Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Portis scores 20 to guide Milwaukee over Charlotte
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bobby Portis scored 20 points and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Charlotte Hornets 105- 96 on Saturday night, despite missing star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo, a twotime MVP, sat out with left knee soreness, one night after scoring 40 points in a home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Portis (Little Rock Hall, Arkansas Razorbacks) was
9 of 18 from the floor and had a teamhigh 8 rebounds to go along with 7 assists.
Jordan Nwora added 17 points and Brook Lopez and Jevon Carter each scored 14 for the Bucks. Terry Rozier led the Hornets with 26 points. Jalen McDaniels scored 21 and Kelly Oubre Jr. 20 for Charlotte, which had its three- game home winning streak halted. Mason Plumlee finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
McDaniels scored Charlotte’s first eight points in the second half, pulling the Hornets within 56-53. Milwaukee extended its lead to double digits (77-66) on a basket by Lopez in the third. McDaniels made a layup that cut the lead to 95-89 with 3:18 left, but Charlotte couldn’t get closer.
MAVERICKS 121, KNICKS 100
NEW YORK — Luka Doncic had a game-high 30 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. chipped in 28 points against his former team, and Dallas beat New York.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 17 points for Dallas, which outscored New York 69- 41 in the second half for just its second win seven games.
“I think it’s great that everyone’s in the locker room smiling,” Mavericks Coach Jason Kidd said. “Everybody saw the ball go in, we shared the ball, we played the right way. … We’re a team that lives or dies by the three, and today we made them.”
Forward Julius Randle led the Knicks with 24 points, and Immanuel Quickly chipped in 23. Leading scorer Jalen Brunson had 13 points playing against Dallas for the first time since he signed with the Knicks on July 12, but New York fell for the sixth time in its past eight games.
“To be honest, not fun,” Brunson said when asked what it was like playing against his former team. “They played great tonight. You got to give them credit. No matter who is on the floor, my approach stays the same. But to see them after the game and shake their hands, that was pretty cool.”
Hardaway exacted revenge against his former team, with whom he played 254 games over parts of four seasons. Hardaway had 17 points in the third quarter, including five three-pointers, during a 27-6 run. He credited familiarity in New York — and Dallas’ previous game in Detroit — as keys to his third consecutive 20-plus point game.
“This road trip, when you have family and friends in both cities, it lightens you and brings some positive vibes and some positive energy,” Hardaway said. “To come here, to Detroit and to New York, both places where I used to play college and professionally, was a great atmosphere. I was comfortable, and my teammates (were) keeping me positive.”
Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, had just 11 points on 3 of 11 shooting in the first half. But he took over in the third, scoring 19 points on 8 of 10 shooting. Dallas outscored New York 41-15 in the third quarter, turning a tight game into a rout.
“The first half I wasn’t really participating,” Doncic said. “It was a challenge to come out of the locker room with more energy.”
The Knicks shot 55% in the first half, including 63% from the floor in the first quarter. Randle had 14 of his 21 firsthalf points in the first quarter, including seven on a 9-0 run that gave New York an early 14-5 advantage.
The Knicks led by as many as 15 in the second quarter, but Dallas turned up the defensive intensity and cut New York’s lead to seven, 59-52, at halftime.
“The start of the game, I thought we were pretty good,” Knicks Coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We built the 15-point lead, then we sort of lost traction mid-second quarter.”
KINGS 123, CLIPPERS 96
LOS ANGELES — Domantas Sabonis scored 24 points on 10-of-11 shooting and Sacramento handed undermanned Los Angeles its worst loss of the season.
Sabonis set the tone with 15 points in the opening quarter and the Kings’ bench kept it going in the second, building a 28-point lead. They led by 29 in the third and by 31 in the fourth.
“While everyone warms up, I’m always ready,” Sabonis said. “I feel like that’s where I can take advantage.”
Sabonis made both of his two threepoint attempts in the game and hit 2 of 3 free throws. He had six assists and five rebounds.
Keegan Murray added 23 points and D’Aaron Fox had 14 points for the Kings, who won their second in a row.
The Clippers were again without Paul George (right hamstring tendon strain) and Kawhi Leonard (right ankle sprain), as well as Luke Kennard and Norman Powell. George and Leonard are expected to join the team on their upcoming road trip.
“We have to hold it up until they’re back and then when they’re back, hopefully soon, we can build some chemistry out on the court and some consistency,” said Ivica Zubac, who had 13 points and 15 rebounds.
Brandon Boston Jr. scored 18 points off the bench for the Clippers. Terance Mann added 13 points.
One of the surprise teams of the young NBA season, the Kings have played well under new Coach Mike Brown. They are 12-9 and fifth in the Western Conference standings.
“We really didn’t have any expectations because we’re a new team and figuring each other out,” said Malik Monk (Bentonville), who had 13 points. “We were going to have a chance every night because we’ve got great guys that can put the ball in the basket and defend, too.”
They got out and ran in transition against the Clippers in the first quarter when the Kings shot 68% from the floor. Three of the Clippers’ five starters were held scoreless in the period.
“On the road, you have to win the possession game. I thought our guys did a great job at taking care of the ball as well as sharing it with one another, 31 assists, just nine turnovers,” Brown said. “It was just a good road win for us.”
The Kings opened the second with an 18-4 run to lead 56-28. The Clippers closed with a 10-4 spurt to trail 60-38 at the break.
Sacramento outscored the Clippers 12-0 early in the third, taking a 74-45 lead. Sabonis had five points and Harrison Barnes hit a three-pointer in the spurt.
The Kings’ 12- 0 run to start the fourth pushed their lead to 102- 74. Kevin Huerter and Murray each had three-pointers.