Poole steps up with Curry out in Warriors’ victory
The Warriors’ Jordan Poole, left, had a season-high 32 points against the Detroit Pistons on Friday.
Jordan Poole stepped up in Stephen Curry’s absence to score 22 of his seasonhigh 32 points in the first half, Andrew Wiggins had 27 and the Golden State Warriors beat the Detroit Pistons 105-102 on Friday night.
Golden State started the fourth quarter with a 16-point lead and held on to win after Detroit’s Jerami Grant and Frank Jackson missed 3-pointers in the closing seconds.
The NBA-leading Warriors sat out Curry with a bruised hip, a night after he had 20 of his 40 points in a fourth-quarter comeback victory at Cleveland. They also were without Draymond Green because of a bruised thigh. Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick, had 19 points, six rebounds and six assists. Jackson scored a season-high 27 points.
HORNETS 121, PACERS 118 >> LaMelo Ball had a seasonhigh 32 points along with 11 rebounds and eight assists and Charlotte held off Indiana for its fifth straight victory.
Gordon Hayward added 25 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr. had 16 to finish off a 4-0 homestand that included wins over Golden State and Washington.
Jeremy Lamb had 23 points for Indiana, and Malcolm Brogdon added 16 points. The Pacers lost all three of their games on a trip to fall to 2-9 overall.
BUCKS 96, THUNDER 89 >> Giannis Antetokounmpo had 21 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists and Milwaukee withstood Oklahoma
City’s comeback attempt.
Milwaukee never trailed but nearly allowed Oklahoma City to come all the way back from a 20-point deficit.
Bobby Portis had 17 points and 13 rebounds for the Bucks. Khris Middleton added 16 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 17 points.
NETS 115, MAGIC 113 >> James Harden had 36 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and Brooklyn overcame a 19-point deficit and the absence of Kevin Durant to beat Orlando.
Durant did not play due to a right shoulder sprain.
Harden was 19 for 20 from the free throw line. Patty Mills added 22 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 11 of his 15 in the fourth quarter.
Jalen Suggs scored 21 points for the Magic.
BULLS 114, NUGGETS 108 >> Zach LaVine put up a season-high 36 points, DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points and the visiting Chicago Bulls beat the shorthanded Denver Nuggets. Derrick Jones Jr. had 16 points and Ayo Dosunmu had 10 for the Bulls.
CAVS’ SEXTON DONE FOR SEASON AFTER KNEE SURGERY >> Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton’s season is over after surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee.
Cleveland’s leading scorer hurt his knee on Nov. 7 in a game against the New York Knicks. The Cavs didn’t provide an update until Friday, when they said Sexton underwent surgery on Wednesday in Atlanta.