DURANT HELPS SUNS STOP HORNETS’ RUN
Kevin Durant scored 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting in his Suns debut, helping Phoenix snap the Hornets’ five-game winning streak with a wire-to-wire 105-91 victory Wednesday night in Charlotte, N.C.
Suns 105, Hornets 91
Devin Booker scored 37 points and Deandre Ayton had 16 points and 16 rebounds in the Suns’ seventh victory in 10 games. Chris Paul added 11 assists.
Durant, acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 9, showed no lingering effects from a sprained right knee that kept him out of action for more than seven weeks.
“I feel like I fit in pretty well,” Durant said. “Everybody out there was trying to make me as comfortable as possible. I just have to keep riding it, man.”
The 34-year-old star fit in seamlessly with his new club, also grabbing six rebounds and blocking two shots in 27 minutes.
Durant made two 3s, a flurry of mid-range jumpers and showed he still has the burst to get to the hole on a driving left-handed layup for his first basket with the Suns. He also provided a boost on defense, blocking Hornets rookie center Mark Williams twice in the opening five minutes.
The Hornets played without LaMelo Ball, who underwent season-ending surgery Wednesday to repair a fracture in his right ankle. Kelly Oubre Jr. had 26 points, and Terry Rozier added 20.
Lakers 123, Thunder 117: Dennis Schroder scored 26 points and visiting Los Angeles beat Oklahoma City.
Schroder went down holding his left ankle in the first quarter but stayed in the game. He turned out to be fine, making 8 of 18 shots and finishing with six assists to help the Lakers overcome their injury issues. LeBron James and Anthony Davis both were out with right foot injuries and D’Angelo Russell sat out because of a sprained right ankle.
Troy Brown Jr. scored a season-high 19 points and Austin Reaves added 19 for the Lakers. They have won four of five.
Jalen Williams scored 24 points, Josh Giddey had 22 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds and Lu Dort added 19 points for the Thunder. Oklahoma City is 0-5 since the AllStar break.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who averages 31 points per game, sat out due to health and safety protocols and an abdominal strain.
76ers 119, Heat 96: Tyrese Maxey scored 27 points,
James Harden added 23 and Philadelphia took control early on the way to a victory at Miami.
Tobias Harris scored 18 points, while Paul Reed had 16 points, 14 rebounds and was plus-26 in 29 minutes for the 76ers, who played without All-Star center Joel Embiid — out with left foot soreness. The 76ers are 9-4 when Embiid doesn’t play this season.
Bucks 139, Magic 117: Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points and NBAleading Milwaukee hit a season-high 26 3-pointers to rout visiting Orlando and extend their winning streak to 16 games.
The Bucks’ franchise record for consecutive wins came in their 1970-71 championship season, when they won 20 straight.
Knicks 142, Nets 118: Jalen Brunson scored 30 of his 39 points in the first half and host New York rolled to its seventh straight victory, routing Brooklyn.
The Knicks made nearly 80 percent of their shots in a 47-point first quarter and coasted to their second victory over the Nets since their city rivals traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Brooklyn had won the previous nine meetings, including the first two this season.
Celtics 118, Cavaliers 113: Jayson Tatum scored 18 points in a pivotal third quarter and finished with 41 points as Boston held on to beat visiting Cleveland.
Tatum added 11 rebounds and eight assists in Boston’s first victory in three games against Cleveland this season.
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell scored 44 points and sidestepped an injury following a fall in the third quarter.
Pelicans 121, Trail Blazers 110: Brandon Ingram had a season-high 40 points and visiting New Orleans beat Portland in the first showdown between Damian Lillard and former Trail Blazers teammate CJ McCollum.
McCollum added 24 points to help the Pelicans snap a four-game losing streak. Lillard scored 41 points for the Trail Blazers.
The game marked the first time that Lillard and McCollum played against each other after some nine years together in Portland’s backcourt.
Bulls 117, Pistons 115:
Zach LaVine scored 41 points and host Detroit called one too many timeouts, helping Chicago hold on for a victory.
The Pistons were trailing by two points with 9.7 seconds left when they called a second straight timeout — one more than they had — to trigger a technical foul that gave LaVine a free throw that he made.
Grizzlies 113, Rockets 99:
Desmond Bane scored 30 points, Ja Morant added 20 and Memphis sent host Houston to its 11th straight loss.
Morant also had seven assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets without playing in the fourth quarter to help the Grizzlies to their third straight victory.
Jalen Green scored 20 points and Kenyon Martin Jr. 19 for Houston.