Lowry, Raptors top shorthanded Nets
NEW YORK — With Kevin Durant forced out of the game in the third quarter because of the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the Toronto Raptors beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-117 on Friday night behind 33 points from Pascal Siakam.
Durant’s first game against the Raptors since rupturing his Achilles tendon in the 2019 NBA Finals was a frustrating one for him and a confusing night for everyone. The superstar forward wasn’t available to start the game — entering as a reserve for the first time in his 867-game NBA career — then was told he had to depart in the third quarter.
The Nets had rallied from a 17-point deficit by then to take the lead, but couldn’t hold on without the NBA’s No. 2 scorer.
Kyle Lowry added 30 points and seven assists for the Raptors. Siakam had 11 rebounds and six assists.
Joe Harris scored 19 points and James Harden had 17 points and 12 assists for the Nets. Durant finished with eight points, after scoring 20 or more in each of his first 17 games, his longest streak to start a season in his career.
CELTICS 119, CLIPPERS 115
Jayson Tatum led a 3-point shooting spree and scored 34 points, helping Boston hold off Clippers on the road without Paul George in the Los Angeles lineup.
Lou Williams scored the Clippers’ final seven points, including a 3pointer from the left corner that gave them a one-point lead with 46 seconds remaining.
JAZZ 138, HORNETS 121
Bojan Bogdanovic had 31 points on seven 3-pointers, Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and Utah beat visting Charlotte for their 14th win in 15 games.
Rudy Gobert added 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Jazz.
HEAT 122, WIZARDS 95
Bradley Beal — the NBA’s scoring leader, averaging 34.8 points entering Friday — missed his first 13 shot attempts, reserve Kendrick Nunn had 25 points and Miami rolled to a home win over Washington.
Adebayo scored 21 for Miami.
TIMBERWOLVES 106 THUNDER 103
D’Angelo Russell made a 3-pointer with 3.7 seconds remaining to lift the Minnesota Timberwolves over Oklahoma City on the road.
Al Horford scored a season-high 26 points and had eight assists and seven rebounds for Oklahoma City. Hamidou Diallo had 16 points and a career-high 10 assists.
SUNS 109, PISTONS 92
Devin Booker scored 23 points and Chris Paul added 20 points and 9 assists as Phoenix defeated Detroit at home.
Jerami Grant led the Pistons with 21 points.
BUCKS 123, CAVALIERS 105
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points, Jrue Holiday added 17 and visting Milwaukee beat Cleveland in the opener of a six-game road trip that began with travel delays.
PELICANS 114, PACERS 113
Brandon Ingram scored 30 points to help New Orleans top Indiana on the road.
Lonzo Ball added 20 points and nine rebounds as New Orleans won for the fourth time in six games.
MAGIC 123, BULLS 119
Nikola Vucevic scored a career-best with 43 points and grabbed 19 rebounds as hosting Orlando rallied late and beat Chicago, snapping a four-game losing streak.