Rookie Monk helps Hornets subdue Bucks
PHILADELPHIA — Ben Simmons had 19 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, and Joel Embiid had 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to their third straight win, 119-109 over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.
Robert Covington scored 22 points to help the Sixers (4-4) reach .500 for the first time in four years. The Sixers’ rebuild more commonly known as “The Process,” isn’t a success yet. But it’s November and they don’t have a losing record.
Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, has lived up to his top billing in his rookie year. Simmons has scored in double figures in every game and again flirted with a triple-double.
Simmons keeps saying he can play better — but the 21-year-old guard has already joined Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history with 100 points, 50 rebounds and 40 assists in his first six games.
The Sixers came out fired up like a team coming off big wins on the road at Dallas and Houston and hit their first six threes of the game. They led 25-8 and had everything going right as they went for their first win at home this season.
Hornets 126, Bucks 121
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Kemba Walker had 26 points, rookie Malik Monk (Bentonville) had a huge fourth quarter and the Charlotte Hornets put the clamps on the NBA’s leading scorer to beat the Milwaukee Bucks.
Walker was 8 for 12 from the field, including three for four from three-point range and seven for seven from the foul line as Charlotte won its third straight game. Monk, the team’s first-round draft pick from Kentucky, had 18 of his 25 points in the pivotal fourth quarter to help the Hornets build a double-digit lead with Giannis Antetokounmpo forced to sit out with five fouls.
Antetokounmpo came in averaging 33.7 points per game, but struggled with foul trouble and finished with a season-low 14 points along with 13 rebounds. He was limited to five points in the final three quarters.
Khris Middleton led Milwaukee with 43 points on 15-for-28 shooting and Malcolm Brogdon added 20.
Tuesday’s games Thunder 110, Bucks 91
MILWAUKEE— Paul George scored 20 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the paint during a 16-0 run to take control early in a win over Milwaukee Tuesday night.
Russell Westbrook had 12 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, while Carmelo Anthony scored eight of his 17 points in the pivotal first quarter.
Oklahoma City went from down four to a 20-8 lead on George’s jumper with 4:16 left in the first. It was essentially over from there, especially with the way Westbrook kept finding driving lanes.
Pacers 101, Kings 83
INDIANAPOLIS — Bojan Bogdanovic scored 17 points to lead a balanced Indiana offense and help the Pacers to a rout of the Kings.
The Pacers (4-3) scored the first nine points and built a 55-30 lead at the half.
Indiana second-year forward Domantas Sabonis, coming off a personal-best 22 points and 12 rebounds on Sunday, had a double-double in the first half with
10 points and 12 rebounds. He finished with a career-high 16 rebounds in addition to 12 points and five assists.
Rookie guard De’Aaron Fox led the Kings (1-6) off the bench with
18 points.
Suns 122, Nets 114
NEW YORK — Devin Booker scored 32 points, Mike James added 24 and the Suns rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the Nets.
T.J. Warren scored 14 of his
20 points during the final period for the Suns, who squandered an
18-point lead in the third quarter when Brooklyn went on a 17-0 run. Phoenix seemed out of it after Ronda Hollis-Jefferson’s basket gave Brooklyn a 106-98 lead with
6:35 left in the fourth.
But the Suns, who lost a tough one at Portland on Saturday, quickly answered with a 24-8 run for their first win on their five-game road trip.
D’Angelo Russell scored 33 points and Hollis-Jefferson had 21 for the Nets, who’ve lost three straight after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers Oct. 25 at home.
Lakers 113, Pistons 93
LOS ANGELES — Julius Randle scored 17 points, Lonzo Ball added 13 and the Lakers beat the Pistons.
Larry Nance Jr. had 14 points and 12 rebounds for his third double-double for the Lakers, who had lost the previous three games against the Pistons. Brandon Ingram and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope each had 13 points.
Tobias Harris and Reggie Jackson each had 18 points for the Pistons, who were unable to sweep their three-game California road trip. Andre Drummond had 10 points and 12 rebounds.