Jamal Murray scored a team-high 28 points and hit the go-ahead hoop with 8.6 seconds remaining as the Denver Nuggets outlasted the Sacramento Kings 130-129 for a dramatic road win Monday night.
Nikola Jokic recorded his 140th career triple-double (20 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists) to help Denver earn its third win in a row. Jokic wound up with his league-leading 10th triple-double of the season. He ranks third all-time in the category behind teammate Russell Westbrook (200) and Oscar Robertson (181). Westbrook nearly notched another, finishing with 18 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox was the game’s leading scorer with 29 points, while Domantas Sabonis had 28 to go with 14 rebounds, six assists and three steals. Malik Monk finished with 25 points and a team-high 10 assists for the Kings. DeRozan had 17 points, McDermott 16 and Keon Ellis 12.
76ers 121, Hornets 108
Tyrese Maxey pumped in 40 points and Paul George racked up 33 points as both sank six 3-pointers, leading injury-ravaged Philadelphia past host Charlotte.
The outcome dampened the excitement around the return to action of Charlotte point guard LaMelo Ball, who racked up 15 points and 11 assists while coming back from a calf injury that had kept him out since Nov. 27. The Hornets lost for the 10th time in 11 outings despite Miles Bridges’ 24 points.
The 76ers made 16 of 38 attempts from 3-point range in their first game after losing both center Joel Embiid (sinus fracture) and rookie guard Jared McCain (torn meniscus in knee) to injury on Friday.
Bulls 122, Raptors 121
Nikola Vucevic scored 24 points and visiting Chicago, which saw a 16-point lead shrink to one, held on to defeat Toronto. The Raptors cut into the final deficit with a last-second 3-pointer.
Coby White added 19 points for the Bulls, who have won two straight. Josh Giddey had 11 points, nine rebounds and eight assists before leaving with an ankle injury in the third quarter.
RJ Barrett scored 32 points and Gradey Dick had 27 for the Raptors, who have lost five straight. Toronto’s Jakob Poeltl left in the fourth quarter with a groin injury.
Pistons 125, Heat 124 (OT)
Malik Beasley had a season-high 28 points, Cade Cunningham supplied a triple-double and host Detroit topped Miami in overtime.
Cunningham had 20 points, 18 assists and 11 rebounds for Detroit, which squandered a 19-point, fourth-quarter lead. Ausar Thompson contributed 19 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. tossed in 16, hitting three consecutive 3-pointers in overtime to wipe out an eight-point Heat lead.
Jimmy Butler produced 35 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists for the Heat, who had their four-game winning streak end. Tyler Herro scored 23 points.
Cavaliers 130, Nets 101
Evan Mobley scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half, Caris LeVert scored all 19 of his points in the first half and Cleveland seized control early and cruised to a rout of Brooklyn in New York.
Cleveland led by as many as 37, improved to 23-4 for the best start in team history and is 8-4 since winning its first 15 games.
Cameron Johnson led the Nets with 22 points and Day’Ron Sharpe added 15. Brooklyn committed a season-worst 22 turnovers, which resulted in 34 Cleveland points.
Clippers 144, Jazz 107
James Harden scored 24 of his 41 points in the first quarter, Norman Powell added 29 points and Los Angeles ended a three-game losing streak with an easy victory over Utah in Inglewood, Calif.
Harden outscored the Jazz 24-20 in the first quarter by shooting 6 of 9 from the floor and 5 of 7 from 3-point range. Ivica Zubac wound up with 19 points and 12 rebounds and Amir Coffey added 16 points for Los Angeles, which improved to 10-6 at home. It was the most points in a game for the Clippers this season.
Jordan Clarkson scored 20 points and Lauri Markkanen put up 17 for the Jazz, who lost their third consecutive game. Utah fell for the eighth time in nine contests and 12th time in 14. Collin Sexton scored 15 points and John Collins added 14 for the Jazz, who slipped to 3-10 on the road.
–Field Level Media
