By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The Denver Nuggets bounced back to defeat New Orleans Pelicans 113-108 on Friday, as Nikola Jokic put up a scoring feast for his team with 37 points. Jokic also had 9 assists and 6 rebounds, while Michael Port Jr. followed with 25 points and Jamal Murray had 23 points and 11 assists for Nuggets (27-18).
Zion Williamson’s 39-point performance wasn’t enough for the Pelicans (19-25) to remain on the winning track after winning their last two games.
Domantas Sabonis had 22 points and 15 rebounds, Malcolm Brogdon also scored 22 points, and the Indiana Pacers (21-23) got a 109-94 win over the Dallas Mavericks (23-20).
Kristaps Porzingis had 31 points and a season-high 18 rebounds for the Mavs, who lacked Luka Doncic due to back tightness. Tim Hardaway Jr. had 16 points for Dallas.
NBA leaders Utah Jazz (33-11) keep up with their winning ways after beating the Memphis Grizzlies (21-21) 117-114. Donovan Mitchell scored 35 points, Rudy Gobert added 25 points and 9 rebounds and Bojan Bogdanovic had 17 points for Utah that continues its dominance.
Ja Morant posted 32 points and 11 assists for the Grizzlies, Jonas Valanciunas added 14 points and 18 rebounds, Dillon Brooks had 22 points and Grayson Allen had 17.
The Boston Celtics (22-23) faced off the Milwaukee Bucks (29-15) once again on Friday to grab a 122-114 win and disrupt the Bucks’ eight-game winning streak. While Jayson Tatum erupted with 34 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, the Celtics kept reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo contained, as he posted 16 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
Malik Monk scored 32 points on 12-of-17 shooting as Charlotte Hornets (23-21) handed Miami Heat (22-24) its sixth straight loss, 110-105. Terry Rozier had 26 points and a career-high 11 assists and Devonte Graham tapped 16 points.
Jimmy Butler had 20 points and 9 assists for the Heat after his return to action and Duncan Robinson also had 20 points.
James Harden had 44 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists as the Brooklyn Nets (31-15) beat the Detroit Pistons (12-32) with a narrow 113-111 win. Blake Griffin added 17 points for the Nets while on the other end of the court, Jerami Grant scored 19 points for Detroit that slipped its third straight game.
Karl Anthony-Towns flirted with triple-double figures with 29 points, 16 rebounds and 8 assists and Juancho Hernangomez had 19 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves (11-34) added up to the Rockets woes (12-32) with a 107-101 win.
Christian Wood led an understaffed Rockets rotation with 24 points and Ben McLemore had 21 points.
Portland Trail Blazers (27-18) prevailed over the Orlando Magic (15-30) 112-105, as the latter is trying to readjust after trading away franchise trademarks Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon. Norman Powell scored 22 points and hit five 3-pointers in his debut with the Blazers and C.J. McCollum had 22 points.
Orlando rookie Chuma Okeke scored a career-high 22 points, James Ennis III had 18 points and four 3s and Khem Birch added 14 points and 15 rebounds in place of Vucevic.
The Phoenix Suns (30-14) got the job done over the Toronto Raptors (18-27) with a 104-100 win. Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul paced the Suns with 19 points each and Devin Booker had 16.
Pascal Siakam led the Raptors with a double-double of 26 points, 11 rebounds along with 6 assists and Fred VanVleet had 22 points.
John Collins scored a career-high 38 points to go with 12 rebounds and the Atlanta Hawks (23-22) beat the Golden State Warriors (22-24) 124-108. Danilo Gallinari added 12 points for the winners and Bogdan Bogdanovic had 11, while on the other end of the court, Andrew Wiggins had 29 points for the Warriors in their fourth straight defeat.
Montrezl Harrell had 24 points and 10 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season as the Los Angeles Lakers (29-17) beat the Cleveland Cavaliers (17-28) 100-86 to bounce back from a four-game losing streak. It’s the Lakers’ first win since LeBron James and Anthony Davis have both been ruled out of action.
Larry Nance Jr. had his fifth double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Cavs.