Simmons returns, lifts Nets past Jazz
NEW YORK: Ben Simmons had 10 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in his return from a 38-game absence, Mikal Bridges added 33 points and the Brooklyn Nets routed the Utah Jazz 147-114 on Monday (Tuesday in Manila).
Simmons hadn’t played since November 6 because of a pinched nerve in his lower back. The No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft played 18 minutes off the bench, made all five shots and likely would have had a triple-double if not for a minutes restriction.
Cam Thomas added 25 points for the Nets, who rolled to their highest point total of the season, had 41 assists on their 54 field goals and made 21 3-pointers. They have won two straight after losing seven of their previous eight.
Keyonte George scored 21 points for the Jazz. They were trying to match an NBA record by scoring 120 points for a 12th straight game, but didn’t help their chances by committing 17 turnovers that the Nets turned into 27 points.
Timberwolves 107, Thunder 101
In Oklahoma City, Anthony Edwards scored 27 points and Minnesota beat Oklahoma City to take sole possession of the top spot in the Western Conference.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Rudy Gobert added 12 points and 17 rebounds for Minnesota, which had lost three of five.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points and Jalen Williams added 20 for the Thunder, who lost their second straight after a fivegame win streak. The teams split their four meetings this season.
There were 11 lead changes in the fourth quarter. A two-handed dunk by Edwards in traffic put the Timberwolves up 101-97, and Minnesota led by at least four the rest of the way.
Suns 118, Heat 105
In Miami, Eric Gordon scored 23 points, Devin Booker had 22 and Phoenix handed Miami its seventh consecutive loss.
Kevin Durant scored 20 and Bradley Beal had 19 for the Suns, who are 8-2 in their last 10 games and swept the Heat for just the second time in the last 17 seasons.
Jimmy Butler scored 26 points for Miami, which was 24-16 and fifth in the Eastern Conference just two weeks ago. The Heat are now 24-23 and three games behind Indiana in the loss column for the sixth and final guaranteed playoff berth. It’s the first seven-game skid for Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.
Cavs 118, Clippers 108
In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell had 28 points and 12 assists and Jarrett Allen extended his doubledouble streak to 15 straight games, leading Cleveland past Los Angeles.
Allen finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds. Isaac Okoro added 17 points — all in the first half — as the Cavs held off a late Clippers comeback and ended LA’s winning streak at five. Cleveland is 10-1 since January 3.
Kawhi Leonard scored 30 points and Norman Powell 18 for the Clippers, who got within four in the final two minutes but fell to 2-1 on a season-long seven-game trip.
Rockets 135, Lakers 119
In Houston, Jalen Green scored 34 points and Alperen Sengun added 31 as Houston beat Los Angeles.
LeBron James, Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell scored 23 points apiece for the Lakers, who had won two in a row, capped by a 145-144 double-overtime victory over Golden State on Saturday.
Cam Whitmore had 20 points off the bench for Houston, and Jabari Smith Jr. had 18 points and nine rebounds in his return after missing four games with a sprained left ankle. Green and Sengun also had 12 rebounds and seven assists each for the Rockets.
Kings 103, Grizzlies 94
In Memphis, Domantas Sabonis had a career-high 26 rebounds along with 20 points, De’Aaron Fox scored 23 points and Sacramento rallied past Memphis.
Sabonis finished 10 of 11 from the field and had 16 rebounds in the first half, a Kings record for rebounds in a half since the franchise moved to Sacramento in 1985. His previous career best was 25 rebounds for Indiana on Nov. 29, 2021 against Minnesota, and he surpassed it with 27.5 seconds left — part of a stout defensive performance by the Kings to close out the game.
Sacramento held Memphis scoreless over the final three minutes. Kevin Huerter added 17 points for the Kings, who won their fourth straight.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 22 points and Santi Aldama scored 16 on 5-of-14 shooting.
Knicks 113, Hornets 92
In Charlotte, Jalen Brunson scored 32 points, Donte DiVincenzo added 28 and New York kept rolling without the injured Julius Randle, beating Charlotte for its seventh straight victory.
Josh Hart chipped in with 12 rebounds, eight points and seven assists for the Knicks (30-17), who entered with the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference.
Brandon Miller scored 29 points and Miles Bridges had 21 points and 10 rebounds as the Hornets (10-35) fell to 0-4 since trading Terry Rozier to Miami for Kyle Lowry and a first-round draft pick. Lowry isn’t expected to play for Charlotte.
Celtics 118, Pelicans 112
In Boston, Jayson Tatum scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and Boston rallied past New Orleans.
The victory snapped a two-game skid at home for Boston, which started the season 20-0 at TD Garden.
Jaylen Brown added 22 points and 11 rebounds. Jrue Holiday had 20 points and Derrick White finished with 17.
The Pelicans led by 17 in the first half but were outscored 68-52 over the final two quarters to drop their third straight game. Brandon Ingram led New Orleans with 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Zion Williamson finished with 26 points.