NBA roundup: Bucks stop Kings’ 7-game winning streak
Wed Jan 15 1:39am ET
Field Level Media
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard combined for 25 points during a 47-point first quarter that propelled the Milwaukee Bucks to a 130-115 win over the visiting Kings on Tuesday night, snapping Sacramento's seven-game winning streak.
Antetokounmpo finished with a game-high 33 points and Lillard totaled 24 for the Bucks, who rebounded from a 34-point loss against the New York Knicks on Sunday to earn their fourth win in the past five games. Antetokounmpo completed a triple-double with a game-high 13 assists and 11 rebounds.
DeMar DeRozan had a team-high 28 points and De'Aaron Fox recorded a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double for the Kings, who lost for just the second time in nine games since Doug Christie took over as interim coach after Mike Brown was fired.
Domantas Sabonis just missed a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
Hawks 122, Suns 117
Trae Young scored a season-high 43 points for Atlanta, which ended Phoenix's three-game winning streak and beat the Suns for the 11th straight time in Atlanta.
Young made 13 of 31 field goals, giving him 3,556 baskets for his career and pushing him past Al Horford for 10th most in franchise history. He was 6-for-12 on 3-pointers and 11 of 14 on free throws to go along with five assists. Atlanta also got 22 points and a career-high 21 rebounds from Onyeka Okongwu and 19 points from fellow reserve Garrison Mathews, who made five 3-pointers.
Phoenix was led by Devin Booker's 35 points and Kevin Durant's 31 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
Thunder 118, 76ers 102
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points on 12-of-15 shooting to guide visiting Oklahoma City over short-handed Philadelphia.
Gilgeous-Alexander also dished out nine assists, joining Isaiah Hartenstein (nine points, 16 rebounds) in barely missing a double-double. Jalen Williams contributed 24 points for the Thunder, while Cason Wallace notched 18 points.
Justin Edwards (25 points) and Jeff Dowtin Jr. (18) set new career highs for Philadelphia, which played without eight of its top 10 players in terms of minutes per game. Joel Embiid (foot), Tyrese Maxey (hand) and Paul George (ankle) were among the absent Sixers as the team lost for the sixth time in eight games. Guerschon Yabusele chipped in 17 points and seven rebounds.
Cavaliers 127, Pacers 117
Donovan Mitchell scored 27 of his game-high 35 points in the first half, helping Cleveland end host Indiana's six-game winning streak.
Darius Garland added 24 points and seven assists, while Evan Mobley had 22 points and 13 rebounds for Cleveland, which avenged a 15-point home loss to the Pacers on Sunday. Jarrett Allen chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds, and Max Strus had 13 points off the bench.
Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 23 points, followed by 19 from Bennedict Mathurin and Myles Turner's 17. Jarace Walker scored 11, while Andrew Nembhard, Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell each had 10 for the Pacers. Nembhard added nine assists.
Nuggets 118, Mavericks 99
Jamal Murray scored a season-high 45 points on 18-of-26 shooting as Denver won at Dallas to finish off a two-game sweep.
Michael Porter Jr. added 13 points and six rebounds for Denver, which has won four straight games and eight of its past 10. Nikola Jokic added 10 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for his 16th triple-double of the season.
Dallas star Kyrie Irving (back) returned from a five-game absence and scored 11 points in 30 minutes. His rust showed as he shot just 4 of 18. Daniel Gafford scored 13 points and Naji Marshall put up 11 as the Mavericks fell for the seventh time in nine games and lost big man Dereck Lively II to a sprained right ankle.
Pelicans 119, Bulls 113
Trey Murphy III scored a game-high 32 points and Zion Williamson added 21 points and nine assists to lift visiting New Orleans to a victory against Chicago.
New Orleans outscored Chicago 33-27 in the fourth quarter to close a 2-1 road trip. Dejounte Murray (15 points) and Jose Alvarado (12) also scored in double figures for New Orleans, with Alvarado putting up all of his points in the fourth quarter.
The Bulls used a 10-1 run to draw within four points with 33.4 seconds to go before the Pelicans sealed the game at the free-throw line. Zach LaVine paced Chicago with 25 points, Nikola Vucevic posted 22 points and a season-high 15 rebounds and Josh Giddey had seven points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists.
Nets 132, Trail Blazers 114
Brooklyn withstood a career-best 39 points from host Portland's Scoot Henderson to snap a five-game losing streak.
Cameron Johnson, who entered the game with an ankle injury, scored 24 points for Brooklyn. Noah Clowney and Keon Johnson had 20 each.
