LeBron James had 33 points and nine assists, Lonnie Walker scored 21 points and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame the absence of Anthony Davis to beat the Washington Wizards 119-117 on Sunday night.
Davis, the Lakers’ 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds leader, injured his right foot in Friday night’s win over Denver and is expected to miss several weeks.
Thomas Bryant added 16 points and 10 rebounds to help the Lakers win for the third time in their last four games and hand Washington its 10th straight loss and 13th in 14 games.
James appeared to lose the ball near midcourt, but regained possession and found Bryant underneath for a tiebreaking dunk with 7.1 seconds left. Former Laker Kyle Kuzma missed a 3-pointer for Washington with 2.1 seconds left.
Even without Anthony Davis, LeBron James (6) and the Lakers were able to handle the Wizards
Bradley Beal scored 29 points in his return to the Wizards. He has missed the past six games with a hamstring injury, last playing on Dec. 4 in a 130-119 home loss to the Lakers,
Kuzma scored 22 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 21 for Washington. The Wizards last won on Nov. 28 at home against Minnesota.
The Wizards led 102-98 with 6:43 left after Daniel Gafford’s alley-oop dunk. But an 8-0 run from the Lakers, capped by James’ three-point play, gave Los Angeles a 106-102 lead with 5:09 left. The Lakers never caught up again.
Austin Reaves hit a pair of floaters as the Lakers went up 115-111 with 1:17 left. But the Wizards tied it on back-to-back baskets from Gafford and Beal.
James put the Lakers ahead 117-115 when he took the ball up the court and split the lane for an uncontested dunk with 27.1 seconds left. Beal tied it again at 117 on a pair of free throws with 23.1 seconds left.
Bradley Beal (3) returned to the Wizards lineup after an injury and dropped 29 points
Nikola Jokic set a career high with 27 rebounds — including a franchise record 20 in the first half — along with 40 points and 10 assists for his fifth triple-double of the season, and the host Denver Nuggets beat the Charlotte Hornets 119-115 on Sunday night.
The 20 rebounds in one half were tied for second-most in NBA history in 1996-97. Kevin Love holds the record with 22 in a half. The only player in NBA history with at least 37 points, 27 rebounds and 10 assists in a game is Wilt Chamberlain.
Aaron Gordon finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 20 points, Bruce Brown scored 16 and Jamal Murray added 11 assists for Denver. LaMelo Ball scored 31 points, Gordon Hayward had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 16 points for Charlotte, which has lost eight straight.
PJ Washington missed a 3-pointer that would have tied the game with 2:42 left, and Gordon made a reverse layup and Jokic sunk a hook shot to make it 111-104 with 1:57 left. Charlotte got within two on Washington’s dunk with 13.5 seconds left but Jokic sealed it with two free throws.
James put up 33 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists in the Lakers’ 13th win of the season
Nets 124, Pistons 121
Kevin Durant poured in 43 points, including 26 in the third quarter, as visiting Brooklyn extended its winning streak to six games with a win over Detroit.
Kyrie Irving scored 38 points for Brooklyn, which didn’t take the lead until the closing seconds of the third quarter. Bojan Bogdanovic led Detroit with 26 points. Jaden Ivey had 19 points, while Marvin Bagley III and Alec Burks each added 12. The Nets ended the third quarter on a 21-7 run to take a 98-96 lead. Almost all of Durant, as he scored all but three of those points during the surge.
A steal by Killian Hayes and a 3-pointer by Bogdanovic with 40 seconds left cut Brooklyn’s lead to one. Irving made two of three free throws with 29 seconds left, but Burks answered with a layup. Durant hit two free throws, and Bogdanovic missed a 3-pointer on Detroit’s final possession.
With those 43 points, Durant officially moved up to 16th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, passing Celtics legend Paul Pierce.
Nets star Kevin Durant (7) passes Paul Pierce for 16th all-time on NBA scoring list
Warriors 126, Raptors 110
Jordan Poole scored a career-best 43 points on 14-for-23 shooting and visiting Golden State defeated Toronto.
Draymond Green added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Warriors, who ended a three-game skid with their third road win of the season against 14 losses. Klay Thompson also had 17 points for the Warriors, who are 1-3 after four games of a six-game road trip. JaMychal Green contributed 15 points and Kevon Looney had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Pascal Siakam scored 27 points for the Raptors, who have lost five straight, including a three-game losing streak at home. Fred VanVleet added 22 points, Scottie Barnes had 17, Malachi Flynn scored 16 and fellow reserve Chris Boucher had 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Jordan Poole scored a career-high 43 points, making 14 of 23 shots in a win over Toronto
Timberwolves 150, Bulls 126
Anthony Edwards scored 28 of his season-high 37 points in the second half as Minnesota pulled away down the stretch and set a franchise record for points in a loss against slumping Chicago in Minneapolis.
After starting 3 of 10, Edwards made 10 of 15 shots after halftime as Minnesota outscored Chicago 79-61. He also added a career-high 11 assists to go along with seven rebounds. D’Angelo Russell returned from missing two games with a left knee injury and finished with 28 points, including seven of the club’s 23 3-pointers. He also dished out eight assists.
DeMar DeRozan led six Bulls in double figures with 29 points, but the club slumped again in the second half, snapping its fourth straight loss and falling to 3-8 in its past 11 games. Nikola Vucevic added 23 and Zach LaVine finished with 22.
Anthony Edwards dropped 37 points – including 28 in the second half – in Sunday’s win
Magic 95, Celtics 92
Paolo Banchero scored 31 points and made a career-best six 3-pointers to lift Orlando to a win over host Boston.
Banchero added six rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. He was 7 of 12 from the field and 4 of 4 from downtown during a 22-point first half. Four other Orlando players finished with at least 11 points. Jaylen Brown had 24 points, 14 rebounds, three steals and two blocks for Boston, which has lost four of five. The Celtics played without star Jayson Tatum (personal reasons).
Malcolm Brogdon’s corner trey with 56.2 seconds left brought the Celtics within 93-92. After Marcus Smart scooped up a loose inbounds pass, the Celtics turned the ball over and Moe Wagner made two free throws to clinch the win.
Rookie sensation Paolo Banchero hit six 3-pointers as part of a 31 point night against Boston
Knicks 109, Pacers 106
Julius Randle posted a double-double and hit all six of his free throws in the final minute, including the one that gave New York the lead in a win over Indiana in Indianapolis.
Randle finished with 25 points and 14 rebounds while Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 30 points for the Knicks, who have won seven straight, their longest streak since a nine-game stretch from April 9 -24, 2021. RJ Barrett had 24 points while Mitchell Robinson also recorded a double-double (10 points, 13 rebounds).
Buddy Hield and Aaron Nesmith each had 23 points, while Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin each scored 15 for the Pacers, who have lost eight of 11. Each of their last five losses has come by six points or less.
A double-double for Julius Randle helps the New York Knicks beat the Pacers 109-106
