NEW YORK, March 20 (BNA): Nikola Jokic has 22 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in 28 triple-double this season, Michael Porter Jr. has 28 points and nine rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Brooklyn Nets. 108-102 on Sunday.
Jamal Murray scored 20 of his 25 points in the first quarter for the Nuggets, who looked nothing like a downed team that lost five of their six points. The Associated Press reported that Denver shot 62.5% in the first half and comfortably led most of the game while playing for the second consecutive afternoon.
Michal Bridges scored 23 points and Nick Claxton 19 for the Nets, who lost three straight points while trying to hold on to the top seed in sixth place and a guaranteed postseason spot in the Eastern Conference.
111- Immaculate
Milwaukee: Giannis Antetekounmo had 22 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, Brook Lopez scored 17 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, and Milwaukee improved to an NBA-best 51-20.
Chris Middleton added 20 points and Bobby Portis added 14 points for the Bucks. Antetokounmpo hit his 33rd career triple-double.
Fred VanVleet scored 23 points and OG Anunoby added 22 for the Raptors, who had won their previous three games. Toronto missed an opportunity to move into eighth place in the Eastern Conference by Atlanta, which lost to San Antonio 126-118.
Thunder 124, Sun 120
Oklahoma City: Shay Gilgos Alexander scored 40 points Oklahoma City won four out of five as they tried to earn at least a place to play.
Luguentz Dort added 20 points for the Thunder, who have missed the playoffs in the past two years.
Devin Booker scored 46 points, Chris Paul added 14 points and made 13 assists for the Suns.
Noura Muhammad Abdullah Ali Al-Zahrani 102
PORTLAND: Paul George scored 29 points as the Los Angeles Clippers lost Portland’s sixth straight.
Kawhi Leonard has added 24 for the Clippers as they fight for home court advantage in the playoffs. Los Angeles was sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference standings behind the Phoenix Suns.
Jusuf Nurkic finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Blazers, who were 13th in the West, out of playoff contention. Damian Lillard scored 21 points and nine assists.
Assistant coach Dan Craig was the acting head coach for the Clippers because Tyronn Lue had a non-COVID illness and did not travel with the team.
112, pistons 100
DETROIT: Tyler Hero scored 10 of his 19 points in the final 3:20 as Miami won for the third time in four games.
Jimmy Butler scored 26 points and provided 10 assists, and Bam Adebayo added 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat.
James Wiseman led the Pistons with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Killian Hayes put up 13 points and 11 assists. Detroit has lost 14 of its last 15 games.
Detroit’s Jalen Doren and Miami’s Kevin Love left the game in the third quarter after hitting their heads under the basket. Love received four stitches and could have returned, but Doreen was assessed for a brain injury after feeling “dizzy”.
126- Abdul Majeed
SAN ANTONIO: Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell each scored 29 points and San Antonio came back from a 24-point deficit to spoil comeback DeJonte Murray.
Murray had 22 points, eight assists and six rebounds in his first game in San Antonio since moving to Atlanta in the offseason.
Zach Collins added 19 points for the Spurs, who snapped their slide over two games.
Onika Okonjo scored 17 points and Clint Kabila 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Hawks.
Muhammad Abdullah Ali Ali 105
Los Angeles: Austin Reeves scored a career-high 35 points, D’Angelo Russell added 18 and the Los Angeles Lakers held on to beat Orlando.
Anthony Davis scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds on another tough shooting night, but Reeves led the Lakers to a 13-point victory in the fourth quarter. The Lakers entered this game after back-to-back losses to Houston and Dallas, which endangered their poor position in the playoff race. This win put Los Angeles (35-37) for ninth place in the Western Conference, tied with Minnesota.
Rookie Paolo Panchero scored 21 points for Orlando, but was hit with an unwise technical foul with 25.3 seconds left to play after repeatedly arguing with officials during the night. Franz Wagner also scored 21 points and Wendell Carter, Jr. had 16 points and 11 rebounds in Mike’s sixth loss in eight games.
117- Abdul-Majid Abdul-Majid
HOUSTON: Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum each scored 26 points and New Orleans pulled within a half game behind Utah for last place in the tournament with 11 games remaining.
Jonas Valanciunas scored 21 points and 11 rebounds, Trey Murphy III scored 14 points and Herbert Jones had 13 for the Pelicans, who shot 49 percent, including 13 of 31-for-3.
Jalen Green scored 40 points in his fourth game with at least 40 points of the season, Kevin Porter Jr. added 25 and Terry Eason added 10 for Houston, who saw their season-high three-game winning streak.
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