Jokic fuels Nuggets; Warriors fall
NEW YORK — Nikola Jokic scored 32 points and had 11 rebounds in just 27 minutes, leading the Denver Nuggets over the New York Knicks 113-99 Saturday.
Denver never trailed in winning for only the third time in 10 games.
“Winning is the best medicine,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said.
Zeke Nnaji added 21 points off the bench for the Nuggets, Will Barton contributed 13 and Jeff Green 11.
“We (have to) look ourselves in the mirror and decide what we want the season to be,” New York’s Julius Randle said after leading the Knicks with 24 points on 9-for18 shooting.
SPURS 112, WARRIORS 107: In San Francisco, Derrick White scored 25 points, Dejounte Murray had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and San Antonio held off a furious rally to beat Golden State.
The Spurs closed the game with an 8-1 run to win their fourth straight.
Stephen Curry scored 27 points and Jordan Poole added 15 for Golden State, which was playing a night after snapping Phoenix’s 18-game winning streak in a matchup of the NBA’s top teams.
White hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:43 left in the game to give the Spurs a 107-106 lead.
BULLS 111, NETS 107: In New York, Zach LaVine scored 31 points, DeMar DeRozan had 29 and Chicago beat Brooklyn.
Nikola Vucevic and Ayo Dosunmu each added 11 points for the Bulls.
Kevin Durant led Brooklyn with 28 points and LaMarcus Aldridge scored 20. James Harden added 14 points and 14 assists, but shot only 5 for 21 from the field.
BUCKS 124, HEAT 102: In Milwaukee, Pat Connaughton made seven 3-pointers and scored 23 points as Milwaukee beat Miami despite playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee led by as many as 31 points in the second half against a depleted Heat team missing Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo due to injuries. Antetokounmpo sat out with a right calf injury.
GRIZZLIES 97, MAVERICKS 90: In Dallas, Desmond Bane scored a career-high 29 points, and Memphis held on to beat Dallas in its first game since setting an NBA record with a 73-point victory.
Tyus Jones had 16 points and seven assists for the Grizzlies, who haven’t trailed at all while going 4-0 since star guard and leading scorer Ja Morant was sidelined with a left knee sprain.
CELTICS 145, TRAIL BLAZERS 117: In Portland, Ore., Jayson Tatum and Dennis Schroder scored 31 points apiece and Boston rode a sizzling start to a victory over Portland.
Enes Freedom grabbed 15 rebounds off the bench for the Celtics, who made 14 of their first 15 shots and built a 21-point, first-half lead.
KINGS 104, CLIPPERS 99: In Sacramento, Calif., Terrence Davis scored 23 of his 28 points in the second half as Sacramento beat Los Angeles for the second time in four nights.
Davis made all four of his 3-point attempts in the third quarter and finished 6 of 11 from beyond the arc.
VIRUS OUTBREAK: Four Charlotte players, including last year’s Rookie of the Year, LaMelo Ball, were placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols Saturday, an indicator they have tested positive of the coronavirus.
Along with Ball, guard Terry Rozier, center Mason Plumlee and forward Jalen McDaniels will be sidelined for at least 10 days, or until they have recorded two negative tests in a 24-hour period, according to league rules.
Barring more positive tests, the Hornets would meet the NBA’s minimum required eight players to play their next scheduled game on Sunday night at Atlanta.