NEW YORK (AP) — After Ja Morant’s triple-double at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night, his father asked for his jersey. 
One problem: The Grizzlies star planned to give it to Knicks veteran Derrick Rose. 
“Honestly it was crazy, (because) it was the first time he ever asked for my jersey after the game," Morant said after finishing with 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds as Memphis held off New York 127-123.
"So it was kind of awkward. I had already planned to give it to D-Rose. At first I told him I had already given it away, man. He was like, ‘Ugh,’” Morant said.
Morant has led the Memphis to three wins and one loss on the Knicks' court since entering the league in 2019, averaging 23.5 points and 9.8 assists. He had his fifth career triple-double Sunday.
“But just the bright lights, having a triple-double in the Garden is crazy. Growing up watching teams coming here and play, watching the Knicks play, everybody loves the Garden,” Morant said. “We really call it the bright lights. Everybody is watching.”
Dillon Brooks had 23 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 for the Grizzlies, who lost a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter but recovered for their second straight victory.
Morant scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, hitting the go-ahead basket after rebounding his own miss with 13.9 seconds left in regulation.
“Amazing, he did it all,” Brooks said. “He didn’t force no shots. He was trying to get us involved. And then when it’s time to take over, he takes over.”
 Jalen Brunson had 30 points and RJ Barrett added 22 for the Knicks, who have lost two straight and four of their last five.
New York lost at Memphis in the season opener for both teams Oct. 19, rallying from a 17-point deficit before falling short. 
Brunson led New York’s comeback again this time with 17 fourth-quarter points before coming up short on two shots, missing one that would have put the Knicks in front and another that would have tied the game.
His two free throws gave the Knicks a 123-122 lead with 26 seconds remaining after Brooks fouled him after trying to swipe the ball away.
On the ensuing possession, Morant drove again into the lane and was met by two Knicks defenders, with Mitchell Robinson blocking his spinning layup attempt. But the ball came right back to Morant, who put it in to put Memphis back on top by one. 
“It came down to the end. Mitch made hell of a block, Morant came up with the ball and put it back in," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "That’s the difference between winning and losing right there.”
Brunson missed a pullup jumper and Morant was fouled and hit one of his two free throws to increase the lead 125-123 with 7.1 seconds to go. Brunson was short on a runner that would have tied it.
“Two shots that made a lot of in my career and I rushed them,” Brunson said. “Plain and simple, I rushed it.”
Jackson picked up the rebounded Brunson’s miss. Brunson then fouled Jackson, who hit two free throws to seal it. 
Jackson’s 3-pointer as time expired gave the Grizzlies a 54-51 lead at halftime. 
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Memphis had an assist on each of the 11 shots it made in the first quarter and finished the game with 32. … Steven Adams had 16 points and 10 rebounds. 
Knicks: G Immanuel Quickley was held out of the second half due to sore right knee. … Cam Reddish scored 11 points in 23 minutes off the bench. … Julius Randle had 14 points and 10 rebounds. … Robinson score 16 points and blocked five shots.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
Knicks: Visit the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night.

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; After Ja Morant&rsquo;s triple-double at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night, his father asked for his jersey.
One problem: The Grizzlies star planned to give it to Knicks veteran Derrick Rose.
&ldquo;Honestly it was crazy, (because) it was the first time he ever asked for my jersey after the game," Morant said after finishing with 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds as Memphis held off New York 127-123.
"So it was kind of awkward. I had already planned to give it to D-Rose. At first I told him I had already given it away, man. He was like, &lsquo;Ugh,&rsquo;&rdquo; Morant said.
Morant has led the Memphis to three wins and one loss on the Knicks' court since entering the league in 2019, averaging 23.5 points and 9.8 assists. He had his fifth career triple-double Sunday.
&ldquo;But just the bright lights, having a triple-double in the Garden is crazy. Growing up watching teams coming here and play, watching the Knicks play, everybody loves the Garden,&rdquo; Morant said. &ldquo;We really call it the bright lights. Everybody is watching.&rdquo;
Dillon Brooks had 23 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 for the Grizzlies, who lost a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter but recovered for their second straight victory.
Morant scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, hitting the go-ahead basket after rebounding his own miss with 13.9 seconds left in regulation.
&ldquo;Amazing, he did it all,&rdquo; Brooks said. &ldquo;He didn&rsquo;t force no shots. He was trying to get us involved. And then when it&rsquo;s time to take over, he takes over.&rdquo;
Jalen Brunson had 30 points and RJ Barrett added 22 for the Knicks, who have lost two straight and four of their last five.
New York lost at Memphis in the season opener for both teams Oct. 19, rallying from a 17-point deficit before falling short.
Brunson led New York&rsquo;s comeback again this time with 17 fourth-quarter points before coming up short on two shots, missing one that would have put the Knicks in front and another that would have tied the game.
His two free throws gave the Knicks a 123-122 lead with 26 seconds remaining after Brooks fouled him after trying to swipe the ball away.
On the ensuing possession, Morant drove again into the lane and was met by two Knicks defenders, with Mitchell Robinson blocking his spinning layup attempt. But the ball came right back to Morant, who put it in to put Memphis back on top by one.
&ldquo;It came down to the end. Mitch made hell of a block, Morant came up with the ball and put it back in," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "That&rsquo;s the difference between winning and losing right there.&rdquo;
Brunson missed a pullup jumper and Morant was fouled and hit one of his two free throws to increase the lead 125-123 with 7.1 seconds to go. Brunson was short on a runner that would have tied it.
&ldquo;Two shots that made a lot of in my career and I rushed them,&rdquo; Brunson said. &ldquo;Plain and simple, I rushed it.&rdquo;
Jackson picked up the rebounded Brunson&rsquo;s miss. Brunson then fouled Jackson, who hit two free throws to seal it.
Jackson&rsquo;s 3-pointer as time expired gave the Grizzlies a 54-51 lead at halftime.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Memphis had an assist on each of the 11 shots it made in the first quarter and finished the game with 32. &hellip; Steven Adams had 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Knicks: G Immanuel Quickley was held out of the second half due to sore right knee. &hellip; Cam Reddish scored 11 points in 23 minutes off the bench. &hellip; Julius Randle had 14 points and 10 rebounds. &hellip; Robinson score 16 points and blocked five shots.
&nbsp;

Ja Morant finished with 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies held off the New York Knicks 127-123.

