James Harden collected 34 points and 12 assists, Kevin Durant added 30 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 36.8 seconds left, and the Brooklyn Nets outlasted the Milwaukee Bucks for a 125-123 victory Monday night in New York.
Jan 18, 2021; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets shooting guard James Harden (13) controls the ball against Milwaukee Bucks point guard Jrue Holiday (21) during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Harden became the first Net to score at least 30 points in each of his first two games with the team.
He also grabbed a key rebound with 38 seconds left when he missed a 3-pointer and got the offensive board. He quickly found Durant, who calmly knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give Brooklyn the lead for good at 125-123.
Durant surpassed 30 points for the fourth time in five games since returning from missing three games due to health and safety protocols.
His trey helped Brooklyn win its fourth straight and end an eight-game home losing streak to Milwaukee.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points for Milwaukee, which saw a four-game winning streak stopped. He also grabbed 12 rebounds while shooting 13 of 26 from the floor.
Khris Middleton added 25 and Jrue Holiday contributed 22 as Milwaukee shot 43.8 per cent and misfired on 26 of 37 3-point tries.
Stephen Curry bombed in Golden State’s final points on a 3-pointer with 1:07 remaining and the Warriors forced LeBron James into an errant 3-pointer at the horn, completing a shocking victory over Los Angeles.
Curry finished with 26 points, the last three giving Golden State a 115-110 lead.
Oubre had 23 points, Eric Paschall 19 and Andrew Wiggins 18 to back Curry for the Warriors. Draymond Green complemented seven points with team highs in rebounds (eight) and assists (nine) for the Warriors, who snapped a two-game losing streak.
Dennis Schroder had 25 points to pace the Lakers, who are 7-0 on the road this season but just 4-4 at home.
James finished with 19 points, Anthony Davis and Montrezl Harrell 17 apiece and Kyle Kuzma 15 for the Lakers. Davis also grabbed 17 rebounds.
Final scores Golden State Warriors 115 – Los Angeles Lakers 113.
Julius Randle hit the tiebreaking layup with 56.8 seconds left as host New York posted a rare back-to-back sweep by beating Orlando.
Randle (21 points, 17 rebounds) and RJ Barrett (22 points, 10 rebounds) each had double-doubles for the second straight game.
Reggie Bullock scored 13 points, Elfrid Payton added 12 points and Immanuel Quickley added 11 points off the bench.
Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 14 rebounds and Aaron Gordon (18 points, 17 rebounds, nine assists) just missed a triple-double for the Magic, who have lost six straight since Markelle Fultz sustained a season-ending knee injury. Terrence Ross had 19 points off the bench.
Final scores New York Knicks 91 – Orlando Magic 84.
Zach LaVine scored a game-high 33 points, Lauri Markkanen added 18 points and five different Bulls swished at least three 3-pointers to boost host Chicago to a victory against Houston.
Making his team debut after being acquired from Indiana as part of last week’s blockbuster trade that sent former Houston star James Harden to Brooklyn, Victor Oladipo paced the Rockets with 32 points.
Seven players scored in double figures for the Bulls as Denzel Valentine (13 points, eight rebounds), Thaddeus Young (12 points, nine rebounds) and Wendell Carter Jr. (10 points, eight rebounds) each flirted with double-doubles.
Final scores Chicago Bulls 125 – Houston Rockets 120.
Patty Mills and Rudy Gay combined for 42 points and helped San Antonio’s bench dominate in the late third and early fourth quarters as the Spurs swamped host Portland.
LaMarcus Aldridge led San Antonio with 22 points but never saw the court in the final period as Mills and Gay, who scored 21 points each, keyed the rout.
DeMar DeRozan added 20 points and 11 assists for the Spurs, who won their second straight game and third of their past four outings. Damian Lillard scored 35 points and Rodney Hood added 21 for the Trail Blazers.
Final scores San Antonio Spurs 125 – Portland Trail Blazers 104.
Bam Adebayo produced his fifth double-double of the season with 28 points and 11 rebounds, helping short-handed Miami rally to a win over visiting Detroit.
Miami, which trailed by as many as 19 points in the first quarter, was without four key players: Jimmy Butler and Avery Bradley (both due to COVID-19 protocol) as well as Tyler Herro (neck) and Meyers Leonard (shoulder).
Goran Dragic scored 22 points while Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn had 18 apiece.
Jerami Grant led Detroit with 27 points. Wayne Ellington, a former Miami player, added 24 points for the Pistons, making 7 of 11 3-point attempts, and Derrick Rose had 21 points.
Final scores Miami Heat 113 – Detroit Pistons 107.
De’Andre Hunter scored a season-high 25 points and Clint Capela recorded his fourth straight double-double to help Atlanta beat visiting Minnesota.
Capela scored 23 points, two shy of his season high, and grabbed 15 rebounds, his second straight game with that many boards. Atlanta’s Trae Young added 20 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds while Kevin Huerter had 17 points, eight assists and four steals.
Minnesota got 31 points, seven assists and four steals from D’Angelo Russell, who sank six 3-pointers, and 15 points from Malik Beasley.
The Timberwolves were without Karl-Anthony Towns, Juancho Hernangomez and Ricky Rubio, who are dealing with COVID-19 issues.
Final scores Atlanta Hawks 108 – Minnesota Timberwolves 97.
Grayson Allen hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:06 remaining and added four clinching free throws in the final seconds as Memphis outlasted visiting Phoenix.
Allen finished with 16 points while Ja Morant recorded a 17-point, 10-assist double-double for the Grizzlies, who won their fifth straight.
Deandre Ayton had 18 points and 16 rebounds — both game-highs — for the Suns, who were playing for the first time in a week after having a three-game homestand postponed because of COVID-19 issues.
Final scores Memphis Grizzlies 108 – Phoenix Suns 104.
Kyle Lowry scored 23 points, grabbed nine rebounds and handed out seven assists as Toronto, playing at its temporary home in Tampa, defeated Dallas.
Pascal Siakam added 19 points for the Raptors, who were playing the third game in a stretch of five in a row at home.
Chris Boucher added 21 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, Norman Powell scored 17 points and OG Anunoby had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Kristaps Porzingis scored 23 points and pulled down nine rebounds for the Mavericks in the opener of a three-game trip. Luka Doncic added 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for Dallas.
Final scores Toronto Raptors 116 – Dallas Mavericks 93.