Holiday’s late jumper lifts Milwaukee
Jrue Holiday hit a baseline jumper with two seconds remaining and the Milwaukee Bucks escaped with a 112111 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night in the final game for both teams before the All-Star break.
Rookie Desmond Bane had a final chance for the Grizzlies, but his 3-pointer hit the front of the rim, giving the Bucks their sixth victory in seven games.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 26 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, and Khris Middleton added 22 points and 10 rebounds. Holiday and Pat Connaughton finished with 15 points each, both connecting on key baskets in the final minute.
Ja Morant led Memphis with 35 points, 28 of them in the second half. Dillon Brooks finished with 23 points, and Jonas Valanciunas had 13 points and 12 rebounds.
A 3-pointer from Connaughton gave Milwaukee a 108107 lead with 38 seconds. With 25.1 seconds left, Brooks was given a layup for Memphis after Antetokounmpo was called for goal tending, giving Memphis a 109-108 lead with 25.1 second remaining.
Middleton’s two free throws gave the lead back to Milwaukee, but Morant answered on a drive with 7.3 seconds left, setting the stage for Holiday’s winner.
Knicks 114, Pistons 104 — The All-Star Game is up next for Julius Randle. The playoffs might be there later for his team.
Randle capped his breakout first half with 27 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists, sending the New York Knicks into the break with a winning record after a victory over the Detroit Pistons.
RJ Barrett added 21 points to help the Knicks improve to 19-18 in their first season under Tom Thibodeau. They have missed the playoffs for seven straight years but finished the first half in fifth place in the East.
The Knicks made 15-of-23 shots (65%) in the third, opening a 20-point lead before taking a 93-74 advantage to the fourth.
Wizards 119, Clippers 117 — Bradley Beal scored 33 points and the Washington Wizards pushed ahead with a late run to beat the Los Angeles Clippers after All-Star Paul George was a late scratch.
Russell Westbrook had 27 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds while Moe Wagner added 12 points as the Wizards snapped a two-game skid. Washington won eight of 11 heading into the All-Star break to move into the fringes of contention in the bunched Eastern Conference.
Beal, an All-Star and the NBA’s leading scorer, was 9 of 23 from the field but made 14 of his 15 free throws.
Kawhi Leonard scored 22 points, Patrick Beverley had 17 and Ivica Zubac had 13 points and 13 rebounds. The Clippers have lost six of nine heading into the break.
George was listed as a starter but was replaced moments before tipoff due to dizziness.
Nuggets 113, Pacers 103 — Michael Porter Jr. scored 24 points and Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, leading the Denver Nuggets past the Indiana Pacers.
Indiana was led by Myles Turner’s 22 points and a season-high tying 12 rebounds, but lost for the fifth time in six games. Domantas Sabonis had his fourth triple-double this season with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Pacers lost their fifth in a row at home.