Damian Lillard received a warm welcome back to Portland and despite the emotional atmosphere, the Blazers secured a 119-116 victory over the Bucks.
Lillard played his first game in Portland since being traded to the Bucks in September after spending 11 seasons with the Blazers. He received a warm welcome from the crowd and was honored with a video tribute. Despite the love from the fans, the Bucks suffered their second consecutive loss under new head coach Doc Rivers. Anfernee Simons, who was mentored by Lillard in Portland, led the Trail Blazers with 24 points and made a crucial shot that secured their victory. Lillard contributed 25 points for the Bucks, and Antetokounmpo led with 27 points. However, the Bucks were unable to score after Simons’ go-ahead basket, and Jerami Grant sealed the game with free throws.
Kevin Durant returned to Brooklyn and scored 33 points, leading the Phoenix Suns to a 136-120 victory over the Nets. It was his first game in Brooklyn since being traded to Phoenix last season, and he received a warm welcome from fans. The Nets played a video tribute for him, but the cheers turned to boos as the Suns took control in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Nets 42-26. Jusuf Nurkic contributed 28 points and 11 rebounds, while Devin Booker added 22 for the Suns.
In Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points to help the Thunder secure a 105-100 win against the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets were missing their two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, Nikola Jokic, due to lower back issues. This victory marked the Thunder’s third win in four games against the Nuggets this season and propelled them to second place in the Western Conference.
Timberwolves 121, Mavericks 87
Minnesota comfortably defeated a depleted Dallas team with a score of 121-87. Karl-Anthony Towns was the top scorer for Minnesota with 29 points, while Josh Green led the Mavericks with 18 points. Dallas was missing key players Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving due to injuries.
The Los Angeles Clippers didn’t let the absence of their top scorer, Paul George, affect their performance as they secured a 125-109 victory over the Washington Wizards. Kawhi Leonard was the standout player for the Clippers, contributing 31 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and four steals. This win comes after a previous loss to Cleveland, and marks the Clippers’ ninth win in their last 11 games.
The Miami Heat ended a seven-game losing streak with a 115-106 win over the Sacramento Kings at home, thanks to a 31-point performance by Jimmy Butler. Keegan Murray of the Kings scored the most points with 33, while Domantas Sabonis achieved a triple-double with 19 points, 17 rebounds, and 13 assists.
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