DeRozan, LaVine power Bulls past Hawks in Young’s return
ATLANTA, Dec 28, (AP): DeMar DeRozan scored 35 points, Zach LaVine added 30 and the Chicago Bulls won their fourth straight game, beating the short-handed Atlanta Hawks 130-118.
Cam Reddish finished with 33 points and Trae Young, cleared from health and safety protocols about 90 minutes before tipoff, returned to the starting lineup and scored 29 for Atlanta in the first game of a home-andhome set with the Bulls.
DeRozan was 14 for 20 from the field. LaVine, in his second game back after missing 15 days in protocols, went 11 for 21, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. Nikola Vucevic got his 14th double-double with 24 points and 17 rebounds.
The Bulls improved to 21-10, second-best in the Eastern Conference. They began the day 10 games over .500 for the first time since January 2016.
Grizzlies 114, Suns 113
In Phoenix, Ja Morant scored 33 points, including a layup with 0.5 seconds to play that gave Memphis a victory over Phoenix.
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Morant’s basket came after Devin Booker’s 3-pointer with 5 seconds to play gave the Suns their first lead since early in the game. After a timeout, Morant drove the left side of the lane and banked it in. Phoenix’s final shot from the corner was off the mark.
Desmond Bane scored 32 points, 19 in the first half when Memphis built a 60-48 lead. Steven Adams had 13 points and 16 rebounds as the Grizzlies dominated the boards, 50-35.
Booker led the Suns with 30 points. Deandre Ayton and Jae Crowder, as well as coach Monty Williams, were placed in the COVID-19 protocols. The Suns lost their second straight at home following the Christmas defeat to Golden State.
Nets 124, Clippers 108
In Los Angeles, James Harden tied his season high with 39 points and had a season-best 15 assists, and Brooklyn beat Los Angeles in a matchup of short-handed teams.
The Nets improved their NBA-best road mark to 13-3 with a sweep in Los Angeles. They beat LeBron James and the Lakers 122-115 on Christmas in their first game after three straight postponements due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A combined 15 players were missing from both teams due to health and safety protocols as well as injuries. The Nets have seven players in protocols, including NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, both of whom weren’t with the team.
Turns out, Harden was plenty on his own and his supporting cast backed him up. Four other Nets scored in double figures, including Patty Mills, who had 18 points and made six 3-pointers. Nic Claxton tied his career high with 18 points.
Jazz 110, Spurs 104
In San Antonio, Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points, Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Utah beat San Antonio for its fourth straight victory.
Bojan Bogdanovic had 19 points and Joe Ingles added 17 for Utah, which has won 12 of 14.
Derrick White scored 21 points and Doug McDermott added 17 for San Antonio, who had its season-high, three-game winning streak snapped.
Mavericks 132, Trail Blazers 117
In Portland, Ore., Kristaps Porzingis had a season-high 34 points and nine rebounds, leading Dallas past Portland.
Both teams were short-handed. The Mavericks were missing six players, including star Luka Doncic, in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Portland had seven players in the protocols, as well as head coach Chauncey Billups.
Dwight Powell scored a seasonhigh 22 points for Dallas, and Brandon Knight came off the bench to score 18 points in his third game with Dallas after signing as a hardship exemption on Dec. 23.
Timberwolves 108, Celtics 103
In Minneapolis, Jaylen Nowell scored 29 points and Nathan Knight added 20 points and 11 rebounds, leading shorthanded Minnesota over Boston.
Jaden McDaniels scored 17 points and Malik Beasley added 15 points and eight rebounds for the Wolves, who were playing without all five of their regular starters due to COVID-19 protocols.
Veteran center Greg Monroe, signed to a 10-day contract earlier in the day, had 11 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes for the Wolves, who snapped a two-game losing streak.
Hornets 123, Rockets 99
In Charlotte, N.C., Terry Rozier scored 27 points and made seven 3-pointers, and Charlotte routed Houston for its second straight win.
Kelly Oubre chipped in with 18 points, while LaMelo Ball and Jalen McDaniels had 16. Mason Plumlee finished with a season-high 15 points and nine rebounds for the Hornets, who pulled back above .500 on the season.
Eric Gordon and Christian Wood each had 16 points for the Rockets, who’ve lost six of their last seven games. Houston played without starters Jae’Sean Tate and Garrison Matthews, and key backups K.J. Martin and D.J. Augustin because of the NBA’s health and safety protocols.