced the Nuggets with 38 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 20 points for Denver.
Suns 110, Grizzlies 89
Devin Booker scored a season-high 40 points to fuel visiting Phoenix to a victory over Memphis in an NBA in-season tournament game. Booker made 15 of 21 shots from the floor and added four steals.
Eric Gordon scored 20 points as the Suns overcame the absence of Kevin Durant (right foot soreness) and Bradley Beal (low back strain) to win their sixth in a row overall and fifth straight game on the road.
Memphis’ Santi Aldama scored 21 points, and Derrick Rose had 17 points on 8-for-9 shooting from the floor.
Knicks 100, Heat 98
RJ Barrett converted a go-ahead, three-point play with 1:59 left for host New York, who stormed back from a 21-point, third-quarter deficit to beat Miami in an NBA in-season tournament game. New York outscored the Heat 29-11 in the fourth quarter. Jalen Brunson had 24 points while Immanuel Quickley scored 20 points off the New York bench.
The Heat mounted a 19-0 run to start the third quarter before their later collapse. Bam Adebayo, who missed the previous game with a bruised hip, posted 21 points and 12 rebounds for Miami. Jimmy Butler scored a team-high 23 points.
Raptors 121, Bulls 108
OG Anunoby scored 26 points and Toronto defeated visiting Chicago in an NBA in-season tournament game.
Dennis Schroder added 17 points for the Raptors. Pascal Siakam added 18 points in Toronto’s second straight win.
Zach LaVine scored 36 points for the Bulls. DeMar DeRozan added 19 points as Chicago lost for the sixth time in seven games. DeRozan was ejected for his second technical foul in the final seconds of the contest.
Pacers 136, Pistons 113
Tyrese Haliburton had 26 points and 10 assists and Indiana finished the game on a 19-1 run in Indianapolis to hand Detroit a 13th consecutive loss.
Indiana, which had already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals of the NBA in-season tournament, finished the East Group A stage with a 4-0 record. The Pistons lost all four of their tournament games.
Myles Turner had 23 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks for Indiana, while Buddy Hield tossed in 18 points. Cade Cunningham’s 31 points led Detroit. Jadey Ivey supplied 25 points and Jalen Duren added 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
Kings 124, Timberwolves 111
De’Aaron Fox scored 36 points and dished 12 assists as Sacramento pulled away for a win over Minnesota in an NBA in-season tournament game in Minneapolis.
Sacramento improved to 3-0 in West Group C during tournament play. Minnesota dropped to 2-1. Harrison Barnes scored 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting for the Kings. Malik Monk contributed 17 points off the bench, and Domantas Sabonis notched 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Anthony Edwards scored 35 points to lead Minnesota, which lost for only the second time in the past 12 games. Karl-Anthony Towns tallied 27 points and 11 rebounds, and Rudy Gobert recorded 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Warriors 118, Spurs 112
Stephen Curry hit seven 3-pointers while scoring 35 points and Golden State improved its chances of advancement in the NBA in-season tournament by edging San Antonio in San Francisco.
Dario Saric contributed 20 points off the bench as the Warriors (2-1) moved into a tie with Minnesota (2-1) for second place in West Group C, with a showdown with first-place Sacramento (3-0) slated for Sacramento on Tuesday.
Victor Wembanyama had 22 points, nine rebounds and two blocks for the Spurs (0-4), who completed their tournament schedule.
Pelicans 116, Clippers 106
Zion Williamson scored 32 points and Brandon Ingram added 30 as visiting New Orleans defeated Los Angeles to finish group play of the NBA in-season tournament with a 3-1 record.
New Orleans, which has won three straight and five of its six games, must wait for a final group-stage game between Dallas and Houston on Tuesday to see if it wins the West Group B and advance to the knockout round.
Paul George scored 34 points and Kawhi Leonard added 20 for the Clippers, who saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. Norman Powell also had 20 points off the bench for Los Angeles, which was eliminated from the in-season tournament with a 1-3 record in group play.
–Field Level Media