Sunday delivered a mix of star power, return-from-injury sparks, and dominant team performances across the NBA. From Luka Doncic and LeBron James leading the Lakers to a commanding win, to Brandon Miller and the Hornets steamrolling a short-handed Nuggets squad, it was a day full of highlights. Here’s a breakdown of all six games.
Ja Morant returned from a six-game absence to score 24 points and dish out 13 assists, leading Memphis past Orlando 126-109 in London. Jock Landale added 21 points and eight rebounds, while Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 17 points. Orlando cut a 33-point first-half deficit to 17 late in the fourth, but Memphis closed strong to avenge Thursday’s 118-111 loss in Berlin. Anthony Black led the Magic with 19 points, Wendell Carter Jr. added 18, and Paolo Banchero finished with 16 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds.
Coby White scored 24 points and Ayo Dosunmu added 19 as Chicago beat Brooklyn 124-102 to split their home-and-home series. Nikola Vucevic finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, and Matas Buzelis also scored 17. The Bulls surged ahead with a 10-0 run late in the first quarter, building a 39-22 lead that grew to 70-51 at halftime. Nolan Traore led Brooklyn with 16 points, while Danny Wolf and Jalen Wilson each had 14. The Nets have now lost nine of 11 games.
Jabari Smith Jr. scored a season-high 32 points, and Kevin Durant added 18 to move past Dirk Nowitzki into sixth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list as Houston beat New Orleans 119-110. Alperen Şengün contributed 21 points and eight rebounds, and Amen Thompson added 20. Trey Murphy III led New Orleans with 21 points, Zion Williamson added 20 points and six rebounds, and Derik Queen had 15. Durant hit two clutch free throws with 15.2 seconds remaining to set the milestone, receiving a standing ovation.
Brandon Miller led Charlotte with 23 points, Tidjane Salaun added 13 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, and the Hornets rolled past an injury-depleted Denver team 110-87. Rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner had 17 points and six rebounds, while Collin Sexton added 14 points and five assists. The Nuggets were missing five of their top scorers, including Nikola Jokic, and were held to season lows in points (87) and 3-point percentage (21.1%). Jamal Murray led Denver with 16 points.
Deni Avdija returned from a back injury to score 26 points with eight assists and eight rebounds as Portland beat Sacramento 117-110. Shaedon Sharpe added 26 points, and Donovan Clingan had 21 points and 17 rebounds. Portland led by 14 in the fourth but held on after the Kings trimmed the gap to nine. Malik Monk scored 23 points for Sacramento, while Russell Westbrook added 20 points and seven assists. Portland has won 12 of 15 games and is back to .500 at 22-22.
Luka Doncic had 25 points and seven assists, LeBron James added 24 points and seven assists, and Deandre Ayton scored 25 points with 13 rebounds in Los Angeles’ 110-93 win over Toronto. The Lakers pulled away in the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run, while Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 22 points. The Lakers won just their second game in seven outings and will now begin an eight-game, 15-day road trip.
