Friday night across the NBA delivered star performances, milestone moments and several decisive wins as teams jockeyed for position deep into the regular season. From late-game heroics to blowouts, here’s a look at all the action.
Nuggets 121, Wizards 115
Jamal Murray poured in 42 points and took over late, scoring 16 in the fourth quarter as Denver pulled away down the stretch. With the game tied at 110, Murray buried a go-ahead 3-pointer and followed with a jumper and two free throws to seal it. Tim Hardaway Jr. added a season-high 30 points, Peyton Watson scored 21, and the Nuggets won their fourth straight despite missing Nikola Jokic. Kyshawn George led Washington with 29 points in the Wizards’ sixth consecutive loss.
Trail Blazers 132, Lakers 116
Shaedon Sharpe scored 25 points and Portland took advantage of a shorthanded Lakers squad to earn its seventh win in nine games. Jerami Grant and Caleb Love each added 22 points as the Blazers pulled away in the second half. Los Angeles played without Luka Doncic and Deandre Ayton, while Marcus Smart scored 25 before leaving with an apparent injury. LeBron James finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the loss.
Warriors 136, Hornets 116
De’Anthony Melton led eight Warriors in double figures with 24 points as Golden State overwhelmed Charlotte behind a historic 3-point display. The Warriors knocked down 23 triples, with 10 players hitting at least one, extending an NBA-record streak. Draymond Green scored 20, while Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield added 14 apiece. Brandon Miller’s 28 points led the Hornets.
Spurs 126, Timberwolves 123
Victor Wembanyama delivered 39 points and nine rebounds, including a crucial offensive board in the final seconds, as San Antonio survived Anthony Edwards’ season-high 55-point explosion. De’Aaron Fox added 25 points and 12 assists, while Keldon Johnson chipped in 20. Edwards scored 26 in the fourth quarter alone, but Wembanyama’s late shot-making and defense proved decisive.
Heat 122, Thunder 120
Andrew Wiggins’ clutch 3-pointer with 31 seconds remaining lifted Miami past the defending champion Thunder. Bam Adebayo scored 30 points and hit a career-high six 3-pointers, while Norman Powell added 19. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 39 points for Oklahoma City, which lost for the first time this season when scoring at least 120.
Suns 106, Knicks 99
Devin Booker returned from an ankle injury to score 27 points as Phoenix snapped a two-game skid on its East Coast trip. Karl-Anthony Towns and Deuce McBride scored 23 apiece for New York, which played without Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart and committed 17 turnovers in its third straight loss.
Pistons 121, Pacers 78
Detroit dominated from the opening tip, racing to a 24-2 start and cruising to a 43-point rout. Duncan Robinson and Cade Cunningham scored 16 points each in limited minutes, while Jalen Duren added 15. Indiana, missing four of its top scorers, shot just 23.3% in the first half in one of the most lopsided games in franchise history.
Celtics 132, Hawks 106
Jaylen Brown erupted for 41 points as Boston blew the game open with a 52-point second quarter. Sam Hauser tied his career high with 10 3-pointers and scored 30, helping the Celtics reach triple digits early in the third quarter. Onyeka Okongwu led Atlanta with 21 points as the Hawks dropped their third straight.
Mavericks 138, Jazz 120
Klay Thompson scored all 23 of his points in the first half, becoming the 17,000th point of his career, as Dallas completed a two-game sweep of Utah. Six Mavericks scored in double figures despite Dallas missing multiple starters. Keyonte George’s 29 points led the Jazz, who never recovered from a slow start.
