De’Aaron Fox scored 41 points, while Malik Monk and Keon Ellis contributed 35 points off the bench for the Sacramento Kings in their 128-123 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 43-point performance, the Kings secured the victory at home on Thursday night.
In the first game of a six-game homestand, De’Aaron Fox got help from Domantas Sabonis, who had an 18-point, 16-rebound double-double against his former team, helping the Kings defeat the Thunder for the second time this season. Josh Giddey also contributed 18 points for the Thunder, scoring consecutive baskets in a 6-0 run that brought the Thunder within 119-117 with 3:00 remaining, after trailing by 14. Gilgeous-Alexander matched his season high with a layup with 6.1 seconds left, making it a one-possession game at 124-121, but Murray secured the Kings’ third win in their last four games with four late free throws.
Jazz 122, Trail Blazers 114
Collin Sexton had his best game of the season, scoring 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting, while Simone Fontecchio also achieved a season high with 24 points on 7-of-8 shooting as Utah defeated Portland. Talen Horton-Tucker contributed 23 points and Ochai Agbaji scored 16 for Utah, which secured consecutive victories for only the third time this season.
Walker Kessler recorded 10 points, 10 rebounds, and equaled his career-best with seven blocked shots for the Jazz, who held a 32-point lead in the third quarter. Rookie Scoot Henderson achieved season highs with 23 points and 10 assists, and Toumani Camara added 18 points for the Trail Blazers, who suffered their fifth straight loss. Duop Reath scored 15 points for the Trail Blazers, and Jabari Walker added 13 points and nine rebounds.
Celtics 116, Cavaliers 107
Jayson Tatum scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Boston defeated Cleveland to maintain their undefeated home record. The Celtics now stand at 12-0 at home, making them the sole NBA team without a home court loss this season. All five of Boston’s starting players reached double-digit scoring. Jaylen Brown contributed 22 points, Kristaps Porzingis had 18, Jrue Holiday added 15, and Derrick White scored 14. Al Horford secured 10 rebounds. Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell led with 31 points, Caris LeVert scored 26, and Darius Garland added 19. Mitchell also recorded eight rebounds and six assists, while Jarrett Allen led Cleveland with 10 rebounds.
Timberwolves 119, Mavericks 101
Naz Reid had a standout game, scoring a career-high 27 points and making seven 3-pointers to lead Minnesota to a victory over Dallas. Despite Luka Doncic’s impressive 39-point, 13-assist performance, the Timberwolves secured their seventh win in eight games. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 21 points and 17 rebounds, while Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 14 and 13 points, respectively. Anthony Edwards returned from a one-game absence due to a right hip pointer, scoring nine points and providing 11 assists, although he struggled with his shooting, making only 3 of 19 shots.
Clippers 121, Warriors 113
Los Angeles achieved a season-high six-game winning streak with a victory over Golden State, as James Harden scored 28 points and dished out 15 assists, while Kawhi Leonard contributed 27 points. Norman Powell and Amir Coffey also made significant contributions for the Clippers, with Powell scoring 21 points and Coffey adding a season-high 18.
Harden reached a milestone by becoming the 24th player in NBA history to score 25,000 points. Despite missing Paul George due to a left hip injury, Los Angeles secured the win. On the other side, Klay Thompson scored a season-high 30 points with eight 3-pointers, and Stephen Curry added 17 points for the Warriors. However, Golden State suffered their seventh consecutive road loss and dropped to a 4-12 record since November 8.
Nuggets 124, Nets 101
Nikola Jokic recorded 26 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, Peyton Watson achieved a personal best of 18 points, and Denver triumphed over Brooklyn as the host team. Jamal Murray scored 16 points, Aaron Gordon contributed 13 points, Reggie Jackson added 12 points, and Christian Braun chipped in 10 points for Denver. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was absent due to concussion protocol. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 17 points, Cam Thomas had 13 points, and Cameron Johnson and Nic Claxton each added 10 points for the Nets.
Bulls 124, Heat 116
Coby White led Chicago to a start-to-finish victory over Miami with 26 points and 11 assists, while Nikola Vucevic contributed 24 points and 12 rebounds, marking his sixth double-double in the last seven games. Ayo Dosunmu also had a standout performance with a season-high 24 points, shooting 10 of 12. DeMar DeRozan scored 23 points, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. led Miami with 22 points, extending his streak of double-figure games to 12. Jimmy Butler added 20 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists for the Heat.
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