Pistons rout Knicks 118-80, end New York's 8-game winning streak
DETROIT (AP) — Daniss Jenkins scored 18 points in his last game as a two-way player and the Detroit Pistons routed New York 118-80 on Friday night to end the Knicks’ winning streak at eight games.
Jenkins was playing his 42nd game of the season, meaning he is no longer eligible for NBA games under his two-way contract. The Pistons must convert his deal to a full NBA contract to keep him. He’s averaging 8.2 points and 3.3 assists in 16.8 minutes as a backup guard.
Jalen Duren (knee) missed the game for Detroit while the Knicks played without Karl-Anthony Towns (eye) and OG Anunoby (toe).
Tobias Harris and Isaiah Stewart each scored 15 points for the Pistons. They have won five straight regular-season games against New York, but lost to the Knicks in six games in the first round of last season’s playoffs.
Mikal Bridges scored 19 points for New York. Jalen Brunson finished with 12 on 4-for-20 shooting that included 0 for 8 on 3-pointers. New York’s 80 points were a season low, beating the 90 they scored in a 31-point loss to the Pistons on Jan. 5.
BUCKS 105, PACERS 99
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Kevin Porter Jr. had 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds and Milwaukee beat Indiana for its first three-game winning streak of the season.
Ryan Rollins added 22 points for the Bucks, and Bobby Portis had 21 after missing two games because of a bruised hip.
Andrew Nembhard led Indiana with 22 points and Pascal Siakam had 19.
Indiana rattled off a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter to pull to 91-87 with 4:11 remaining. On the Pacers’ next possession, Ben Sheppard missed a 3-pointer that would have made it a one-possession game.
Kevin Porter Jr. then hit a driving layup to start a 7-0 run that gave Milwaukee some breathing room.
Jericho Sims had a career-high 15 rebounds to go along with four points for the Bucks. Milwaukee’s Myles Turner had nine points and 10 rebounds against his former team.
CELTICS 98, HEAT 96
BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown had 29 points while Payton Pritchard scored 24 points to help Boston make its biggest comeback of the season, rallying from a 22-point deficit to defeat Miami.
Derrick White hit a 3-pointer from the corner with 1:31 remaining that provided the Celtics — winners of five straight — the final margin. White shot 6 of 20 but ended up with 21 points.
Nikola Vucevic had a double-double in his first game with the Celtics, finishing with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Boston made 9 of its final 15 shots from 3 after missing 20 of 21 from deep to start the game.
Miami had a chance to win it in regulation, but Davion Mitchell missed a 3-pointer from the corner with 2.7 seconds remaining. Andrew Wiggins led the Heat with 26 points while All-Star Norman Powell had 24 points.
Miami wasted little time serving notice that it would be a long first half for Boston. The Heat jumped out to a 15-2 lead and led by as many 22 points before pulling into halftime up 59-38. The Celtics shot just 28% during the first two quarters, but things changed in the third quarter.
Up 67-49, Miami watched as Boston outscored the visitors 25-7 over the final 7:06 of the third quarter. White and Pritchard started the comeback with back-to-back 3-pointers, then Pritchard hit a 3 coming out of a timeout that cut Miami’s lead to 67-58.
PELICANS 119, TIMBERWOLVES 115
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Saddiq Bay scored 30 points, including two free throws with 10.8 seconds remaining, helping New Orleans overcome an 18-point second-half deficit in a win over Minnesota.
Zion Williamson added 29 points and Trey Murphy III scored 26 as the Pelicans snapped a three-game skid
Minnesota took a brief one-point lead with 50 seconds remaining on a 3-pointer by Bones Hyland, but Williamson converted a three-point play to put the Pelicans up 117-115 with 35.5 seconds to play.
Anthony Edwards’ shot fell short and Bey grabbed the rebound and was fouled by Julius Randle with 10.8 seconds to play.
Edwards finished with 35 points in the loss, including 23 in the first half. Randle added 24 points, while Rudy Gobert grabbed 16 rebounds to go with his 12 points.
Pelicans rookie Derik Queen scored 17 points and was 4 for 4 from 3-point range. He entered having made just 10 shots from deep all season.
TRAIL BLAZERS 135, GRIZZLIES 115
PORTLAND (AP) — Jerami Grant had 23 points and Portland snapped a six-game losing streak, beating Memphis to open a two-game set.
The teams will meet again Saturday night in Portland.
Jrue Holiday had 20 points and seven assists for the Blazers, who led by 30 points after pulling away in the second half. Eight Portland players finished in double figures.
Cam Spencer had 18 points off the bench for the Grizzlies, who had won their previous two straight after a six-game losing streak. GG Jackson II added 15.
Ja Morant missed his eighth straight game with left elbow injury. Morant remained with the team at Thursday’s trade deadline despite speculation the Grizzlies might move him.
The Grizzlies were adjusting to a sweeping trade that sent Jaren Jackson Jr., Jock Landale, John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr. to Utah in exchange for Georges Niang, Kyle Anderson, Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks.
CLIPPERS 114, KINGS 111
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had seven assists to lead Los Angeles to a victory over Sacramento, sending the Kings to their 11th straight loss.
John Collins added 22 points and Brook Lopez and Kris Dunn each had 15 for the Clippers, who ended a two-game skid.
Darius Garland, acquired from Cleveland earlier in the week, remained out. He hasn’t played since Jan. 14 because of a sprained big toe on his right foot.
Malik Monk had 18 points to lead Sacramento, which hasn’t won since beating Washington at home on Jan. 16. Nique Clifford had 16 points and Dylan Cardwell and Devin Carter each had 14 for the Kings. De’Andre Hunter, also acquired from the Cavaliers this week, had six points in his second game for Sacramento.
The Clippers went into halftime trailing 49-48, but took the lead for good with 9:50 left in the fourth quarter on a 3-pointer from Lopez to make it 86-84.