Thomas scores 40 points as Nets rout short-handed 76ers
>> Cam Thomas scored 40 points, Mikal Bridges had 23 and the Brooklyn Nets routed the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers 136-121 on Saturday night.
Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP who missed his second game after sustaining a left meniscus injury Tuesday night at Golden State. Philadelphia is 4-10 in the 14 games without Embiid this season.
Lonnie Walker IV added 20 points to help Brooklyn win for the third time in four games after losing 10 of 12. Ben Simmons — the former 76ers All-Star guard who was the subject of boos every time he touched the ball in his second game as a visitor at Wells Fargo Center — failed to score and had nine rebounds and five assists in 14 minutes for the Nets.
Two nights after scoring a career-high 51 points in a victory at Utah, Tyrese Maxey had 23 points for Philadelphia on 8-for-23 shooting. Terquavion Smith had 17 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr. 16 as the 76ers lost for the fifth time in six games.
Besides Embiid, the 76ers were without starters Tobias Harris (illness) and Nicolas Batum (left hamstring tightness) in addition to key reserves DeAnthony Melton (back) and Robert Covington (left knee meniscus injury).
KINGS 123, BULLS 115 Domantas Sabonis had a triple-double and De'Aaron Fox scored 41 points, helping Sacramento hold off Chicago.
Malik Monk added points as Sacramento improved to 5-1 on a sevengame trip. It has won six of seven overall, including a 133-122 victory at Indiana on Friday night.
Sabonis had 13 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in his 14th triple-double of the season and No. 46 for his career. It also was his 31st consecutive game with at least a double-double, matching Oscar Robertson for the franchise record.
CAVALIERS 117, SPURS 99
Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points, Evan Mobley had 28 points and 10 rebounds and Cleveland routed San Antonio.
Jarrett Allen had 26 points and 16 rebounds, and Mitchell added eight rebounds and seven assists to help Cleveland win its fifth straight and 13th in 14 games.
BUCKS 129, MAVERICKS 117 >>
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 48 points and Milwaukee overcame a 25-point deficit for the Bucks' first victory under coach Doc Rivers, beating Dallas.
Damian Lillard scored 30 points in the second-biggest comeback victory this season for Milwaukee, which trailed Portland by 26 in a November win. Antetokounmpo also had 10 assists.
LAKERS 113, KNICKS 105 >> LeBron James scored 24 points and Los Angeles pulled away down the stretch to beat New York, snapping the Knicks' ninegame winning streak.
Austin Reaves had 22 points, D'Angelo Russell and Taurean Prince each scored 16, and Anthony Davis finished with 12 points and 18 rebounds as the Lakers won their second straight to move above .500 (26-25).