Durant, Irving lead Nets at Washington
Kevin Durant scored 30 points, Kyrie Irving had 24 and the well-rested Brooklyn Nets methodically pulled away for a 112-100 road win against the overmatched Washington Wizards on Monday night.
The Nets, who won at Indiana on Saturday night with their top seven scorers sitting out, matched a season best with their fourth straight victory. All those players were back in action Monday except Royce O’Neal, who missed a second consecutive game for personal reasons.
Will Barton scored a season-high 22 points for the Wizards, who lost their season-worst seventh game in a row. Washington was missing leading scorer Bradley Beal for the fourth straight game because of a right hamstring strain.
Kristaps Porzingis scored 20 points in 24 minutes for the Wizards, but departed with 3:37 left in the third quarter and didn’t return. Porzingis rode an exercise bike with a pad strapped to his back while on the bench in the first half. Kyle Kuzma also scored 20 for Washington. HEAT 87, PACERS 82 >> Bam Adebayo had 22 points and 17 rebounds and Jimmy Butler scored seven straight points late in the fourth quarter to help visiting Miami hold off Indiana. Butler finished with 20 points. The Heat had lost three of their previous four. Buddy Hield led the Pacers with 19 points and Andrew Nembhard scored 18 for Indiana. GRIZZLIES 128, HAWKS 103 >> Tyus Jones scored 22 points to lead seven players in double figures for host Memphis. Jones also doled out 11 assists for the Grizzlies, who led 102-76 after three quarters. Dillon Brooks contributed 18 points. De’Andre Hunter led Atlanta with 19 points and Jalen Johnson had 14 points and nine rebounds. Memphis was without Ja Morant (thigh), Atlanta was without Trae Young (back).
MAVERICKS 121, THUNDER 114 >> Luka Doncic had 38 points and 11 rebounds in his return from a one-game absence, and Spencer Dinwiddie added 20 points and 10 assists for host Dallas. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 20 for the Mavericks. The Thunder cut a 15-point second-half deficit to 119-114 with 28 seconds to play. Dallas’ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander matched his season high with 42 points for Oklahoma City,
SPURS 112, CAVALIERS 111 >> Keldon Johnson scored 21 points and blocked a late shot by Donovan Mitchell as host San Antonio Spurs held off Cleveland. Josh Richardson had 24 points to help San Antonio win its third straight after an 11game losing streak. Mitchell scored 28 points to keep Cleveland close.
TRAIL BLAZERS 133, TIMBERVOLES 112 >> Damian Lillard shot 11 of 17 from 3-point range, scoring 38 points for host Portland. Lillard shot 13 of 21 overall in 29 minutes. Jerami Grant contributed 24 points and Jusuf Nurkic had 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Trail Blazers. D’Angelo led Minnesota with 23 points and Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 20 rebounds.