Beal posts 43 points in return to Washington
WASHINGTON >> Bradley Beal scored a season-high 43 points in his return to Washington and the Phoenix Suns routed the Wizards on Sunday.
Beal played 11 seasons before being dealt to Phoenix last offseason. He received a video tribute and standing ovation during player introductions before the game. Then he scored 26 points in the first half.
He had 41 after three quarters and then exited for good with 8:44 to play.
Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic scored 18 points apiece for Phoenix, and Devin Booker had 14. The Suns went 4-3 on a sevengame trip.
Deni Avdija had 24 points for the Wizards. They were without Kyle Kuzma because of left shoulder soreness.
CLIPPERS 109, HEAT 95 >> Kawhi Leonard had 25 points and 11 rebounds, James Harden scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half and Los Angeles beat Miami.
Harden flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 11 assists and eight assists. Norman Powell scored 16 points and Paul George added 11 for the Clippers.
Los Angeles is 25-5 since the start of December — by far the best record in the NBA over that span.The
Clippers improved to 5-1 in their seven-game, 11-day trip.
Jimmy Butler scored 21 points and Terry Rozier finished with 17 for the Heat. They have lost eight of their last 10.
CELTICS 131, GRIZZLIES 91 >> Jayson Tatum scored 34 points before sitting out the final quarter and NBA-leading Boston Celtics cruised past injury-depleted Memphis.
Coming off a disappointing loss Thursday night against a Los Angeles Lakers team missing LeBron
James and Anthony Davis, the Celtics faced a squad with only eight available players because 13 were on the injury report.
Kristaps Porzingis added 26 points to help the Celtics improve to 23-3 at TD Garden. Boston was without All-Star forward Jaylen Brown because of a back injury.
Scotty Pippen Jr. led Memphis with 19 points. PACERS 115, HORNETS 99 >> Pascal Siakam had 25 points, nine assists and eight rebounds and Indiana overcame a careerhigh
35 points from Hornets rookie Brandon Miller to beat Charlotte and snap a three-game skid.
Aaron Nesmith added 22 points and Myles Turner had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points in 20 minutes while remaining on a minutes restriction due to a lingering hamstring injury.
Miller finished 10 of 25 from the field, 10 of 12 from the foul line and had five 3s for the Hornets. P.J. Washington added 22 points. Charlotte has lost seven straight.
MAGIC 111, PISTONS 99 >> Franz Wagner scored 27 of his 38 points in the second half and Orlando beat Detroit for its third straight victory.
Paolo Banchero added 20 points for Orlando.
Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey each scored 18 points for Detroit. The NBA-worst Pistons dropped to 6-43.
THUNDER 135, RAPTORS 127, 20T >> Josh Giddey scored 24 points, Shai GilgeousAlexander had 23 and Oklahoma City overcame a 23-point deficit to beat Toronto in double-overtime.
Chet Holmgren and Lu Dort each added 22 points and Aaron Wiggins had 20 to help Oklahoma City improve to 35-15. The Thunder tied a team record with 23 3-pointers on 63 attempts.
R.J. Barrett led Toronto with 23 points. Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl and former Thunder guard Dennis Schroder each scored 19 points. The Raptors made 14-of 35 3-pointers.
TIMBERWOLVES 111, ROCKETS 90 >> Anthony Edwards scored 22 of his 32 points in the third quarter, Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 13 rebounds and Minnesota beat Houston.
The Timberwolves have won five of seven and the victory earned coach Chris Finch the nod to coach the Western Conference in the
All-Star game.
Gobert added four of Minnesota's season high-tying 11 blocks. Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Alperen Sengun had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Houston.
JAZZ 123, BUCKS 108 >> Lauri Markkanen scored 21 points to lead Utah to a victory over Milwaukee.
Collin Sexton scored 19 points to help the Jazz snap a three-game losing streak. John Collins added 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Keyonte George had 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 33 points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds. Bobby Portis added 27 points and Malik Beasley had 16. Damian Lillard added 12 points, six assists, and a season-high two blocks as Milwaukee played without starters Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton. NUGGETS 112, TRAIL BLAZERS 103 >> Nikola Jokic scored 29 points, Jamal Murray added 21 points and 10 assists and Denver rallied past shorthanded but spirited Portland, the Nuggets' second win over their division rivals in 48 hours.
The Nuggets didn't trail by more than a bucket in their 120-108 win over Portland on Friday night, also at Ball Arena, but didn't lead this one until the final seconds of the third quarter.