Morant has triple-double, Grizzlies hold on to edge Knicks

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Grayson Allen's sizzling start for Milwaukee meant the Dallas Mavericks couldn't stop their recent cold spell.
<a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportWI/status/1597045749698932736">Allen went 7 of 7 from 3-point range in the game's first 17 1/2 minutes,</a> and the Bucks never trailed in a 124-115 victory Sunday night that sent the Mavericks to their fourth straight loss.
“The hoop looked huge,” Allen said.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 30 points as the Bucks shot 55.8% overall and went 17 of 37 from beyond the arc, matching a season high for 3-point baskets.
Allen was largely responsible for that 3-point barrage. He apparently got all of his misses out of the way before the game.
“I think my 10-minute shooting time pregame took like 13 or 14 minutes because I was missing so much,” Allen said. 
Once the game started, Allen could do no wrong.
Allen's 7-of-7 start from beyond the arc tied his career high for 3-pointers in a game. Allen matched the highest total for made 3-pointers in a half without any misses over the last 25 seasons, <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1597053287857270785">according to ESPN Stats.</a>
“He was on fire,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “We gave him a lot of great looks and he knocked them down. Giannis put pressure on the rim and we just couldn’t get to their shooters.”
Allen finished with a season-high 25 points while shooting 8 of 10 overall and 7 of 8 on 3-point attempts.
“He's not just a good shooter,” Antetokounmpo said. “If you're sleeping and you're being lazy, he's going to drive the ball, drive the close-out and go and dunk it. It just makes him dangerous. As much as they respect the 3, they've got to respect the drive also."
Dallas' Luka Doncic had 27 points, 12 assists and five rebounds, but he also committed a season-high six turnovers. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 22 points and Christian Wood added 21.
The Mavericks shot 51.3% but couldn't stop Antetokounmpo or any of the shooters surrounding him.
“It’s hard to go against a guy like that,” Doncic said of Antetokounmpo. “He’s the best player in the NBA right now.”
Dallas was playing for a second straight night after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/toronto-raptors-dallas-mavericks-nba-sports-9ddce5b6b5f13dd73e2fe9fdbc15fd50">losing 105-100 at Toronto</a> on Saturday.
Jrue Holiday scored 16 points for the Bucks, and Bobby Portis had 15. Antetokounmpo grabbed 11 rebounds and Portis added 10 boards as Milwaukee improved to 6-1 against Western Conference teams.
Milwaukee made its first seven shots of the night, including four from 3-point range. The Bucks led 73-62 at the break after posting their highest point total in any half this season. 
Dallas cut the Bucks’ lead to 86-85 on Dinwiddie’s layup midway through the third quarter, but Jevon Carter responded with a 3-pointer that started a 10-0 run. Milwaukee scored 11 straight points early in the fourth quarter to extend its lead to 115-97. 
“Certainly it’s one of the things we’ve talked about in the locker room, to kind of take a punch, steady ourselves and then finish it,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. 
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Reggie Bullock sat out as the Mavericks chose to rest him rather than having him play for a second straight night. Bullock has shot just 4 of 23 from 3-point range over his last five games. ... Tim Hardaway Jr. made his first start of the season.
Bucks: Pat Connaughton played his third game of the season after sitting out the Bucks' 117-102 victory over Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday due to a non-COVID-19 illness. Connaughton missed Milwaukee's first 15 games with a right calf strain. ... Khris Middleton was assigned to the NBA G League's Wisconsin Herd for a second time as the three-time All-Star works his way back from offseason wrist surgery. … The Bucks have been at home for 13 of their first 19 games this season. They’ll be on the road for 11 of their next 15 contests. 
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Hosts Golden State on Tuesday.
Bucks: At New York on Wednesday. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-bucks-new-york-knicks-nba-sports-giannis-antetokounmpo-b72a0b739b026577cd19da8b770c88e7">The Bucks beat the Knicks at home 119-108 on Oct. 28.</a>
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Grayson Allen's sizzling start for Milwaukee meant the Dallas Mavericks couldn't stop their recent cold spell.
<a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportWI/status/1597045749698932736">Allen went 7 of 7 from 3-point range in the game's first 17 1/2 minutes,</a> and the Bucks never trailed in a 124-115 victory Sunday night that sent the Mavericks to their fourth straight loss.
&ldquo;The hoop looked huge,&rdquo; Allen said.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 30 points as the Bucks shot 55.8% overall and went 17 of 37 from beyond the arc, matching a season high for 3-point baskets.
Allen was largely responsible for that 3-point barrage. He apparently got all of his misses out of the way before the game.
&ldquo;I think my 10-minute shooting time pregame took like 13 or 14 minutes because I was missing so much,&rdquo; Allen said.
Once the game started, Allen could do no wrong.
Allen's 7-of-7 start from beyond the arc tied his career high for 3-pointers in a game. Allen matched the highest total for made 3-pointers in a half without any misses over the last 25 seasons, <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1597053287857270785">according to ESPN Stats.</a>
&ldquo;He was on fire,&rdquo; Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. &ldquo;We gave him a lot of great looks and he knocked them down. Giannis put pressure on the rim and we just couldn&rsquo;t get to their shooters.&rdquo;
Allen finished with a season-high 25 points while shooting 8 of 10 overall and 7 of 8 on 3-point attempts.
&ldquo;He's not just a good shooter,&rdquo; Antetokounmpo said. &ldquo;If you're sleeping and you're being lazy, he's going to drive the ball, drive the close-out and go and dunk it. It just makes him dangerous. As much as they respect the 3, they've got to respect the drive also."
Dallas' Luka Doncic had 27 points, 12 assists and five rebounds, but he also committed a season-high six turnovers. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 22 points and Christian Wood added 21.
The Mavericks shot 51.3% but couldn't stop Antetokounmpo or any of the shooters surrounding him.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to go against a guy like that,&rdquo; Doncic said of Antetokounmpo. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s the best player in the NBA right now.&rdquo;
Dallas was playing for a second straight night after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/toronto-raptors-dallas-mavericks-nba-sports-9ddce5b6b5f13dd73e2fe9fdbc15fd50">losing 105-100 at Toronto</a> on Saturday.
Jrue Holiday scored 16 points for the Bucks, and Bobby Portis had 15. Antetokounmpo grabbed 11 rebounds and Portis added 10 boards as Milwaukee improved to 6-1 against Western Conference teams.
Milwaukee made its first seven shots of the night, including four from 3-point range. The Bucks led 73-62 at the break after posting their highest point total in any half this season.
Dallas cut the Bucks&rsquo; lead to 86-85 on Dinwiddie&rsquo;s layup midway through the third quarter, but Jevon Carter responded with a 3-pointer that started a 10-0 run. Milwaukee scored 11 straight points early in the fourth quarter to extend its lead to 115-97.
&ldquo;Certainly it&rsquo;s one of the things we&rsquo;ve talked about in the locker room, to kind of take a punch, steady ourselves and then finish it,&rdquo; Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Reggie Bullock sat out as the Mavericks chose to rest him rather than having him play for a second straight night. Bullock has shot just 4 of 23 from 3-point range over his last five games. ... Tim Hardaway Jr. made his first start of the season.
Bucks: Pat Connaughton played his third game of the season after sitting out the Bucks' 117-102 victory over Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday due to a non-COVID-19 illness. Connaughton missed Milwaukee's first 15 games with a right calf strain. ... Khris Middleton was assigned to the NBA G League's Wisconsin Herd for a second time as the three-time All-Star works his way back from offseason wrist surgery. &hellip; The Bucks have been at home for 13 of their first 19 games this season. They&rsquo;ll be on the road for 11 of their next 15 contests.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Hosts Golden State on Tuesday.
Bucks: At New York on Wednesday. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-bucks-new-york-knicks-nba-sports-giannis-antetokounmpo-b72a0b739b026577cd19da8b770c88e7">The Bucks beat the Knicks at home 119-108 on Oct. 28.</a>
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Grayson Allen's sizzling start for Milwaukee meant the Dallas Mavericks couldn't stop their recent cold spell.
Allen went 7 of 7 from 3-point range in the game's first 17 1/2 minutes, and the Bucks never trailed in a 124-115 victory Sunday night that sent the Mavericks to their fourth straight loss.
&ldquo;The hoop looked huge,&rdquo; Allen said.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 30 points as the Bucks shot 55.8% overall and went 17 of 37 from beyond the arc, matching a season high for 3-point baskets.
Allen was largely responsible for that 3-point barrage. He apparently got all of his misses out of the way before the game.
&ldquo;I think my 10-minute shooting time pregame took like 13 or 14 minutes because I was missing so much,&rdquo; Allen said.
Once the game started, Allen could do no wrong.
Allen's 7-of-7 start from beyond the arc tied his career high for 3-pointers in a game. Allen matched the highest total for made 3-pointers in a half without any misses over the last 25 seasons, <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1597053287857270785">according to ESPN Stats.</a>
&ldquo;He was on fire,&rdquo; Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. &ldquo;We gave him a lot of great looks and he knocked them down. Giannis put pressure on the rim and we just couldn&rsquo;t get to their shooters.&rdquo;
Allen finished with a season-high 25 points while shooting 8 of 10 overall and 7 of 8 on 3-point attempts.
&ldquo;He's not just a good shooter,&rdquo; Antetokounmpo said. &ldquo;If you're sleeping and you're being lazy, he's going to drive the ball, drive the close-out and go and dunk it. It just makes him dangerous. As much as they respect the 3, they've got to respect the drive also."
Dallas' Luka Doncic had 27 points, 12 assists and five rebounds, but he also committed a season-high six turnovers. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 22 points and Christian Wood added 21.
The Mavericks shot 51.3% but couldn't stop Antetokounmpo or any of the shooters surrounding him.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to go against a guy like that,&rdquo; Doncic said of Antetokounmpo. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s the best player in the NBA right now.&rdquo;
Dallas was playing for a second straight night after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/toronto-raptors-dallas-mavericks-nba-sports-9ddce5b6b5f13dd73e2fe9fdbc15fd50">losing 105-100 at Toronto</a> on Saturday.
Jrue Holiday scored 16 points for the Bucks, and Bobby Portis had 15. Antetokounmpo grabbed 11 rebounds and Portis added 10 boards as Milwaukee improved to 6-1 against Western Conference teams.
Milwaukee made its first seven shots of the night, including four from 3-point range. The Bucks led 73-62 at the break after posting their highest point total in any half this season.
Dallas cut the Bucks&rsquo; lead to 86-85 on Dinwiddie&rsquo;s layup midway through the third quarter, but Jevon Carter responded with a 3-pointer that started a 10-0 run. Milwaukee scored 11 straight points early in the fourth quarter to extend its lead to 115-97.
&ldquo;Certainly it&rsquo;s one of the things we&rsquo;ve talked about in the locker room, to kind of take a punch, steady ourselves and then finish it,&rdquo; Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Reggie Bullock sat out as the Mavericks chose to rest him rather than having him play for a second straight night. Bullock has shot just 4 of 23 from 3-point range over his last five games. ... Tim Hardaway Jr. made his first start of the season.
Bucks: Pat Connaughton played his third game of the season after sitting out the Bucks' 117-102 victory over Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday due to a non-COVID-19 illness. Connaughton missed Milwaukee's first 15 games with a right calf strain. ... Khris Middleton was assigned to the NBA G League's Wisconsin Herd for a second time as the three-time All-Star works his way back from offseason wrist surgery. &hellip; The Bucks have been at home for 13 of their first 19 games this season. They&rsquo;ll be on the road for 11 of their next 15 contests.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Hosts Golden State on Tuesday.
Bucks: At New York on Wednesday. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-bucks-new-york-knicks-nba-sports-giannis-antetokounmpo-b72a0b739b026577cd19da8b770c88e7">The Bucks beat the Knicks at home 119-108 on Oct. 28.</a>
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Grayson Allen's sizzling start for Milwaukee meant the Dallas Mavericks couldn't stop their recent cold spell.
Allen went 7 of 7 from 3-point range in the game's first 17 1/2 minutes, and the Bucks never trailed in a 124-115 victory Sunday night that sent the Mavericks to their fourth straight loss.
&ldquo;The hoop looked huge,&rdquo; Allen said.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 30 points as the Bucks shot 55.8% overall and went 17 of 37 from beyond the arc, matching a season high for 3-point baskets.
Allen was largely responsible for that 3-point barrage. He apparently got all of his misses out of the way before the game.
&ldquo;I think my 10-minute shooting time pregame took like 13 or 14 minutes because I was missing so much,&rdquo; Allen said.
Once the game started, Allen could do no wrong.
Allen's 7-of-7 start from beyond the arc tied his career high for 3-pointers in a game. Allen matched the highest total for made 3-pointers in a half without any misses over the last 25 seasons, <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1597053287857270785">according to ESPN Stats.</a>
&ldquo;He was on fire,&rdquo; Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. &ldquo;We gave him a lot of great looks and he knocked them down. Giannis put pressure on the rim and we just couldn&rsquo;t get to their shooters.&rdquo;
Allen finished with a season-high 25 points while shooting 8 of 10 overall and 7 of 8 on 3-point attempts.
&ldquo;He's not just a good shooter,&rdquo; Antetokounmpo said. &ldquo;If you're sleeping and you're being lazy, he's going to drive the ball, drive the close-out and go and dunk it. It just makes him dangerous. As much as they respect the 3, they've got to respect the drive also."
Dallas' Luka Doncic had 27 points, 12 assists and five rebounds, but he also committed a season-high six turnovers. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 22 points and Christian Wood added 21.
The Mavericks shot 51.3% but couldn't stop Antetokounmpo or any of the shooters surrounding him.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to go against a guy like that,&rdquo; Doncic said of Antetokounmpo. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s the best player in the NBA right now.&rdquo;
Dallas was playing for a second straight night after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/toronto-raptors-dallas-mavericks-nba-sports-9ddce5b6b5f13dd73e2fe9fdbc15fd50">losing 105-100 at Toronto</a> on Saturday.
Jrue Holiday scored 16 points for the Bucks, and Bobby Portis had 15. Antetokounmpo grabbed 11 rebounds and Portis added 10 boards as Milwaukee improved to 6-1 against Western Conference teams.
Milwaukee made its first seven shots of the night, including four from 3-point range. The Bucks led 73-62 at the break after posting their highest point total in any half this season.
Dallas cut the Bucks&rsquo; lead to 86-85 on Dinwiddie&rsquo;s layup midway through the third quarter, but Jevon Carter responded with a 3-pointer that started a 10-0 run. Milwaukee scored 11 straight points early in the fourth quarter to extend its lead to 115-97.
&ldquo;Certainly it&rsquo;s one of the things we&rsquo;ve talked about in the locker room, to kind of take a punch, steady ourselves and then finish it,&rdquo; Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Reggie Bullock sat out as the Mavericks chose to rest him rather than having him play for a second straight night. Bullock has shot just 4 of 23 from 3-point range over his last five games. ... Tim Hardaway Jr. made his first start of the season.
Bucks: Pat Connaughton played his third game of the season after sitting out the Bucks' 117-102 victory over Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday due to a non-COVID-19 illness. Connaughton missed Milwaukee's first 15 games with a right calf strain. ... Khris Middleton was assigned to the NBA G League's Wisconsin Herd for a second time as the three-time All-Star works his way back from offseason wrist surgery. &hellip; The Bucks have been at home for 13 of their first 19 games this season. They&rsquo;ll be on the road for 11 of their next 15 contests.

Grayson Allen scored a season-high 25 points as the Bucks scored a 124-115 victory that sent the Mavericks to their fourth straight loss.

Allen's hot start helps Bucks defeat Mavericks 124-115

ATLANTA (AP) — Bam Adebayo scored 16 of his 32 points in the third quarter, Caleb Martin added 20 points and the Miami Heat snapped a seven-game road losing streak with a 106-98 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night.
Tyler Herro had 11 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds and Max Strus had 16 points for the Heat, who outscored Atlanta 34-21 in the third to take charge of the game. They went on a 10-2 run early in the period to make it 65-64 on Kyle Lowry’s left wing 3, and Atlanta trailed the rest of the way. It was Miami’s first lead since it was 3-2.
The Heat led by 14 on Martin’s 3, ending a 17-6 run, with 5:45 left in the game.
Trae Young finished with 22 points and a season-high 14 assists and John Collins had 23 points and a season-high 14 rebounds for Atlanta, which has dropped two straight and three of four.
Adebayo, coming off a 38-point performance in a win over Washington on Friday, went 13 for 20 from the field as Miami, which improved to 2-7 on the road, won its third straight.
Miami listed 11 of its 16 players on the injury report before the game but overcame the potential setbacks by clogging Atlanta’s passing lanes and outscoring the Hawks 58-34 in the paint.
De’Andre Hunter’s left corner 3 for Atlanta gave made it 25-15 for the game’s first double-digit lead. Hunter scored 14 in the first half, Young had 13 and John Collins 11 as the Hawks led 60-51 at intermission. Strus and Adebayo each scored 14 for Miami.
TIP-INS
Heat: F Jimmy Butler stayed behind in Miami to rehab his sore knee. Coach Erik Spoelstra did not rule out the possibility of Butler being back when the team visits Boston on Wednesday. ... Adebayo surpassed 5,000 career points. ... Strus (right shoulder impingement) started after missing the last two games. ... F Nikola Jovic (foot) did not play. ... Herro (left ankle sprain) played 40 minutes in getting the triple-double . ... C Dewayne Dedmon (left plantar fasciitis) had 13 points on 6 for 7 shooting. ... F Duncan Robinson (left ankle sprain) was ruled out.
Hawks: C Clint Capela, the league’s third-leading rebounder, missed the game with dental pain. He ranks seventh in field-goal percentage and ninth in blocked shots. ... Dating back to March 3, 2022, Atlanta had scored at least 100 points in 40 straight games, the third-longest streak in franchise history and the longest active streak in the NBA.
UP NEXT
Heat: At Boston on Wednesday night.
Hawks: At Philadelphia on Monday night.
___
More AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/nba</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Sports">https://twitter.com/AP_Sports</a>

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Bam Adebayo scored 16 of his 32 points in the third quarter, Caleb Martin added 20 points and the Miami Heat snapped a seven-game road losing streak with a 106-98 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night.
Tyler Herro had 11 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds and Max Strus had 16 points for the Heat, who outscored Atlanta 34-21 in the third to take charge of the game. They went on a 10-2 run early in the period to make it 65-64 on Kyle Lowry&rsquo;s left wing 3, and Atlanta trailed the rest of the way. It was Miami&rsquo;s first lead since it was 3-2.
The Heat led by 14 on Martin&rsquo;s 3, ending a 17-6 run, with 5:45 left in the game.
Trae Young finished with 22 points and a season-high 14 assists and John Collins had 23 points and a season-high 14 rebounds for Atlanta, which has dropped two straight and three of four.
Adebayo, coming off a 38-point performance in a win over Washington on Friday, went 13 for 20 from the field as Miami, which improved to 2-7 on the road, won its third straight.
Miami listed 11 of its 16 players on the injury report before the game but overcame the potential setbacks by clogging Atlanta&rsquo;s passing lanes and outscoring the Hawks 58-34 in the paint.
De&rsquo;Andre Hunter&rsquo;s left corner 3 for Atlanta gave made it 25-15 for the game&rsquo;s first double-digit lead. Hunter scored 14 in the first half, Young had 13 and John Collins 11 as the Hawks led 60-51 at intermission. Strus and Adebayo each scored 14 for Miami.
TIP-INS
Heat: F Jimmy Butler stayed behind in Miami to rehab his sore knee. Coach Erik Spoelstra did not rule out the possibility of Butler being back when the team visits Boston on Wednesday. ... Adebayo surpassed 5,000 career points. ... Strus (right shoulder impingement) started after missing the last two games. ... F Nikola Jovic (foot) did not play. ... Herro (left ankle sprain) played 40 minutes in getting the triple-double . ... C Dewayne Dedmon (left plantar fasciitis) had 13 points on 6 for 7 shooting. ... F Duncan Robinson (left ankle sprain) was ruled out.
Hawks: C Clint Capela, the league&rsquo;s third-leading rebounder, missed the game with dental pain. He ranks seventh in field-goal percentage and ninth in blocked shots. ... Dating back to March 3, 2022, Atlanta had scored at least 100 points in 40 straight games, the third-longest streak in franchise history and the longest active streak in the NBA.
&nbsp;
___
More AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/nba</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Sports">https://twitter.com/AP_Sports</a>

