D’Angelo Russell had his best game of the season, scoring 44 points and dishing out nine assists. He made a crucial floater with 5.9 seconds left to give the Lakers a 123-122 win over the Bucks at home on Friday.
D’Angelo Russell matched his personal best by making nine 3-pointers out of 12 attempts. Anthony Davis contributed 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Austin Reaves added 18 points as the Lakers improved their record to 4-2 since February 28. Despite LeBron James being sidelined due to a left ankle injury, the Lakers secured a victory thanks to a top performance from D’Angelo Russell. Rui Hachimura scored 12 points and Spencer Dinwiddie, who only scored five points, made a crucial block against Damian Lillard of the Bucks just before the buzzer.
Giannis Antetokounmpo achieved his eighth triple-double of the season with 34 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists, but the Bucks suffered their second consecutive loss following a six-game winning streak. Lillard scored 28 points and had 12 assists, while Pat Connaughton, Malik Beasley, and Bobby Portis also contributed to the Bucks’ efforts. The Lakers were behind for the entire first quarter but managed to take the lead at halftime, with D’Angelo Russell scoring 16 points and Davis adding 14.
Jalen Green led the Houston Rockets with 27 points, while Alperen Sengun contributed 19 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in their 123-107 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Fred VanVleet also had a strong performance with 18 points and 10 assists. Amen Thompson recorded 16 points, eight rebounds, and five blocked shots, Jabari Smith Jr. had 15 points and nine rebounds, and Cam Whitmore added 13 points and eight boards for the Rockets. On the Trail Blazers side, Dalano Banton scored a career-high 30 points and Anfernee Simons contributed 23 points in the loss, marking Portland’s 12th defeat in 14 games.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 107-100 victory over the Miami Heat in Oklahoma City on Friday by scoring 37 points. This win marked the Thunder’s ninth in 11 games and completed a two-game season series sweep against the Heat. It was also the Thunder’s first home victory over Miami since March 2018. Miami, on the other hand, suffered their second consecutive loss after winning seven of their previous eight games. Jaime Jaquez Jr. was the top scorer for Miami with 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting, while Jimmy Butler contributed 20 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.
Darius Garland led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 113-104 overtime victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night with 34 points and eight assists. Jarrett Allen also had a strong performance with 33 points and 18 rebounds. Georges Niang contributed 16 points, making 4 out of 7 shots from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Naz Reid scored 34 points for Minnesota, shooting 10-for-18 overall and 7-for-11 from 3-point range. Anthony Edwards added 19 points but struggled with his shooting, going 7-for-27 from the field and 0-for-7 from beyond the arc.
Dejounte Murray had a standout performance by scoring 41 points to help the Atlanta Hawks secure a 99-92 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. Bogdan Bogdanovic contributed 16 points to the Hawks’ win, marking their third consecutive victory. Clint Capela also had a strong showing with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while De’Andre Hunter added 12 points. On the Grizzlies’ side, Jaren Jackson Jr. led with 21 points, followed by Vince Williams Jr. and Jake LaRavia who each scored 14 points. Santi Aldama and Lamar Stevens both contributed 13 points each for the Grizzlies, who had their two-game winning streak come to an end.
Jalen Brunson made a comeback for the Knicks on Friday evening, putting up 26 points to help New York secure a dominant 98-74 victory over the Orlando Magic. This win was crucial for Eastern Conference playoff positioning, as the Knicks now sit half a game ahead of the Magic in fourth place after snapping Orlando’s five-game winning streak.
Kyle Kuzma scored 28 points and Deni Avdija had a strong final quarter to reach 18 points, helping the Washington Wizards break a 16-game losing streak by beating the Charlotte Hornets 112-100 on Friday evening.
Zion Williamson scored 23 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and had three blocks, while Naji Marshall contributed 19 points as the Pelicans secured a 103-95 win over the 76ers. The Pelicans held a commanding 35-point lead before the Sixers made a comeback attempt. Brandon Ingram added 17 points, with CJ McCollum and Trey Murphy III each scoring 10 points. Tobias Harris led the Sixers with 21 points and 10 rebounds, supported by Kelly Oubre Jr. with 20 points and Paul Reed with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks. Cameron Payne scored 13 points for the Sixers, who have now lost three games in a row and seven of their last 10.
