Minus superstars, Milwaukee reigns
BUCKS 102, MAVERICKS 95
DALLAS — Khris Middleton scored 26 points and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Dallas Mavericks 102-95 on Thursday night with the superstar for each team sidelined because of covid-19.
The Bucks were without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for the fifth consecutive game because of health and safety protocols.
Luka Doncic sat for the first time for that reason. The Mavericks had been hopeful their 22-year-old sensation could return against the reigning NBA champions after missing five games with left ankle soreness. Instead, Doncic is one of seven Dallas players out for covid-19 reasons.
Doncic backup Jalen Brunson scored 19 points, again leading the Mavericks in the two-time All-Star’s absence.
Jrue Holiday scored 24 points and DeMarcus Cousins had a season-high 22 points and eight rebounds as the Bucks improved to 3-2 since Antetokounmpo entered the protocols.
While Middleton was 8 of 14 from the floor, made all eight free throws and had seven assists in his second game back for Milwaukee after missing three with a left knee injury, the Mavericks were without their second-leading scorer in Kristaps Porzingis.
The oft-injured, 7-3 Latvian missed a second consecutive game with a right toe injury and has been sidelined for nine games with three different injuries this season. Porzingis also had back and knee issues.
The Mavericks have six players on 10-day contracts under the covid-19 allowance after adding four since beating Minnesota without three of their top four scorers Tuesday.
SUNS 113, THUNDER 101
PHOENIX — Devin Booker scored 30 points, Cam Johnson added 21 while making all five of his three-point attempts and Phoenix won their fifth consecutive game, beating Oklahoma City.
Booker splashed home a long three-pointer at the third quarter buzzer to give the NBA-leading Suns an 82-69 lead after they trailed by three at halftime.
Booker — the two-time All-Star who was in his third game back since missing a few weeks with a hamstring injury — gave Phoenix some momentum midway through the third quarter when he grabbed an offensive rebound and drove the baseline for a dunk.
HAWKS 98, SIXERS 96
PHILADELPHIA — Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 10 of his 15 points in the final 3:44, helping short-handed Atlanta beat Philadelphia.
The Sixers had the ball with 5.4 seconds left, and Joel Embiid missed a potential tying shot at the horn.
Cam Reddish scored 18 points and John Collins had 17 for the Hawks.
Embiid had 23 points and 10 rebounds.
PACERS 118, ROCKETS 106
INDIANAPOLIS — Myles Turner had 32 points and 10 rebounds, Caris LeVert added 24 points and 11 assists and Indiana beat Houston,
Turner made 14 of 18 shots as the Pacers hit 52.8% from the field. Indiana played without starters Malcolm Brogdon (sore right Achilles tendon) and Domantas Sabonis (sore right calf).
Christian Wood scored 22 points for Houston.
PELICANS 110, MAGIC 104
ORLANDO, Fla. — Brandon Ingram scored 31 points, Josh Hart hit two clutch three-pointers in the second half to thwart an Orlando rally, and New Orleans beat the Magic.
The Pelicans have won four in a row and five of six. New Orleans started the season 1-12, but is 11-9 since.
Cole Anthony and Gary Harris each scored 22 points for Orlando.
WIZARDS 124, KNICKS 117
NEW YORK — Washington withstood a 44-point effort from Kemba Walker and a fourth-quarter rally from the Knicks, beating New York.
The Knicks had pulled within two points with 2:40 left in the game, but Kyle Kuzma had consecutive three-pointers to give Washington an insurmountable lead.
Walker scored 28 of his 44 points in the second half for the Knicks. All-Star forward Julius Randle had 23 points and Alec Burks added 20.
HEAT 115, PISTONS 112
MIAMI — Tyler Herro scored 29 points, Max Strus added 26 and Miami rallied to beat short-handed Detroit.
Strus’ fifth three-pointer with 40 seconds remaining gave the Heat their final margin.
Cory Joseph’s game-tying three-point attempt with two seconds left bounced off the rim and was rebounded by Miami reserve forward Udonis Haslem.