NBA roundup: James Harden scores 40 in Clippers' win
Sun Jan 26 5:03am ET
Field Level Media
James Harden scored 17 of his 40 points in the third quarter and Norman Powell added 33 points as the Los Angeles Clippers finished off a 127-117 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks at Inglewood, Calif.
Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points, while matching a season high with 24 minutes in his seventh game of the season. Ivica Zubac had 12 points and 10 rebounds as the Clippers went 3-2 over a stretch of five games in seven days.
The Clippers used a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter to turn a 100-98 deficit into a 112-100 lead. Harden, who had nine assists, scored the final six points in the run.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 points with 13 rebounds, and Damian Lillard had 29 points with 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his fifth career triple-double as the Bucks saw a five-game winning streak come to an end. Gary Trent Jr. scored 19 points, Taurean Prince added 14 and Brook Lopez had 13 for Milwaukee, which opened a four-game road trip.
Pacers 136, Spurs 98
Tyrese Haliburton scored a game-high 28 points and took over in the pivotal final five minutes of the third quarter as Indiana handled San Antonio to split the NBA Paris Games series.
San Antonio captured the first game of the set 140-110 on Thursday but had no answer for the Pacers in the finale. Indiana led by 15 points at halftime and by 12 after three. Haliburton scored 16 points in a decisive 19-6 run to end the period. Pascal Siakam added 23 points and 11 rebounds for Indiana, which won for the third time in its past four contests. Andrew Nembhard had 15 points, Myles Turner scored 14, Bennedict Mathurin hit for 13, T.J. McConnell 12 and Thomas Bryant 10.
Harrison Barnes led San Antonio with 25 points while Victor Wembanyama, a Paris native, added 20 points and 12 rebounds. Stephon Castle scored 17 points and Chris Paul tallied 11. The Spurs have dropped four of their past five games.
Timberwolves 133, Nuggets 104
Anthony Edwards poured in 34 points as Minnesota cruised past Denver for a win in Minneapolis.
Edwards also had nine assists for Minnesota, which shot a stunning 55.8 percent from the field (53 of 95). Seven Timberwolves had scoring totals in double figures, including Julius Randle (21), Rudy Gobert (14), Jaden McDaniels (13) and Naz Reid (13). Gobert added 14 rebounds to complete a double-double.
Jamal Murray paced Denver with 25 points. Nikola Jokic failed to record his sixth straight triple-double, collecting 20 points, three boards and 11 assists. Russell Westbrook and Aaron Gordon chipped in 13 points apiece as the Nuggets lost for just the second time in 10 games.
Celtics 122, Mavericks 107
Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 24 points and Derrick White added 23 to lead visiting Boston to a victory over Dallas.
Tatum and White each made four 3-pointers, while the Celtics were 20 of 52 (38.5 percent) from 3-point range as a team in the victory. All five Boston starters scored at least 17 points. Jaylen Brown tossed in 22, Kristaps Porzingis finished with 18 and Jrue Holiday had 17. Holiday was 5 of 10 from 3-point range.
Kyrie Irving scored 22 points for the Mavericks, who have lost six of their last eight games. Quentin Grimes scored 20 points off the bench for Dallas, and Daniel Gafford had 19 points and 15 rebounds.
Knicks 143, Kings 120
OG Anunoby scored a team-high 33 points, helping New York defeat visiting Sacramento.
Mikal Bridges added 27 points, Jalen Brunson had 25 points and 11 assists, and Josh Hart collected 20 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists as the Knicks won their third straight game. Karl-Anthony Towns had 18 points and 15 boards for New York, which made 17 of its 36 (47.2 percent) 3-point attempts.
Malik Monk led the Kings with 31 points. Domantas Sabonis chipped in 25 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, while DeMar DeRozan scored 18 as Sacramento dropped its second in a row.
76ers 109, Bulls 97
Tyrese Maxey had 31 points and nine assists while Kelly Oubre Jr. notched 22 points and 12 rebounds to lift visiting Philadelphia over slumping Chicago.
