Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 23 points and the Los Angeles Clippers posted the largest margin of victory in franchise history by obliterating the visiting Brooklyn Nets 126-67 on Wednesday night.
James Harden added 21 points, 11 assists and six rebounds for Los Angeles, which won by 59 points to better a 50-point victory (138-88) over the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 10, 2022. The Clippers’ largest lead Wednesday was 64. The 59-point margin tied the 10th largest in NBA history.
Leonard shot 8 of 11 from the field in 24 minutes while playing for just the fourth time this season. He was out due to knee issues until earlier this month.
The setback was also the largest in Nets history. The franchise lost by 52 (139-87) to the Houston Rockets on Oct. 18, 1978, when it was known as the New Jersey Nets. Brooklyn’s 67 points were the fewest scored in an NBA game this season.
Knicks 125, 76ers 119 (OT)
Jalen Brunson scored 38 points and Josh Hart posted a triple-double as visiting New York nipped Philadelphia in overtime.
Mikal Bridges contributed 23 points and OG Anunoby scored 17 for New York, which had lost five of its previous seven games. The Knicks played without center Karl-Anthony Towns (thumb), which created more opportunities for Hart to accumulate 10 points, 17 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals.
Philadelphia has lost four straight games, all without Joel Embiid (foot). Tyrese Maxey led the way for the Sixers in this one with 33 points, while Paul George notched 26.
Raptors 110, Celtics 97
RJ Barrett produced 22 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as Toronto defeated visiting Boston.
Scottie Barnes added 18 points and nine assists for the Raptors, who have won two in a row for the third time this season — their best runs. Jakob Poeltl had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Toronto. Gradey Dick scored 12 points, and Davion Mitchell chipped in with 10 points.
Payton Pritchard scored 20 points off the bench and Jayson Tatum added 16 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the struggling Celtics, who have lost three of their past five games. Kristaps Porzingis had 18 points and eight rebounds, Jrue Holiday scored 12 points and Al Horford and Jaylen Brown each contributed 10 points.
Lakers 117, Heat 108
Anthony Davis scored 22 points with 11 rebounds, LeBron James added 22 points with nine assists, and Los Angeles ended a three-game losing streak by rallying past visiting Miami.
Rui Hachimura scored a team-high 23 points and Max Christie had 16 for the Lakers, who improved to 1-1 since they had two games postponed because of deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
Tyler Herro scored 34 points for the Heat on a torrid shooting night that saw him go 12 of 18 from the floor and 7 of 12 from 3-point range. Haywood Highsmith and Nikola Jovic each scored 12 points for Miami, which dropped to 3-4 since Jimmy Butler was suspended for seven games for conduct detrimental to the team.
Pelicans 119, Mavericks 116
Dejounte Murray scored 30 points and Trey Murphy III added 24 and a game-saving blocked shot as host New Orleans defeated Dallas.
With the Pelicans up by one near the end, New Orleans turned the ball over and the Mavericks’ Spencer Dinwiddie drove to the basket, but Murphy blocked his shot and made two free throws with 1.5 seconds left. The Pelicans held on for their third win in four games.
Daniel Gafford had 27 points and 12 rebounds, Jaden Hardy scored 21 and Dinwiddie scored 20 for Dallas, which has lost three in a row.
Rockets 128, Nuggets 120
Jalen Green scored 34 points, Alperen Sengun had 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and visiting Houston beat Denver.
Fred VanVleet and Cam Whitmore each scored 16 points and Amen Thompson finished with 11 points for the Rockets, who have won five in a row.
The Nuggets played without three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who injured his elbow during warmups and was ruled out before the start of the game, as well as Aaron Gordon (injury management).
