By Field Level Media
Nov 07 (Field Level Media) - Luka Doncic scored a season-high 53 points and Austin Reaves added 25 as the Los Angeles Lakers extended their winning streak to four games with a 124-118 victory over the visiting Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.
Walker Kessler scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the Lakers avenged a loss at Portland last week.
Doncic recorded his 11th career 50-point game, moving into a tie for 10th place on the NBA's all-time list, and his fourth consecutive
game with at least 40 points. He has scored at least 40 points six times in nine games. His 17-for-33 shooting night included a 62-foot, three-quarter-court heave for a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer.
Deni Avdija scored 22 points with nine rebounds and 11 assists, and Damian Lillard also had 22 points as the Trail Blazers saw their three-game winning streak end. It was just their second loss of the season.
Spurs 124, Kings 109
Victor Wembanyama scored 20 of his 30 points in a runaway first half and Stephon Castle was one of three San Antonio players with 19 points as the visiting Spurs won their seventh straight game, defeating Sacramento.
Coming off a 52-point, 24-rebound explosion in a one-point home win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, Wembanyama recorded his seventh double-double of the season with a game-high 14 rebounds in just 26 minutes.
Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. scored 22 points and dished out eight assists, while Domantas Sabonis had 17 points and a team-high 12 rebounds for the Kings, who lost for the eighth time in nine games this season. Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell also scored 19 for the Spurs.
Cavaliers 119, 76ers 95
Donovan Mitchell had 23 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, and Evan Mobley scored 22 points as Cleveland pulled away from visiting Philadelphia in an NBA Cup game.
Mario Hezonja added 15 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for Cleveland, which snapped a two-game skid and improved to 4-1 at home.
The NBA-leading 76ers trailed by as many as 25 points in the fourth quarter. Their only lead came on VJ Edgecombe's basket to open the game. Cavaliers franchise icon LeBron James, now with the 76ers, was held to eight points and seven rebounds while committing six turnovers in 32 minutes.
Celtics 119, Hornets 80
A well-rested Jayson Tatum tallied 34 points in a stellar outing as Boston blew out host Charlotte.
Derrick White notched 18 points and Payton Pritchard came off the bench to score 12 points for the Celtics, who were buoyed by a 40-point first quarter. Tatum, who sat out for the first time this season Wednesday vs. Milwaukee as part of designed rest, had 24 points by halftime on 8-for-14 shooting that included five 3-point connections. By game's end, he was 11-for-11 on free throws.
The Hornets suffered their sixth consecutive loss, falling to 2-4 in home games. They shot 29.3% from the floor, making 11 of 50 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc.
Hawks 139, Wizards 132
Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 28 points, Luguentz Dort added 20 of his 25 after halftime and Atlanta defeated visiting Washington to spoil Trae Young's return.
Onyeka Okongwu added 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Dyson Daniels had 13 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds as Atlanta won its third straight as well as its opening game in NBA Cup East Group C.
Aaron Wiggins scored 19 points off the bench in the Hawks' first home game against Young since trading the four-time All-Star to Washington for Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum in January. Atlanta recorded 38 assists on 52 field goals while posting an NBA-leading seventh game with at least 30 assisted baskets.
Thunder 128, Grizzlies 97
Ajay Mitchell scored a career-high 35 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 28 and Jared McCain added a season-high 21 to lead visiting Oklahoma City past Memphis.
The Thunder, playing without injured starters Jalen Williams (ankle surgery), Cason Wallace (shoulder surgery) and Chet Holmgren (knee), won their third straight game by shooting 55.4% overall and going 16-of-35 from 3-point range. They scored 62 points in the paint and won their 13th straight regular-season game against Memphis.
Ty Jerome scored 21 points, Zach Edey had 14, and Jerami Grant, Javon Small and Cedric Coward added 10 apiece for the Grizzlies, who dropped their third straight game after opening the season 6-0.
Mavericks 112, Jazz 100
P.J. Washington's 26 points and Cooper Flagg's all-around performance powered Dallas to a home win over Utah in NBA Cup group-stage competition.
Flagg finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three steals, matching Kyrie Irving's total in steals, to help lead the Mavericks' defensive effort. Dallas forced Utah into 21 turnovers, helping offset the Jazz's advantage from 3-point range.
Led by Lauri Markkanen, who scored all of his team-high 24 points on 8-for-15 shooting from beyond the arc, Utah made six more 3-pointers than the Mavericks (15-for-39 to 9-for-32). Rookie Darryn Peterson scored 21 points, while Keyonte George added 16 points and nine assists.
Raptors 121, Bucks 107
Short-handed Toronto rallied from 15 points down to defeat host Milwaukee in an NBA Cup game highlighted by several career highs.
Alijah Martin scored a career-high 27 points off the bench. RJ Barrett also had 27, erupting in the second half. Jamal Shead recorded 10 points and a career-high 16 assists. Jakob Poeltl and Collin Murray-Boyles each scored 19, with Poeltl adding 11 rebounds.
Tyler Herro led Milwaukee with 23 points and 10 assists as the Bucks lost their fifth straight. Rookie Brayden Burries added career highs of 21 points and 11 rebounds. Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 14 points, Kyle Kuzma scored 13 and AJ Green netted 12.
Timberwolves 115, Pelicans 109
Ayo Dosunmu scored 26 points and Jaden McDaniels added 23 as Minnesota beat host New Orleans in an NBA Cup West Group B matchup.
LaMelo Ball had 22 points and eight assists for Minnesota, which snapped New Orleans' four-game winning streak. Jonathan Kuminga scored 17 points as Minnesota, which outscored the Pelicans 38-30 in the fourth quarter, has won three straight games and four of its last five.
Jeremiah Fears led New Orleans with 24 points and Karlo Matkovic added 18.
(--Field Level Media)
