Raptors rebound from loss with three-point explosion
LOS ANGELES: DeMar DeRozan delivered 35 points and nailed a career-high matching six three pointers as the Toronto Raptors rebounded from Thursday’s loss with an emphatic 130-105 demolition of the Portland Trail Blazers. Jonas Valanciunas added 18 points and eight rebounds for the Raptors, who won for the third time in four outings. Six players scored in double figures for Toronto. Damian Lillard scored 32 points and dished out 10 assists for the Trail Blazers, who lost for only the second time in nine games. CJ McCollum had 21 points and Jusuf Nurkic 20 for Portland.
BUCKS 92, KNICKS 90
Jabari Parker scored 12 points in his first game since February of last season and Giannis Antetokounmpo capped off a 29point night by scoring with a second left as the Milwaukee Bucks held on for a 92-90 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night at the Bradley Center. Antetokounmpo pulled down an Enes Kanter miss with 24 seconds left and worked the clock down before putting up a left-handed floater, breaking a 90-90 tie in the final second. The Knicks called timeout, and Tim Hardaway Jr. missed a 3 as time expired. Antetokounmpo hit 10 of 21 shots and went 8-for-12 from the free throw line while adding 11 rebounds for the Bucks, who were playing without point guard Malcolm Brogdon after an MRI revealed a partially torn left quadriceps tendon that will sideline him six to eight weeks. Parker had been sidelined since Feb. 8 of last season when he tore his left ACL for the second time in his brief career. He played his limit of 15 minutes and showed few signs of rust in the opening half, scoring 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting. He got his first true test of the knee in the final minute of the first quarter, driving the length of the court, planting and going up for a dunk.
76ERS 103, HEAT 97
Ben Simmons had 20 points, six rebounds and five assists to lead all five starters in double figures as host Philadelphia defeated Miami. Joel Embiid scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while Dario Saric had 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Sixers snapped a threegame losing streak and moved one game above .500. Robert Covington and JJ Redick scored 13 points each and Justin Anderson had 11. The Heat outscored the Sixers 37-17 and managed to pull within four in the fourth quarter, but Philadelphia was able to hold on.
CELTICS 119, HAWKS 110
Terry Rozier scored 10 of his careerhigh 31 points late in the third quarter, propelling Boston over Atlanta at TD Garden. Jayson Tatum complemented Rozier with 27 points, helping the Celtics beat the Hawks for the third straight time this season in a duel between the teams with the best and Oklahoma City 100, New Orleans 114; Philadelphia 103, Miami 97; Sacramento 104, Golden State 119; Boston 119, Atlanta 110; Brooklyn 99, LA Lakers 102; Toronto 130, Portland 105; Phoenix 97, Utah 129; Milwaukee 92, New York 90; Charlotte 133, Indiana 126. worst records in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics were playing for a second consecutive game without All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, out with a bruised quad. Boston was also without Marcus Morris (hip), Marcus Smart (hand) and Shane Larkin (knee).
HORNETS 133, PACERS 126
Kemba Walker scored 41 points to help make sure Charlotte didn’t waste a franchise record set early in the game against visiting Indiana. The Hornets scored a record 49 first-quarter points. That was the most points for any quarter in franchise history. Nic Batum, buoyed by seven 3s, pumped in a season-high 31 points and Frank Kaminsky supplied 15 points, as the Hornets cranked it up late after a spotty midgame stretch.
LAKERS 102, NETS 99
Brook Lopez received a video tribute at the end of the first quarter in his return to Brooklyn and scored 19 points as Los Angeles took the lead for good midway through the fourth quarter and held on. Lopez, who is the Nets’ all-time leading scorer, received a nice hand from fans in pregame introductions and then was given a tribute at the end of the opening quarter. The center scored 14 points in the second half and finished making 8 of 13 shots and 3 of 5 3-pointers. D’Angelo Russell, who was acquired from the Lakers for Lopez, had 15 points on 7-of-18 shooting for the Nets.
PELICANS 114, THUNDER 100
Without new frontcourt partner Nikola Mirotic, Anthony Davis scored 43 points and passed Davis West as New Orleans’ alltime leading scorer in a win over Oklahoma City at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Davis also had 10 rebounds and is expected to join forces with Mirotic for the first time on Saturday when New Orleans visits Minnesota. E’Twaun Moore added 26 points, Jrue Holiday had 11 points and 11 assists, Darius Miller scored 11 off the bench and Rajon Rondo had seven points, 13 assists, seven rebounds and four steals for the Pelicans. Russell Westbrook had a triple-double for the Thunder, finishing with 16 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds. Steven Adams had 23 points and 12 rebounds, Paul George scored 15 points, Alex Abrines had 14, Carmelo Anthony 13 and Jerami Grant had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
JAZZ 129, SUNS 97
Rookie guard Donovan Mitchell scored 40 points and made a season-high seven 3pointers and Joe Ingles added 16 points in Utah’s lopsided victory over Phoenix at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Ricky Rubio had 14 points, nine assists and six rebounds, and every starter scored in double figures for the Jazz, who won their second straight blowout after beating Golden State 129-99 on Tuesday. Ingles made four 3-pointers to extend his hot shooting. He made a careerhigh six 3s against Golden State and has 16 in his last four games. — Agencies
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