NEW YORK (AP) — The Detroit Pistons matched the NBA record for the longest losing streak in a single season, falling 126-115 to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night for their 26th straight loss.
The Pistons joined the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers, dropping to 2-27 in their first season under Monty Williams. They were in the game in the second half before the Nets put them away with a 15-0 run to open a 21-point lead and ensure that Detroit would remain winless since Oct. 28.
The teams will meet again Tuesday night in Detroit, with the Pistons nearing the overall longest skid in league history. The 76ers lost 28 consecutive games from late in the 2014-15 season through early 2015-16.
Mikal Bridges had 29 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Nets, who put seven players in double figures and snapped their five-game losing streak. Cam Thomas scored 20 points.
The Nets shot 52% from the field, showing plenty of energy in their second night of back-to-back games after losing to the NBA champion Denver Nuggets on Friday. They got some easy baskets thanks to the Pistons, whose 14 turnovers led to 22 points.
Jaden Ivey scored 23 points for the Pistons, who started 2-1 before their free fall toward infamy.
LAKERS 129, THUNDER 120
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — LeBron James scored a season-high 40 points and Los Angeles beat Oklahoma City to snap a four-game losing streak.
Anthony Davis, who had called this a must-win game, added 26 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura scored 21 points and Austin Reaves chipped in 11 points and 10 assists for Los Angeles, which had gone 1-5 since winning the In-Season Tournament.
The 38-year-old James was 13 of 20 from the field, hitting five 3-pointers without a miss, and made all nine of his free throws. He also had seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points for Oklahoma City. The Thunder had won three straight and five of six.
CELTICS 145, CLIPPERS 108
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 30 points and Boston kicked off its Christmas weekend in Southern California with a victory over Los Angeles.
Jaylen Brown added 24 points and Jrue Holiday had 20 points and seven assists. At 22-6, Boston remained tied with Minnesota for the overall NBA lead after the Timberwolves beat Sacramento on Saturday night.
The Celtics went 25 of 53 from 3-point range in winning for the seventh time in eight games. Boston shot 52.1% overall in the same arena where it will play a Christmas Day rivalry showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Paul George scored 21 points for Clippers, who were without Kawhi Leonard for the second consecutive game because of a left hip contusion. Los Angeles has lost both games following a nine-game winning streak.
TIMBERWOLVES 110, KINGS 98
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Anthony Edwards had 34 points and 10 assists, Rudy Gobert added 21 points and 17 rebounds and Minnesota beat Sacramento to remain tied with Boston for the NBA lead.
Jaden McDaniels had 20 points and Kyle Anderson scored 10 for Minnesota in place of star center Karl-Anthony Towns, who sat out with left knee soreness.
De’Aaron Fox had 27 points and six assists for Sacramento. Domantas Sabonis finished with a triple-double of 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
The Kings shot 8 of 33 from beyond the arc, the fewest 3-pointers they’ve made in a game this season. Minnesota outrebounded Sacramento 43-40 and forced 11 turnovers.
MAVERICKS 144, SPURS 119
DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 39 points in a triple-double and Dallas routed San Antonio after Spurs rookie star Victor Wembanyama was a late scratch when he sprained an ankle during warmups.
Doncic, who had 12 rebounds and recorded his 10th assist just before leaving the game for good at the end of the third quarter, had his 36th 30-point triple-double, one shy of LeBron James for third on the career list.
The Spurs entered the game on a 1-21 skid, and their luck didn’t get any better when Wembanyama stepped on a ball boy’s foot after taking a few steps following a shot before the game. The 19-year-old sensation got his right ankle retaped and wanted to play, but coach Gregg Popovich held the nearly 7-foot-4 Wembanyama out for precautionary reasons.
Jeremy Sochan had 23 points and nine rebounds for the Spurs, who lost their fourth straight since stopping an 18-game losing streak, which set a franchise record for the second consecutive season.
