DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic had 33 points and 17 assists, Tim Hardaway Jr. scored a season-high 32 points and the Dallas Mavericks beat Los Angeles 127-125 on Tuesday night in the Lakers’ first game since winning the inaugural In-Season Tournament.
Anthony Davis finished with 37 points and 11 rebounds, while LeBron James had 33 points, nine assists and eight boards as the Lakers’ season-best four-game winning streak ended. LA erased a 15-point deficit early in the third quarter to set up an entertaining finish.
Dante Exum scored a season-high 26 points with a career-best seven 3-pointers on nine attempts, going 5 of 7 in the fourth quarter to help the Mavs stay in front. Austin Reaves had 22 for the Lakers.
With Doncic’s All-Star sidekick, Kyrie Irving, sidelined a second consecutive game with a bruised right foot, Hardaway was 10 of 21 from the field, including 5 of 10 from 3, and 7 of 8 on free throws.
SUNS 119, WARRIORS 116
PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 32 points, Bradley Beal added 16 in his return from a back injury and Phoenix held on late to beat Golden State.
Golden State’s Draymond Green was ejected in the third quarter after receiving a Flagrant 2 foul for hitting Jusuf Nurkic in the face. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 24 points.
The third quarter was marred when Green was ejected for the 18th time in his career, most among active NBA players.
Green and Nurkic were battling for position early in the third when the two got tangled. The Golden State forward appeared to slightly lose his balance, but then inexplicably wheeled around and smacked Nurkic in the face.
Nurkic immediately crumpled to the ground but eventually got up and stayed in the game. The referees reviewed the play before calling Green for a Flagrant 2 foul, which causes an automatic ejection.
NUGGETS 114, BULLS 106
CHICAGO (AP) — Reggie Jackson scored 25 points and short-handed Denver held off Chicago after Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was ejected in the second quarter.
Michael Porter Jr. had 17 points and Aaron Gordon finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists, helping Denver to a gritty second straight win after a 129-122 victory at Atlanta on Monday night. Julian Strawther added 16 points.
Jackson made five 3-pointers as the reigning NBA champions went 14 for 30 from behind the arc. The Nuggets also beat the Bulls 123-101 in Denver on Nov. 4.
It was unclear what exactly Jokic did to warrant the ejection. It looked as if the two-time NBA MVP felt he was fouled when he missed a reverse layup with 1:12 left in the first half, and he said something in the direction of a referee as he made his way back down the court.
Coby White led Chicago with 27 points, continuing his hot streak. Nikola Vucevic finished with 26 points and 16 rebounds.
CELTICS 120, CAVALIERS 113
BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Jaylen Brown also scored 25 and Boston remained unbeaten at home with a victory over Cleveland.
Kristaps Porzingis had 21 points and 10 rebounds, Derrick White added 17 points and Boston held Cleveland scoreless for a stretch of 2 minutes, 40 seconds in the fourth quarter while finally putting away the Cavaliers, who had played on the road the night before.
Donovan Mitchell had 29 points and Darius Garland scored 26 for the Cavaliers, who couldn’t overcome the cold stretch in the fourth quarter. Cleveland was also outrebounded 45-35 in the opener of a two-game series.
The teams play again Thursday in Boston.
CLIPPERS 119, KINGS 99
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points in three quarters, giving him 106 in his last three games, and Los Angeles routed Sacramento for its season-high fifth straight victory.
James Harden added 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds to help the Clippers sweep a back-to-back for the first time this season. They have won 10 of their last 13 games.
Keegan Murray led Sacramento with 17 points and Domantas Sabonis added 15 points and 10 rebounds. De’Aaron Fox had 14 points as Sacramento’s two-game winning streak was snapped.
The Kings had won five of seven, including a win against Brooklyn on Monday night, but were overwhelmed by the Clippers from the second quarter on.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
The Associated Press
