DOC’S DEBUT IS SPOILED
Nikola Jokic spoiled the Milwaukee coaching debut of Doc Rivers by recording his 14th triple-double of the season as the Denver Nuggets surged by the visiting Bucks 113-107 on Monday night.
Jokic finished with 25 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists, while Jamal Murray added 35 points in helping Denver gain separation during an 8-0 run late in the game.
This game was a chance for Rivers to size up his builtto-win-now squad. Rivers was lured out of his role as an analyst to take over for first-year Bucks coach Adrian Griffin, who was fired after 43 games and a 30-13 record.
Rivers watched his new squad squander an early 13point lead, fall behind by as many as nine and surge back before Aaron Gordon ended the comeback by blocking a Damian Lillard layup with 24.7 seconds remaining.
The loss kept Rivers on 1,097 wins and one away from tying Larry Brown for the eighth-most among coaches in NBA history.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points and 12 rebounds for the Bucks, who began a five-game trip.
Timberwolves 107, Thunder 101: Anthony Edwards scored 27 points and Minnesota won at Oklahoma City to take sole possession of the top spot in the Western Conference.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Rudy Gobert added 12 points and 17 rebounds for Minnesota, which had lost three of five.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points and Jalen Williams added 20 for the Thunder, who lost their second straight after a five-game win streak. The teams split their four meetings this season.
There were 11 lead changes in the fourth quarter. A two-handed dunk by Edwards in traffic put the Timberwolves up 101-97, and Minnesota led by at least four the rest of the way.
Mavericks 131, Magic 129: Luka Doncic had 45 points and 15 assists and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 36 points as host Dallas Mavericks beat Orlando.
Derrick Lively II had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Jalen Hardy scored 18 of his season-high 20 points in the first half for the Mavericks.
Paolo Banchero scored 36 points to lead the Magic, who split a back-to-back after beating Phoenix on Sunday at home.
Suns 118, Heat 105: Eric Gordon scored 23 points, Devin Booker had 22 and Phoenix handed host Miami its seventh consecutive loss.
Kevin Durant scored 20 and Bradley Beal had 19 for the Suns, who are 8-2 in their last 10 games and swept the Heat for just the second time in the last 17 seasons.
Cavaliers 118, Clippers 108:
Donovan Mitchell had 28 points and 12 assists and Jarrett Allen extended his double-double streak to 15 straight games as Cleveland snapped visiting Los Angeles’ winning streak at five.
Kawhi Leonard scored 30 points and Norman Powell 18 for the Clippers, who got within four in the final two minutes but fell to 2-1 on a season-long seven-game trip.
Knicks 113, Hornets 92: Jalen Brunson scored 32 points, Donte DiVincenzo added 28 and New York kept rolling without the injured Julius Randle, winning at Charlotte for its seventh straight victory.
Brandon Miller scored 29 points and Miles Bridges had 21 points and 10 rebounds as the Hornets (10-35) fell to 0-4 since trading Terry Rozier to Miami for Kyle Lowry and a first-round draft pick. Lowry isn’t expected to play for Charlotte.
Celtics 118, Pelicans 112:
Jayson Tatum scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and Boston rallied past visiting New Orleans.
The Pelicans led by 17 in the first half but were outscored 68-52 over the final two quarters to drop their third straight game. Brandon Ingram led New Orleans with 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Zion Williamson finished with 26 points.
Kings 103, Grizzlies 94: Domantas Sabonis had a career-high 26 rebounds along with 20 points, De’Aaron Fox scored 23 points and Sacramento rallied past host Memphis.
Sabonis finished 10 of 11 from the field and had 16 rebounds in the first half, a Kings record for rebounds in a half since the franchise moved to Sacramento in 1985.
Rockets 135, Lakers 119:
Jalen Green scored 34 points and Alperen Sengun added 31 as Houston beat visiting Los Angeles.
LeBron James, Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell scored 23 points apiece for the Lakers, who had won two in a row, capped by a 145-144 double-overtime victory over Golden State on Saturday.
Wizards 118, Spurs 113:
Kyle Kuzma had 18 points and 11 rebounds, Daniel Gafford added 16 points and 13 boards, and Washington rallied past host San Antonio to win consecutive games for the first time this season.
Devin Vassell scored 24 points and Victor Wembanyama had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, who were seeking their first threegame winning streak of the season.
Trail Blazers 130, 76ers 104:
Jerami Grant scored 27 points and Portland took advantage of reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid’s absence to beat visiting Philadelphia.
Kelly Oubre Jr. had 25 points for the 76ers, who lost their third straight as Embiid watched from the bench with a sore left knee. Philadelphia was also without Tyrese Maxey.