Kuzma lifts Wizards to defeat Mavericks
WASHINGTON >> Kyle Kuzma scored 36 points, and the Washington Wizards overcame the absence of Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis to beat the Dallas Mavericks 113105 on Thursday night.
Rui Hachimura added 23 points for Washington, which was missing Beal because of health and safety protocols and Porzingis because of a left groin strain. The Wizards fell behind 22-8 but quickly rallied and eventually pulled away thanks to a trio of 3-pointers by Kuzma early in the fourth.
Spencer Dinwiddie, who went to Dallas in the trade that sent Porzingis to Washington, led the Mavericks with 33 points, and Luka Doncic contributed 22. The Mavericks have lost two in a row following a four-game winning streak.
HEAT 117, HORNETS 112, OT >> Jimmy Butler scored 35 points, and Miami wasted a 15-point lead before rallying and sending Charlotte to its seventh consecutive loss.
Butler also had 10 rebounds and eight assists for Miami. Bam Adebayo scored 18 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Max Strus and Gabe Vincent each had 12 points for the Heat.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 29 points for Charlotte, which got 22 from Terry Rozier and 16 from Jaden McDaniels.
HAWKS 104, 76ERS 95 >> Trae Young scored 26 points, Clint Capela added 18 points and 20 rebounds and Atlanta pulled away late in the third period to beat Philadelphia.
Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with 26 points and 13 rebounds for his second straight double-double after missing three games with the flu.
Young and Capela each had two baskets in Atlanta’s 12-0 run to close the third quarter. The Hawks led by only two points before taking an 80-66 advantage into the final period.
TRAIL BLAZERS 106, PELICANS 95 >> Jerami Grant scored 27 points and Portland overcame the absence of star guard Damian Lillard to defeat New Orleans.
Anfernee Simmons hit five 3s and scored 23 points for Portland, which improved to 6-1 on the road. Former Pelican Josh Hart added 17 points for the Blazers.
The Blazers, who won at Charlotte a night earlier, rested Lillard, who’d recently missed four games with a right calf strain.
But Portland wound up not needing him.