The 76ers have won two games in as many nights on the heels of a seven-game losing streak. Chicago has lost seven of eight. The Bulls committed 20 turnovers.
Zach LaVine had 25 points and eight rebounds for Chicago. Nikola Vucevic added 22 points and 12 rebounds. Josh Giddey registered his third straight double-double for the Bulls, contributing 10 points and 10 rebounds to go with seven assists.
Lakers 118, Warriors 108
Anthony Davis and LeBron James combined for 61 points as part of double-doubles, Dorian Finney-Smith contributed a 3-pointer to a game-breaking surge early in the fourth quarter and Los Angeles ran off from Golden State in San Francisco.
Davis finished with 36 points and 13 rebounds, and James chipped in with 25 points and 12 assists as the Lakers improved to 2-0 this season against the rival Warriors, with both wins coming on the road.
Andrew Wiggins paced Golden State with 20 points on a night when Stephen Curry missed all eight of his second-half shots, made just two 3-pointers overall and finished with 13 points.
Magic 121, Pistons 113
Franz Wagner scored 25 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter as Magic snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over visiting Detroit.
Paolo Banchero also had 32 points for Orlando (24-23), which trailed by two before opening the fourth quarter with a 20-4 run to move ahead 99-85. Jonathan Isaac finished with 14 points, and Wendell Carter Jr. had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 35 points and 11 assists. Malik Beasley scored 18 points, Ausar Thompson added 16, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Ron Holland II had 13 apiece, and Jalen Duren finished with 10.
Suns 119, Wizards 109
Kevin Durant scored 29 points and Nick Richards continued to make a stellar impression as Phoenix notched a victory over visiting Washington.
Richards scored 20 points and collected a career-best 19 rebounds in his fourth game with the Suns and first at home since being acquired from the Charlotte Hornets last week. Bradley Beal, the former Washington star, also scored 20 points for the Suns. Devin Booker added 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and Tyus Jones had 16 points.
Kyle Kuzma recorded 30 points and 11 rebounds for Washington, which lost its 13th consecutive game. The Wizards are 0-5 on a six-game trip and are 1-20 on the road this season. Jordan Poole had 19 points, 10 assists and a career-best six steals for the Wizards. Jonas Valanciunas scored 16 points, Bilal Coulibaly added 12 points and Alex Sarr and Bub Carrington had 11 apiece for Washington.
Grizzlies 125, Jazz 103
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 28 points and Zach Edey added 19 points, seven rebounds and four blocks as host Memphis beat Utah for its sixth straight win to tie a season-best streak.
Memphis guard Ja Morant returned after missing Friday's game against the Pelicans and had 11 points and seven assists. Desmond Bane contributed 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists, Jaylen Wells scored 16, and GG Jackson had 15 points and six rebounds.
Utah, which lost its fifth straight and for the eighth time in nine games, was led by Collin Sexton with 20 points and Svi Mykhailiuk with 16.
Raptors 117, Hawks 94
Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Chris Boucher combined for 70 points to lead visiting Toronto to a win over Atlanta and earn back-to-back road wins for the first time this season.
Toronto swept the two-games-in-three-days series and took the season series 2-1. Toronto won for just the third time in 22 road games and has won three straight in Atlanta. The Hawks have lost four in a row and dropped to 11-10 at home. Barnes had 24 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, Barrett added 23 points and eight rebounds, and Boucher came off the bench to score 23.
Atlanta was led by Vit Krejci, who scored 20 points. Krejci matched his career high with six 3-pointers and had a season-high seven assists. Trae Young had a miserable game. He scored 16 points, had a season-low four assists -- ending a streak of 202 consecutive games with at least five assists -- and committed a season-high 11 turnovers.
Rockets 135, Cavaliers 131
Amen Thompson came up with critical late rebounds and points as part of his triple-double performance, and visiting Houston completed the regular-season sweep of Cleveland.