Warriors 116, Timberwolves 115
Stephen Curry finished with 31 points and eight assists to lead Golden State to a turbulent win over Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Curry buried the go-ahead 3-pointer with 47.3 seconds remaining, securing the win after the Warriors blew a 24-point lead they held late in the first quarter. Curry made 10 of his 21 field-goal attempts, including 7 of 12 on 3-point attempts, pushing the Warriors to just their eighth win in 25 games. Andrew Wiggins scored 24 points, including 18 in the second half.
Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo led the Timberwolves with 28 points each. Rudy Gobert added seven points and 10 rebounds, while Julius Randle chipped in 17 points. Edwards chipped in eight boards.
Grizzlies 129, Spurs 115
Ja Morant racked up 21 points and 12 assists as visiting Memphis were at its best in the final two quarters in a victory over San Antonio.
Jackson finished with 19 points and Bane added 21 points for Memphis. Santi Aldama amassed 20 points and 10 rebounds, Luke Kennard had 15 points and nine boards and Jay Huff tallied 11 points as the Grizzlies won for the second time in three games.
Rookie Stephon Castle led the Spurs with a season-high 26 points. Devin Vassell added 21 points, Keldon Johnson scored 17 off the bench and Victor Wembanyama posted 13 points with 12 rebounds and also blocked eight shots in the first half.
Bucks 122, Magic 93
Damian Lillard scored 30 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 26 points and 11 boards to lead host Milwaukee to a dominant victory over Orlando.
Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis each added 14 points off the bench for Milwaukee, which won for the fifth time in six games. Brook Lopez scored 13 points and blocked five shots.
Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 22 points on 8-for-20 shooting. Wendell Carter Jr. added 12 points and 10 boards as the Magic took their fourth loss in six games. Trevelin Queen scored 13 points, Cole Anthony had 11 and Anthony Black contributed 10.
Hawks 110, Bulls 94
Keaton Wallace scored a career-high 27 points and Daeqwon Plowden chipped in 19 off the bench on 7-for-8 shooting in his NBA debut to boost short-handed Atlanta to a win against the host Chicago Bulls.
Missing three starters and their top reserve, the Hawks never trailed while leading by as many as 17 to sweep a back-to-back that started with Tuesday’s home win against Phoenix. Trae Young, who scored a season-best 43 points in that game, was sidelined with a right rib contusion. Jalen Johnson (right shoulder inflammation), Zaccharie Risacher (left adductor irritation), and De’Andre Hunter (left foot soreness) also were out. Dyson Daniels scored 18 points while Onyeka Okongwu (14 points, 13 rebounds) and Clint Capela (11 points, 10 rebounds) both notched double-doubles. Vit Krejci added 11 points.
Coby White paced the Bulls with 16 points. Zach LaVine followed with 15 points and Nikola Vucevic had a double-double of 14 points and 16 rebounds. Julian Phillips and Patrick Williams chipped in 10 points each.
Hornets 117, Jazz 112
Mark Williams amassed 31 points and 13 rebounds to lead Charlotte past Utah in Salt Lake City.
LaMelo Ball totaled 27 points, nine assists and six rebounds while Miles Bridges contributed 25 points and 10 boards as the Hornets won for just the third time on the road all season.
Keyonte George returned from a five-game injury absence to lead the Jazz with 26 points. Brice Sensabaugh finished with 19 points, and rookie Isaiah Collier logged 11 points and 10 assists.
–Field Level Media
Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder have some breathing room atop their respective conferences, leaving them — at this point at least — with few games that singularly…
Curtis Jones scored 25 points on 9-for-17 shooting, including 5-for-6 accuracy from 3-point range, and No. 2 Iowa State pulled away for a 74-57 win over No. 9 Kansas on…
Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 23 points and the Los Angeles Clippers posted the largest margin of victory in franchise history by obliterating the visiting Brooklyn Nets 126-67 on Wednesday…
Top 25 roundup: Curtis Jones carries No. 2 Iowa St. past No. 9 Kansas
NBA roundup: Clippers lay historic beating on Nets
UNLV hands No. 22 Utah State first conference loss
Clippers put record 59-point beat-down on Nets