Tatum, Celtics beat Nuggets for season-best 5th win in row

Subscribe Now Choose a package that suits your preferences.
Start Free Account Get access to 7 premium stories every month for FREE!
Already a Subscriber? Current print subscriber? Activate your complimentary Digital account.

BOSTON — Jayson Tatum had 34 points, eight rebounds and five assists and the Boston Celtics extended their season-best win streak to five games by beating the Denver Nuggets 131-112 on Friday night.

It was Tatum’s third straight game with at least 30 points and seventh time with 30-plus this season.

Jaylen Brown had 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Al Horford had six 3-pointers and finished 21 points and seven rebounds for Boston.

The loss snapped the Nuggets’ four-game win streak.

Nikola Jokic had 29 points and and eight rebounds but struggled with early foul trouble. Aaron Gordon added 17 points and eight rebounds.

WARRIORS 106, CAVALIERS 101

SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry hit a tying 3-pointer with 1:18 to play, a go-ahead layup moments later off a perfect, long pass by Kevon Looney, then one more dagger 3 on the way to 40 points, rallying Golden State past Cleveland.

Donovan Mitchell had 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for Cleveland, but went down hard grabbing at his right ankle in the waning moments. He got up and hit a pair of free throws with 12.4 seconds left.

Curry extended his NBA record to 200 straight regular-season games with at least one 3-pointer and shot 6 of 11 from deep. A rarity: He missed two free throws over the final 17.6 seconds, but delivered a second straight 40-point performance.

Evan Mobley had 20 points and 12 rebounds as Cleveland dropped a third straight following an eight-game winning streak.

KINGS 120, LAKERS 114

LOS ANGELES — De’Aaron Fox scored 32 points and had a season-high 12 assists, Domantas Sabonis added 21 points and 10 rebounds and Sacramento rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the floundering Los Angeles Lakers.

Kevin Huerter added 16 points for the Kings, who scored the last eight points. Sacramento has won five of seven after starting the season with a four-game losing streak.

Anthony Davis had 24 points and 14 rebounds while Russell Westbrook scored 21 points with 11 assists for the Lakers, who were without LeBron James after he suffered a groin injury in Wednesday night’s loss to the Clippers.

The Lakers (2-10) have dropped five straight for the second time this season and have matched the 1957-58 and 2015-16 squads for the worst start in team history.

GRIZZLIES 114, TIMBERWOLVES 103

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ja Morant had 28 points, nine rebounds and eight assists to lead Memphis over Minnesota.

Desmond Bane finished with 24 points and five assists for Memphis, while Dillon Brooks scored 21. The Grizzlies have won five of six.

Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 28 points. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The game was the first between the two teams since last postseason’s spirited first-round playoff series won by the Grizzlies in six games.

SPURS 111, BUCKS 93

SAN ANTONIO — Keldon Johnson scored 29 points and San Antonio stopped a five-game skid by topping banged-up Milwaukee.

Devin Vassell had 22 points in San Antonio’s first win since Oct. 30. Jakob Poeltl added 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Milwaukee played without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Kris Middleton, Pat Connaughton, Grayson Allen, Joe Ingles and A.J. Green due to health issues.

Jevon Carter scored 21 points for the Bucks, and Brook Lopez had 19. Bobby Portis finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

THUNDER 132, RAPTORS 113

OKLAHOMA CITY — Eugene Omoruyi scored a career-high 22 points to help Oklahoma top Toronto Raptors to snap a four-game losing streak.

Omoruyi, in his second season, made 8 of 10 field goals in a reserve role.

Shai Gilgeous Alexander scored 20 points and Josh Giddey added 15 points, nine rebounds, and five assists for the Thunder, who posted their largest margin of victory this season.

Pascal Siakam, Toronto’s top scorer, sat out with a right adductor strain. Chris Boucher led the Raptors with 20 points and 12 rebounds in a reserve role and Scottie Barnes and Fred Van Vleet each added 15 points.

MAGIC 114, SUNS 97

ORLANDO, Fla. — Wendell Carter Jr. had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Orlando beat Phoenix.

Terrence Ross scored 12 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter as the Magic posted back-to-back wins for the first time this season. Franz Wagner had 17 points, Jalen Suggs scored 16 and Bol Bol collected a career-high 15 rebounds.

High-scoring rookie Paolo Banchero of Orlando didn’t play for the second game in a row because of a sprained ankle.

Cameron Payne scored 22 points for the Suns, who played a second straight game without injured guard Chris Paul. Devin Booker had 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting.

KNICKS 121, PISTONS 112

NEW YORK — RJ Barrett scored 30 points, Jalen Brunson added 26 and New York kept Detroit winless on the road.

Julius Randle chipped in 21 points for the Knicks.

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 25 and Alec Burks had 17 for the Pistons, who are 0-7 on the road this season.