Henderson, who also dished six assists, connected on 13 of 18 shots from the floor and 8 of 10 from 3-point range. Fellow second-year Blazer Toumani Camara also chalked up a career-high 23 points, and Shaedon Sharpe added 21.
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Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (back) is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Lakers. The 27-year-old missed his first game of the season on Monday versus the Clippers. As a result, Kevin Love got the start. However, it was Kel'el Ware (probable) who took advantage, with the rookie finishing the night with 19 points, 13 rebounds, one steal, and one block while draining all three attempts from downtown. If Adebayo misses another game, Ware will see plenty of attention from DFS managers, assuming he's cleared to suit up. But if Ware is also ruled out, the Heat may go small, meaning Love and Nikola Jovic may split time at the five.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (foot) didn't play in Tuesday's loss to OKC. However, it appears he has a chance of returning for Wednesday's game against the Knicks, with head coach Nick Nurse labeling the multi-time All-Star as "day-to-day." Embiid, who hasn't been as productive this season, has appeared in only 13 of Philly's 38 games during the 2024-25 campaign, most recently missing five games because of a foot sprain. With Andre Drummond (toe) uncertain for Wednesday's meeting with New York, Guerschon Yabusele, amassing 17 points, seven rebounds, and four assists on Tuesday night, could find himself back in the middle if Embiid remains sidelined.
Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (ankle) has been upgraded to available ahead of Tuesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Johnson will make his return to the court after missing each of the last five games due to a right ankle sprain. His return is a welcoming sight with Nicolas Claxton (hamstring) heading to the sideline on Tuesday. Johnson figures to return to his normal role in the rotation which is usually around 32 minutes. Before going down, Johnson posted back-to-back games with 20-plus points, so hopefully he didn't lose any momentum with the time off. Fantasy managers can get him back in their lineups on Tuesday.
Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (back) is available ahead of Tuesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Simmons has been cleared to play after being plagued by some lingering issues this season. The 28-year-old has looked fairly decent over his last two games. Fellow guard D'Angelo Russell (shin) is also active, so we'll see how the Nets use the two playmaking guards. Simmons isn't an ideal fantasy option, but his defense and passing do offer some help in category formats. He figures to play his normal workload during Tuesday's game.
Brooklyn Nets center Nicolas Claxton (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of Tuesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Claxton was listed as questionable coming into this game, but will ultimately sit out due to a right hamstring The severity of the issue is unknown, so Claxton will at least miss one game due to this issue. Noah Clowney figures to take over as the starting center on Tuesday. Clowney finished with five rebounds and zero points in 32 minutes during his last game. He figures to see around the same amount of playing time, but he isn't an ideal streaming option after his dud last time out.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (illness) will play on Tuesday against Dallas. The 29-year-old missed a few games recently due to an illness. Fortunately, he's been on the floor for Denver's previous two contests, combining for 54 points, 30 boards, 24 assists, and seven steals. With that in mind, Jokic has a favorable outlook versus Dallas on Tuesday night, considering he has averaged 29.7 points, 17.7 rebounds, and 11.3 assists in three meetings with the Mavs during the 2024-25 campaign.
Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell (shin) has been upgraded to available ahead of Tuesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Russell is back in the mix after missing each of the last four games due to a shin contusion. Before this, Russell was in a bit of a slump with 11 points or less in three of his last four games. It doesn't seem like the move to Brooklyn as helped his scoring, but he does seem to be getting more assists as one of the primary playmakers. Fantasy managers who have Russell rostered can get him back in their lineups on Tuesday.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (calf) will play in Tuesday's rematch versus the Mavericks. The veteran returned for Sunday's game between both squads after missing nine games because of a calf strain, his second stint on the shelf because of the issue this season. He was decent in his first game back, accumulating 13 points, six boards, and one block. However, Gordon logged only 18 minutes, so he's hard to trust for production, especially since he may not play more than that on Tuesday evening.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (back) has been upgraded to available ahead of Tuesday's game against the Denver Nuggets. The superstar guard is returning to the court after missing each of the last five games due to a back sprain. His return figures to push Spencer Dinwiddie back to the bench where he won't offer the same fantasy value. Fantasy managers who were holding Dinwiddie might want to look elsewhere for help now. The expectation is that Irving will play around 30 minutes during Tuesday's game. Fantasy managers in season-long formats should plug him back into their lineups ahead of tip-off.
Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (hip) is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Bucks. The 25-year-old has had an excellent season, averaging career-highs in points (9.6), rebounds (8.2), and blocks (1.6). He exited Sunday's game versus Philly after logging just 12 minutes of action and is now in danger of missing Wednesday's contest because of a hip contusion. If Bitadze doesn't suit up, Wendell Carter Jr., averaging 7.9 points and 7.5 rebounds in 19 starts this season, could find himself holding things down in the middle. However, Carter could have a tough time getting things going against a Milwaukee team that has played well on the defensive end this season.
San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (back) won't play in Wednesday's meeting with Memphis. He'll now miss a third-consecutive game because of back spasms. Fortunately, Stephon Castle has shown signs of life of late, amassing 23 points and two steals as a member of the starting lineup on Monday night against the Los Angeles Lakers. Granted, Castle has a way to go before earning the trust of fantasy managers. But after the rookie's most recent performance, he deserves another start in all fantasy lineups against a Grizzlies squad that has struggled since the start of 2025.
Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball is scheduled to be rested on Wednesday versus Atlanta. The team begins a back-to-back set on Tuesday against New Orleans, and Ball hasn't been cleared to play on consecutive nights. Ball tied a season-high with 26 minutes in the last game against Sacramento, so he's starting to get close to a normal workload, which is great news for fantasy managers. Ball's work versus the Kings included a season-high 15 points and three assists on 5-for-8 three-point shooting. He gets another favorable matchup on Tuesday against a fragile defense.
Golden State Warriors forwardKyle Anderson (hamstring) is questionable for Wednesday's matchup with his former team, the Minnesota Timberwolves. Anderson was added to the injury report due to soreness in his left hamstring. The Warriors are hopeful the 31-year-old can suit up as Jonathan Kuminga(ankle) is out andDraymond Green(illness) is listed as questionable. With several players potentially out of action for Wednesday, Anderson could start if he's cleared to play. However, he won't make an impact in fantasy, averaging 5.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 15.2 minutes per contest.
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (neck) will hop back into the lineup on Tuesday against New Orleans. He's available following a one-game absence after recovering from a neck strain. White settled for 15 points in his last outing against Washington, but he has been sharp offensively in recent weeks. The 24-year-old has posted 20-plus points in five of his past eight appearances and is shooting close to 48 percent from three-point range in January.
Phoenix Suns guard/forward Grayson Allen (knee) is available for Tuesday's clash against Atlanta. He carried a small question mark when the team initially listed Allen as probable for the game. The 29-year-old sharpshooter was limited to only 13 minutes in the previous game due to a knee issue. Fantasy managers could see significant production from Allen on Tuesday if he logs his usual workload, as the Hawks have the third-worst defensive record in the league and allow a lot of three-point shots.
Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Gary Trent Jr. (hip) has been ruled out for Tuesday's contest against Sacramento. He will sit out a second consecutive game due to a hip strain. Trent Jr. was initially regarded as questionable for the matchup, so it's possible he might be ready to return on Wednesday versus Orlando. AJ Green, Ryan Rollins, and Pat Connaughton may receive a larger workload in Trent Jr.'s absence. However, none of them stand out as strong fantasy targets.
Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) will play in Tuesday's matchup against Sacramento. Antetokounmpo continues to be accompanied by a probable tag, but he has been upgraded to available. The former MVP has recorded 10 straight double-doubles, with the run including a couple of triple-doubles. However, his scoring output has dropped to 26.5 points this month. The Kings are mediocre defensively, which could help Antetokounmpo get back on track scoring-wise.
Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (foot) will not play against Phoenix on Tuesday. He is a late scratch for the contest, as the team had not listed him on the injury report ahead of the game. Hunter has experienced some health issues, so the team may want to play it extra safe with him as Atlanta begins a back-to-back set. With Hunter out of the picture, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Garrison Mathews should be the key performers off the bench on Tuesday. David Roddy might also see additional action.
According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, Chicago Bulls guardAyo Dosunmu(calf) won't suit up against the Pelicans on Tuesday. Dosunmu will miss his 10th consecutive contest due to a right calf strain.However, Dosunmu is expected to return against the Hawks on Wednesday. Until then, Lonzo BallandTalen Horton-Tucker will likely continue to see expanded roles even after Dosunmu returns, as he will likely have his minutes restricted.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (illness) is not ready to return to the lineup on Tuesday against Indiana. He has been downgraded from doubtful to out. Jerome's next chance to return will come on Thursday against his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. With Jerome unavailable, around 18 minutes are available to be shared among the rest of the group. Both Caris LeVert and Max Strus logged over 20 minutes off the bench in Sunday's encounter with the Pacers. However, they had poor outings, combining for only five points.
