NBA Roundup: Jokic scores 36 factors as Nuggets rout Kings
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Nikola Jokic had 36 factors, 12 rebounds and eight assists because the Denver Nuggets cruised to a 136-105 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday evening for his or her fourth straight victory.
Peyton Watson scored 21 factors on 7-of-10 taking pictures for the Nuggets (18-6). Cameron Johnson added 16 and Jonas Valanciunas had 15 factors and 6 rebounds off the bench.
Jokic made 14-of-16 photographs from the sphere, together with each his three-pointers, and went 6-for-8 on the free-throw line. He didn’t play within the fourth quarter.
Jamal Murray and Tim Hardaway Jr. had 11 factors apiece for Denver.
Malik Monk scored 18 factors off the bench to tempo the Kings (6-19), who’ve misplaced six of seven. Russell Westbrook had 17 and Maxime Raynaud completed with 15 factors and 9 rebounds.
PELICANS 143, TRAIL BLAZERS 120
NEW ORLEANS — Jordan Poole scored 22 factors in his return from a left quadriceps damage that sidelined him for 18 video games, and the New Orleans Pelicans snapped a seven-game shedding streak with a 143-120 victory over the short-handed Portland Path Blazers on Thursday evening.
Trey Murphy III had 24 factors and Bryce McGowens hit all 5 three-pointers he took on his solution to tying a profession excessive with 23 factors on 8-of-11 taking pictures for New Orleans.
The Pelicans gained for simply the second time since James Borrego took over as coach after Willie Inexperienced was fired on Nov. 15.
Shaedon Sharpe scored 21 factors for Portland, which had simply 10 gamers out there and misplaced for the sixth time in seven video games.
Six gamers scored 15 or extra factors for the Pelicans, together with rookies Jeremiah Fears (19) and Derik Queen (17). New Orleans additionally set a franchise document with 86 factors within the paint.
Sidy Cissoko scored 20 factors for the Blazers, whereas Jerami Grant and Deni Avdija every had 16.
MILWAUKEE — Kyle Kuzma scored a season-high 31 factors and Bobby Portis added 27 factors and 10 rebounds as Milwaukee rallied within the second half to defeat Boston with out injured star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Portis hit a pair of three-pointers from the left nook as Milwaukee opened the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run to go in entrance 95-82. One other three by Portis put the Bucks up 106-89 with 6:49 remaining.
Portis hit 11 of 13 photographs, together with 5-of-6 past the arc, in 26 minutes. Kevin Porter Jr. had 18 factors, 10 rebounds and 13 assists.
Jaylen Brown scored 30 factors and Jordan Walsh added 20 for the Celtics, whose five-game profitable streak ended.
ROCKETS 115, CLIPPERS 113
HOUSTON — Amen Thompson’s three-point play with 17.2 seconds left helped Houston to a win over Los Angeles.
Thompson tipped in Alperen Sengun’s miss to interrupt a 110-110 tie, was fouled by Kris Dunn and hit the and-1 free throw. The putback got here off Houston’s third offensive rebound of the possession and twenty first of the evening.
Thompson made 8-of-12 from the sphere and completed with 20 factors, 9 rebounds, and eight assists.
The Rockets (16-6) outrebounded the Clippers 51-28 and prevented shedding back-to-back video games for the primary time since October 24.
Los Angeles had two possessions with an opportunity to tie the sport, however Kawhi Leonard was known as for an offensive foul, and Nicolas Batum dedicated a violation on an inbounds go.
