Damian Lillard tied a career-high with 61 points and assisted Hassan Whiteside on what proved to be the game-winning dunk in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 134-131 defeat of the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday in the Orlando area.
Lillard also became the first player in Portland franchise history to score 50-plus points in consecutive games.
Helping Lillard shoulder the offensive load was Carmelo Anthony, who scored 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the floor and 3-of-5 from behind the 3-point line. Anthony and Lillard combined for 12 of Portland’s 15 made 3-pointers.
Dallas shot a blistering 20-of-44 from 3-point range, with Kristaps Porzingis going 7-of-9 en route to a team-high 36 points before fouling out.
All five Mavericks starters scored in double-figures. Luka Doncic added 25 points with 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Mavericks, while Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 24 points. Finney-Smith finished with 15 and Burke scored 12 points with nine assists.
Milwaukee Bucks 126 – Washington Wizards 113
Giannis Antetokounmpo was ejected in the second quarter for head-butting Moritz Wagner, but Milwaukee still beat Washington after Antetokounmpo was whistled for a charging foul for running into the Washington center, the two then jawed briefly and Antetokounmpo lowered his head and somewhat gently drove his forehead into Wagner’s left temple.
Neither player was injured, and Antetokounmpo was ejected immediately. The run-in occurred with 8:50 remaining in the first half and Milwaukee leading 35-25. Antetokounmpo finished with 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds in just 10 minutes.
The Bucks scored the game’s first six points, holding the Wizards scoreless for almost the first four minutes en route to just their third win in seven games in central Florida. Rui Hachimura had 20 points to pace Washington, which lost its seventh straight since the restart.
Phoenix Suns 130 – Philadelphia 76ers 117
Devin Booker had 35 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to lift surging Phoenix past host Philadelphia.
Mikal Bridges added 24 points, Dario Saric contributed 18 and Ricky Rubio had 16 points and 10 assists as the Suns moved to 7-0 in the bubble. The Suns tied the Portland Trail Blazers for ninth place in the Western Conference to stay alive to participate in the play-in bracket to potentially earn a playoff spot for the first time in 10 years.
Alec Burks led the Sixers with 23 points while Raul Neto added 22 and Mike Scott had 17. Glenn Robinson III had 15 and Furkan Korkmaz had 12 while Kyle O’Quinn swept 10 rebounds and also registered a career-high 11 assists. Philadelphia is currently the sixth team in the East.
Boston Celtics 122 – Memphis Grizzlies 107
Jayson Tatum scored 29 points, Kemba Walker added 19 and Boston handed Memphis a devastating defeat.
Tatum and Walker combined to shoot 17-of-23 from the floor as the Celtics won their fourth straight game. Walker’s 19 points were the most he’s had in six games since the season restart. Gordon Hayward also scored 19.
Ja Morant had 26 points and 13 assists, and Jonas Valanciunas (14 points, 10 rebounds) also had a double-double for the Grizzlies, who lost their secured grip on the eighth seed in the Western Conference with their sixth defeat in seven seeding games.
Sacramento Kings 112 – New Orleans Pelicans 106
Harrison Barnes scored 25 points as Sacramento defeated New Orleans.
Bogdan Bogdanovich scored 16, Nemanja Bjelica added 13, Harry Giles III had 12 points and 11 rebounds, Jabari Parker scored 12, and Buddy Hield scored 11 to lead the Kings, whose only two victories during the restart have come against the Pelicans.
A combination of minor injuries and a desire to give younger players expanded playing time led New Orleans to sit starters Zion Williamson (knee), Brandon Ingram (knee), Jrue Holiday (elbow) and Derrick Favors as well as top reserve JJ Redick. In their absence, Jahlil Okafor scored 21, Frank Jackson scored 18, Lonzo Ball had 16 and E’Twaun Moore had 14.
San Antonio Spurs 123 – Houston Rockets 105
Keldon Johnson had 24 points and 11 rebounds, both career highs, and DeMar DeRozan added 23 points as San Antonio rolled to a win over short-handed Houston in a key NBA seeding game.
The win allowed the Spurs to remain in the hunt for a spot in a play-in tournament for the Western Conference’s final postseason spot. Jakob Poeltl also had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds for San Antonio, with Rudy Gay and Marco Belinelli scoring 13 each, Lonnie Walker IV hitting for 12 points, and Dejounte Murray contributing 11 points.
Houston has already clinched a postseason berth but can finish no higher than fourth in the West standings. Russell Westbrook led the Rockets with 20 points in his return after missing two games with a bruised right quadriceps. Jeff Green added 17 for Houston while Ben McLemore scored 16.
Brooklyn Nets 108 – Orlando Magic 96
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Jeremiah Martin each scored 24 points and Brooklyn took control early in victory against Orlando.
Dzanan Musa added a career-best 17 points as the Nets (35-36) shot 42.7 percent and improved to 5-2 in the seeding games. Tyler Johnson contributed 14 and Lance Thomas chipped in 12 for Brooklyn, who led by double digits for the final 38-plus minutes.
Orlando (32-40) played without Evan Fournier (non-COVID-19 illness), Aaron Gordon (strained left hamstring) and Terrence Ross, who is in quarantine after leaving the bubble. Markelle Fultz and Wes Iwundu paced Orlando with 18 points apiece.
–Field Level Media
