De’Aaron Fox exploded for a career-high 44 points and Tyrese Haliburton easily won his rookie duel with James Wiseman on Thursday night as the Sacramento Kings thumped the visiting Golden State Warriors 141-119.
A third straight Kings win, coupled with a third consecutive Warriors defeat, allowed Sacramento to move within two games of Golden State in their bids to make the Western Conference playoff field.
Playing against a Warriors team missing not only Stephen Curry (bruised tailbone) but also Draymond Green, who apparently had an adverse reaction to a COVID shot, the Kings seized command in the second quarter and pulled well clear in the third.
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The 141-point total was 13 more than their previous season high, set Jan. 6 against the Chicago Bulls. Sacramento’s Richaun Holmes chipped in with 25 points to go with a game-high 11 rebounds while Haliburton had 21 points. Andrew Wiggins amassed 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors.
Portland Trail Blazers 125 – Miami Heat 122
Damian Lillard made three free throws with one second left, leading visiting Portland to a win over Miami.
The Trail Blazers’ CJ McCollum scored 21 of his game-high 35 points in a sizzling first quarter, but he had just six points in the second half. Lillard, scoreless in the first quarter, finished with 22 points and nine assists.
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The Heat tied a season worst with their fifth straight loss while completing an 0-4 homestand. Miami was led by Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, each with 29 points. Adebayo added nine rebounds, seven assists and five blocks.
Los Angeles Clippers 98 – San Antonio Spurs 85
Reggie Jackson scored a season-high 28 points and Paul George scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to help short-handed Los Angeles win at San Antonio.
The victory was the Clippers’ fourth straight and fifth in their past six games. Los Angeles is now 12-4 in back-to-backs this season, and 8-0 in the second game, including 6-0 on the road.
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DeMar DeRozan led the Spurs with 23 points with Dejounte Murray adding 18. San Antonio has lost four straight games.
Philadelphia 76ers 109 – Los Angeles Lakers 101
Danny Green shot 8-for-12 from 3-point range and scored 28 points to help Philadelphia send host Los Angeles to its fourth straight loss.
Before the game, Green and 76ers center Dwight Howard were awarded the NBA championship rings they won with the Lakers last season. Seth Curry returned after missing the past three games with a sprained left ankle and scored 19 points, and Tobias Harris finished with 17 points for Philadelphia, which has won 10 of 11 to remain atop the Eastern Conference standings.
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Kyle Kuzma had 25 points and nine rebounds, Dennis Schroder finished with 20 points and 11 assists and Montrezl Harrell scored 20 off the bench for the Lakers, who have matched their longest losing streak of the season.
New York Knicks 106 – Washington Wizards 102
Alec Burks scored 27 points and RJ Barrett added 24 as host New York overcame a 17-point deficit to beat Washington, sweeping a two-game series.
Burks and Barrett were instrumental in New York’s comeback. Burks scored 15 of his points in the fourth while Barrett scored 19 points in the second half, including nine in the fourth.
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Bradley Beal scored 26 for the Wizards, who dropped to 1-8 in their past nine games. Russell Westbrook finished with 13 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists, but he also committed eight turnovers and shot 3 of 15 from the field.
–Field Level Media