Nets blow late lead and fall to Clippers
Paul George scored 29 points, Kawhi Leonard added 24 and the Clippers overcame a career-high 47 points from Cam Thomas in his first start to beat the shorthanded Nets 124-116 in Brooklyn on Monday night.
Ivica Zubac added 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who won for the eighth time in 10 games.
Thomas, who scored 44 to rally the Nets past Washington on Saturday, was even better on the day the Nets completed the trade that sent Kyrie Irving to Dallas. But Los Angeles outscored Brooklyn 25-9 over the final 6:20.
Neither Dinwiddie nor Finney-Smith was available, nor were Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons and Seth Curry due to injury. Brooklyn head coach Jacque Vaughn rotated 11 of his 12 dressed players, but Los Angeles’ bench outscored Brooklyn’s 3810. Kings 140, Rockets 120:
Keegan Murray had a personal-high 30 points and set a franchise rookie record with eight 3-pointers to help visiting Sacramento snap a two-game skid. Murray, the fourth overall pick in last year’s NBA draft, shot 8-for-12 from beyond the arc.
Bulls 128, Spurs 104: Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 12 rebounds, Andre Drummond set season highs with 21 points and 15 rebounds, and host Chicago handed San Antonio its ninth straight loss.
Celtics 111, Pistons 99: Jayson Tatum finished with 34 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for visiting Boston. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 21 for the Pistons, who have won just onefourth of their games.
Cavaliers 114, Wizards 91: Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen scored 23 points apiece and Donovan Mitchell added 21 to lead visiting Cleveland to a rout of Washington. Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points for Washington, which was without Bradley Beal (left foot soreness) and Kyle Kuzma (left ankle sprain).
Suns sale OK’d: Mortgage executive and former Michigan State guard Mat Ishbia is majority owner of the Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury after the NBA’s board of governors approved his plan to purchase the controlling stake of the franchises from Robert Sarver, a person with knowledge of the matter said.