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Bam Adebayo scored 16 of his 32 points in the third quarter, Caleb Martin added 20 points and the Miami Heat snapped a seven-game road losing streak with a 106-98 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night.
Tyler Herro had 11 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds and Max Strus had 16 points for the Heat, who outscored Atlanta 34-21 in the third to take charge of the game. They went on a 10-2 run early in the period to make it 65-64 on Kyle Lowry&rsquo;s left wing 3, and Atlanta trailed the rest of the way. It was Miami&rsquo;s first lead since it was 3-2.
The Heat led by 14 on Martin&rsquo;s 3, ending a 17-6 run, with 5:45 left in the game.
Trae Young finished with 22 points and a season-high 14 assists and John Collins had 23 points and a season-high 14 rebounds for Atlanta, which has dropped two straight and three of four.
Adebayo, coming off a 38-point performance in a win over Washington on Friday, went 13 for 20 from the field as Miami, which improved to 2-7 on the road, won its third straight.
Miami listed 11 of its 16 players on the injury report before the game but overcame the potential setbacks by clogging Atlanta&rsquo;s passing lanes and outscoring the Hawks 58-34 in the paint.
De&rsquo;Andre Hunter&rsquo;s left corner 3 for Atlanta gave made it 25-15 for the game&rsquo;s first double-digit lead. Hunter scored 14 in the first half, Young had 13 and John Collins 11 as the Hawks led 60-51 at intermission. Strus and Adebayo each scored 14 for Miami.
TIP-INS
Heat: F Jimmy Butler stayed behind in Miami to rehab his sore knee. Coach Erik Spoelstra did not rule out the possibility of Butler being back when the team visits Boston on Wednesday. ... Adebayo surpassed 5,000 career points. ... Strus (right shoulder impingement) started after missing the last two games. ... F Nikola Jovic (foot) did not play. ... Herro (left ankle sprain) played 40 minutes in getting the triple-double . ... C Dewayne Dedmon (left plantar fasciitis) had 13 points on 6 for 7 shooting. ... F Duncan Robinson (left ankle sprain) was ruled out.
Hawks: C Clint Capela, the league&rsquo;s third-leading rebounder, missed the game with dental pain. He ranks seventh in field-goal percentage and ninth in blocked shots. ... Dating back to March 3, 2022, Atlanta had scored at least 100 points in 40 straight games, the third-longest streak in franchise history and the longest active streak in the NBA.
&nbsp;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Bam Adebayo scored 16 of his 32 points in the third quarter, Caleb Martin added 20 points and the Miami Heat snapped a seven-game road losing streak with a 106-98 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night.
Tyler Herro had 11 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds and Max Strus had 16 points for the Heat, who outscored Atlanta 34-21 in the third to take charge of the game. They went on a 10-2 run early in the period to make it 65-64 on Kyle Lowry&rsquo;s left wing 3, and Atlanta trailed the rest of the way. It was Miami&rsquo;s first lead since it was 3-2.
The Heat led by 14 on Martin&rsquo;s 3, ending a 17-6 run, with 5:45 left in the game.
Trae Young finished with 22 points and a season-high 14 assists and John Collins had 23 points and a season-high 14 rebounds for Atlanta, which has dropped two straight and three of four.
Adebayo, coming off a 38-point performance in a win over Washington on Friday, went 13 for 20 from the field as Miami, which improved to 2-7 on the road, won its third straight.
Miami listed 11 of its 16 players on the injury report before the game but overcame the potential setbacks by clogging Atlanta&rsquo;s passing lanes and outscoring the Hawks 58-34 in the paint.
De&rsquo;Andre Hunter&rsquo;s left corner 3 for Atlanta gave made it 25-15 for the game&rsquo;s first double-digit lead. Hunter scored 14 in the first half, Young had 13 and John Collins 11 as the Hawks led 60-51 at intermission. Strus and Adebayo each scored 14 for Miami.
TIP-INS
Heat: F Jimmy Butler stayed behind in Miami to rehab his sore knee. Coach Erik Spoelstra did not rule out the possibility of Butler being back when the team visits Boston on Wednesday. ... Adebayo surpassed 5,000 career points. ... Strus (right shoulder impingement) started after missing the last two games. ... F Nikola Jovic (foot) did not play. ... Herro (left ankle sprain) played 40 minutes in getting the triple-double . ... C Dewayne Dedmon (left plantar fasciitis) had 13 points on 6 for 7 shooting. ... F Duncan Robinson (left ankle sprain) was ruled out.
Hawks: C Clint Capela, the league&rsquo;s third-leading rebounder, missed the game with dental pain. He ranks seventh in field-goal percentage and ninth in blocked shots. ... Dating back to March 3, 2022, Atlanta had scored at least 100 points in 40 straight games, the third-longest streak in franchise history and the longest active streak in the NBA.
&nbsp;

Bam Adebayo scored 32 points and the Heat snapped a seven-game road losing streak with a 106-98 victory over the Hawks.

Bam Adebayo has 32 points, Heat rally to beat Hawks 106-98

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ivica Zubac scored a season-high 31 points and pulled down a career-best 29 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers pulled away in the second half to beat the Indiana Pacers 114-100 on Sunday.
Zubac had the most rebounds in an NBA game this season and was one board away from the league's fourth 30-point/30-rebound rebound game and first since 2018 when he fouled out with 3:40 remaining. 
Norman Powell added 19 points and Terance Mann 14 for the Clippers, who are still without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
Jalen Smith scored a career-high 23 points for the Pacers, while Tyrese Haliburton added 15 and T.J. McConnell 14.
Zubac, a sixth-year center from Croatia, also is the first Clippers player since DeAndre Jordan in 2018 to have a game with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. Zubac is the 12th player in franchise history with a 20/20 game.
It was the second-most rebounds in a Clippers game since 1981, according to SportRadar. Michael Cage had the most with 30 in a 1988 game against Seattle.
Zubac was 14 of 17 from the field, including three dunks, and 3 of 3 on free throws in 31 minutes. He had 14 points in the first quarter, which was a career high for him in any period.
Los Angeles led 59-57 at halftime and was up 65-62 with 8:28 remaining in the third quarter before going on a 16-3 run over a five-minute span to break it open. Marcus Morris Sr. had six points during the run and Zubac added four.
The Clippers' largest lead was 20 early in the fourth quarter.
TIP-INS
Pacers: Buddy Hield, who came into the game second in the league with 69 3-pointers, was 1 of 9 beyond the arc and finished with 10 points. 
Clippers: Morris scored 13 points while John Wall and Moses Brown added 10 apiece off the bench.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Remain in Los Angeles to face the Lakers Monday.
Clippers: Travel to Portland on Tuesday.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Ivica Zubac scored a season-high 31 points and pulled down a career-best 29 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers pulled away in the second half to beat the Indiana Pacers 114-100 on Sunday.
Zubac had the most rebounds in an NBA game this season and was one board away from the league's fourth 30-point/30-rebound rebound game and first since 2018 when he fouled out with 3:40 remaining.
Norman Powell added 19 points and Terance Mann 14 for the Clippers, who are still without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
Jalen Smith scored a career-high 23 points for the Pacers, while Tyrese Haliburton added 15 and T.J. McConnell 14.
Zubac, a sixth-year center from Croatia, also is the first Clippers player since DeAndre Jordan in 2018 to have a game with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. Zubac is the 12th player in franchise history with a 20/20 game.
It was the second-most rebounds in a Clippers game since 1981, according to SportRadar. Michael Cage had the most with 30 in a 1988 game against Seattle.
Zubac was 14 of 17 from the field, including three dunks, and 3 of 3 on free throws in 31 minutes. He had 14 points in the first quarter, which was a career high for him in any period.
Los Angeles led 59-57 at halftime and was up 65-62 with 8:28 remaining in the third quarter before going on a 16-3 run over a five-minute span to break it open. Marcus Morris Sr. had six points during the run and Zubac added four.
The Clippers' largest lead was 20 early in the fourth quarter.
TIP-INS
Pacers: Buddy Hield, who came into the game second in the league with 69 3-pointers, was 1 of 9 beyond the arc and finished with 10 points.
Clippers: Morris scored 13 points while John Wall and Moses Brown added 10 apiece off the bench.
&nbsp;

Ivica Zubac scored 31 points and pulled down 29 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Indiana Pacers 114-100.

