Magic get first win in 8 games, ruin Gordon’s return
ORLANDO, FLA. » Cole Anthony scored 24 points, Wendell Carter Jr. added 18 points and the Orlando Magic rallied from an early 16-point deficit to defeat the Denver Nuggets 108-103 and end their seven-game losing streak.
The Magic took their first lead of the night at 106-103 when rookie Franz Wagner drilled a step-back 3-pointer with 1:45 to play.
The Magic’s rally ruined the return of Nuggets’ forward Aaron Gordon, who played at the Amway Center for the first time since Orlando traded him to Denver on March 28. Gordon scored 17 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had three thunderous dunks.
Anthony, who returned after missing the previous six games with an ankle injury, had his ninth 20-point game and chipped in eight rebounds and seven assists.
HAWKS 114, PACERS 111 » Trae Young made two crucial free throws in the final seconds of the game to help Atlanta fend off Indiana.
Pacers rookie Chris Duarte came up with a steal late in the game, but was unable to convert a contested layup. Young was fouled and made the final two of his 33 points. Young also had 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Hawks.
WIZARDS 115, TIMBERWOLVES 107 » Montrezl Harrell scored 27 points and Bradley Beal added 19 to lift Washington over Minnesota.
Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns had to leave the game with 2:14 remaining after injuring himself on a dunk.
Towns scored only two of his 34 points in the final period — and that was when he got free along the baseline for a dunk. CAVALIERS 111, HEAT 85 » Kevin Love scored 22 points to help Cleveland snap a 20-game losing streak in Miami.
Jarrett Allen added 19 points and 11 rebounds and Darius Garland finished with 16 points for the Cavaliers, who had not won on the Heat’s home court since Jan. 25, 2010. The Cavaliers also got a double-double from Evan Mobley with his 17-point, 11-rebound outing.
Tyler Herro scored 21 points for Miami. MAVERICKS 139, PELICANS 107 » Luka Doncic scored 18 of his team-high 28 points in the first quarter and dished out 14 assists in 27 minutes to power Dallas over New Orleans.
Doncic went 7 of 8 from the floor in the Mavericks’ 41-point first quarter — their highest-scoring period of the season. Dallas shot 73% from the floor (16 of 22) in the period and finished 57 of 83 for the game (69%), their hottest shooting game of the season.
Heat’s Adebayo needs surgery
MIAMI » Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo needs surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb and is likely out until at least mid-January.
It’s the first major injury of Adebayo’s five pro seasons. He is averaging a career-best 18.7 points for Miami this season, along with 10.2 rebounds per game.
Adebayo, an Olympic gold medalist this summer, was injured in Monday’s loss to Denver. He underwent tests Tuesday and
Wednesday to determine the full scope of the injury, and it was determined that he tore the ulnar collateral ligament.
He shrugged off the injury after the game, insisting it was nothing.
“I’m all right,” he said.
Turns out, he was anything but.
Lillard out at least 10 days
PORTLAND, ORE. » Portland guard Damian Lillard is out for at least 10 days because of lower abdominal tendinopathy.
Lillard missed Tuesday night’s victory over the Detroit Pistons with the condition. An MRI confirmed the diagnosis, the Blazers announced Wednesday.
Lillard will be evaluated again in 10 days. He will miss at least four upcoming games.
The six-time All-Star is averaging 21.5 points and 7.8 assists through 20 games this season.
Portland forward Nassir Little is also out for at least one week with a left ankle sprain. Little was injured Monday against Utah.