Green, Bulls thwart Knicks
Chicago continues chase for play-in spot, spoils Anunoby’s first game back
Javonte Green set career highs with 25 points and 13 rebounds, Ayo Dosunmu scored 24 and the Chicago Bulls beat the New York Knicks 108-100 on Friday night in Chicago.
Green, who spent much of the season in the G League, had the crowd roaring with his explosiveness and dunks.
DeMar DeRozan scored 20 and had 10 assists while Nikola Vucevic added 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Ninth-place Chicago leads Atlanta by a game in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls, who own the head-tohead tiebreaker, would host a play-in game if they finish with identical records.
OG Anunoby played 28 minutes and scored 12 in his first appearance since March 16. The defensive stopper missed the previous nine games after his surgically repaired right elbow flared up.
Other games Pacers 126, Thunder 112:
Pascal Siakam scored 21 points, Aaron Nesmith had 17 and host Indiana beat Oklahoma City for its ninth victory in 14 games. Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton was held to eight points, but had 11 assists. With his 11th assist, a fourth-quarter pass setting up Nesmith’s 3-pointer, Haliburton broke the Pacers’ single -season record of 713 set by Mark Jackson in the 199798. T.J. McConnell and Myles Turner added 16 points apiece for Indiana.
Celtics 101, Kings 100:
Payton Pritchard had 21 points, including five 3-pointers and host Boston held off a late charge to beat Sacramento. Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points and 11 rebounds — his second consecutive double-double — to help the NBA’s top team claim its 12th consecutive win at home one game after clinching home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
Heat 116, Rockets 104:
Jimmy Butler scored 22 points, and Bam Adebayo had 18 points and 12 rebounds to help visiting Miami to a victory against Houston. The Rockets opened the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run, capped by two 3-pointers by Jalen Green, to cut the lead to 94-91 with about 10 minutes to go. The Heat got 3- pointers from Caleb Martin, Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. in a 20-5 run after that.
Grizzlies 108, Pistons 90:
Trey Jemison had 17 points and 13 rebounds, Maozinha Pereira also scored 17 points, as host Memphis built a first-half lead and coasted to a victory against Detroit. Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 16, while GG Jackson and Lamar Stevens each added 15 points.
Raptors 117, Bucks 111:
Gary Trent Jr. scored 31 points and visiting Toronto snapped a 15-game losing streak with a victory against slumping Milwaukee. Milwaukee, playing without the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo, lost for the fifth time in its past six games, with the past three coming against Washington, Memphis and Toronto, who are all well below .500. Antetokounmpo sat out with a left hamstring injury.
Mavericks 108, Warriors 106:
P.J. Washington capped his best game in Dallas with a tiebreaking layup with 4.5 seconds remaining as Luka Doncic watched because of a sore knee, and the Mavericks beat visiting Golden State to end the Warriors’ six-game winning streak. Washington finished with 32 points, his most since being acquired by the Mavericks, and Kyrie Irving had 26.
Spurs 111, Pelicans 109:
Victor Wembanyama scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and had a crucial block on Herb Jones’ shot in the final seconds to lift visiting San Antonio to a win against reeling New Orleans.
Hornets 124, Magic 115:
Brandon Miller made his first 10 shots from the field and finished with 30 points as host Charlotte snapped Orlando’s three- game win streak. Miles Bridges added 23 points and Grant Williams added 18 points as the Hornets won for only the second time in their past 11 games.
Trail Blazers 108, Wizards 102:
Deandre Ayton scored a season-high 34 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and visiting Portland sent Washington to a franchise record-tying 63rd loss. Dalano Banton added 21 points and Scoot Henderson scored 19 for Portland, which won its second in a row.