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NUGGETS DEFEAT SHORT-HANDED 76ERS
The Denver Nuggets are back on the winners column after defeating a short-handed Philadelphia 76ers 115-103.
Gary Harris had a season-high 21, while Nikola Jokic was one rebound shy of a fifth triple-double of the season finishing with 15 points, 9 rebounds and 12 assists.
Philadelphia suited up only seven players after Aussie Ben Simmons and his 76ers teammates will have undergo a mandatory 14 day Quarantine period after Seth Curry tested positive for the Coronavirus.
With the absence of Joel Embiid (back soreness), the 76ers inserted three rookies into the starting lineup, including Tyrese Maxey who had a career-high 39 points the most by a rookie since Allen Iverson in the 1996/1997 season.
Philadelphia takes on the Atlanta Hawks who have dropped four straight, while Denver travels to the Big Apple to take on the New York Knicks.
HORNETS DEFEAT HAWKS BEHIND LAMELO’S HISTORIC NIGHT
The Charlotte Hornets for the second time defeated the Atlanta Hawks 113-105 behind LaMelo Ball’s historic night.
Ball, the third overall selection in last November’s draft finished with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists becoming the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double.
Behind Ball’s marvellous display, the Hornets recorded its third consecutive win to leap into the East’s 8th spot.
Terry Rozier, in his second year in Charlotte had 23 points sinking a three pointer with two minutes remaining to put the result beyond Atlanta’s reach.
Cam Reddish had 21 off the bench while young star Trae Young posted 15 points and 10 assists, but only went 5 of 19 overall and missed all five attempts from deep for Atlanta who have dropped four straight after a 4-1 start.
Charlotte stays at home to go up against the New York Knicks, as for Atlanta a matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers.
SUNS BOUNCE BACK BEHIND BRIDGES’ CAREER-NIGHT
Mikal Bridges had a career-high 34 points and Devin Booker 25 as the Phoenix Suns bounced back to defeat the Indiana Pacers 125-117.
24 hours after a dejecting Overtime loss to the Detroit Pistons after holding a 23 point first-half lead, the Suns built a 15 point lead and this time they wouldn’t relinquish their advantage.
The victory puts the Suns back equal on top of the Western Conference alongside the Los Angeles Lakers after their narrow win yesterday over the Chicago Bulls.
Phoenix also won its first game in Indianapolis since November 22, 2014 when Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe were on the team.
Indiana’s Domantas Sabonis had a monster game with 28 points and pulling down a tying career-high 22 rebounds.
Phoenix completes its three-game Eastern trip against the struggling Washington Wizards, while Indiana starts a five-game West Coast trip against the Sacramento Kings.
HERRO, BUTLER STAR AS THE HEAT HOLD OF WIZARDS
Miami second-year Tyler Herro posted a season-high 26 points, while veteran Jimmy Butler had 26 points and 8 rebounds as the Heat held of a Washington Wizards comeback to win 128-124.
Playing without its All-Star backcourt: Russell Westbrook (quad) and Bradley Beal (NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols) the Wizards fell behind by as many as 24 before making a rally in the fourth.
Similar to last night’s defeat to the Boston Celtics, the Wizards came to life in the fourth getting within five on a Deni Advija three only for the Heat to deliver defensive stops to go back over .500.
Rookie Garrison Matthews finished with a career-high 22 points, while the Wizards’ first overall pick in the draft Deni Advija had 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
Washington Centre Thomas Bryant only lasted two minutes before awkwardly landing on his left knee contesting for a rebound and had to be helped off the court.
Miami next faces the Boston Celtics for the second time in three days, while Washington takes on the firing Phoenix Suns.
MILLS CLUTCH AS SPURS KNOCK OFF TIMBERWOLVES IN OVERTIME
Boomers veteran Paddy Mills delivered two critical buckets in overtime as the San Antonio Spurs knocked off the Minnesota Timberwolves 125-122 at Target Centre.
Mills had 21 points off the bench knocking down five threes as San Antonio won its third consecutive game.
Veteran DeMar DeRozan posted a season-high 38 points, while Dejounte Murray who has lifted his scoring average in each of his four seasons had 22 points.
The game was close throughout, with both sides not having a lead larger than 10.
By the end of three, Minnesota would take only a one possession lead heading into the fourth, with the final stanza seeing the teams immediately respond with crucial buckets.
Karl-Anthony Towns after missing six games due to a left wrist injury nailed a triple off a De’Angelo Russell assist, on the next possession DeRozan made a driving layup, then Russell came through sinking a three to return Minnesota the lead.
Taking a full timeout with 15.5 seconds left, the Spurs would put the ball in DeRozan’s hands and he drove to the rim drawing the foul from Jarrett Culver before calmly sinking both free throws.
In the extra frame, Minnesota would get one last chance to send the game into double overtime, but Anthony Edwards threw away an errant pass sending the Timberwolves to a seventh successive loss.
In other NBA results:
The Milwaukee Bucks withstood the Cleveland Cavaliers 100-90 who were without 2-time defending MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo due to back spasms.
His All-Star teammate Khris Middleton picked up the offensive load finishing the contest with 27 points, while Bobby Ports in the starting lineup for Antetokounmpo had 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Rebounding machine, Andre Drummond was a monster game posting 26 points and 24 rebounds his 42nd 20 point 20 rebound game of his career.
The loss saw Cleveland failed to reach 100 points for a seventh consecutive game and rank last for points scored.
Tim Hardaway Jr returned to the starting lineup and put up a season-high 36 points as the Dallas Mavericks pulled away from the Orlando Magic 112-98.
Magic star Nikola Vucevic had another productive game finishing 30 points and 12 rebounds, however the Magic lost its second game in as many nights after being routed by the Houston Rockets.
The dynamic C.J McCollum delivered 37 points and the Portland Trailblazers cruised past the slumping Sacramento Kings 125-99 at Golden One Centre.
Sacramento found the going tough on the offensive end with former number two pick, Marvin Bagley III having a team-high 15 points which has dropped two of three of a seven-game homestand.
By Juri Bilcich.
IMAGE: CBS Sports.