JACKSON LIFTS CLIPPERS
Reggie Jackson scored 21 points and the Los Angeles Clippers got back on track with a 10796 victory over the lowly Detroit Pistons on Friday at home.
After dropping three of four games, the Clippers never trailed.
Clippers 107, Pistons 96
“To have a comfortable lead was good,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “We made some shots, did a good job of getting to the paint and made the right play. We had 16 assists in the first half, so moving the basketball was good to see.”
Jackson missed his first five shots, but was 8 of 14 the rest of the way. Terance Mann added 16 points and tied a career high with 10 rebounds for the fifth double-double of his career.
Jerami Grant had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Detroit, which has dropped five straight. Trey Lyles added 13 points.
Eric Bledsoe scored 11 straight points in the first quarter to help the Clippers take a 13-4 lead. They extended their advantage to 64-40 at halftime before extending it to a 29-point cushion midway through the third quarter.
“We don’t have the luxury of being a young team and having trouble scoring to come in and not play desperate to start the game,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “That was the message at halftime.”
Isaiah Stewart returned from his two-game suspension after being involved in an altercation with the Lakers’ LeBron James and had four points and 10 rebounds.
Casey said before the game that Stewart was remorseful for what took place and that it was an unfortunate situation for both players. James was suspended for one game
“I think if you put nine men in that same situation, they probably would’ve reacted — right, wrong or indifferent — in the same manner. Maybe not as extended as Isaiah took it, which was unfortunate,” Casey said.
Warriors 118, Trail Blazers 103: Stephen Curry had 32 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, Andrew Wiggins scored 25 points and Golden State beat Portland at San Francisco for its sixth straight
victory.
Suns 118, Knicks 97: Devin Booker scored 32 points and visiting Phoenix beat New York for its 15th straight victory, matching the second-longest winning streak in franchise history.
Chris Paul had 14 points and 10 assists to help the Suns improve to 16-3. The reigning Western Conference champions will try to wrap up a perfect fourgame trip tonight in a showdown with East-leading Brooklyn.
Phoenix also won 15 straight during the 2006-07 season. The Suns won a franchise-best 17 in a row later that season.
Hornets 133, Timberwolves 115: Kelly Oubre Jr. matched a career high with seven 3-pointers and had 27 points off the bench, helping surging Charlotte snap visiting Minnesota’s five-game winning streak.
Bulls 123, Magic 88: DeMar DeRozan scored 23 points, Zach LaVine added 21 and Chicago beat Orlando.
Chicago center Nikola Vucevic, playing in Orlando for the first time after nine seasons with
the Magic, added 16 points and eight rebounds, and Coby White came off the bench with 20 points on 9-for-11 shooting.
Hawks 132, Grizzlies 100: Trae Young had 31 points and 10 assists to lead visiting Atlanta to a victory over Memphis, which lost star point guard Ja Morant to a left knee injury.
Morant left the game in the first quarter with what the team announced as a left knee injury and did not return. He had missed his only shot and converted a pair of free throws for two points.
Wizards 101, Thunder 99: Kantavious Caldwell-Pope scored a season-high 20 points, Bradley Beal also had 20 and Washington beat host Oklahoma City. The Wizards trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half before rebounding to snap a two-game skid.
Pacers 114, Raptors 97: Domantas Sabonis had 23 points and 18 rebounds, and host Indiana beat Toronto.
Spurs 96, Celtics 88: Dejounte Murray had 29 points and 11 rebounds and host San Antonio
rallied to beat Boston after blowing a 24-point lead.
Pelicans 98, Jazz 97: Devonte’ Graham made a go-ahead 3pointer with 1.9 seconds to lift New Orleans to a victory at Utah. Brandon Ingram had 21 points and six rebounds for the Pelicans. Nickeil AlexanderWalker chipped in 15 points.
Bucks 120, Nuggets 109: Giannis Antetokounmpo had 24 points and 13 rebounds, Pat Connaughton added 20 points off the bench and Milwaukee beat host Denver for its sixth straight win.
Kings at Lakers: Late
Notable
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been cleared to participate in full team activities, the club announced, but there remains no specific timetable on when the 2019 top overall draft choice out of Duke will play. The upgrade in Williamson’s status came after he underwent imaging Wednesday on his right foot, which he fractured during an offseason workout.