BEAL LIFTS WIZARDS OVER SUNS IN 3 OT
Bradley Beal tallies first triple double in triple overtime thriller
Bradley Beal had 40 points and his first career triple-double to lift the Washington Wizards over the Phoenix Suns 149-146 in triple-overtime Saturday night.
With All-Star point guard John Wall sidelined due to illness, Beal scored 10 points in the third overtime, including a slicing layup that made it 146144 with 40 seconds to play. He also had a career-high 15 assists and 11 rebounds.
Thomas Bryant added a career-high 31 points, hit all 14 of his shots and made all three of his free throws. At one point, Bryant scored 16 of 18 points for Washington across a stretch of the first and second overtime. He also had 13 rebounds.
Devin Booker had 33 points and 14 assists for the Suns, who ended their four-game winning streak after giving back a seven-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Deandre Ayton had 26 points and 17 rebounds for his fifth consecutive double-double, but fouled out midway through the second overtime.
76ERS 126, RAPTORS 101
In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid had 27 points and 11 rebounds, Ben Simmons added 26 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists and Philadelphia routed short-handed Toronto.
JJ Redick added 22 points for the 76ers, who pulled within 2½ games of first-place Toronto in the Atlantic Division.
Pascal Siakam scored 26 points and Kyle Lowry added 20 for the Raptors, who slipped to 25-10. Toronto played without two-time defensive player of the year Kawhi Leonard, as well as Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas.
Leonard was held out of the lineup to rest on the second game of a back-to-back after scoring a season-high 37 points in the Raptors’ 126-110 home win over Cleveland on Friday night. Toronto coach Nick Nurse said prior to Saturday’s contest that Leonard may be available for the second game of a back-to-back going forward.
It was Philadelphia’s third victory in the last 23 games against the Raptors.
CLIPPERS 132, NUGGETS 111
In Los Angeles, Danilo Gallinari and Tobias Harris each scored 21 points, Montrezl Harrell added 20 as Los Angeles dealt Denver its worst loss of the season.
The Nuggets (21-10) had not lost by more than 10 points and had won four straight.
Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 19 points in 20 minutes before being ejected. Jamal Murray added 18 points and Monte Morris 15.
HEAT 94, BUCKS 87
In Miami, Josh Richardson scored 16 points, Dwyane Wade had a pair of big baskets in the final minutes and Miami held Giannis Antetokounmpo to a season-low scoring effort. /