Jalen Williams, Thunder Take Down Raptors 121-109
Jalen Williams dropped 27 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder secured a 121-109 home victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday.
Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (25 points) led the charge, but the biggest storyline was the return of Chet Holmgren. After missing nearly three months with a pelvic fracture, Holmgren played 22 minutes, finishing with four points, five rebounds, four blocks, and two steals.
For the Raptors, Scottie Barnes scored 21 points, and Gradey Dick added 17, but Toronto fell for the third straight game.
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Miles Bridges Lifts Hornets Past Spurs 117-116
Miles Bridges nailed the game-winning three-pointer with 1.4 seconds left, helping the Charlotte Hornets snap a six-game losing streak with a 117-116 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Bridges finished with 25 points, while LaMelo Ball returned from injury with 24 points and 10 assists.
San Antonio rookie Stephon Castle had a career-high 33 points off the bench, while Victor Wembanyama posted 16 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks.
Nets Use Huge Fourth Quarter to Beat Heat 102-86
The Brooklyn Nets outscored the Miami Heat 31-9 in the fourth quarter, turning a close game into a 102-86 rout.
Cameron Johnson led Brooklyn with 18 points, while D’Angelo Russell chipped in 17. The Nets’ defense was dominant, racking up 13 blocks, with Nic Claxton contributing four along with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
For Miami, Terry Rozier led all scorers with 20 points, and Bam Adebayo added 18, but the Heat shot just 35.6% from the field in their first game since trading Jimmy Butler.
Pistons Blow Out 76ers 125-112
Malik Beasley erupted for a career-high 36 points, leading the Detroit Pistons to a dominant 125-112 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Tobias Harris added 22 points and nine rebounds as Detroit led by as much as 34 points. The Pistons secured the win despite All-Star Cade Cunningham being a late scratch due to a right ankle sprain.
For the Sixers, Tyrese Maxey put up 27 points and seven assists, while Joel Embiid scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half.
Donovan Mitchell Leads Cavaliers Past Wizards 134-124
Donovan Mitchell continued his hot streak, pouring in 33 points, as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Washington Wizards 134-124.
Evan Mobley contributed 27 points, while Darius Garland had 23 and Max Strus finished with 17 for Cleveland, which won for the sixth time in seven games.
Despite the loss, Jordan Poole had a career-high 45 points for the Wizards. Kyshawn George added 17, but Washington’s three-game winning streak came to an end.
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Hawks Rally to Stun Bucks 115-110
With four trade deadline acquisitions unavailable, Mouhamed Gueye stepped up, posting his first career double-double (15 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks) to help the Atlanta Hawks overcome a 21-point second-half deficit and defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 115-110.
Trae Young led Atlanta with 24 points and seven assists, making a crucial steal with 34 seconds left to seal the win.
The Bucks, without Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) for the third straight game, got 26 points and 15 rebounds from Bobby Portis, while Damian Lillard nearly had a triple-double (23 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists).