Zubac scores 31, pulls down 29 boards; Clippers beat Pacers

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Steph Curry had 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, Jordan Poole pitched in 24 points off the bench and the Golden State Warriors used a 47-point first quarter to spark a 137-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
Klay Thompson went 5 for 8 from deep for 21 points and tied Joe Johnson (1,978) for 15th place on the NBA's career list for 3-pointers made for the Warriors, who raised their perplexing road record to 2-9. They’ve won five of their last six games overall and eight of 11.
Draymond Green had his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 assists. Andrew Wiggins scored 17 points against his old team for the Warriors, who went 2 for 12 from 3-point range in the second quarter and still led by 20 points at the half. 
Anthony Edwards scored 26 points for the Wolves, who were outrebounded 47-31 and allowed their highest opponent score of the season.
After the third quarter turned into casual outside shooting practice for both teams, the Wolves finally came to life early in the fourth quarter. A 19-4 run capped by a 3-pointer from Edwards brought them within 10 points, their closest margin since midway through the first quarter.
Curry missed his first three shots after re-entering at the 8:25 mark. After the Warriors called timeout to stem the tide he swished a 3 from the wing to push the lead to 121-108.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and Jaylen Nowell had 16 points off the bench for the Wolves, who are working through a lot of bad habits on both ends of the court — like standing around on the perimeter on offense. That trait is made more stark playing against an actively passing and cutting team like the Warriors.
The Wolves lost for the second time in two days after their five-game winning streak was stopped with a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlotte-hornets-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-sports-kelly-oubre-ba766894dc4436f1880511700bae8c96">loss at Charlotte</a> on Saturday.
The Wolves and Warriors have plenty of runway to get rolling on after their sluggish starts to the season. This game made clear the defending NBA champion Warriors are <a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-clippers-utah-jazz-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-4225ed0c292d082278727454e44074c0">further along</a>.
The Wolves played without Jaden McDaniels, their best perimeter defender who was sidelined by an illness, against a Warriors team that leads the league with 13 games of 30-plus assists and has long been the league king of the 3.
Wiggins started with a <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1596970716179464192">soaring left-handed slam</a> off a lob from Green, a signal just 12 seconds into the game that the Wolves were going to have their hands full. The Warriors made 17 of their first 21 shots for a 40-17 lead, built by a 28-4 run over a 4:27 stretch that Nowell finally halted with his first of consecutive 3-pointers off the bench. The 47-27 deficit after one quarter was the biggest for the Wolves this season.
The Warriors also ended a six-game losing streak in Minnesota that spanned more than 3½ years. Their last win at Target Center was on March 19, 2019.
BODY CLOCK
The Timberwolves played their first of four home afternoon games this season, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr sounded wistful for his playing days when more matinees were on the schedule and the NBA on NBC theme song was the main soundtrack.
“It makes for a more normal existence. You have dinner at a normal hour, get to bed at a normal hour, so I enjoy them,” Kerr said.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State posted the second-highest first-quarter total in the NBA this season, according to Sportradar data. New York had 48 points in a loss to Oklahoma City on Nov. 13. ... The Warriors had a 36-22 edge in assists and have 30 or more in seven of their last eight games.
Timberwolves: Austin Rivers drew his first start of the season in McDaniels' spot. He had five points in 29 minutes. ... Backup PG Jordan McLaughlin (calf strain) was sidelined for the third straight game and backup SF Taurean Prince (shoulder subluxation) was out for the second game in a row.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Play at Dallas on Tuesday.
Timberwolves: Play at Washington on Monday.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Steph Curry had 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, Jordan Poole pitched in 24 points off the bench and the Golden State Warriors used a 47-point first quarter to spark a 137-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
Klay Thompson went 5 for 8 from deep for 21 points and tied Joe Johnson (1,978) for 15th place on the NBA's career list for 3-pointers made for the Warriors, who raised their perplexing road record to 2-9. They&rsquo;ve won five of their last six games overall and eight of 11.
Draymond Green had his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 assists. Andrew Wiggins scored 17 points against his old team for the Warriors, who went 2 for 12 from 3-point range in the second quarter and still led by 20 points at the half.
Anthony Edwards scored 26 points for the Wolves, who were outrebounded 47-31 and allowed their highest opponent score of the season.
After the third quarter turned into casual outside shooting practice for both teams, the Wolves finally came to life early in the fourth quarter. A 19-4 run capped by a 3-pointer from Edwards brought them within 10 points, their closest margin since midway through the first quarter.
Curry missed his first three shots after re-entering at the 8:25 mark. After the Warriors called timeout to stem the tide he swished a 3 from the wing to push the lead to 121-108.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and Jaylen Nowell had 16 points off the bench for the Wolves, who are working through a lot of bad habits on both ends of the court &mdash; like standing around on the perimeter on offense. That trait is made more stark playing against an actively passing and cutting team like the Warriors.
The Wolves lost for the second time in two days after their five-game winning streak was stopped with a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlotte-hornets-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-sports-kelly-oubre-ba766894dc4436f1880511700bae8c96">loss at Charlotte</a> on Saturday.
The Wolves and Warriors have plenty of runway to get rolling on after their sluggish starts to the season. This game made clear the defending NBA champion Warriors are further along.
The Wolves played without Jaden McDaniels, their best perimeter defender who was sidelined by an illness, against a Warriors team that leads the league with 13 games of 30-plus assists and has long been the league king of the 3.
Wiggins started with a <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1596970716179464192">soaring left-handed slam</a> off a lob from Green, a signal just 12 seconds into the game that the Wolves were going to have their hands full. The Warriors made 17 of their first 21 shots for a 40-17 lead, built by a 28-4 run over a 4:27 stretch that Nowell finally halted with his first of consecutive 3-pointers off the bench. The 47-27 deficit after one quarter was the biggest for the Wolves this season.
The Warriors also ended a six-game losing streak in Minnesota that spanned more than 3&frac12; years. Their last win at Target Center was on March 19, 2019.
BODY CLOCK
The Timberwolves played their first of four home afternoon games this season, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr sounded wistful for his playing days when more matinees were on the schedule and the NBA on NBC theme song was the main soundtrack.
&ldquo;It makes for a more normal existence. You have dinner at a normal hour, get to bed at a normal hour, so I enjoy them,&rdquo; Kerr said.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State posted the second-highest first-quarter total in the NBA this season, according to Sportradar data. New York had 48 points in a loss to Oklahoma City on Nov. 13. ... The Warriors had a 36-22 edge in assists and have 30 or more in seven of their last eight games.
Timberwolves: Austin Rivers drew his first start of the season in McDaniels' spot. He had five points in 29 minutes. ... Backup PG Jordan McLaughlin (calf strain) was sidelined for the third straight game and backup SF Taurean Prince (shoulder subluxation) was out for the second game in a row.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Play at Dallas on Tuesday.
Timberwolves: Play at Washington on Monday.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Steph Curry had 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, Jordan Poole pitched in 24 points off the bench and the Golden State Warriors used a 47-point first quarter to spark a 137-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
Klay Thompson went 5 for 8 from deep for 21 points and tied Joe Johnson (1,978) for 15th place on the NBA's career list for 3-pointers made for the Warriors, who raised their perplexing road record to 2-9. They&rsquo;ve won five of their last six games overall and eight of 11.
Draymond Green had his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 assists. Andrew Wiggins scored 17 points against his old team for the Warriors, who went 2 for 12 from 3-point range in the second quarter and still led by 20 points at the half.
Anthony Edwards scored 26 points for the Wolves, who were outrebounded 47-31 and allowed their highest opponent score of the season.
After the third quarter turned into casual outside shooting practice for both teams, the Wolves finally came to life early in the fourth quarter. A 19-4 run capped by a 3-pointer from Edwards brought them within 10 points, their closest margin since midway through the first quarter.
Curry missed his first three shots after re-entering at the 8:25 mark. After the Warriors called timeout to stem the tide he swished a 3 from the wing to push the lead to 121-108.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and Jaylen Nowell had 16 points off the bench for the Wolves, who are working through a lot of bad habits on both ends of the court &mdash; like standing around on the perimeter on offense. That trait is made more stark playing against an actively passing and cutting team like the Warriors.
The Wolves lost for the second time in two days after their five-game winning streak was stopped with a loss at Charlotte on Saturday.
The Wolves and Warriors have plenty of runway to get rolling on after their sluggish starts to the season. This game made clear the defending NBA champion Warriors are further along.
The Wolves played without Jaden McDaniels, their best perimeter defender who was sidelined by an illness, against a Warriors team that leads the league with 13 games of 30-plus assists and has long been the league king of the 3.
Wiggins started with a <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1596970716179464192">soaring left-handed slam</a> off a lob from Green, a signal just 12 seconds into the game that the Wolves were going to have their hands full. The Warriors made 17 of their first 21 shots for a 40-17 lead, built by a 28-4 run over a 4:27 stretch that Nowell finally halted with his first of consecutive 3-pointers off the bench. The 47-27 deficit after one quarter was the biggest for the Wolves this season.
The Warriors also ended a six-game losing streak in Minnesota that spanned more than 3&frac12; years. Their last win at Target Center was on March 19, 2019.
BODY CLOCK
The Timberwolves played their first of four home afternoon games this season, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr sounded wistful for his playing days when more matinees were on the schedule and the NBA on NBC theme song was the main soundtrack.
&ldquo;It makes for a more normal existence. You have dinner at a normal hour, get to bed at a normal hour, so I enjoy them,&rdquo; Kerr said.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State posted the second-highest first-quarter total in the NBA this season, according to Sportradar data. New York had 48 points in a loss to Oklahoma City on Nov. 13. ... The Warriors had a 36-22 edge in assists and have 30 or more in seven of their last eight games.
Timberwolves: Austin Rivers drew his first start of the season in McDaniels' spot. He had five points in 29 minutes. ... Backup PG Jordan McLaughlin (calf strain) was sidelined for the third straight game and backup SF Taurean Prince (shoulder subluxation) was out for the second game in a row.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Play at Dallas on Tuesday.
Timberwolves: Play at Washington on Monday.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Steph Curry had 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, Jordan Poole pitched in 24 points off the bench and the Golden State Warriors used a 47-point first quarter to spark a 137-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
Klay Thompson went 5 for 8 from deep for 21 points and tied Joe Johnson (1,978) for 15th place on the NBA's career list for 3-pointers made for the Warriors, who raised their perplexing road record to 2-9. They&rsquo;ve won five of their last six games overall and eight of 11.
Draymond Green had his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 assists. Andrew Wiggins scored 17 points against his old team for the Warriors, who went 2 for 12 from 3-point range in the second quarter and still led by 20 points at the half.
Anthony Edwards scored 26 points for the Wolves, who were outrebounded 47-31 and allowed their highest opponent score of the season.
After the third quarter turned into casual outside shooting practice for both teams, the Wolves finally came to life early in the fourth quarter. A 19-4 run capped by a 3-pointer from Edwards brought them within 10 points, their closest margin since midway through the first quarter.
Curry missed his first three shots after re-entering at the 8:25 mark. After the Warriors called timeout to stem the tide he swished a 3 from the wing to push the lead to 121-108.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and Jaylen Nowell had 16 points off the bench for the Wolves, who are working through a lot of bad habits on both ends of the court &mdash; like standing around on the perimeter on offense. That trait is made more stark playing against an actively passing and cutting team like the Warriors.
The Wolves lost for the second time in two days after their five-game winning streak was stopped with a loss at Charlotte on Saturday.
The Wolves and Warriors have plenty of runway to get rolling on after their sluggish starts to the season. This game made clear the defending NBA champion Warriors are further along.
The Wolves played without Jaden McDaniels, their best perimeter defender who was sidelined by an illness, against a Warriors team that leads the league with 13 games of 30-plus assists and has long been the league king of the 3.
Wiggins started with a <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1596970716179464192">soaring left-handed slam</a> off a lob from Green, a signal just 12 seconds into the game that the Wolves were going to have their hands full. The Warriors made 17 of their first 21 shots for a 40-17 lead, built by a 28-4 run over a 4:27 stretch that Nowell finally halted with his first of consecutive 3-pointers off the bench. The 47-27 deficit after one quarter was the biggest for the Wolves this season.
The Warriors also ended a six-game losing streak in Minnesota that spanned more than 3&frac12; years. Their last win at Target Center was on March 19, 2019.
BODY CLOCK
The Timberwolves played their first of four home afternoon games this season, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr sounded wistful for his playing days when more matinees were on the schedule and the NBA on NBC theme song was the main soundtrack.
&ldquo;It makes for a more normal existence. You have dinner at a normal hour, get to bed at a normal hour, so I enjoy them,&rdquo; Kerr said.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State posted the second-highest first-quarter total in the NBA this season, according to Sportradar data. New York had 48 points in a loss to Oklahoma City on Nov. 13. ... The Warriors had a 36-22 edge in assists and have 30 or more in seven of their last eight games.
Timberwolves: Austin Rivers drew his first start of the season in McDaniels' spot. He had five points in 29 minutes. ... Backup PG Jordan McLaughlin (calf strain) was sidelined for the third straight game and backup SF Taurean Prince (shoulder subluxation) was out for the second game in a row.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Play at Dallas on Tuesday.
Timberwolves: Play at Washington on Monday.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Steph Curry had 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, Jordan Poole pitched in 24 points off the bench and the Golden State Warriors used a 47-point first quarter to spark a 137-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
Klay Thompson went 5 for 8 from deep for 21 points and tied Joe Johnson (1,978) for 15th place on the NBA's career list for 3-pointers made for the Warriors, who raised their perplexing road record to 2-9. They&rsquo;ve won five of their last six games overall and eight of 11.
Draymond Green had his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 assists. Andrew Wiggins scored 17 points against his old team for the Warriors, who went 2 for 12 from 3-point range in the second quarter and still led by 20 points at the half.
Anthony Edwards scored 26 points for the Wolves, who were outrebounded 47-31 and allowed their highest opponent score of the season.
After the third quarter turned into casual outside shooting practice for both teams, the Wolves finally came to life early in the fourth quarter. A 19-4 run capped by a 3-pointer from Edwards brought them within 10 points, their closest margin since midway through the first quarter.
Curry missed his first three shots after re-entering at the 8:25 mark. After the Warriors called timeout to stem the tide he swished a 3 from the wing to push the lead to 121-108.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and Jaylen Nowell had 16 points off the bench for the Wolves, who are working through a lot of bad habits on both ends of the court &mdash; like standing around on the perimeter on offense. That trait is made more stark playing against an actively passing and cutting team like the Warriors.
The Wolves lost for the second time in two days after their five-game winning streak was stopped with a loss at Charlotte on Saturday.
The Wolves and Warriors have plenty of runway to get rolling on after their sluggish starts to the season. This game made clear the defending NBA champion Warriors are further along.
The Wolves played without Jaden McDaniels, their best perimeter defender who was sidelined by an illness, against a Warriors team that leads the league with 13 games of 30-plus assists and has long been the league king of the 3.
Wiggins started with a <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1596970716179464192">soaring left-handed slam</a> off a lob from Green, a signal just 12 seconds into the game that the Wolves were going to have their hands full. The Warriors made 17 of their first 21 shots for a 40-17 lead, built by a 28-4 run over a 4:27 stretch that Nowell finally halted with his first of consecutive 3-pointers off the bench. The 47-27 deficit after one quarter was the biggest for the Wolves this season.
The Warriors also ended a six-game losing streak in Minnesota that spanned more than 3&frac12; years. Their last win at Target Center was on March 19, 2019.
BODY CLOCK
The Timberwolves played their first of four home afternoon games this season, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr sounded wistful for his playing days when more matinees were on the schedule and the NBA on NBC theme song was the main soundtrack.
&ldquo;It makes for a more normal existence. You have dinner at a normal hour, get to bed at a normal hour, so I enjoy them,&rdquo; Kerr said.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State posted the second-highest first-quarter total in the NBA this season, according to Sportradar data. New York had 48 points in a loss to Oklahoma City on Nov. 13. ... The Warriors had a 36-22 edge in assists and have 30 or more in seven of their last eight games.
Timberwolves: Austin Rivers drew his first start of the season in McDaniels' spot. He had five points in 29 minutes. ... Backup PG Jordan McLaughlin (calf strain) was sidelined for the third straight game and backup SF Taurean Prince (shoulder subluxation) was out for the second game in a row.

