Dec 30, 2025
Knicks win their 8th straight with a win over the Wizards
The Canadian Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Josh Hart had 23 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double of the season, Karl-Anthony Towns had 32 points and 13 rebounds, and the New York Knicks beat the Washington Wizards 126-106 on Monday night for their eighth straight victory.
It was the second game in three nights between the teams. On Saturday night, the Knicks (23-10) outlasted the Wizards 136-132 in overtime behind 55 points from Jalen Brunson.
Jonas Valanciunas equaled his season high with 22 points for Washington (5-25). Alex Sarr and Malcolm Brogdon each had 18.
There was a scary moment with 3:07 to play in the third quarter when Washington rookie guard Bub Carrington fell backward while guarding a player and hit a Knicks player’s knee and then the back of his head on the court.
Carrington left in a wheelchair, covering his face and did not return with a post-traumatic headache.
BULLS 115, HORNETS 108, OT
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Coby White narrowly missed his first career triple-double, finishing with 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, and Torrey Craig scored 18 with five 3-pointers after halftime as Chicago held on to beat Charlotte in overtime.
Nikola Vucevic added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls (15-18).
Miles Bridges had 31 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists for the Hornets (7-25), who’ve lost 16 of 17.
Trailing by 3 in regulation, Bridges missed a corner 3 to tie it and Vucevic was fouled. But the Bulls center missed both free throws, giving Charlotte another chance. This time, Bridges connected on a leaning 3-pointer with 2 seconds left to send the game into OT.
The extra period was all Chicago.
The Bulls raced to an eight-point lead as White scored on a drive and Vucevic and Craig knocked down 3s.
The Ball brothers matchup never materialized. LaMelo missed the game wrist soreness. Brandon Miller (sprained ankle) also sat for the Hornets. Zach LaVine (toe soreness) and Ayo Dosunmu (soleus strain) were out for Chicago.
CLIPPERS 116, PELICANS 113
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Norman Powell scored 35 points, James Harden hit go-ahead free throws with 17.9 seconds left and Los Angeles held on to defeat New Orleans.
With the Pelicans — losers of 10 straight and 19 of 20 — trying to tie the game, Harden adroitly fouled rookie center Yves Missi, whose 12-point, nine-rebound and five-block performance was tarnished by his missed free throw that could have tied it at 114 with 4.3 seconds left.
Officials prematurely blew the whistle because they thought Missi’s foul shot missed the rim. They called for a jump ball at center court after video review.
Ivica Zubac won the tip back to Harden, who made two more free throws with less than two seconds remaining to complete his 27-point performance. CJ McCollum shot from half court and hit the front rim.
Zubac finished with 20 points and 16 rebounds for the Clippers, who’ve won three straight and five of six.
NUGGETS 132, JAZZ 121
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 36 points, 22 rebounds and 11 assists to lift Denver to a win over Utah Jazz.
Russell Westbrook also had a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists and finished 7 for 7 from the field with zero turnovers.
Jamal Murray also had 10 assists — the Nuggets had 38 as a team — to go along with 20 points.
Jordan Clarkson scored 24, and Collin Sexton had 22 for the Jazz (7-24), who have lost three in a row.
Utah led 66-64 at the break, but Denver outscored the Jazz 34-23 in the third to build some separation.
Both teams were missing a starting forward. Denver’s Aaron Gordon sat out with a right calf strain and Utah’s John Collins missed his fourth straight game with a hip bruise.
KINGS 110, MAVERICKS 100
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — De’Aaron Fox scored 33 points, and Sacramento beat short-handed Dallas to give Doug Christie his first win as the interim head coach after the Kings fired Mike Brown last week.
The Kings went on a 17-2 run to end the third quarter and take an 83-77 lead. Sacramento started the fourth on an 11-4 run, extending the lead to double digits on a 3-pointer by Trey Lyles.
Lyles had 14 points off the bench. DeMar DeRozan also had 14 points, and Domantas Sabonis had 17 points and 17 assists.
Dallas led by 18 in the first quarter before the Kings cut it to 60-56 at halftime.
The Mavericks were without Kyrie Irving (shoulder), Klay Thompson (illness), Dereck Lively II (hip) and Naji Marshall (suspension), in addition to Luka Doncic being out for at least the next month with a calf strain.
Spencer Dinwiddie and PJ Washington both had season highs for the Mavericks. Dinwiddie scored 30 points and Washington had 28.
CAVALIERS 113, WARRIORS 95
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Darius Garland scored 25 points, Donovan Mitchell scored 23 and Cleveland extended their winning streak to seven games with a victory over Golden State.
Dean Wade had 10 points and 13 rebounds for Cleveland, and Jarrett Allen had 12 points and nine rebounds.
Moses Moody led the Warriors with 19 points. Jonathan Kuminga had 18 points with 10 rebounds, and Trayce Jackson-Davis had 16 points and a game-high 16 rebounds.
Dennis Schroder had 12 points, and Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins each added 11 for the Warriors.
76ERS 125, TRAIL BLAZERS 103
PORTLAND (AP) — Joel Embiid had 37 points and nine rebounds as Philadelphia defeated Portland.
Tyrese Maxey added 23 points for the Sixers. Kelly Oubre Jr. had 15 points and eight steals, and Guerschon Yabusele had 16 points off the bench.
Anfernee Simons led the Blazers with 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting. Deni Avdija had 17 points but also 10 turnovers. Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara and Deandre Ayton each scored 12.