Jrue Holiday snapped out of a game-long slump by scoring 10 points in the final 2:30 on Monday night for the visiting Milwaukee Bucks, who overcame a 17-point, third-quarter deficit to edge the New York Knicks 111-107.
Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a double-double (22 points, 10 rebounds), while Brook Lopez had 17 points, including the corner 3-pointer with 1:46 left that put the Bucks ahead for good at 100-97.
Jalen Brunson scored a career-high 44 points for the Knicks, whose four-game winning streak was snapped. Julius Randle had 25 points and 16 rebounds, and Immanuel Quickley finished with 23 points.
Brunson sank a pullup to bring New York within two before the Bucks eluded the Knicks’ attempts to foul on a possession that ended with a Lopez dunk. Brunson was fouled by Antetokounmpo and converted both free throws with 9.4 seconds left. Holiday then hit two free throws and Brunson drove the length of the court for a layup before Grayson Allen iced the game with a pair of free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining.
Grizzlies 121, Spurs 113
Behind a team-high 24 points from Tyus Jones and a double-double by Steven Adams, Memphis extended its winning streak to seven games with a win over visiting San Antonio.
Jones started in place of Ja Morant (right thigh soreness) for the second straight game and went 11 of 19 from the field. Adams, who missed one game with an illness, returned to collect 13 points, 15 rebounds and four assists.
Tre Jones, the brother of Tyus, had a team-high 18 points and seven assists for San Antonio. Josh Richardson added 16 points and five assists off the bench.
Nuggets 122, Lakers 109
Jamal Murray scored a season-high 34 points, Nikola Jokic had a season-high 16 assists to go with 14 points and 11 rebounds for his 11th triple-double of the season and host Denver beat LeBron James-less Los Angeles.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 16 points, Bruce Brown scored 15 points, Bones Hyland and Michael Porter Jr. added 12 apiece and Aaron Gordon finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and four blocks for Denver, which has won 11 straight home games.
Russell Westbrook scored 25 points, Thomas Bryant had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Kendrick Nunn finished with 15 points and Max Christie and Dennis Schroder scored 14 points each for the Lakers, who saw their five-game winning streak end.
Pelicans 132, Wizards 112
CJ McCollum scored 34 points, Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double and visiting New Orleans defeated Washington.
Valanciunas finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds, and Naji Marshall scored 18 points for the Pelicans, who had a season-high point total despite playing without two of their top scorers — Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram — who are injured. It was New Orleans’ first victory in Washington in 12 years.
Kristaps Porzingis had 23 points and 10 rebounds, Kyle Kuzma scored 19 points and Corey Kispert had 17 as all five starters scored in double figures for the Wizards. Marshall converted a three-point play and Devonte’ Graham made two 3-pointers as the Pelicans scored the first 15 points of the fourth quarter to take a 27-point lead before cruising to victory.
Celtics 107, Bulls 99
Jayson Tatum had 32 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to help Boston edge past visiting Chicago.
Grant Williams tied his career high with 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, while Jaylen Brown scored 19 and Malcolm Brogdon added 11 in the Celtics’ third consecutive win.
Boston was unable to pull away until the final minute as Zach LaVine scored 15 of his team-leading 27 points for the Bulls in the fourth quarter. He also had seven rebounds and six assists.
Kings 136, Magic 111
Harrison Barnes had a season-high 30 points, Domantas Sabonis missed a triple-double by two assists in just 32 minutes and Sacramento emphatically ended a two-game losing streak with a shellacking of visiting Orlando.
Eight Kings scored in double figures as the hosts used a 41-point first quarter as a springboard to complete a two-game season-series sweep of the Magic.
Paolo Banchero paced Orlando with 17 points two nights after the Magic had opened a five-game Western swing with an impressive 115-101 victory at Golden State.
–Field Level Media