Steph Curry had 25 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 137-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Steph Curry, Warriors cruise to 137-114 win over Timberwolves

NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Seth Curry added a season-high 29 off the bench and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 111-94 on Sunday.
Curry was 7 for 10 on 3-pointers and had his highest point total with the Nets and the most by a Brooklyn reserve this season.
“I've always felt like if I get good shots I'm going to make them at a high clip,” Curry said. “Our offense was flowing pretty well. Guys found me open early on to start the game and I felt pretty good, aggressive.” 
Kyrie Irving added 22 points for the Nets. Ben Simmons took just three shots but had 12 rebounds and eight assists.
“Ben did a great job of getting downhill,” Curry said. “He's a great passer (and) he knows how to find me out there on the floor.”
Jerami Grant scored 29 points for Portland. Jusuf Nurkic had 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Anfernee Simons added 15 points and Justice Winslow had 14.
The Nets have won four of their last six games, while the Trail Blazers, who are playing without Damian Lillard, have dropped five of six.
“Tough little stretch that we're in right now,” Portland coach Chauncey Billups said. “It is what it is. Every team goes through it.” 
Brooklyn made 52.6% of its shots from the field overall, and 42.9% from 3-point range, in the second matchup between the teams in 10 days.
“It's a make-or-miss league,” Durant said. “It's about baskets.”
With the Nets leading by four entering the fourth, Curry scored Brooklyn’s first eight points of the quarter. Royce O’Neale's free throw gave the Nets a 93-87 lead and following a Portland turnover, Curry made a 3 that extended the advantage to nine.
Nurkic sandwiched a hook shot and free throw around two free throws by Irving to cut Brooklyn’s lead to 98-90. However, after a timeout, Durant hit a 3 to push the lead to 101-90.
Brooklyn led 58-57 at halftime, and 84-80 after the third quarter.
TIP-INS:
Trail Blazers: After going 27-55 last season, the Blazers are 11-8 and are looking for more. “Our core has been pretty healthy,” Billups said before the game. “We’ve given ourselves a chance to win most of our games just by how hard we play and us playing together.”
Nets: The matinee was the beginning of a season-high, seven-game homestand, and coach Jacque Vaughn is hoping that the Nets could use it to become a better, more focused team. “The value of each possession,” Vaughn said, when asked why the Nets appear to be intermittently connected over the course of games. “Sometimes we take that for granted (because) we can score and maybe make up the deficit. But we come out (the other night) and give up three straight 3s just because the concentration wasn’t there.”
UP NEXT:
Trail Blazers: Host the Clippers Tuesday.
Nets: Host Orlando on Monday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Seth Curry added a season-high 29 off the bench and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 111-94 on Sunday.
Curry was 7 for 10 on 3-pointers and had his highest point total with the Nets and the most by a Brooklyn reserve this season.
&ldquo;I've always felt like if I get good shots I'm going to make them at a high clip,&rdquo; Curry said. &ldquo;Our offense was flowing pretty well. Guys found me open early on to start the game and I felt pretty good, aggressive.&rdquo;
Kyrie Irving added 22 points for the Nets. Ben Simmons took just three shots but had 12 rebounds and eight assists.
&ldquo;Ben did a great job of getting downhill,&rdquo; Curry said. &ldquo;He's a great passer (and) he knows how to find me out there on the floor.&rdquo;
Jerami Grant scored 29 points for Portland. Jusuf Nurkic had 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Anfernee Simons added 15 points and Justice Winslow had 14.
The Nets have won four of their last six games, while the Trail Blazers, who are playing without Damian Lillard, have dropped five of six.
&ldquo;Tough little stretch that we're in right now,&rdquo; Portland coach Chauncey Billups said. &ldquo;It is what it is. Every team goes through it.&rdquo;
Brooklyn made 52.6% of its shots from the field overall, and 42.9% from 3-point range, in the second matchup between the teams in 10 days.
&ldquo;It's a make-or-miss league,&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;It's about baskets.&rdquo;
With the Nets leading by four entering the fourth, Curry scored Brooklyn&rsquo;s first eight points of the quarter. Royce O&rsquo;Neale's free throw gave the Nets a 93-87 lead and following a Portland turnover, Curry made a 3 that extended the advantage to nine.
Nurkic sandwiched a hook shot and free throw around two free throws by Irving to cut Brooklyn&rsquo;s lead to 98-90. However, after a timeout, Durant hit a 3 to push the lead to 101-90.
Brooklyn led 58-57 at halftime, and 84-80 after the third quarter.
TIP-INS:
Trail Blazers: After going 27-55 last season, the Blazers are 11-8 and are looking for more. &ldquo;Our core has been pretty healthy,&rdquo; Billups said before the game. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve given ourselves a chance to win most of our games just by how hard we play and us playing together.&rdquo;
Nets: The matinee was the beginning of a season-high, seven-game homestand, and coach Jacque Vaughn is hoping that the Nets could use it to become a better, more focused team. &ldquo;The value of each possession,&rdquo; Vaughn said, when asked why the Nets appear to be intermittently connected over the course of games. &ldquo;Sometimes we take that for granted (because) we can score and maybe make up the deficit. But we come out (the other night) and give up three straight 3s just because the concentration wasn&rsquo;t there.&rdquo;
UP NEXT:
Trail Blazers: Host the Clippers Tuesday.
Nets: Host Orlando on Monday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Seth Curry added a season-high 29 off the bench and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 111-94 on Sunday.
Curry was 7 for 10 on 3-pointers and had his highest point total with the Nets and the most by a Brooklyn reserve this season.
&ldquo;I've always felt like if I get good shots I'm going to make them at a high clip,&rdquo; Curry said. &ldquo;Our offense was flowing pretty well. Guys found me open early on to start the game and I felt pretty good, aggressive.&rdquo;
Kyrie Irving added 22 points for the Nets. Ben Simmons took just three shots but had 12 rebounds and eight assists.
&ldquo;Ben did a great job of getting downhill,&rdquo; Curry said. &ldquo;He's a great passer (and) he knows how to find me out there on the floor.&rdquo;
Jerami Grant scored 29 points for Portland. Jusuf Nurkic had 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Anfernee Simons added 15 points and Justice Winslow had 14.
The Nets have won four of their last six games, while the Trail Blazers, who are playing without Damian Lillard, have dropped five of six.
&ldquo;Tough little stretch that we're in right now,&rdquo; Portland coach Chauncey Billups said. &ldquo;It is what it is. Every team goes through it.&rdquo;
Brooklyn made 52.6% of its shots from the field overall, and 42.9% from 3-point range, in the second matchup between the teams in 10 days.
&ldquo;It's a make-or-miss league,&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;It's about baskets.&rdquo;
With the Nets leading by four entering the fourth, Curry scored Brooklyn&rsquo;s first eight points of the quarter. Royce O&rsquo;Neale's free throw gave the Nets a 93-87 lead and following a Portland turnover, Curry made a 3 that extended the advantage to nine.
Nurkic sandwiched a hook shot and free throw around two free throws by Irving to cut Brooklyn&rsquo;s lead to 98-90. However, after a timeout, Durant hit a 3 to push the lead to 101-90.
Brooklyn led 58-57 at halftime, and 84-80 after the third quarter.
TIP-INS:
Trail Blazers: After going 27-55 last season, the Blazers are 11-8 and are looking for more. &ldquo;Our core has been pretty healthy,&rdquo; Billups said before the game. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve given ourselves a chance to win most of our games just by how hard we play and us playing together.&rdquo;
Nets: The matinee was the beginning of a season-high, seven-game homestand, and coach Jacque Vaughn is hoping that the Nets could use it to become a better, more focused team. &ldquo;The value of each possession,&rdquo; Vaughn said, when asked why the Nets appear to be intermittently connected over the course of games. &ldquo;Sometimes we take that for granted (because) we can score and maybe make up the deficit. But we come out (the other night) and give up three straight 3s just because the concentration wasn&rsquo;t there.&rdquo;
UP NEXT:
Trail Blazers: Host the Clippers Tuesday.
Nets: Host Orlando on Monday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Seth Curry added a season-high 29 off the bench and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 111-94 on Sunday.
Curry was 7 for 10 on 3-pointers and had his highest point total with the Nets and the most by a Brooklyn reserve this season.
&ldquo;I've always felt like if I get good shots I'm going to make them at a high clip,&rdquo; Curry said. &ldquo;Our offense was flowing pretty well. Guys found me open early on to start the game and I felt pretty good, aggressive.&rdquo;
Kyrie Irving added 22 points for the Nets. Ben Simmons took just three shots but had 12 rebounds and eight assists.
&ldquo;Ben did a great job of getting downhill,&rdquo; Curry said. &ldquo;He's a great passer (and) he knows how to find me out there on the floor.&rdquo;
Jerami Grant scored 29 points for Portland. Jusuf Nurkic had 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Anfernee Simons added 15 points and Justice Winslow had 14.
The Nets have won four of their last six games, while the Trail Blazers, who are playing without Damian Lillard, have dropped five of six.
&ldquo;Tough little stretch that we're in right now,&rdquo; Portland coach Chauncey Billups said. &ldquo;It is what it is. Every team goes through it.&rdquo;
Brooklyn made 52.6% of its shots from the field overall, and 42.9% from 3-point range, in the second matchup between the teams in 10 days.
&ldquo;It's a make-or-miss league,&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;It's about baskets.&rdquo;
With the Nets leading by four entering the fourth, Curry scored Brooklyn&rsquo;s first eight points of the quarter. Royce O&rsquo;Neale's free throw gave the Nets a 93-87 lead and following a Portland turnover, Curry made a 3 that extended the advantage to nine.
Nurkic sandwiched a hook shot and free throw around two free throws by Irving to cut Brooklyn&rsquo;s lead to 98-90. However, after a timeout, Durant hit a 3 to push the lead to 101-90.
Brooklyn led 58-57 at halftime, and 84-80 after the third quarter.
TIP-INS:
Trail Blazers: After going 27-55 last season, the Blazers are 11-8 and are looking for more. &ldquo;Our core has been pretty healthy,&rdquo; Billups said before the game. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve given ourselves a chance to win most of our games just by how hard we play and us playing together.&rdquo;
Nets: The matinee was the beginning of a season-high, seven-game homestand, and coach Jacque Vaughn is hoping that the Nets could use it to become a better, more focused team. &ldquo;The value of each possession,&rdquo; Vaughn said, when asked why the Nets appear to be intermittently connected over the course of games. &ldquo;Sometimes we take that for granted (because) we can score and maybe make up the deficit. But we come out (the other night) and give up three straight 3s just because the concentration wasn&rsquo;t there.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Seth Curry added 29 off the bench and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 111-94.

