Karl-Anthony Towns had 28 points and 10 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves blew out the depleted Los Angeles Lakers for a second time this season, 110-92 on Friday night in Minneapolis.
Malik Beasley and D’Angelo Russell each had 17 points, and Jarred Vanderbilt grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds to help the Timberwolves win their third straight game. They played for the first time without star Anthony Edwards, who was placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols in the afternoon.
LeBron James had a quiet 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who were hit even harder by COVID-19 with six players in the protocols. Isaiah Thomas made his season debut with 19 points, Russell Westbrook had 14 points and Kent Bazemore matched his season high with 11 points. Anthony Davis departed the game twice for different injuries.
The Wolves, who beat the Lakers 107-83 in Los Angeles on Nov. 12 without James in the lineup, had a 61-36 rebounding advantage.
Davis hurt his right ankle late in the first quarter, returned in the second quarter and then bruised his left knee in the third quarter. He didn’t return from that. Davis, who missed two games last week with left knee soreness, finished with nine points and one rebound in 20 minutes.
Warriors 111, Celtics 107: Stephen Curry scored 30 points, hitting five 3-pointers and adding a one-handed scoop shot in the final minute, and Golden State beat Boston in Boston.
In his first game since breaking the NBA’s career 3-pointer record at Madison Square Garden, Curry hit back-to-back 3s on his first two shots of the game.
Andrew Wiggins added 27 points to help the Warriors win their third straight game to reclaim sole possession of the NBA lead at 24-5 — a half-game ahead of Phoenix. It was Steve Kerr’s 400th coaching victory.
Jayson Tatum scored 27 points for the Celtics. They placed five players in the COVID-19 protocol in the 24 hours leading up to the game.
Trailblazers 125, Hornets 116: Damian Lillard scored a season-high 43 points, and Portland beat Charlotte in Portland, Oregon, to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Ben McLemore added 28 points for Portland, hitting six of his eight 3-pointers in the first half to help the Trail Blazers set a franchise record with 16 3-pointers in the half. They led 81-55 at the break.
LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 27 points in his first game back after being in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
The Blazers were 21 of 47 from 3-point range overall.
Spurs 128, Jazz 126: Lonnie Walker IV banked in a jumper with 14.9 seconds left in Salt Lake City and San Antonio ended Utah’s winning streak at eight.
Keldon Johnson scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead San Antonio. Derrick White added 22 points and Walker chipped in 19.
Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points for the Jazz. Jordan Clarkson added 21 points and Mike Conley had 18. Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 14 rebounds.
Mitchell scored back-to-back baskets to give the Jazz a 126-125 lead with 33 seconds left. Walker answered with the go-ahead jumper. Mitchell had two cracks at a go-ahead basket in the final seconds, but missed both shots.
Pelicans 116, Bucks 112 (OT): Devonte’ Graham hit eight 3-pointers and added two clutch free throws late in overtime to finish with 26 points, and New Orleans outlasted short-handed Milwaukee in New Orleans.
Jonas Valanciunas scored 24 points and Brandon Ingram added 22 for New Orleans, which won its second straight on the heels of Graham’s 60-foot winner at the horn in Oklahoma City on Wednesday night.
Former Pelicans star Jrue Holiday, who received a warm welcome during pre-game introductions, scored a career-high 40 points to help Milwaukee force overtime on the road despite being without top scorers Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Grayson Allen hit seven 3s and tied a season high with 25 points for the defending champion Bucks.
Heat 115, Magic 105: Max Strus scored 23 of his career-best 32 points in the first half, Gabe Vincent added a career-best 27 and Miami beat Orlando in Orlando, Florida.
The Heat made 19 3-pointers to give them 91 over their past five games. That’s the most in team history, easily topping the 82 made over a five-game stretch from Feb.. 24, 2020, to March 4, 2020, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Still without stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo and key reserve Tyler Herro, the Heat had just 10 available players. The Magic signed four players from their G League franchise in nearby Lakeland with hardship exemptions to meet the NBA’s minimum eight-player rule.
Rookie Franz Wagner led the Magic with 27 points. Orlando has lost seven straight game and 13 of 14.
Nuggets 133, Hawks 115: Bones Hyland scored 24 points, Monte Morris added 21 and Denver beat Atlanta in Atlanta.
Nikola Jokic and Jeff Green each finished with 20 points for the Nuggets. They have won three of four.
The Hawks were coming off a fifth straight road victory, but they have dropped six in a row at home. Trae Young had 34 points and 10 assists in Atlanta’s fifth loss in seven games overall.
Grizzlies 124, Kings 105: Desmond Bane scored 24 points and Memphis overcame a another double-digit deficit to win, beating Sacramento in Sacramento, California.
Dillon Brooks had 23 points and six rebounds, and Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 21 points to help the Grizzlies to their sixth consecutive road win – their most since 2016.
Memphis trailed 50-35 early in the second quarter, then outscored Sacramento 68-27 over the next 20 minutes. It’s the seventh time this season that the Grizzlies have won after trailing by double digits.
Tyrese Haliburton had 21 points and 10 assists for the Kings.
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