Dallas guard Luka Doncic scored a franchise-best 73 points, the most in the NBA this season, and helped the visiting Mavericks end their three-game losing streak with a 148-143 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
Doncic’s point total ties for fourth most in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain twice scored 73 and David Thompson also had a 73-point game.
The 24-year-old Slovenian was 25 of 33 from the field, 8 of 13 on 3-point attempts and 15 of 16 at the foul line while adding 10 rebounds and seven assists. It was the second 70-point game in the league this season and 15th all-time. Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers scored 70 on Monday.
Dallas, without Kyrie Irving (thumb) also got 21 points from Josh Green. Atlanta’s Trae Young returned after missing two games because of a concussion and finished with 30 points and 11 assists.
Pacers 133, Suns 131
Obi Toppin sank a tiebreaking basket with 3.4 seconds remaining as host Indiana withstood 62 points from Devin Booker to end Phoenix’s seven-game winning streak.
Indiana battled back from a 17-point deficit in the first half and tied the game at 129-129 with 1:23 remaining. Seconds later, Phoenix’s Kevin Durant missed a 3-point attempt before Toppin’s tip-in gave the Pacers their first lead since early in the first quarter. Indiana sealed the comeback victory when Booker’s 3-point try fell short at the buzzer.
Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 31 points, while Toppin added 23. Durant scored 20 and Eric Gordon added 14 for Phoenix. Booker recorded a season-high point total and the seventh 50-point game of his career.
Clippers 127, Raptors 107
James Harden racked up 22 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists for his first triple-double of the season and visiting Los Angeles defeated Toronto.
Kawhi Leonard added 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds against his former team as the Clippers swept the two-game season series. Russell Westbrook contributed 20 points off the bench for the Clippers, who have won four straight games and seven of eight. Paul George scored 21 points, and Mason Plumlee had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Scottie Barnes had 23 points to lead the Raptors, who have lost four games in a row and eight of nine. RJ Barrett added 22 points.
Thunder 107, Pelicans 83
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and Oklahoma City won its fifth consecutive game by shutting down host New Orleans.
Chet Holmgren added 20 points and 13 rebounds and Jalen Williams amassed 15 points and seven assists as the Thunder won for the ninth time in 11 games and evened the season series against the Pelicans 1-1.
Herbert Jones and Jonas Valanciunas scored 14 points each and Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum added 12 apiece for New Orleans, which played without leading scorer Zion Williamson (left foot bone contusion). The Pelicans have alternated wins and losses over their past eight games.
Rockets 138, Hornets 104
Jalen Green scored 36 points and Houston broke out of a funk with a road victory over Charlotte.
Green kept the Rockets in the game in the first half and then had plenty of help in Houston’s 83-point second half. Cam Whitmore had 24 points, aided by four 3-pointers, and 11 rebounds off the bench. The Rockets had lost five of their previous six games.
Miles Bridges scored 21 points and LaMelo Ball 15 for the Hornets, who shot only 41.2 percent from the field.
Grizzlies 107, Magic 106
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 18 of his 30 points in the first half to fuel host Memphis’ victory over Orlando.
Jackson made 13 of 30 shots from the floor and added eight rebounds for the Grizzlies, who have won three in a row and seven of their last 11 games. Memphis’ Ziaire Williams sank 7 of 10 shots from the floor and finished with 17 points off the bench.
Orlando’s Paolo Banchero recorded 27 points and six assists, and Wendell Carter Jr. added 20 points and nine rebounds. Franz Wagner scored 18 points for the Magic, who have lost seven of their last nine games.
Cavaliers 112, Bucks 100
Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points and Jarrett Allen chipped in 24 to lead Cleveland past host Milwaukee.
The Cavaliers earned a 2-2 series split with the win in their second straight game against Milwaukee. Allen also grabbed a game-high 14 boards for Cleveland.
Milwaukee was led by Giannis Antetokounmpo with 22 points as well as 11 boards and nine assists. Damian Lillard added 22 points, while Khris Middleton scored 14.
Spurs 116, Trail Blazers 100
Jeremy Sochan poured in 31 points and took a career-high 14 rebounds as one of three Spurs with double-doubles in San Antonio’s victory over visiting Portland in a clash of the bottom two teams in the Western Conference.
The Spurs led by five points at halftime but by just one four minutes into the third quarter. San Antonio then rolled off 14 of the game’s ensuing 16 points, eventually leading by as many as 15 and carrying an 88-78 advantage into the final period.
Victor Wembanyama added 23 points and 12 rebounds and Keldon Johnson produced 21 points and a season-best 16 rebounds for San Antonio. Anfernee Simons led all scorers with 40 points and dished out 10 assists for the Trail Blazers. Deandre Ayton added 20 points and 12 rebounds.
–Field Level Media