Walker powers Celtics over Suns
BOSTON — Kemba Walker matched his season high with 32 points, and the Boston Celtics rolled to a 99-86 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.
Walker was 11-of-17 from the field, hitting five 3pointers. The Celtics were without Jaylen Brown because of a sore left shoulder, and Jayson Tatum struggled shooting for the second straight game, going 3-of-17. He had 15 points and 11 rebounds.
The Celtics led by 21 points in the second half. They have won nine of their last 11.
Coming off a victory in Philadelphia on Wednesday night, the Suns (42-17) dropped two games behind idle Utah Jazz for the best record in the NBA. Phoenix has the NBA’s best road record at 19-8.
Chris Paul had 22 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Devin Booker finished with 15 points before fouling out with 4:37 remaining.
MAVERICKS 115, LAKERS 110
Luka Doncic scored 30 points, leading host Dallas to a victory over Los Angeles in the return of Lakers star Anthony Davis from a 30-game injury absence.
Davis was rusty in his first game since Feb. 14 because of right calf and heel issues, scoring four points on 2-of-10 shooting while limited to 17 minutes in the first half only. The absence was the longest of the eight-time All-Star’s career.
The Mavericks lost their big man in the third quarter of the first of two consecutive games against the Lakers when Kristaps Porzingis sprained his left ankle and was ruled out for the rest of the game.
BUCKS 124, 76ERS 117
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 27 points, and Khris Middleton had 24 as host Milwaukee defeated Philadelphia in a matchup of two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams.
Bobby Portis added a season-high 23 points as the Bucks ended a fivegame home losing streak.
Joel Embiid scored 24 points for the Sixers. Shake Milton had 20 off the bench.
The Bucks improved to 36-22 and hold the third seed in the East. The Sixers fell to 39-20 and into a tie with idle Brooklyn for the top spot.
SPURS 106, PISTONS 91
Derrick White had 26 points, Jakob Poeltl added 17 points and 11 rebounds, and San Antonio defeated Detroit to snap a five-game home losing streak.
The Spurs have won three of four to move into ninth in the Western Conference ahead of the Warriors. They would face each other in the play-in tournament if the standings remain the same.
PELICANS 135, MAGIC 100
Zion Williamson scored 23 points in 23 minutes in his first game against Orlando, and New Orleans beat the host Magic to snap a four-game skid.
BULLS 108, HORNETS 91
Nikola Vucevic scored 18 points and matched a season high with 16 rebounds, Coby White and Thaddeus Young scored 18 apiece, and host Chicago beat Charlotte.