Doncic dominates as Lakers snap Nuggets' nine-game winning streak

DENVER (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 32 points in his best game by far with the Lakers, leading Los Angeles to a 123-100 runaway win at Denver on Saturday night that snapped the Nuggets’ nine-game winning streak.

LeBron James added 25 points, Austin Reaves scored 23 and Rui Hachimura had 21 when he left holding his left side with 10 minutes remaining — the Lakers didn’t miss him, going on a 12-2 run to stretch their lead to 19.

The Lakers never trailed in winning in Denver for the first time since April 10, 2022. They had lost 13 of their previous 14 against the Nuggets.

Doncic averaged 14.7 points in his first three games with the Lakers. He surpassed that less than 10 minutes in and had 19 points by halftime with the Lakers up 63-54.

Aaron Gordon scored 24 points and Jamal Murray 19 for Denver, which lost for the first time this month. Nikola Jokic posted his 26th triple-double of the season, but he was just 2 of 7 from the floor with six turnovers.

The Nuggets have never won 10 in a row during coach Michael Malone’s decade in Denver.

SUNS 121, BULLS 117

CHICAGO (AP) — Devin Booker had 29 points and eight assists, Kevin Durant scored 27 points and Bradley Beal had 25 in his return to the starting lineup to help Phoenix beat Chicago to end a four-game losing streak.

Playing the third of five straight road games, the Suns overcame an early deficit and held off the Bulls. They won for the first time since Jan. 31 with the Big Three of Booker, Durant and Beal in the lineup together.

Josh Giddey led Chicago with 24 points and had 10 assists and eight rebounds. The Bulls have lost six straight.

The Suns missed their first seven attempts and shot 29.2% in the first quarter. Chicago jumped out to a 10-point lead on a buzzer-beating floater from Tre Jones. Phoenix was 16 of 21 from the field in the second quarter and led by two at the half.

Phoenix built a 12-point lead in the third, but Chicago pulled within three entering the final quarter. Chicago evened it up in the final minutes, only for Booker, Beal and Durant to close it out.

NETS 105, 76ERS 103

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nic Claxton scored 16 points and tipped in the winner as time expired, Cam Johnson had 23 points and Brooklyn edged Philadelphia.

Tyrese Maxey buried a 3 with 25 seconds left that tied it at 103 and helped the 76ers rally from a 17-point deficit.

The game seemed set for overtime when Keon Johnson missed a long 3, only for Claxton to be in the right spot to score at the horn and send the Nets storming onto the court in a wild celebration.

Trendon Watford also scored 16 points for the Nets.

Maxey led the 76ers with 31 points.

The 76ers played at full strength with All-Stars Joel Embiid, Paul George and Maxey in the starting lineup. It didn’t seem to matter until the fourth. Quintin Grimes hit a 3 for the Sixers for a 95-94 lead and Maxey snapped another tie with a 3 that made it 100-97.

JAZZ 124, ROCKETS 115

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Keyonte George scored 30 points and Lauri Markkanen added 23 points and 10 rebounds to rally Utah to a victory over Houston.

Walker Kessler had 11 points and 17 rebounds, and Isaiah Collier added 12 points and 10 assists to help Utah snap a two-game skid.

Alperen Sengun led Houston with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Jalen Green added 25 points and 10 assists, and Amen Thompson had 23 points.

Aaron Holiday and Thompson made back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Rockets up 96-89. But the Jazz surged ahead for good behind a 21-5 run. Three straight baskets, capped by Cody Williams’ layup, gave Utah a 110-101 lead with 5:59 left.

Sengun and Dillion Brooks each scored a pair of baskets to key an early 13-2 spurt that gave Houston a 45-40 lead midway through the second quarter.

Utah chipped away at the deficit, but did not retake a lead again until the third quarter when Markkanen bookended a string of four straight baskets that powered a 13-5 run. Kessler’s alley-oop dunk three possessions later punctuated that run and put the Jazz up 77-76.

TRAIL BLAZERS 141, HORNETS 88

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Anfernee Simons hit five 3-pointers and scored 25 points in the largest blowout victory in Portland history, a romp over Charlotte.

The 53-point margin topped the franchise record of 50 set in a 129-79 home victory over Cleveland on Nov. 21, 1982.

Toumani Camara added 20 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, a steal and two blocks for the Trail Blazers. Shaedon Sharpe had 20 points off the bench, and Jabari Walker had 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 17 points. Nick Smith Jr. had 14 points. Jusuf Nurkic added 11 points, eight rebounds and five assists off the bench.