Nets overcome slow start, beat Heat
NEW YORK >> James Harden and Kevin Durant each scored 20 points despite three relatively quiet quarters, and the Brooklyn Nets broke away with a big run in the fourth to beat the Miami Heat 98-85 on Monday night.
Kyrie Irving added 16 points for the Nets, who completed a sweep of the Heat in two games that couldn’t have been more different. Brooklyn won 128-124 on Saturday, then took the rematch despite barely topping its lowestscoring game of the season.
Harden had only 10 points and four shots through three, then scored 10 more in the 18-2 spurt that turned a tie game into a 96-80 lead.
PISTONS 119, 76ERS 104 >> Delon Wright scored a careerhigh 28 points and Wayne Ellington had another impressive shooting night for Detroit, leading the Pistons past Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia.
Jerami Grant scored 25 points for the Pistons (413), who still have the NBA’s
worst record but took advantage of Joel Embiid’s absence. The Philadelphia star was out with back tightness. PACERS 129, RAPTORS 114 >>
Malcolm Brogdon scored a career-high 36 points and Myles Turner scored 11 of his 21 in the final 8 1/2 minutes to help Indiana pull away from Toronto.
Brogdon also had nine assists and seven rebounds. Jeremy Lamb matched his season high with 22 points as Indiana earned a split in the two-game set against
the Raptors. The Pacers won this one despite losing All-Star forward Damontis Sabonis to a bruised left knee in the first half. MAGIC 117, HORNETS 108 >> Nikola Vucevic scored 28 points and rookie point guard Cole Anthony added a career-high 21 points as Orlando topped Charlotte.
Orlando snapped a two-game losing streak and bounced back from squandering a doubledigit lead in the fourth quarter a night earlier in a loss to the Hornets. LAKERS 115, CAVALIERS 108 >> LeBron James went on tear in the fourth quarter on his former home court, scoring 23 of his 46 points to keep Los Angeles unbeaten on the road with a win over Cleveland.
NUGGETS 117, MAVERICKS 113 >>
Michael Porter Jr. tied his season high with 30 points and Denver overcame Jamal Murray’s ejection for a shot to the groin of Dallas guard Tim Hardaway Jr. to beat the Mavericks.
Porter was 6 of 10 from 3-point range, including a go-ahead shot to start a decisive 7-0 run late in the fourth quarter after the Mavericks had rallied immediately following the incident involving Murray and Hardaway.
CELTICS 119, BULLS 103 >> Jaylen Brown scored 26 points, Jayson Tatum added 24 after missing five games because of COVID-19 protocols and Boston beat Chicago.
Daniel Theis scored 19 points and Marcus Smart added 13 while tying a career high with 11 assists as the Celtics won their second straight.