Kevin Durant, Seth Curry help Nets pull away, beat Blazers 111-94

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — LeBron James picked the perfect time for his best offensive output of the season.
James scored a season-high 39 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers escaped with a 143-138 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night. 
“We gave up a ton in transition, we turned the ball over, couldn’t get a defensive rebound at times,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “But again, when you’re able to score the ball, it covers up for a lot of mistakes.”
San Antonio has lost eight straight, tied for the fourth-longest skid in franchise history.
James matched a career high with seven 3-pointers. He finished 11 for 21 from the field, including a booming one-handed dunk on a lob from Russell Westbrook with a minute remaining in the first half.
While James was playing in his second game following a five-game absence, Los Angeles center Anthony Davis sat out with a bruised left calf he sustained in Friday’s victory over San Antonio.
“We still honed in and do what we do best,” former Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV said. “And LeBron took us home, he took us to victory." 
The Lakers (7-12) have defeated the Spurs three times in a seven-game span.
Dennis Schroder had 21 points and six assists for Los Angeles. Walker had 19 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter to help seal the Lakers’ fifth victory in six games.
Los Angeles opened the season losing its first five games.
“It’s just a sense of you’re not really sure of each other, we don’t know each other,” James said of the start. “But over the last couple of weeks, we continue to learn one another, we continue to play some good ball, share ball.”
Keldon Johnson had 26 points and 10 rebounds for San Antonio. Tre Jones added 23 points and 13 assists, and Devin Vassell had 19 points.
After trailing the entirety of Friday’s loss, San Antonio scored the game’s first points on a short jumper by Jakob Poeltl. It was the Spurs’ first lead since Nov. 20 against the Lakers.
“They have got great character,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “I thought they were fantastic. I am proud of them. They just keep playing. It doesn’t matter what the score is, or who is there or who is not there, they are unbelievably coachable and they are trying very hard to do what we want them to do. I was just thrilled and proud of them tonight."
After shooting 6 for 33 on 3-pointers in Friday’s loss, the Spurs had a season-high 18 3-pointers. San Antonio was 8 for 15 on 3s in the first half and 18 for 37 overall.
The momentum stalled when the Spurs lost two starters to right quadriceps injuries in the second quarter.
Poeltl had 12 points and nine rebounds in 10 minutes before exiting the game with 7:59 left in the first half. Poeltl felt soreness after landing awkwardly on a dunk. 
San Antonio then lost rookie forward Jeremy Sochan with 4:54 remaining in the first half. Sochan took a knee to his right thigh when his layup attempt was blocked by Thomas Bryant.
The Spurs also lost reserve center Zach Collins to an ejection for a flagrant foul on Westbrook with two minutes left in the third quarter.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Westbrook suffered a deep cut at his hairline after taking a right elbow from Collins. After rebounding his own missed layup, Westbrook faked a follow and Collins leapt and came crashing down on him. Westbrook began bleeding profusely immediately but quickly rose from the court to confront Collins. Westbrook was issued a technical foul but Collins was ejected after video review. … G Patrick Beverley served the second game of a three-game suspension for forcefully shoving Phoenix center Deandre Ayton from behind in Tuesday’s loss. 
Spurs: San Antonio’s longest losing streak is 13 straight in 1989 followed by 10 straight in 1987 and nine straight in 1989. The Spurs have lost eight straight in five other seasons, including 2020 and 1989. San Antonio finished 21-61 in 1989, the final season of David Robinson’s two-year commitment to the Navy before joining the Spurs. … G Josh Richardson missed his third straight game with a sprained right ankle.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Host Indiana on Monday. 
Spurs: At Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; LeBron James picked the perfect time for his best offensive output of the season.
James scored a season-high 39 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers escaped with a 143-138 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.
&ldquo;We gave up a ton in transition, we turned the ball over, couldn&rsquo;t get a defensive rebound at times,&rdquo; Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. &ldquo;But again, when you&rsquo;re able to score the ball, it covers up for a lot of mistakes.&rdquo;
San Antonio has lost eight straight, tied for the fourth-longest skid in franchise history.
James matched a career high with seven 3-pointers. He finished 11 for 21 from the field, including a booming one-handed dunk on a lob from Russell Westbrook with a minute remaining in the first half.
While James was playing in his second game following a five-game absence, Los Angeles center Anthony Davis sat out with a bruised left calf he sustained in Friday&rsquo;s victory over San Antonio.
&ldquo;We still honed in and do what we do best,&rdquo; former Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV said. &ldquo;And LeBron took us home, he took us to victory."
The Lakers (7-12) have defeated the Spurs three times in a seven-game span.
Dennis Schroder had 21 points and six assists for Los Angeles. Walker had 19 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter to help seal the Lakers&rsquo; fifth victory in six games.
Los Angeles opened the season losing its first five games.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just a sense of you&rsquo;re not really sure of each other, we don&rsquo;t know each other,&rdquo; James said of the start. &ldquo;But over the last couple of weeks, we continue to learn one another, we continue to play some good ball, share ball.&rdquo;
Keldon Johnson had 26 points and 10 rebounds for San Antonio. Tre Jones added 23 points and 13 assists, and Devin Vassell had 19 points.
After trailing the entirety of Friday&rsquo;s loss, San Antonio scored the game&rsquo;s first points on a short jumper by Jakob Poeltl. It was the Spurs&rsquo; first lead since Nov. 20 against the Lakers.
&ldquo;They have got great character,&rdquo; San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. &ldquo;I thought they were fantastic. I am proud of them. They just keep playing. It doesn&rsquo;t matter what the score is, or who is there or who is not there, they are unbelievably coachable and they are trying very hard to do what we want them to do. I was just thrilled and proud of them tonight."
After shooting 6 for 33 on 3-pointers in Friday&rsquo;s loss, the Spurs had a season-high 18 3-pointers. San Antonio was 8 for 15 on 3s in the first half and 18 for 37 overall.
The momentum stalled when the Spurs lost two starters to right quadriceps injuries in the second quarter.
Poeltl had 12 points and nine rebounds in 10 minutes before exiting the game with 7:59 left in the first half. Poeltl felt soreness after landing awkwardly on a dunk.
San Antonio then lost rookie forward Jeremy Sochan with 4:54 remaining in the first half. Sochan took a knee to his right thigh when his layup attempt was blocked by Thomas Bryant.
The Spurs also lost reserve center Zach Collins to an ejection for a flagrant foul on Westbrook with two minutes left in the third quarter.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Westbrook suffered a deep cut at his hairline after taking a right elbow from Collins. After rebounding his own missed layup, Westbrook faked a follow and Collins leapt and came crashing down on him. Westbrook began bleeding profusely immediately but quickly rose from the court to confront Collins. Westbrook was issued a technical foul but Collins was ejected after video review. &hellip; G Patrick Beverley served the second game of a three-game suspension for forcefully shoving Phoenix center Deandre Ayton from behind in Tuesday&rsquo;s loss.
Spurs: San Antonio&rsquo;s longest losing streak is 13 straight in 1989 followed by 10 straight in 1987 and nine straight in 1989. The Spurs have lost eight straight in five other seasons, including 2020 and 1989. San Antonio finished 21-61 in 1989, the final season of David Robinson&rsquo;s two-year commitment to the Navy before joining the Spurs. &hellip; G Josh Richardson missed his third straight game with a sprained right ankle.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Host Indiana on Monday.
Spurs: At Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

LeBron James scored a season-high 39 points as the Lakers escaped with a 143-138 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.

LeBron James' season-high 39 points lead Lakers by Spurs, 143-138

HOUSTON (AP) — Jalen Green had 28 points and a career-high nine assists, Alperen Sengun added 21 points, a career-best 18 rebounds and seven assists, and the Houston Rockets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-105 on Saturday night. 
Rookie Jabari Smith Jr. had his third double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Rockets, who have won back-to-back games for the first time since beating Portland last March 25-26. 
Smith is the 12th player 19 years old or younger to have at least three double-doubles within his first 18 games. Smith recorded his 100th career defensive rebound in the first quarter as well. 
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 13 of the Thunder’s first 22 points of the game and has scored 30 or more in four straight games. 
Josh Giddey chipped in 18 points and Jalen Williams scored 11 for the Thunder, who have dropped four of five.
After missing Friday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks, Eric Gordon and Sengun returned to the starting lineup and had an immediate impact for Houston. 
Sengun scored seven points in the first quarter before Gordon made a 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left for a 23-22 lead. Gordon finished with 15 points and was 4 of 6 on 3s. 
Houston then hit 7 of 11 (63.6%) from behind the arc in the second quarter and outscored Oklahoma City 42-22 en route to its biggest lead of the season, going up 65-44 at the half. 
The Rockets finished the first half shooting 11 of 19 (57.9%) from 3 and 18 of 36 (50%) for the game.
All five starters for the Rockets finished in double digits in scoring. Kevin Porter Jr. scored 16 points. 
TIP-INS
Thunder: Mike Muscala missed his third straight game with a broken left pinky … Oklahoma City started the game 1 of 8 from 3 and finished 9 of 37 (24.3%). 
Rockets: Gordon and Sengun both had been sidelined by right groin strains.… Ja’Sean Tate was out for the 12th straight game with a sore right ankle. 
UP NEXT 
Thunder: At New Orleans on Monday 
Rockets: At Denver on Monday

HOUSTON (AP) &mdash; Jalen Green had 28 points and a career-high nine assists, Alperen Sengun added 21 points, a career-best 18 rebounds and seven assists, and the Houston Rockets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-105 on Saturday night.
Rookie Jabari Smith Jr. had his third double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Rockets, who have won back-to-back games for the first time since beating Portland last March 25-26.
Smith is the 12th player 19 years old or younger to have at least three double-doubles within his first 18 games. Smith recorded his 100th career defensive rebound in the first quarter as well.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 13 of the Thunder&rsquo;s first 22 points of the game and has scored 30 or more in four straight games.
Josh Giddey chipped in 18 points and Jalen Williams scored 11 for the Thunder, who have dropped four of five.
After missing Friday&rsquo;s game against the Atlanta Hawks, Eric Gordon and Sengun returned to the starting lineup and had an immediate impact for Houston.
Sengun scored seven points in the first quarter before Gordon made a 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left for a 23-22 lead. Gordon finished with 15 points and was 4 of 6 on 3s.
Houston then hit 7 of 11 (63.6%) from behind the arc in the second quarter and outscored Oklahoma City 42-22 en route to its biggest lead of the season, going up 65-44 at the half.
The Rockets finished the first half shooting 11 of 19 (57.9%) from 3 and 18 of 36 (50%) for the game.
All five starters for the Rockets finished in double digits in scoring. Kevin Porter Jr. scored 16 points.
TIP-INS
Thunder: Mike Muscala missed his third straight game with a broken left pinky &hellip; Oklahoma City started the game 1 of 8 from 3 and finished 9 of 37 (24.3%).
Rockets: Gordon and Sengun both had been sidelined by right groin strains.&hellip; Ja&rsquo;Sean Tate was out for the 12th straight game with a sore right ankle.
UP NEXT
Thunder: At New Orleans on Monday
Rockets: At Denver on Monday

Jalen Green had 28 points and a career-high 9 assists, and the Rockets beat the Thunder 118-105 on Saturday night.

Green, Sengun, Smith lead Rockets past Thunder, 118-105

TORONTO (AP) — O.G. Anunoby scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, Fred VanVleet also had 26, and the Toronto Raptors beat Dallas 105-100 Saturday, snapping a four-game losing streak against the Mavericks.
Chris Boucher scored a season-high 22 points and had 13 rebounds as the Raptors improved to 7-2 at home.
Luka Doncic scored 24 points and Dorian Finney-Smith had 16 as the Mavericks lost their third straight. Dallas is 1-6 on the road, with a visit to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on tap Sunday.
“There’s no panic here,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “We’ve got to start continuing to be consistent on both sides of the ball.”
Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, shot 8 for 15, going 2 of 4 from 3-point range. He had nine assists and seven rebounds.
“He did what he was supposed to do,” Kidd said. “He had two on him. That just shows the maturity. He didn’t force anything, he just accepted the double team.”
Doncic said the Mavericks need to be more attack-minded when he’s being double-teamed.
“If they’re going to put two or three on the ball, we’ve just got to be aggressive," Doncic said, "get to the rim, dunk it, pass out and just keep trusting the shots.”
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 15 points for Dallas, Maxi Kleber had 11 and Christian Wood 10.
Anunoby played the entire second half, making 7 of 13 shots and scoring 20 points while also defending Doncic at the other end.
“I think he’s going to sleep well tonight,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said of Anunoby.
Kleber called Anunoby ”a threat on all levels.”
“He can shoot the ball from outside, he’s really great on post-ups, he’s physical,” Kleber said.
Dallas trailed 81-73 to begin the fourth quarter but Finney-Smith tied it 90-all on a 3-pointer with 3:48 left. Juancho Hernangomez scored to restore Toronto’s lead, and Anunoby made a pair at the line to make it 95-92 with 2:12 remaining.
Doncic scored with 26 seconds left to cut it to 101-100, but Thad Young answered with a pair of free throws. Dallas used its final timeout to draw up a play, but Finney-Smith turned the ball over and Anunoby was fouled, sealing it at the line.
VanVleet returned for Toronto after sitting out Wednesday’s loss to Brooklyn because of a non-COVID illness, but Scottie Barnes missed his second straight game because of a sprained left knee.
The banged-up Raptors were also without Pascal Siakam (straight right adductor), Precious Achiuwa (left ankle), Dalano Banton (left ankle), and Otto Porter Jr. (dislocated left toe).
Dallas led by as many as 15 in the opening quarter, scoring 11 points off six Toronto turnovers to lead 29-24 after one. The Raptors led 54-52 at halftime.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Kleber returned after missing the past four games because of a sore back.
Raptors: Boucher had six rebounds in the first quarter, one more than the entire Mavericks team. … Hernangomez matched his season high with 10 points. … Outscored Dallas 25-5 in second-chance points. … Had 17 offensive rebounds to Dallas’ four.
FINDING THEIR RANGE
Dallas shot 1 for 9 from 3-point range in the second quarter and went 1 for 7 in the third. The Mavericks finished 11 for 39.
“It’s about making 3s in today’s game,” Kidd said. “We’re able to get to the paint, we’re able to get to the rim and finish but right now we’re just not shooting the ball straight."
PICK ME UP
Doncic helped Anunoby to his feet with the ball in play after the two stars got tangled up during a second-half possession.
“I think he’s probably one of the nicest dudes in the league,” Doncic said. “He never talks trash, he never does anything. I tripped him, not on purpose, so that’s why I helped him up.”
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Visit Milwaukee on Sunday night.
Raptors: Host Cleveland on Monday night.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TORONTO (AP) &mdash; O.G. Anunoby scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, Fred VanVleet also had 26, and the Toronto Raptors beat Dallas 105-100 Saturday, snapping a four-game losing streak against the Mavericks.
Chris Boucher scored a season-high 22 points and had 13 rebounds as the Raptors improved to 7-2 at home.
Luka Doncic scored 24 points and Dorian Finney-Smith had 16 as the Mavericks lost their third straight. Dallas is 1-6 on the road, with a visit to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on tap Sunday.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no panic here,&rdquo; Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got to start continuing to be consistent on both sides of the ball.&rdquo;
Doncic, the NBA&rsquo;s leading scorer, shot 8 for 15, going 2 of 4 from 3-point range. He had nine assists and seven rebounds.
&ldquo;He did what he was supposed to do,&rdquo; Kidd said. &ldquo;He had two on him. That just shows the maturity. He didn&rsquo;t force anything, he just accepted the double team.&rdquo;
Doncic said the Mavericks need to be more attack-minded when he&rsquo;s being double-teamed.
&ldquo;If they&rsquo;re going to put two or three on the ball, we&rsquo;ve just got to be aggressive," Doncic said, "get to the rim, dunk it, pass out and just keep trusting the shots.&rdquo;
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 15 points for Dallas, Maxi Kleber had 11 and Christian Wood 10.
Anunoby played the entire second half, making 7 of 13 shots and scoring 20 points while also defending Doncic at the other end.
&ldquo;I think he&rsquo;s going to sleep well tonight,&rdquo; Raptors coach Nick Nurse said of Anunoby.
Kleber called Anunoby &rdquo;a threat on all levels.&rdquo;
&ldquo;He can shoot the ball from outside, he&rsquo;s really great on post-ups, he&rsquo;s physical,&rdquo; Kleber said.
Dallas trailed 81-73 to begin the fourth quarter but Finney-Smith tied it 90-all on a 3-pointer with 3:48 left. Juancho Hernangomez scored to restore Toronto&rsquo;s lead, and Anunoby made a pair at the line to make it 95-92 with 2:12 remaining.
Doncic scored with 26 seconds left to cut it to 101-100, but Thad Young answered with a pair of free throws. Dallas used its final timeout to draw up a play, but Finney-Smith turned the ball over and Anunoby was fouled, sealing it at the line.
VanVleet returned for Toronto after sitting out Wednesday&rsquo;s loss to Brooklyn because of a non-COVID illness, but Scottie Barnes missed his second straight game because of a sprained left knee.
The banged-up Raptors were also without Pascal Siakam (straight right adductor), Precious Achiuwa (left ankle), Dalano Banton (left ankle), and Otto Porter Jr. (dislocated left toe).
Dallas led by as many as 15 in the opening quarter, scoring 11 points off six Toronto turnovers to lead 29-24 after one. The Raptors led 54-52 at halftime.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Kleber returned after missing the past four games because of a sore back.
Raptors: Boucher had six rebounds in the first quarter, one more than the entire Mavericks team. &hellip; Hernangomez matched his season high with 10 points. &hellip; Outscored Dallas 25-5 in second-chance points. &hellip; Had 17 offensive rebounds to Dallas&rsquo; four.
FINDING THEIR RANGE
Dallas shot 1 for 9 from 3-point range in the second quarter and went 1 for 7 in the third. The Mavericks finished 11 for 39.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s about making 3s in today&rsquo;s game,&rdquo; Kidd said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re able to get to the paint, we&rsquo;re able to get to the rim and finish but right now we&rsquo;re just not shooting the ball straight."
PICK ME UP
Doncic helped Anunoby to his feet with the ball in play after the two stars got tangled up during a second-half possession.
&ldquo;I think he&rsquo;s probably one of the nicest dudes in the league,&rdquo; Doncic said. &ldquo;He never talks trash, he never does anything. I tripped him, not on purpose, so that&rsquo;s why I helped him up.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Visit Milwaukee on Sunday night.
Raptors: Host Cleveland on Monday night.

