NBA roundup: Bucks edge Magic, finish off 6-0 homestand

 

[December 22, 2023]  Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Damian Lillard added 24 points, and the Milwaukee Bucks sent the visiting Orlando Magic to a fourth consecutive loss in a 118-114 decision on Thursday.

Milwaukee, which closed out a 6-0 homestand, used a 21-8 third-quarter run to open a 15-point lead, then held the Magic at bay the rest of the game. Antetokounmpo scored seven points in the closing 3:12, five of which came on 5-of-6 shooting at the free-throw line. He finished the contest shooting 15-for-19 from the charity stripe and 11-for-25 from the floor.

Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez were the only other Bucks scorers to finish in double-figures with 14 points apiece.

Paolo Banchero scored 23 points for Orlando and Moritz Wagner came off the bench for 21 points and eight rebounds. Cole Anthony finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds and six assists off the bench.

Timberwolves 118, Lakers 111

Anthony Edwards scored 27 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished five assists to lead Minnesota past Los Angeles in Minneapolis.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points for Minnesota, which bounced back from a loss one night earlier against the Philadelphia 76ers. Rudy Gobert notched a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

Anthony Davis scored 31 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Lakers, who lost their fourth consecutive game. Austin Reaves added 20 points. LeBron James did not play on the second night of a back-to-back set because of what the team described as a sore left ankle.

Wizards 118, Trail Blazers 117

Kyle Kuzma had 32 points, eight rebounds and six assists and Washington never trailed while edging host Portland.

Tyus Jones made five 3-pointers and scored 24 points, while Daniel Gafford contributed 16 points, eight rebounds, six blocked shots and four steals before fouling out for the Wizards. It was just the third victory in 20 games for Washington.

Anfernee Simons scored a season-best 41 points for Portland, which lost for the eighth time in nine games. Simons, who made a season-high seven 3-pointers, tallied 22 points in the final quarter. Deandre Ayton recorded 23 points and 16 rebounds and Jerami Grant had 20 points for Portland, but his left-handed runner was off the mark as time expired.

Jazz 119, Pistons 111

Kelly Olynyk logged 27 points, six assists and four steals and short-handed Utah put host Detroit on the brink of matching the NBA's longest single-season losing streak.

The Pistons have lost 25 straight, one shy of the NBA single-season record. The 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers dropped 26 in a row. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 28 points, 10 assists and six rebounds but also committed six turnovers. Jaden Ivey added 24 points and seven assists.

Collin Sexton supplied 19 points, eight assists and four steals for the Jazz. Ochai Agbaji contributed 18 points off the Utah bench.

Bulls 114, Spurs 95

Coby White scored 22 points, including 12 in the decisive fourth quarter, as Chicago was at its best over the final 12 minutes while beating visiting San Antonio.

Dec 21, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) looks to pass the ball over Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) in the second half at Target Center./Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The Bulls, who won their third in a row, led by four at halftime and by nine in the third quarter before San Antonio fought back to within 77-70 heading into the final quarter. DeMar DeRozan added 21 points for the Bulls, with Patrick Williams hitting for 18.

Devin Vassell led the Spurs with 21 points while Zach Collins added 14. Victor Wembanyama was held to seven points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field. San Antonio has lost three straight games and 21 of its past 22.

Pelicans 123, Cavaliers 104

Trey Murphy III scored a game-high 28 points and visiting New Orleans ended Cleveland's three-game winning streak.

Murphy made 10 of 16 field-goal attempts and 6 of 10 3-point tries as New Orleans won for the fifth time in six games. CJ McCollum added 18 points as the Pelicans showed no lingering effects from squandering a 24-point lead in a last-second loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. New Orleans was without Zion Williamson (illness).

Dean Wade scored 20 points to pace the Cavaliers, who played without Donovan Mitchell (illness).

Thunder 134, Clippers 115

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points to lead Oklahoma City to a victory over visiting Los Angeles.

The Thunder stretched their winning streak to three and won for the seventh time in nine games and snapped the Clippers' nine-game winning streak. While rookie Chet Holmgren didn't record a block after combining for 15 over the previous two games, he had 23 points, a season-high seven assists and six rebounds.

James Harden led the Clippers with 23 points while Paul George added 22 and Russell Westbrook had 15 points and 13 rebounds.

Grizzlies 116, Pacers 103

Desmond Bane scored 22 of his 31 points in the second half and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 as Memphis beat visiting Indiana.

Ja Morant had 20 points, eight assists and five rebounds in his home debut after serving a 25-game suspension for holding a gun in multiple videos last spring. Ziaire Williams chipped in 16 points and Santi Aldama had 13.

Obi Toppin scored 22 points for Indiana, which lost for the fifth time in its last six games. Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points and 14 assists. The Pacers were held to a season-low point total after entering the game as the league's top-scoring team at 128 points per game.

--Field Level Media

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