Nets beat Hornets to snap 7-game losing streak
Charlotte Hornets guard Seth Curry (30) shoots against Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Keon Johnson led a balanced Brooklyn attack with 18 points, and the Nets snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 104-83 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.
Jalen Wilson added 15 points and Tosan Evbuomwan had 14 for the Nets, who never trailed.
Ben Simmons returned after missing the last five games with an illness and a back injury and had 10 points and six rebounds off the bench for the Nets.
Miles Bridges had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Hornets, who played without four regular starters including LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, Brandon Miller and Josh Green. Vasa Micic overcame an early chest injury and returned to finish with 15 points and seven rebounds.
The Hornets had limited options offensively, and were held to 34% shooting from the floor and 29% from 3-point range.
PACERS 133, PISTONS 119
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Pascal Siakam scored 37 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 30 points and eight assists, and Indiana beat Detroit.
Siakam and Haliburton combined to hit 25 of 38 shots, including 8 of 16 from 3-point range.
Indiana scored 40 first-quarter points on 16-of-20 shooting, including 7 of 10 from 3. The Pacers finished 46 of 81 overall (56.8%), 19 of 38 on 3-pointers.
Myles Turner had 24 points for Indiana.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 32 points and nine assists. Malik Beasley had 20 points with six 3-pointers.
RAPTORS 106, WIZARDS 82
WASHINGTON (AP) — Scottie Barnes scored 24 points and Toronto beat NBA-worst Washington for their fifth straight victory and the Wizards’ 15th loss in a row.
Jakub Poetl added 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists to help the Raptors to their first five-game winning streak since April 1, 2022. They have win seven of eight games.
Toronto allowed its fewest points of the season and forced a season-high 27 turnovers.
Kyle Kuzma had 19 points and 10 rebounds for Washington. The Wizards had their worst scoring and turnover numbers of the season.
CELTICS 122, BULLS 100
BOSTON (AP) — Kristaps Porzingis scored 26 of his season-high 34 points in the first half, and Boston coasted to a victory over Chicago.
The 7-foot-2 Porzingis made a season-best eight 3-point shots in 14 attempts with 11 rebounds over 33 minutes, helping Boston bounce back from a rough home loss to the Rockets on Monday.
Jaylen Brown added 28 points, Derrick White had 22 and Jayson Tatum 16 for the recently up-and-down Celtics, who are just 7-6 in their last 13 games.
Coby White led Chicago with 16 points in 31 minutes in his first game after missing four straight with an ankle injury. The Bulls have dropped eight of nine.
CAVALIERS 126, HEAT 106
MIAMI (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points, Ty Jerome added 20 off the bench and Cleveland never trailed in a win over Miami.
It was Mitchell’s 14th 30-point game of the season, his fifth in his last seven outings.
Evan Mobley had 22 points and 15 rebounds for Cleveland, which got 13 points from Georges Niang and 12 points and 10 rebounds from Jarrett Allen.
Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier each scored 22 points for Miami. Bam Adebayo had 21 points and Duncan Robinson finished with 13 for the Heat, who were outrebounded 47-35.
Cleveland improved to 29-2 when holding teams to 116 points or less — the Cavs are 9-7 otherwise — and 33-0 when leading after three quarters.
KNICKS 122, NUGGETS 112
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson had 30 points and 15 assists, OG Anunoby scored 23 points and New York beat Denver for their fifth straight victory.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for New York. The Knicks who had a strong start aided by Nikola Jokic’s early foul trouble, then used a late spurt to pull away for good.
Jamal Murray scored 33 points for the Nuggets, who fell to 0-3 on their five-game trip. Jokic finished with 17 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Russell Westbrook had 14 points and 14 rebounds.
76ERS 117, KINGS 104
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 30 points to lead Philadelphia past Sacramento for their fourth straight victory.
Maxey, who had his 12th consecutive game with 25 or more points, added eight assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 15 points, Eric Gordon added 14 and Ricky Council IV 13 for the 76ers, who have rebounded from a seven-game skid.
Malik Monk scored 16 of his 21 points in the first half for the Kings. Domantas Sabonis had his second straight triple-double and eighth of the season with 13 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists.
CLIPPERS 128, SPURS 116
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell had 27 points each and Los Angeles rallied to beat San Antonio.
Los Angeles center Ivica Zubac added 21 points and 22 rebounds in an intense battle with San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama.
Wembanyama had 23 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs. They have lost five of six.
Wembanyama and Zubac battled throughout with one exchange nearly leading to a skirmish with 4:45 remaining in the third quarter following a 3-pointer by Harrison Barnes and a Clippers timeout.
San Antonio closed the third quarter on a 17-9 run and took a one-point lead in the fourth quarter before Los Angeles closed out its third win in four games.
San Antonio rookie guard Stephon Castle had 20 points and Devin Vassell added 19.
MAVERICKS 137, PELICANS 126
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — P.J. Washington scored 25 points, making all four of his 3-point attempts in the fourth quarter, and Kyrie Irving added 25 points and six assists as Dallas outlasted New Orleans.
Washington had missed all three of his long-range tries until he hit three in the first 4:16 of the final period. Daniel Gafford had 22 points, going 9 of 9 from the field, and added 12 rebounds and five blocks.
Klay Thompson had 20 points for Dallas, shooting 6 of 11 from deep. Washington grabbed 14 rebounds for his 12th double-double of the season.
Dallas scored 80 points in the second half, shooting 65.9% from the field.
Trey Murphy led New Orleans with 32 points, and Zion Williamson had 29 points in 28 minutes.
TIMBERWOLVES 121, SUNS 113
PHOENIX (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 33 points, Julius Randle added 28 and Minnesota beat Phoenix for their fourth straight victory.
The Timberwolves trailed for much of the night, but rallied near the end of the third quarter for an 81-77 advantage. Nickeil Alexander-Walker made three 3-pointers early in the fourth to help Minnesota push to a 10-point lead.
Alexander-Walker finished with 23 points, making 5 of 10 shots behind the arc. The Timberwolves — who swept the Suns out of the playoffs last season in the first round — shot 56% from the field.
Phoenix had its three-game winning streak snapped. Kevin Durant led the team with 33 points while Devin Booker added 28 and Bradley Beal had 17. The Suns’ offense stalled in the third quarter with just 18 points on 7 of 22 shooting.
WARRIORS 116, THUNDER 109
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry hit a long 3-pointer with 1:52 left on the way to 21 points, Andrew Wiggins scored 27 and Golden State beat Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 52 points for the Thunder, two off his career high set against the Utah Jazz a week earlier.
Gilgeous-Alexander had 17 points in the opening 8:10, and 21 of his team’s 34 first-quarter points. He shot 16 for 29 and converted 18 of 21 free throws.
Curry returned after sitting out Tuesday’s win against the Jazz to rest his ailing knees and missed his initial five shots before connecting at the 10:46 mark of the second quarter.
Kevon Looney scored 18 off the bench and Gary Payton II had 15 points and nine rebounds.