O.G. Anunoby scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, and the Raptors beat the Mavs 105-100 on Saturday.

Anunoby scores 12 of his 26 in 4th, Raptors top Mavs 105-100

PHOENIX (AP) — Deandre Ayton notched season highs with 29 points and 21 rebounds, Devin Booker added 27 points and the Phoenix Suns held on for a hard-fought 113-112 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.
The Jazz led 81-78 after three quarters, but the Suns pushed ahead 99-93 by midway through the fourth. The game remained tight through the final minutes, but Phoenix never lost the lead. On top of Ayton's scoring and rebounding, he also had a crucial steal in the final minutes that helped thwart a final Jazz rally.
Ayton grabbed his 21th rebound of the game on the final possession, securing Booker's miss off a 3-pointer to keep the Jazz from a final possession. 
Curiously, the Jazz didn't foul the Suns on their final possession, essentially allowing them to run out the clock.
Ayton scored a season high for the second straight night. He poured in 28 points against the Pistons in a 108-102 win on Friday. Booker had a tough night shooting, making just 8 of 27 shots.
Utah was one of the NBA’s surprise teams in the first few weeks of the season, starting with a 10-3 record. The Jazz are just 3-7 since that point. 
The Suns have an 11-1 record at home this season and have won four straight games.
Jordan Clarkson scored 22 points for the Jazz. Collin Sexton added 20 while Lauri Markkanen had 15 points and 10 rebounds.
The Jazz had a 54-51 lead at halftime. Clarkson led the Jazz with 12 points while Ayton had 11 points and seven rebounds. 
TIP-INS
Jazz: G Leandro Bolmaro (concussion), G Mike Conley (left knee) and F Rudy Gay (left hand) were not available. ... Three players scored in double figures off the bench. Malik Beasley had 14 points, Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 12 and Talen Horton-Tucker added 10.
Suns: G Landry Shamet returned after missing the previous seven games with a concussion. ... Booker shot just 3 of 13 from the field in the first half. ... Hosted a sellout crowd for the 38th consecutive game.
UP NEXT
Jazz: Host the Bulls on Monday.
Suns: At Sacramento on Monday.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Deandre Ayton notched season highs with 29 points and 21 rebounds, Devin Booker added 27 points and the Phoenix Suns held on for a hard-fought 113-112 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.
The Jazz led 81-78 after three quarters, but the Suns pushed ahead 99-93 by midway through the fourth. The game remained tight through the final minutes, but Phoenix never lost the lead. On top of Ayton's scoring and rebounding, he also had a crucial steal in the final minutes that helped thwart a final Jazz rally.
Ayton grabbed his 21th rebound of the game on the final possession, securing Booker's miss off a 3-pointer to keep the Jazz from a final possession.
Curiously, the Jazz didn't foul the Suns on their final possession, essentially allowing them to run out the clock.
Ayton scored a season high for the second straight night. He poured in 28 points against the Pistons in a 108-102 win on Friday. Booker had a tough night shooting, making just 8 of 27 shots.
Utah was one of the NBA&rsquo;s surprise teams in the first few weeks of the season, starting with a 10-3 record. The Jazz are just 3-7 since that point.
The Suns have an 11-1 record at home this season and have won four straight games.
Jordan Clarkson scored 22 points for the Jazz. Collin Sexton added 20 while Lauri Markkanen had 15 points and 10 rebounds.
The Jazz had a 54-51 lead at halftime. Clarkson led the Jazz with 12 points while Ayton had 11 points and seven rebounds.
TIP-INS
Jazz: G Leandro Bolmaro (concussion), G Mike Conley (left knee) and F Rudy Gay (left hand) were not available. ... Three players scored in double figures off the bench. Malik Beasley had 14 points, Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 12 and Talen Horton-Tucker added 10.
Suns: G Landry Shamet returned after missing the previous seven games with a concussion. ... Booker shot just 3 of 13 from the field in the first half. ... Hosted a sellout crowd for the 38th consecutive game.
UP NEXT
Jazz: Host the Bulls on Monday.
Suns: At Sacramento on Monday.

Deandre Ayton notched season highs with 29 points and 21 boards, and the Suns got a 113-112 win over the Jazz on Saturday.

Ayton has 29 points, 21 rebounds as Suns edge Jazz 113-112

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Denver coach Michael Malone knew when the schedule came out that his team was going to have to be successful again on the road if it was going to be contend in the Western Conference.
So far, the Nuggets are living up to Malone's goal of being road warriors.
Behind Aaron Gordon's 29 points and an additional 19 from Jamal Murray, the Nuggets beat the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers 114-104 on Friday night for their league-best eighth road win.
Denver has played 13 of its first 19 on the road and gone 8-5 after having a franchise-record 25 wins away from the friendly confines of Ball Arena last season.
“If you’re winning at that level on the road, you know you’re a good team. Our challenge now is to go home and take care of business,” Malone said after the Nuggets won their second straight and third in their last four games.
Nikola Jokic added 19 points, 13 rebounds and six assists for the Nuggets, who led by 21 at one point during the fourth quarter with a run of 10 straight points midway through the period.
John Wall had a season-high 23 points for the Clippers, who were down to 10 players with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Luke Kennard out due to injuries. Leonard missed his second straight game after he sprained his right ankle Monday night against Utah. George (right hamstring) missed his third straight game and Kennard (right calf) has been out the last four.
Terance Mann added 16 points and Marcus Morris Sr. had 15.
The Clippers had 11 turnovers in the first half, but only three in the final 24 minutes.
“We were being too casual with the basketball in the first half, but addressed that at halftime,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “In the second half we had our chances, and got it to seven. The margin of error is very slim so we got to take advantage of those opportunities. But I thought we did some good things and we've got some things we’ve got to clean up.”
Denver was down to 10 players in Wednesday’s win over Oklahoma City but was bolstered by the returns of Murray and Ish Smith to the lineup.
“It feels like we’re starting to put something together. So this is something to build on,” said Gordon, who scored 19 points in the second half.
The game was tied at 18 midway through the first quarter before the Nuggets scored nine straight points to lead the rest of the way.
Denver extended its advantage to 64-52 at halftime and led by 17 with 2 minutes remaining in the third after a pair of free throws by Vlatko Cancar made it 85-68. The Clippers made a late run to get it to 87-77
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr. (heel), Jeff Green (knee), Bones Hyland (illness) and Payton Watson (illness) did not play. ... Cancar had 13 points coming off the bench. ... Murray also had nine assists. ... Denver had a 21-4 advantage in second-chance points.
Clippers: Robert Covington had 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers and reached 1,200 for his career. ... Norman Powell had 11 points off the bench. ... Los Angeles was 19 of 34 on free throws, with the 55.9% rate being its second-lowest of the year.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: Host the Houston Rockets on Monday.
Clippers: Host the Indiana Pacers on Sunday afternoon.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Denver coach Michael Malone knew when the schedule came out that his team was going to have to be successful again on the road if it was going to be contend in the Western Conference.
So far, the Nuggets are living up to Malone's goal of being road warriors.
Behind Aaron Gordon's 29 points and an additional 19 from Jamal Murray, the Nuggets beat the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers 114-104 on Friday night for their league-best eighth road win.
Denver has played 13 of its first 19 on the road and gone 8-5 after having a franchise-record 25 wins away from the friendly confines of Ball Arena last season.
&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re winning at that level on the road, you know you&rsquo;re a good team. Our challenge now is to go home and take care of business,&rdquo; Malone said after the Nuggets won their second straight and third in their last four games.
Nikola Jokic added 19 points, 13 rebounds and six assists for the Nuggets, who led by 21 at one point during the fourth quarter with a run of 10 straight points midway through the period.
John Wall had a season-high 23 points for the Clippers, who were down to 10 players with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Luke Kennard out due to injuries. Leonard missed his second straight game after he sprained his right ankle Monday night against Utah. George (right hamstring) missed his third straight game and Kennard (right calf) has been out the last four.
Terance Mann added 16 points and Marcus Morris Sr. had 15.
The Clippers had 11 turnovers in the first half, but only three in the final 24 minutes.
&ldquo;We were being too casual with the basketball in the first half, but addressed that at halftime,&rdquo; coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;In the second half we had our chances, and got it to seven. The margin of error is very slim so we got to take advantage of those opportunities. But I thought we did some good things and we've got some things we&rsquo;ve got to clean up.&rdquo;
Denver was down to 10 players in Wednesday&rsquo;s win over Oklahoma City but was bolstered by the returns of Murray and Ish Smith to the lineup.
&ldquo;It feels like we&rsquo;re starting to put something together. So this is something to build on,&rdquo; said Gordon, who scored 19 points in the second half.
The game was tied at 18 midway through the first quarter before the Nuggets scored nine straight points to lead the rest of the way.
Denver extended its advantage to 64-52 at halftime and led by 17 with 2 minutes remaining in the third after a pair of free throws by Vlatko Cancar made it 85-68. The Clippers made a late run to get it to 87-77
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr. (heel), Jeff Green (knee), Bones Hyland (illness) and Payton Watson (illness) did not play. ... Cancar had 13 points coming off the bench. ... Murray also had nine assists. ... Denver had a 21-4 advantage in second-chance points.
Clippers: Robert Covington had 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers and reached 1,200 for his career. ... Norman Powell had 11 points off the bench. ... Los Angeles was 19 of 34 on free throws, with the 55.9% rate being its second-lowest of the year.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: Host the Houston Rockets on Monday.
Clippers: Host the Indiana Pacers on Sunday afternoon.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Denver coach Michael Malone knew when the schedule came out that his team was going to have to be successful again on the road if it was going to be contend in the Western Conference.
So far, the Nuggets are living up to Malone's goal of being road warriors.
Behind Aaron Gordon's 29 points and an additional 19 from Jamal Murray, the Nuggets beat the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers 114-104 on Friday night for their league-best eighth road win.
Denver has played 13 of its first 19 on the road and gone 8-5 after having a franchise-record 25 wins away from the friendly confines of Ball Arena last season.
&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re winning at that level on the road, you know you&rsquo;re a good team. Our challenge now is to go home and take care of business,&rdquo; Malone said after the Nuggets won their second straight and third in their last four games.
Nikola Jokic added 19 points, 13 rebounds and six assists for the Nuggets, who led by 21 at one point during the fourth quarter with a run of 10 straight points midway through the period.
John Wall had a season-high 23 points for the Clippers, who were down to 10 players with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Luke Kennard out due to injuries. Leonard missed his second straight game after he sprained his right ankle Monday night against Utah. George (right hamstring) missed his third straight game and Kennard (right calf) has been out the last four.
Terance Mann added 16 points and Marcus Morris Sr. had 15.
The Clippers had 11 turnovers in the first half, but only three in the final 24 minutes.
&ldquo;We were being too casual with the basketball in the first half, but addressed that at halftime,&rdquo; coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;In the second half we had our chances, and got it to seven. The margin of error is very slim so we got to take advantage of those opportunities. But I thought we did some good things and we've got some things we&rsquo;ve got to clean up.&rdquo;
Denver was down to 10 players in Wednesday&rsquo;s win over Oklahoma City but was bolstered by the returns of Murray and Ish Smith to the lineup.
&ldquo;It feels like we&rsquo;re starting to put something together. So this is something to build on,&rdquo; said Gordon, who scored 19 points in the second half.
The game was tied at 18 midway through the first quarter before the Nuggets scored nine straight points to lead the rest of the way.
Denver extended its advantage to 64-52 at halftime and led by 17 with 2 minutes remaining in the third after a pair of free throws by Vlatko Cancar made it 85-68. The Clippers made a late run to get it to 87-77
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr. (heel), Jeff Green (knee), Bones Hyland (illness) and Payton Watson (illness) did not play. ... Cancar had 13 points coming off the bench. ... Murray also had nine assists. ... Denver had a 21-4 advantage in second-chance points.
Clippers: Robert Covington had 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers and reached 1,200 for his career. ... Norman Powell had 11 points off the bench. ... Los Angeles was 19 of 34 on free throws, with the 55.9% rate being its second-lowest of the year.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: Host the Houston Rockets on Monday.
Clippers: Host the Indiana Pacers on Sunday afternoon.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Denver coach Michael Malone knew when the schedule came out that his team was going to have to be successful again on the road if it was going to be contend in the Western Conference.
So far, the Nuggets are living up to Malone's goal of being road warriors.
Behind Aaron Gordon's 29 points and an additional 19 from Jamal Murray, the Nuggets beat the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers 114-104 on Friday night for their league-best eighth road win.
Denver has played 13 of its first 19 on the road and gone 8-5 after having a franchise-record 25 wins away from the friendly confines of Ball Arena last season.
&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re winning at that level on the road, you know you&rsquo;re a good team. Our challenge now is to go home and take care of business,&rdquo; Malone said after the Nuggets won their second straight and third in their last four games.
Nikola Jokic added 19 points, 13 rebounds and six assists for the Nuggets, who led by 21 at one point during the fourth quarter with a run of 10 straight points midway through the period.
John Wall had a season-high 23 points for the Clippers, who were down to 10 players with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Luke Kennard out due to injuries. Leonard missed his second straight game after he sprained his right ankle Monday night against Utah. George (right hamstring) missed his third straight game and Kennard (right calf) has been out the last four.
Terance Mann added 16 points and Marcus Morris Sr. had 15.
The Clippers had 11 turnovers in the first half, but only three in the final 24 minutes.
&ldquo;We were being too casual with the basketball in the first half, but addressed that at halftime,&rdquo; coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;In the second half we had our chances, and got it to seven. The margin of error is very slim so we got to take advantage of those opportunities. But I thought we did some good things and we've got some things we&rsquo;ve got to clean up.&rdquo;
Denver was down to 10 players in Wednesday&rsquo;s win over Oklahoma City but was bolstered by the returns of Murray and Ish Smith to the lineup.
&ldquo;It feels like we&rsquo;re starting to put something together. So this is something to build on,&rdquo; said Gordon, who scored 19 points in the second half.
The game was tied at 18 midway through the first quarter before the Nuggets scored nine straight points to lead the rest of the way.
Denver extended its advantage to 64-52 at halftime and led by 17 with 2 minutes remaining in the third after a pair of free throws by Vlatko Cancar made it 85-68. The Clippers made a late run to get it to 87-77
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr. (heel), Jeff Green (knee), Bones Hyland (illness) and Payton Watson (illness) did not play. ... Cancar had 13 points coming off the bench. ... Murray also had nine assists. ... Denver had a 21-4 advantage in second-chance points.
Clippers: Robert Covington had 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers and reached 1,200 for his career. ... Norman Powell had 11 points off the bench. ... Los Angeles was 19 of 34 on free throws, with the 55.9% rate being its second-lowest of the year.
&nbsp;

