NBA roundup: Without stars, Nuggets still best Bulls

 

[December 13, 2023]  Reggie Jackson scored 25 points and Michael Porter Jr. added 17 to lift the short-handed Denver Nuggets to a 114-106 victory against the host Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.

Denver won for the second time in as many nights despite losing star Nikola Jokic to a second-quarter ejection and playing without Jamal Murray (ankle).

Officials ejected Jokic with 1:08 remaining in the second quarter for briefly arguing a no-call as he ran down the floor. He finished with four points, nine rebounds and six assists. The Nuggets also lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the second quarter due to a head contusion.

Coby White put up 27 points and Nikola Vucevic logged 26 points and 16 rebounds, but the Bulls still lost their second straight game on the heels of a four-game winning streak.

Celtics 120, Cavaliers 113

Boston went 26-for-26 from the free-throw line and improved its home record to 11-0 this season by beating visiting Cleveland.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored a team-high 25 points for the Celtics, and Kristaps Porzingis finished with 21. Tatum and Porzingis each had a game-high 10 rebounds. Derrick White made 5 of 8 3-point attempts and added 17 points.

The game was tied 106-106 with 6:05 to play, but Boston scored the next nine points and the Cavaliers were never closer than seven the rest of the way. The Celtics have won 18 consecutive regular-season home games dating back to March. Donovan Mitchell had a game-high 29 points for Cleveland.

Suns 119, Warriors 116

Devin Booker recorded 32 points and seven assists, and Phoenix overcame the absence of Kevin Durant to defeat visiting Golden State.

Jusuf Nurkic had 17 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists as Phoenix improved to 3-0 against the Warriors this season. Durant missed his second straight game with a sprained left ankle. Bradley Beal returned from a 12-game absence due to a back injury and had 16 points in 27 minutes.

Stephen Curry scored 24 points and Brandin Podziemski added 20 points and 11 rebounds for Golden State, which lost for the 11th time in the past 15 games. Draymond Green was ejected with 8:23 left in the third quarter for delivering a wild open-hand punch to the face of Nurkic.

Dec 12, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) during the fourth quarter at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Mavericks 127, Lakers 125

Luka Doncic gave Dallas the lead for good with 6:24 to go, Dante Exum buried three subsequent 3-pointers on a career-best night from long range and the Mavericks held off visiting Los Angeles.

Doncic finished with a team-high 33 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 32 and Exum tallied 26 for the Mavericks. Exum drained seven 3-pointers, the most he has had in a game in his seven-year NBA career.

Anthony Davis poured in a game-high 37 points and LeBron James added 33 for the Lakers, who trailed by 15 before Davis' buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter gave the visitors a 95-93 advantage.

Clippers 119, Kings 99

Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points and Los Angeles overcame the loss of Paul George while extending its winning streak to a season-best five games with a victory over visiting Sacramento.

James Harden and Norman Powell each scored 15 points as the Clippers played without George after halftime because of a sore left groin. Leonard was 11 of 14 from the field while eclipsing 30 points for the third consecutive game.

Keegan Murray scored 17 points and Domantas Sabonis added 15 points with 10 rebounds for the Kings, who lost to the Clippers for the second time in two weeks.

--Field Level Media

[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]
 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.