Milwaukee defeat Lakers in tense game

Khris Middleton scored 30 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo contributed 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists, helping Milwaukee defeat the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night at Staples Centre in a game that featured a scuffle between both clubs. 

Antetokounmpo made 11 of 16 shots from the floor as the Bucks (34-34) won for the eighth time in the last nine games. 

Jordan Clarkson had 21 points and Ivica Zubac added 18 points and eight rebounds for the Lakers (20-49), who lost their fourth in a row. Nick Young had 16 points and D’Angelo Russell finished with 14 before both were ejected late in the third quarter along with Bucks center Greg Monroe. 

Tempers flared with 36 seconds remaining in the third quarter with the Bucks leading 83-73. Bucks rookie guard Malcolm Brogdon fouled Young on a drive to the bucket. 

Young took exception and pushed Brogdon. Monroe, who had 12 points and six boards before being sent to the locker room, shoved Young as players from both teams became involved in the scrum.

Wizards 112, Bulls 107

John Wall set a career high with 20 assists and Bradley Beal scored 24 points, as Washington rebounded from a rare home loss with a win over Chicago on Friday night. 

The Wizards (42-26) let most of a 19-point halftime lead slip away thanks to their latest suspect defensive performance but ultimately held on to snap a two-game losing streak. 

Otto Porter and Wall each made two free throws inside the final 19 seconds after Jimmy Butler’s 3-pointer made the score 108-107 with 39.7 seconds left. 

The Wizards (42-26) let most of a 19-point halftime lead slip away, but ultimately held on to snap a two-game losing streak. 

Otto Porter and Wall each sank two free throws inside the final 19 seconds remaining after Jimmy Butler’s 3-pointer made the score 108-107 with 39.7 seconds.

Heat 123,
Timberwolves 105

Miami, who started the season 11-30, continued their amazing turnaround, drawing to within one game of .500 with a victory over Minnesota at AmericanAirlines Arena. 

Miami, who are 23-5 in their past 28 games, was led by reserve guard Tyler Johnson, who had 23 points, and centre Hassan Whiteside, who had 23 points and 14 rebounds. 

Heat point guard Goran Dragic had 12 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 10 assists. Miami shot a season-best 58.8 per cent from the floor. 

The Heat win was marred by an injury to Dion Waiters’ left ankle. Waiters, Miami’s starting shooting guard, left the game with 3:24 left in the second quarter and did not return, although the Heat said X-rays were negative.

Pelicans 128, 

Rockets 112

Forward Solomon Hill scored a career-high 30 points, including 6 of 9 from 3-point range, and Anthony Davis added 24 points and 14 rebounds to lift New Orleans to a victory over Houston at the Smoothie King Centre. 

Hill entered the game averaging 6.5 points per game, but he exploded for 16 first-quarter points as New Orleans took a 36-23 lead. The Pelicans played without centre DeMarcus Cousins, who was rested with a sore left knee and bruised right rib. 

The Rockets got a game-high 41 points from James Harden, but even though they cut a 23-point deficit to 114-103 with 5:27 left, they got no closer.

Celtics 98, Nets 95

Jae Crowder collected a season-high 24 points and 12 rebounds and Boston overcame the absence of star point guard Isaiah Thomas and held on for a victory over Brooklyn. 

The Celtics played without Thomas, who sat out due to a bone bruise in his right knee. With Thomas missing his fifth game of the season, it was a struggle at times for the Celtics. 

Avery Bradley added 16 for the Celtics, who shot 40 per cent from the field. Al Horford contributed 14 despite shooting 6 of 16 while Marcus Smart added 12 in place of Thomas.

Raptors 87, Pistons 75

Serge Ibaka had 17 points and nine rebounds and Toronto rallied from a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit to down Detroit at The Palace. 

The Raptors finished the game on a 24-3 run. The Pistons scored just three points in the final 9:20. 

Toronto shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, who entered the game as the NBA’s fifth-leading scorer at 27.1 points per game, supplied all of his 14 points in the second half. DeMarre Carroll contributed 12 points, Norman Powell had 11 and Jonas Valanciunas added 10 for the Raptors.

76ers 116, Mavericks 74

Justin Anderson matched his career high of 19 points against his former team as Philadelphia routed Dallas, the 76ers’ most lopsided victory in nine years. 

It was the third time in 11 games with Philadelphia that Anderson matched his career high. He was acquired in a February 23 trade involving centre/forward Nerlens Noel. 

Noel had nine points and five rebounds off the bench for Dallas.