Behind Aaron Gordon's 29 points, the Nuggets beat the short-handed  Clippers 114-104 for their league-best eighth road win.

Gordon scores 29, Nuggets beat short-handed Clippers 114-104

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Buddy Hield scored 26 points to lead four Indiana players with 20 or more, and the Pacers beat the Brooklyn Nets 128-117 on Friday night.
“He's unafraid,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “He puts the ball in the basket. You have to choose to look at things that guys do well.”
Myles Turner added 23 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 21 and Bennedict Mathurin finished with 20 for the Pacers. Halburton also had 15 assists.
Kevin Durant scored 36 points, including 20 in the fourth quarter for the Nets. Ben Simmons made all eight shots and scored 20 before fouling out in the final minute. Kyrie Irving also had 20.
Mathurin, who scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, sank a 3-pointer from the corner to give the Pacers a 99-96 lead, their first since the middle of the first quarter. The Pacers expanded the lead to 108-98 with a 3-pointer by Hield with 6:43 left in the fourth quarter.
Brooklyn closed the deficit to 110-107 when Durant sank a 3-pointer, was fouled and converted the four-point play. But Indiana pulled away again. 
Nic Claxton, who had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, was called for a flagrant foul for shoving Haliburton, who had to be restrained from going after Claxton. Haliburton sank two free throws to push the lead to 120-111 with 3:38 to go.
“I think we have a mature group,” Turner said. “We may be young, but we lock into the details of the game. We don’t allow ourselves to get rattled. We got Tyrese back there, the head of the snake. It seems like he always has his composure in key moments and he keeps us calm.”
Turner said that was important in the fourth quarter
“There were some chippy plays,” Turner said. “They were trying to get our heads a little bit. They kept composure and didn’t allow that to mess up the flow of the game.”
The Pacers outscored the Nets 40-23 in the final period.
“They were becoming the aggressor and shifted the momentum in their favor,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said.
The Nets shot 61% to take a 65-57 lead at halftime. Irving set the pace with 14 points, followed by Simmons with 12. The Pacers made nearly 48% of their shots in the first half.
For the game, the Nets shot 53% while the Pacers shot 50%. But the big difference was at the free throw line, where the Pacers sank 30 of 38 while the Nets were 8 of 10.
 “We wanted to get them off their 3-point line, but I’m not sure how disciplined we were when they got to the rim of not fouling,” Vaughn said. “(We) have to have discipline when they get to the rim and just be vertical. A lot of times guys are going to miss those shots and we rewarded them with fouls. You’re on the road, you can’t expect any calls. For us, it’s a good lesson to be more disciplined in how we approach the defensive end of the floor.”
TIP-INS
Nets: Yuta Watanabe was sidelined with a right hamstring strain for the second consecutive game. … Simmons scored in double figures for the sixth straight game. In the three games prior to the streak, Simmons had a combined total of 10 points.
Pacers: Andrew Nembhard missed his third consecutive game with a bruised left knee. … After a long discussion with the referees during a timeout in the third quarter, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was issued a technical. Durant missed the free throw. ... Haliburton had four of the Pacers' 13 steals. In contrast, the Nets had two steals.
UP NEXT
Nets: Host Portland on Sunday.
Pacers: Open seven-game Western road trip Sunday at Los Angeles Clippers.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Buddy Hield scored 26 points to lead four Indiana players with 20 or more, and the Pacers beat the Brooklyn Nets 128-117 on Friday night.
&ldquo;He's unafraid,&rdquo; Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. &ldquo;He puts the ball in the basket. You have to choose to look at things that guys do well.&rdquo;
Myles Turner added 23 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 21 and Bennedict Mathurin finished with 20 for the Pacers. Halburton also had 15 assists.
Kevin Durant scored 36 points, including 20 in the fourth quarter for the Nets. Ben Simmons made all eight shots and scored 20 before fouling out in the final minute. Kyrie Irving also had 20.
Mathurin, who scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, sank a 3-pointer from the corner to give the Pacers a 99-96 lead, their first since the middle of the first quarter. The Pacers expanded the lead to 108-98 with a 3-pointer by Hield with 6:43 left in the fourth quarter.
Brooklyn closed the deficit to 110-107 when Durant sank a 3-pointer, was fouled and converted the four-point play. But Indiana pulled away again.
Nic Claxton, who had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, was called for a flagrant foul for shoving Haliburton, who had to be restrained from going after Claxton. Haliburton sank two free throws to push the lead to 120-111 with 3:38 to go.
&ldquo;I think we have a mature group,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;We may be young, but we lock into the details of the game. We don&rsquo;t allow ourselves to get rattled. We got Tyrese back there, the head of the snake. It seems like he always has his composure in key moments and he keeps us calm.&rdquo;
Turner said that was important in the fourth quarter
&ldquo;There were some chippy plays,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;They were trying to get our heads a little bit. They kept composure and didn&rsquo;t allow that to mess up the flow of the game.&rdquo;
The Pacers outscored the Nets 40-23 in the final period.
&ldquo;They were becoming the aggressor and shifted the momentum in their favor,&rdquo; Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said.
The Nets shot 61% to take a 65-57 lead at halftime. Irving set the pace with 14 points, followed by Simmons with 12. The Pacers made nearly 48% of their shots in the first half.
For the game, the Nets shot 53% while the Pacers shot 50%. But the big difference was at the free throw line, where the Pacers sank 30 of 38 while the Nets were 8 of 10.
&ldquo;We wanted to get them off their 3-point line, but I&rsquo;m not sure how disciplined we were when they got to the rim of not fouling,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;(We) have to have discipline when they get to the rim and just be vertical. A lot of times guys are going to miss those shots and we rewarded them with fouls. You&rsquo;re on the road, you can&rsquo;t expect any calls. For us, it&rsquo;s a good lesson to be more disciplined in how we approach the defensive end of the floor.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nets: Yuta Watanabe was sidelined with a right hamstring strain for the second consecutive game. &hellip; Simmons scored in double figures for the sixth straight game. In the three games prior to the streak, Simmons had a combined total of 10 points.
Pacers: Andrew Nembhard missed his third consecutive game with a bruised left knee. &hellip; After a long discussion with the referees during a timeout in the third quarter, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was issued a technical. Durant missed the free throw. ... Haliburton had four of the Pacers' 13 steals. In contrast, the Nets had two steals.
UP NEXT
Nets: Host Portland on Sunday.
Pacers: Open seven-game Western road trip Sunday at Los Angeles Clippers.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Buddy Hield scored 26 points to lead four Indiana players with 20 or more, and the Pacers beat the Brooklyn Nets 128-117 on Friday night.
&ldquo;He's unafraid,&rdquo; Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. &ldquo;He puts the ball in the basket. You have to choose to look at things that guys do well.&rdquo;
Myles Turner added 23 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 21 and Bennedict Mathurin finished with 20 for the Pacers. Halburton also had 15 assists.
Kevin Durant scored 36 points, including 20 in the fourth quarter for the Nets. Ben Simmons made all eight shots and scored 20 before fouling out in the final minute. Kyrie Irving also had 20.
Mathurin, who scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, sank a 3-pointer from the corner to give the Pacers a 99-96 lead, their first since the middle of the first quarter. The Pacers expanded the lead to 108-98 with a 3-pointer by Hield with 6:43 left in the fourth quarter.
Brooklyn closed the deficit to 110-107 when Durant sank a 3-pointer, was fouled and converted the four-point play. But Indiana pulled away again.
Nic Claxton, who had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, was called for a flagrant foul for shoving Haliburton, who had to be restrained from going after Claxton. Haliburton sank two free throws to push the lead to 120-111 with 3:38 to go.
&ldquo;I think we have a mature group,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;We may be young, but we lock into the details of the game. We don&rsquo;t allow ourselves to get rattled. We got Tyrese back there, the head of the snake. It seems like he always has his composure in key moments and he keeps us calm.&rdquo;
Turner said that was important in the fourth quarter
&ldquo;There were some chippy plays,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;They were trying to get our heads a little bit. They kept composure and didn&rsquo;t allow that to mess up the flow of the game.&rdquo;
The Pacers outscored the Nets 40-23 in the final period.
&ldquo;They were becoming the aggressor and shifted the momentum in their favor,&rdquo; Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said.
The Nets shot 61% to take a 65-57 lead at halftime. Irving set the pace with 14 points, followed by Simmons with 12. The Pacers made nearly 48% of their shots in the first half.
For the game, the Nets shot 53% while the Pacers shot 50%. But the big difference was at the free throw line, where the Pacers sank 30 of 38 while the Nets were 8 of 10.
&ldquo;We wanted to get them off their 3-point line, but I&rsquo;m not sure how disciplined we were when they got to the rim of not fouling,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;(We) have to have discipline when they get to the rim and just be vertical. A lot of times guys are going to miss those shots and we rewarded them with fouls. You&rsquo;re on the road, you can&rsquo;t expect any calls. For us, it&rsquo;s a good lesson to be more disciplined in how we approach the defensive end of the floor.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nets: Yuta Watanabe was sidelined with a right hamstring strain for the second consecutive game. &hellip; Simmons scored in double figures for the sixth straight game. In the three games prior to the streak, Simmons had a combined total of 10 points.
Pacers: Andrew Nembhard missed his third consecutive game with a bruised left knee. &hellip; After a long discussion with the referees during a timeout in the third quarter, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was issued a technical. Durant missed the free throw. ... Haliburton had four of the Pacers' 13 steals. In contrast, the Nets had two steals.
&nbsp;

Buddy Hield scored 26 points to lead four Indiana players with 20 or more, and the Pacers beat the Brooklyn Nets 128-117.