Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 30 points as the Boston Celtics extended their winning streak to four games by beating the Indiana Pacers 140-122 on Friday in Indianapolis.
Brown scored at least 30 points for the eighth straight game. Larry Bird holds the franchise record for consecutive games with at least 30 points (nine in 1984-85).
Payton Pritchard added 29 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Celtics, who trailed by 15 in the first quarter. Sam Hauser came off the bench and tossed in 23 points. Boston also received 21 points, five rebounds and six assists from point guard Derrick White.
Indiana took its seventh straight loss overall and its fourth consecutive home defeat to take over the league’s worst record at 6-25. Andrew Nembhard led the Pacers with 18 points and eight assists, but he committed a game-high five turnovers.
Heat 126, Hawks 111
Norman Powell scored 25 points and second-year forward Pelle Larsson added a career-high 21 as Miami pulled away late at Atlanta to snap a three-game losing streak.
With Tyler Herro (toe) and Bam Adebayo (late scratch with lower back soreness) unavailable, the Heat placed six players in double figures with Andrew Wiggins contributing 18 points, Kel’el Ware and Jaime Jaquez Jr. posting 16 apiece and Nikola Jovic scoring 10 in his first game after sitting out six with an elbow contusion.
Trae Young recorded a game-high 30 points for the Hawks while Jalen Johnson delivered 24 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists for his 12th straight double-double — the NBA’s longest streak this season. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 15 points for Atlanta, which lost for the fifth time in a row and ninth in their last 11 games.
Wizards 138, Raptors 117
Kyshawn George scored 23 points to help lead Washington past visiting Toronto, allowing the Wizards to move above the Pacers in the chase for the NBA’s worst record.
CJ McCollum and Bilal Coulibaly added 21 points apiece for the Wizards, who snapped a two-game losing streak.
Brandon Ingram’s 29 points paced the Raptors while Immanuel Quickley scored 25 and Ja’Kobe Walter had 15 off the bench. Toronto took its third loss in four games.
Bulls 109, 76ers 102
Coby White scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth quarter and Zach Collins and Tre Jones had 15 points apiece to lift streaking Chicago to a victory against visiting Philadelphia.
Chicago won for the fifth straight time behind a 13-2 run to finish the game. Joel Embiid (31 points), Tyrese Maxey (27) and Paul George (15) kept Philadelphia afloat before the team faded down the stretch. The 76ers shot 23.8% in the fourth quarter and 37.6% for the game.
Josh Giddey posted a double-double of 12 points and 11 assists for the Bulls. Matas Buzelis and Jalen Smith grabbed eight rebounds apiece to help Chicago finish plus-six on the glass. Smith scored 12 points and Buzelis chipped in 10.
Grizzlies 125, Bucks 104
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 24 points and blocked five shots, Cam Spencer added 19 points and Ja Morant made a triumphant return for Memphis in a victory over visiting Milwaukee.
Morant finished with 17 points, 10 assists and one steal as the Grizzlies won their eighth straight game against the Bucks. Morant, upgraded to questionable before tipoff, had missed the previous four games with a left ankle sprain sustained Dec. 15 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Milwaukee, which lost for the sixth time in eight games, was led by AJ Green with 20 points. He had six 3-pointers. Kevin Porter Jr. added 16 points and eight boards while Bobby Portis (12 rebounds), Kyle Kuzma and Ryan Rollins each finished with 15 points.
Hornets 120, Magic 105
Charlotte shot 19-for-39 from 3-point range and earned a win over host Orlando, but it also lost standout rookie Kon Knueppel to a potentially significant ankle injury.
Knueppel, who had 16 points and four 3-pointers in just 15 minutes, badly twisted his ankle on an opponent’s foot while tracking a rebound. LaMelo Ball led seven Hornets in double figures with 22 points while adding five assists.
Anthony Black had 24 points to lead the Magic. Wendell Carter Jr. scored 16, Desmond Bane contributed with 15 points and 10 rebounds, Jase Richardson poured in 14 off the bench and Paolo Banchero scored 13.
Suns 115, Pelicans 108
Devin Booker scored 12 fourth-quarter points and Mark Williams added 10 in the period as visiting Phoenix held off New Orleans.
Booker, who finished with a game-high 30 points, and Williams, who scored 24 points, buoyed the Suns in a tightly contested final period, including the decisive 18-8 run over the closing 4:49.
Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 20 points, contributing to New Orleans’ 60 bench points for the game. Jordan Poole scored 19 points but made just 2 of 11 3-point attempts.
–Field Level Media
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