Nets break loose for 91 points in 1st half, rout Warriors

NEW YORK: Kevin Durant scored 23 points, all but two in a 91-point first half that was the third-biggest in NBA history, and the Brooklyn Nets routed the Golden State Warriors 143-113 on Wednesday to send the reigning champions staggering home with their second blowout loss in two nights in New York.

With Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins sidelined, the Warriors fell behind by 44 points in this game and finished 1-5 on their trip to the East.

The Nets matched a franchise record with nine players in double figures and won their seventh straight, even with Kyrie Irving out with right calf tightness.

James Wiseman scored a career-high 30 points on 12-for-14 shooting for the Warriors, who lost by 38 points to the Knicks on Tuesday night.

RAPTORS 113 KNICKS 106

In New York, Pascal Siakam scored a career-high 52 points and Toronto snapped New York’s NBA-leading eight-game winning streak.

Siakam added nine rebounds and seven assists in 41 minutes as Toronto snapped its six-game skid. Fred VanVleet scored 28 points and OG Anunoby had 15 as the Raptors won for the fourth time in 16 road games. It was their first win away from home since Nov. 14.

R.J. Barrett scored with 30 points and Julius Randle finished with 30 points and had 13 rebounds. Immanuel Quickley added 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting in his first start of the season.

CAVALIERS 114 BUCKS 106

In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 36 points and Cleveland finally put together a complete game, beating Milwaukee despite Giannis Antetokounmpo’s season-high 45 points.

Darius Garland added 23 points and Jarrett Allen had 19 for the Cavs, who lost their first two games against the Eastern Conference’s top team this season. The Cavs improved the NBA’s best home record to 16-2, matching their start in the 2016 championship season.

The Cavaliers opened a 24-point lead in the third, but the Bucks chipped away and closed within five with 2:21 left. Mitchell went 9 of 9 from the free-throw line in the fourth as Cleveland closed out the win. MItchell made 15 of 16 free throws.

Antetokounmpo scored 24 points in the second half and added 14 rebounds. Brook Lopez had 14 points for the Bucks, who were without injured All-Star forward Khris Middleton.

MAVERICKS 104 TIMBERWOLVES 99

In Minneapolis, Luka Doncic had 25 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds and Dallas earned a two-game split in a home-and-home set against Minnesota.

Tim Hardaway Jr. added 21 points after an illness sidelined him Monday night in Dallas’ 116-106 loss in Minnesota in which Doncic and coach Jason Kidd were ejected.

Spencer Dinwiddie scored 19 points and Christian Wood added 12 for Dallas, which had lost two in a row.

Rudy Gobert returned for the Timberwolves after missing three games with a sprained ankle, finishing with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Anthony Edwards had 23 points and Austin Rivers added 21 in his second straight start for Minnesota, which had won three straight.

MAGIC 116 ROCKETS 110

In Houston, Franz Wagner scored 25 points, rookie Paolo Banchero had 23 points and 13 rebounds, and Orlando overcame a 15-point second-half deficit to beat Houston.

The Magic took their first lead when Cole Anthony, who finished with 15 points, drilled a 3-pointer to make it 96-95 with 7:11 remaining. Orlando has won seven of eight since beginning the season 5-20.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored 31 points for the Rockets, who dropped their fourth straight. Jalen Green had 21 points and eight rebounds, Kenyon Martin Jr. scored 18 points, and Alperen Sengun had 13 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.

THUNDER 101 TRAIL BLAZERS 98

In Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points and Oklahoma City defeated Portland for the second time in three days.

Gilgeous-Alexander had a good week against Portland — he hit a winning basket as time expired against the Trail Blazers on Monday, also in Oklahoma City, to highlight a 35-point performance.

It was the third straight win for Oklahoma City. The streak follows a five-game losing skid.

Jerami Grant scored 17 points for Portland. Damian Lillard finished with 16 points on 6-for-19 shooting.

BULLS 110 HAWKS 108

In Atlanta, Ayo Dosunmu banked in a putback jumper as time expired and Chicago rallied after blowing an 18-point lead to win its second straight game.

Dosunmu inbounded a pass from the Chicago sideline with four seconds remaining to DeRozan, who missed a jumper with an airball from the left baseline, but Dosunmu was in place to grab the rebound on the right baseline and score at the buzzer.

DeMar DeRozan led Chicago with 28 points, Zach LaVine added 22 points and Nikola Vucevic had 20.

Trae Young scored 34 points for Atlanta, and Dejounte Murray had 15 points and 10 assists.

KINGS 134 LAKERS 120

In Sacramento, Domantas Sabonis had 13 points, 21 rebounds and 12 assists to lead Sacramento past Los Angeles for the second time this season.

Sabonis recorded his second triple-double of the season to go along with nine straight double-doubles and his NBA-leading 22 this year.

All of Sacramento’s starters scored in double figures. Rookie Keegan Murray matched his career high with 23 points. Kevin Huerter scored 26 points and Harrison Barnes added 20.

LeBron James scored 31 points and De’Aaron Fox added 22 points and six assists for the Lakers. Lonnie Walker lV scored 19 points, Dennis Schroder had 18 and Thomas Bryant added 17 points and 10 rebounds.

PACERS 117 CELTICS 112

In Boston, Tyrese Haliburton scored 33 points as Indiana opened a 30-point lead in the first half before holding off slumping Boston.

Former Celtics player Celtic Aaron Nesmith had 15 points, Chris Duarte added 14 and Myles Turner had 10 to help the Pacers win for the second time in six games.

Jayson Tatum led Boston with 41 points after missing a game because of personal reasons, while point guard Marcus Smart sat out with a non-COVID illness.

Jaylen Brown added 19 points and 10 rebounds for Boston, and Malcolm Brogdon had 18 points. Atop the NBA a week ago, the Celtics have dropped five of six.

76ERS 113 PISTONS 93

In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Philadelphia used a balanced scoring attack to extend its winning streak to six games.

Tobias Harris had 17 points, despite early foul trouble, and James Harden added 15 points and eight assists for the Sixers. Philadelphia got double-figure scoring from six players, including De’Anthony Melton (12), Georges Niang (11) and Montrezl Harrell (10).

The Sixers’ six-game winning streak is their longest since a seven-game run from Dec. 26-Jan 10 in the 2021-22 season. Philadelphia has won eight straight games at home after starting the season 5-5 in their own building.

Detroit was led by Jaden Ivey’s 16 points. Killian Hayes scored 12 and Saddiq Bey 11 for the Pistons, who have lost seven of their last eight games.