GRIZZLIES 125, HAWKS 119
ATLANTA (AP) — Ja Morant had 30 points and 11 assists and Memphis beat Atlanta to improve to 3-0 since his return.
Desmond Bane had 37 points for the Grizzlies, who had not won three straight games all season while stumbling to a 6-19 start as Morant served a 25-game suspension for waving a gun multiple times on social media. Bane also had seven rebounds and six assists.
Atlanta’s Trae Young made history in defeat, finishing with 30 points and 13 assists. It was his seventh consecutive game with at least 30 points and 10 assists, tying Oscar Robertson for the longest such streak in NBA history. Robertson set the mark in 1964-65.
BUCKS 130, KNICKS 111
NEW YORK (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 28 points, seven assists and seven rebounds and Milwaukee beat New York, opening a two-game series with its seventh straight victory.
Bobby Portis added 23 points and 11 rebound to help the Bucks beat the Knicks for the ninth straight time, They will try to do it again Monday in front of a national TV audience as the leadoff game to the NBA’s Christmas schedule.
Jalen Brunson scored 36 points for New York.
NUGGETS 102, HORNETS 95
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Michael Porter Jr. scored 22 points, Nikola Jokic had 18 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists and Denver held Charlotte Hornets without a field goal for more than 11 minutes in the third quarter.
Jamal Murray added 20 points and 12 rebounds for Denver, which opened the second half on a 25-1 run and outscored the Hornets 30-9 in the third quarter.
Miles Bridges led Charlotte with 22 points. The injury-riddled Hornets have lost seven straight.
WARRIORS 126, TRAIL BLAZERS 106
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Klay Thompson scored 28 points, Stephen Curry had 27 and Golden State beat Portland for its fifth straight victory.
The Splash Brothers combined for 22 points in the third quarter to pace the Warriors to a 12-point advantage to start the fourth. Thompson, who has scored at least 20 points in his last five games after a sluggish start, had 11 straight points in the quarter – hitting back-to-back 3s.
The five-game winning streak matches Golden State’s longest of the season. The Warriors improved to 15-14, their first time over .500 since Nov. 12 as they head into a Christmas showdown at Denver.
Anfernee Simons, after scoring a season-high 41 points against Washington on Thursday night, led Portland with 25 points. The Trail Blazers have lost nine of 10.
ROCKETS 106, PELICANS 104
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Alperen Sengun scored a career-high 37 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help Houston edge New Orleans.
Jabari Smith Jr. added 26 points and 11 rebounds, and Fred VanVleet had 10 points for the Rockets, whose physical defensive play and willingness to get back in transition frustrated the Pelicans throughout. Houston had an 11-0 edge in fast-break points.
Zion Williamson scored 28 points and Brandon Ingram added 19 for the Pelicans. They turned it over twice in the final two minutes and missed nine free throws in the game — five by Williamson.
RAPTORS 126, JAZZ 119
TORONTO (AP) — Jordan Clarkson scored 16 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, Lauri Markkanen also had 30 and Utah overcame a 17-point deficit to beat Toronto.
Collin Sexton scored 16 points, John Collins and Walker Kessler each had 10 and Kris Dunn added a season-high 13 assists.
Scottie Barnes matched his career high with 32 points, including 17 in the first quarter, and added 14 rebounds for Toronto.
MAGIC 117, PACERS 110
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 34 points and Orlando beat Indiana to snap a four-game losing streak.
Franz Wagner added 24 points for the Magic. Tyrese Haliburton had 29 points and 14 assists for the Pacers. Myles Turner added 24 points.
CAVALIERS 109, BULLS 95
CHICAGO (AP) — Max Strus had 26 points and seven assists to help injury-depleted Cleveland beat Chicago.
DeMar DeRozan led Chicago with 21 points. The Bulls lost for just the fourth time in 12 games since Zach LaVine was sidelined because of inflammation in his right foot.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
The Associated Press
