PORTIS, GIANNIS SPARK 25-0 SPURT
Bobby Portis and Giannis Antetokounmpo combined to score 20 straight points during a 25-0 spurt midway through the first half and the host Milwaukee Bucks rolled to a 135-102 victory over the NBA-leading Boston Celtics on Thursday night.
Portis scored 28, Antetokounmpo added 24 and both players had 12 rebounds to help the Bucks win for just the second time in six games.
Damian Lillard chipped in 21 points while returning to Milwaukee’s lineup after missing the Bucks’ 132-116 home loss to the Utah Jazz on Monday for personal reasons.
“There was a respectslash-fear factor also that’s very important for this team, that we have to go out there and play at our best today,” Antetokounmpo said.
The Bucks led by as many as 43 points in Jrue Holiday’s return to Milwaukee, and their 75-38 lead at the break was their fourth-biggest halftime advantage in franchise history. The Bucks hadn’t played a game since Monday, while the Celtics were back in action one night after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-120 in overtime.
Boston allowed its highest point total of the season and rested all its starters for the entire second half. The Bucks didn’t play any of their starters in the fourth quarter.
“Hopefully we can keep this up not just against the Boston Celtics, not just when we have two days off or not when we have not played well,” Antetokounmpo added. “Even if we’ve played well and even if we’ve played bad, be able to come in the game and play with the same urgency and with the same focus and with the same energy.”
Thunder 139, Trail Blazers 77:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, Josh Giddey had a tripledouble and host Oklahoma City rolled past Portland, a 62-point victory that matched the fifth-largest rout in NBA history.
Oklahoma City shattered its previous record for victory margin of 45 points, set twice during the 2012-13 season.
The Thunder moved into a tie with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the best record in the Western Conference at 26-11.
Jalen Williams scored 21 points, Chet Holmgren added 19 and Giddey had 13 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists for his ninth career triple-double.
Mavericks 128, Knicks 124: Kyrie Irving scored 44 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. added 32 in his fifth start of the season and short-handed Dallas, playing without superstar Luka Doncic and two other starters, held off a late charge to beat visiting
New York.
After Irving had 20 in the third quarter, the Mavericks led 115-96 with 7:19 left in the game before the Knicks pulled within 121-120 with 1:08 to go on Donte DiVicenzo’s 3-pointer.
Josh Green hit a 3-pointer with 25 seconds left for the last of his 18 points following three Dallas offensive rebounds for a 124-120 lead.
Cavaliers 111, Nets 102: Donovan Mitchell scored a season-high 45 points and Cleveland beat Brooklyn in the NBA’s third regular-season game in Paris.
Suns at Lakers: Late
Wednesday’s late results
Clippers 126, Raptors 120: Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points after agreeing to a three-year contract extension earlier in the day, Paul George added 29, including 15 in the fourth quarter, and host Los Angeles rallied for a victory over Toronto.
Jazz 124, Nuggets 111: Jordan Clarkson had 27 points and nine assists to send host Utah past Denver for its ninth victory in 11 games.
Notable
Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic was fined $25,000 by the NBA, two days after he ranted about officiating following his team’s 132-131 loss to the Lakers.
• Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart will miss at least six weeks because of an injury to his right ring finger.