Nets hold off Nuggets; Bucks win fifth consecutive game
NEW YORK — D’Angelo Russell had 27 points and 11 assists, and the Brooklyn Nets surpassed last season’s win total by beating the Denver Nuggets 135-130 on Wednesday night.
Russell made six of the Nets’ 19 3-pointers, one game after they made only five as a team in their poorest shooting performance of the season.
DeMarre Carroll added 18 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for Brooklyn, which got two key injured players back and led by 21 points in ending a threegame skid. Joe Harris scored 17 points and Treveon Graham had 16, with four 3-pointers.
Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in his 10th tripledouble of the season for the Nuggets, who have lost two straight games to fall out of a tie for the Western Conference lead.
Mason Plumlee scored a season-high 24 points on 10-for-12 shooting against his former team, and Jamal Murray had 19 points and 11 assists after missing six games with a sprained left ankle.
BUCKS 148, WIZARDS 129
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 43 points, and Eric Bledsoe had 22 points and 11 assists as host Milwaukee extended its winning streak to five consecutive games with a rout of Washington.
Antetokounmpo made 17 of 21 field goal attempts, including all three 3-point attempts, and the Eastleading Bucks made 19 from behind the arc.
The Bucks shot 60 percent (56 for 93) from the field and placed six players in double figures while becoming the first NBA team with 40 victories. Malcolm Brogdon had 18 points, and Khris Middleton finished with 16.
Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 30 points. Thomas Bryant had 26 points and 14 rebounds.
MAVERICKS 99 HORNETS 93
Luka Doncic scored 19 points in his third tripledouble, Dorian FinneySmith had 15 points and 10 rebounds and host Dallas made another move by trading Harrison Barnes while beating Charlotte.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 12 points in his Dallas debut after the blockbuster deal that brought Kristaps Porzingis from the New York Knicks.
Barnes played into the third quarter before reports of a trade with Sacramento surfaced. He was on the bench but didn’t play in the fourth quarter.
Kemba Walker had 30 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets, who got swept by Dallas after losing to the Mavericks by 38 points at home about a month ago.
WARRIORS 141, SPURS 102
Klay Thompson scored 26 points, and Kevin Durant had 23 points, eight rebounds and nine assists as host Golden State raced past San Antonio.
JAZZ 116, SUNS 88
Donovan Mitchell led seven Utah players in double figures in scoring with 21 points as the Jazz won at home.
Josh Jackson led Phoenix with 27 points.
PELICANS 125, BULLS 120
Julius Randle scored 31 points, and New Orleans won at struggling Chicago with All-Star Anthony Davis watching from the bench.
Davis was healthy enough to return from a sprained left index finger that has sidelined him since Jan. 18. But the Pelicans opted to hold him out with Thursday’s trade deadline approaching.