Middleton, Bucks rally to beat Suns
Khris Middleton scored a season-high 44 points, Jrue Holiday had 17 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and the Milwaukee Bucks rallied to beat the shorthanded Phoenix Suns 132122 on Sunday.
Milwaukee outscored Phoenix 12-1 over the last three minutes to win in the Suns' first visit since Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points in a 10598 Game 6 victory gave the Bucks their first NBA title in 50 years. In their only previous matchup this season, the Suns won 131-107 in Phoenix on Feb. 10.
The NBA-leading Suns were playing without their usual All-Star starting backcourt of Devin Booker and Chris Paul. Booker missed his third straight game due to the NBA's health and safety protocols. Paul broke his right thumb Feb. 16.
Antetokounmpo had 19 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in 31 minutes before fouling out with 1:12 left. Deandre Ayton led the Suns with 30 points. Cam Payne had 23.
CELTICS 126, NETS 120 >> Jayson Tatum scored a season-high 54 points — 34 of them in the second half — and Boston overcame a rare appearance of both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn's lineup.
Durant played in his second game since mid-January and scored 37 to become the 23rd player in NBA history to reach 25,000 points. Irving joined him for just the fourth time all season, scoring 19 in his first game in three weeks.
Jaylen Brown, who was cleared to return to Boston's lineup after testing his sprained ankle pregame, scored 21 points for the Celtics.
WIZARDS 133, PACERS 123 >> Kristaps Porzingis scored 25 points in his first game for Washington to help the Wizards beat Indiana.
Porzingis returned from a right knee bone bruise and played for the first time since the Wizards acquired him from Dallas in a trade last month. It was his first game overall since Jan. 29.
Kyle Kuzma added 23 points for the Wizards. Malcolm Brogdon scored 27 points Indiana.
ROCKETS 123, GRIZZLIES 112 >> Kevin Porter Jr. scored 29 points, Christian Wood added 28 points and 13 rebounds and Houston beat Memphis to end a 12-game losing streak.
Porter scored 19 of his 22 second-half points in the third quarter to help Houston overcome a 10-point halftime deficit. Wood has scored at least 20 points in three games.
Jalen Green added 24 points and eight rebounds, and Eric Gordon had 12 points in the Rockets' first victory since beating Cleveland on Feb. 2.
Desmond Bane scored 28 points, and Ja Morant added 22 points and six assists for Memphis.
CAVALIERS 104, RAPTORS 96 >> Rookie Evan Mobley had 20 points and 17 rebounds, Lauri Markkanen scored 22 and the Cleveland Cavaliers widened their lead on Toronto in the Eastern Conference standings with a win over the Raptors.
The Cavs won for just the second time in eight games. Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and Chris Boucher 21 for the Raptors