NBA: Clippers catch Nuggets in West with 29-point win
PAUL George scored a game-high 24 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers hammered the visiting Denver Nuggets 132-103 on Friday night.
George, who struggled offensively in the previous two games with 11 and seven points, connected on 6 of 8 3-pointers and 9 of 15 overall from the floor, as the Clippers won their third straight game.
Kawhi Leonard contributed 19 points, Montrezl Harrell had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Lou Williams finished with 17 points for Los Angeles, which had seven players score in double figures. Williams hit 5 of 7 shots from behind the arc.
Reggie Jackson scored all 10 of his points in the first half and also tallied eight rebounds and seven assists. Landry Shamet chipped in 12 points.
The win allowed Los Angeles to pull into a second-place tie with Denver in the Western Conference.
Nikola Jokic scored 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds. Jerami Grant had 20 points off the bench, while Will Barton added 18 points. Jamal Murray contributed 11 points.
Mitchell’s 30 helps Jazz end skid with win over Wizards
Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and the Utah Jazz held off the visiting Washington Wizards 129-119 on Friday night to end a four-game losing streak.
Bradley Beal led all scorers with 42 points on 17-of-33 shooting and added 10 assists for Washington, which has lost four of five since the All-Star break.
Beal notched his 10th 40-point game of the season and his 17th consecutive game with 25 or more points, tying the franchise record set by Walt Bellamy in 1961-62.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 21 points for Utah and Jordan Clarkson added 20.
Reserve Thomas Bryant added 16 points for Washington and Rui Hachimura had 15.
Bucks end Thunder’s 5-game win streak in blowout fashion
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 133-86 home blowout of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night.
It was the Bucks’ third win of 40-or-more points this season, tying Milwaukee for the NBA record for most such games in a season.
The margin narrowly missed being the largest in the NBA this season. The Los Angeles Clippers beat Atlanta by 49 earlier.
The Bucks took over the game in the second quarter with a 26-4 run over less than five minutes. Milwaukee led just 44-41 before the run, which helped put away a fifth consecutive win coming out of the All-Star break.
The Bucks hit 21 3-pointers, their most of the season. Both Wesley Matthews and Pat Connaughton hit four from behind the arc. Milwaukee dominated on the glass as well, outrebounding the Thunder 66-37.
Antetokounmpo added 13 rebounds and six assists while playing just 27 minutes.
The Thunder were in a tough spot already, playing the second night of a back-toback against a Bucks team that hadn’t played since Tuesday.
Oklahoma City was without its second-leading scorer, Danilo Gallinari, as well.
Hornets shock Raptors on the road
Terry Rozier made one free throw to break a tie with 2.1 seconds to play as the visiting Charlotte Hornets defeated the Toronto Raptors, 99-96, on Friday night.
Rozier was fouled away from the ball by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, his sixth personal foul, to give Rozier one shot and giving the Hornets possession after he made it.
Devonte’ Graham then was fouled and made two free throws with 1.2 seconds to play.
Rozier finished with 18 points. Graham also scored 18 points for the Hornets, who have won two in a row. Miles Bridges had 17 points, P.J. Washington 15 and Bismack Biyombo 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Pascal Siakam had 24 points -- 14 in the third quarter -- and nine rebounds for the Raptors, who have lost two in a row.
Norman Powell, who had missed the previous nine games with a broken finger, scored 22. Kyle Lowry had 21 points and OG Anunoby had 16 points and nine rebounds.