Houston never trailed after taking the lead midway through the first quarter, but Cleveland chipped away at a deficit of as many as 19 points to force a tie with 1:51 remaining in regulation. Alperen Sengun matched Jalen Green with a team-high 26 points. Thompson finished with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in his second career triple-double. He was one of four Houston starters to score at least 20 points, with Fred VanVleet adding 20.
Cleveland's Darius Garland led all scorers with 39 points and dished a team-high nine assists in the loss. Georges Niang came off the bench to score 21 points, and Max Strus finished with 14 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers.
Heat 106, Nets 97
Tyler Herro scored 25 points as Miami pulled away in the third quarter and withstood Brooklyn's late comeback to win in New York.
The Heat moved back to .500 for the 12th time this season at 22-22 and won for just the ninth time in 21 games since winning four straight games in early December. Herro made 8-of-14 shots and had eight of Miami's 22 assists.
Keon Johnson scored 13 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to help Brooklyn chip away at an 18-point deficit early in the period. D'Angelo Russell also scored 22 for the Nets, who were without Cameron Johnson (right ankle) for the ninth time in 12 games.
Hornets 123, Pelicans 92
LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges returned from injuries to drop 25 and 22 points, respectively, as host Charlotte drilled New Orleans.
Seth Curry tallied 16 points off the bench and Josh Green supplied 13 points for Charlotte. Despite getting Ball and Bridges back, the Hornets were without center Mark Williams, who was managing a right foot injury. Moussa Diabate logged 29 minutes off the bench to help fill in for Williams and put up nine points and 13 boards.
Zion Williamson, who hadn't played since Jan. 17, racked up 28 points and 11 rebounds for the Pelicans, who lost their second game in a row following a season-best four-game winning streak. Williamson made 11 of 20 shots from the field. Trey Murphy III added 16 points, Jordan Hawkins had 14 and Yves Missi provided 12, but the Pelicans couldn't overcome 38.1 percent shooting from the floor. They fell to 4-18 in road games this season.
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- Two Knicks among those designated NBA All-Star 'starters'
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- Brandon Miller opts for season-ending wrist surgery
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- Lakers F Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) set for season debut
- Mavs' Dereck Lively II (foot) out 2-3 months
- Bucks-Pelicans game postponed due to snow in New Orleans
- Timeline for Gregg Popovich's return to Spurs remains uncertain
- NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic, Nuggets dominate 76ers
- Suns nab three 1st-rounders from Jazz in draft-pick swap
- Hawks rookie Zaccharie Risacher (adductor) out at least 1 week
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (ankle) will play on Saturday against the Washington Wizards. Beal has missed three of the last four games, including a trip to Washington, but he has been upgraded from probable to available ahead of Saturday's contest. Although his most recent outing resulted in only five points, Beal has been decent in his new bench role in Phoenix. He has averaged 14.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists as a reserve. Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale will play smaller roles in the rotation with Beal back in the fold.
Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (calf) will play against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, marking his fourth consecutive appearance. Although Davis has missed two games this month, the team typically upgrades him from probable to available before tip-off. The nine-time All-Star aims to start a new double-double streak on Saturday after having a nine-game run end in Thursday's 117-96 victory over the Boston Celtics. Davis averages 23.8 points and 12.8 rebounds for the month.
Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (ankle) will return from a one-game absence on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies. He sprained his right ankle earlier this week but has made a swift recovery. Sensabaugh has been an interesting addition to the Jazz rotation lately, as he has averaged 18.0 points in 24.4 minutes since the calendar was flipped. He appears to be in line for extra usage again in Saturday's game, with John Collins (illness) unavailable.
Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Santi Aldama (illness) will not suit up for Saturday's tilt against the Utah Jazz. An illness will keep the Spaniard sidelined for a second consecutive game. Memphis also remains without the services of Jake LaRavia (back), opening up additional opportunities on the frontcourt for the likes of Brandon Clarke and GG Jackson II. The two played well off the bench in Friday's 139-126 win over the New Orleans Pelicans and could also make noise against Utah's fragile defense.
Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (toe) will sit out a second consecutive game on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. Drummond is battling a toe injury and has been in and out of the lineup recently. With Joel Embiid (knee) also on the shelf, Guerschon Yabusele will continue to do the heavy lifting at the center position, with Adem Bona logging time as his backup. Yabusele has averaged 10.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in a starting role this season.
Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (illness) will jump back into the lineup for Saturday's clash against the Utah Jazz. An illness kept him sidelined for Friday's matchup versus the New Orleans Pelicans. Morant's shooting form has been shaky all month, but he has posted two double-doubles over his previous three appearances. He is in an excellent spot to deliver a big performance on Saturday, as Utah allows the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing point guard this season.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (foot) is ready to face Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. Earlier in the day, the team downgraded James from probable to questionable, but Lakers head coach JJ Redick has told reporters that he is available for the matchup. James produced a 31-point double-double in his first meeting with the Warriors this season. He's on a run of three consecutive double-doubles leading up to Saturday's contest. The stretch includes James' ninth triple-double of the season.
Chicago Bulls guard/forward Ayo Dosunmu (calf) will play on Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers. He was initially regarded as questionable for the game before Chicago upgraded Dosunmu to available. The Bulls will continue to be without Coby White (ankle), which means Dosunmu will have an opportunity to contribute more on the offensive end. The 25-year-old averages 12.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists for the season.
Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (thumb) will play on Saturday versus the Knicks. The 27-year-old has missed three games this season. However, he'll avoid a fourth, at least for now. As expected, Fox has played well this season, averaging 25.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. His three-point percentage is down. Still, Fox is usually reliable for fantasy managers, even with a challenging matchup on the horizon.
New York Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart (knee) will play in Saturday's matchup against the Sacramento Kings. Hart has been banged up lately, but he remains in the lineup, with the team upgrading him from questionable to available. In the last game against Brooklyn, Hart once again flirted with a triple-double. His scoring numbers have dipped in 2025, but Hart has made up for it in other areas. He is averaging 12.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.8 steals for January.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley (calf) will end a four-game absence on Saturday against the Houston Rockets. He has finally shaken off a calf strain that Mobley sustained a couple of weeks back. Mobley recently put together a four-game double-double streak and is averaging 19.4 points and 9.1 rebounds for the month. His form gets a big test on Saturday, as the Rockets have the second-highest rebounding rate in the league and boast the third-best defensive rating.
Atlanta Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. (hand) will play on Saturday versus the Raptors. The veteran hasn't played in nearly a month after undergoing surgery on his right hand. Under normal circumstances, Nance doesn't usually see much action. However, with Jalen Johnson (shoulder), De'Andre Hunter (illness), and Zaccharie Risacher (hamstring) sidelined, Nance could be more involved than initially planned. Still, David Roddy, who will likely start, should see plenty of minutes at the four, giving him streaming appeal for fantasy managers.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Caris LeVert (wrist) will remain out on Saturday against the Houston Rockets, missing his fourth consecutive game. LeVert is dealing with a wrist sprain and was initially listed as questionable for the game. With LeVert sidelined and Dean Wade (knee) going down in Friday's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, Ty Jerome logged 33 minutes off the Cavaliers bench. He went off for a career-high 33 points on an incredible 8-for-8 three-point shooting. We can expect to see Jerome in a significant role again on Saturday.
Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (foot) will miss the second leg of a back-to-back on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans. Williams is managing a tendon injury in his right foot, and the team doesn't want to overwork him. Veteran Taj Gibson will move to the starting lineup to fill in for Williams. Gibson was a double-double threat at the peak of his powers, but he has made minimal impact even in a starting role this season. In previous eight appearances as a starter, Gibson has averaged 3.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14.3 minutes.
Charlotte Hornets guard Seth Curry (ankle) will suit up for Saturday's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. The veteran sharpshooter was in street clothes on Friday when Charlotte began a back-to-back set against the Portland Trail Blazers. Curry provides outside shooting and serves as a backup for the guard positions, but he doesn't contribute much in fantasy basketball. Throughout the season, Curry has averaged 5.3 points in 13.4 minutes with 44.4 percent shooting from three-point range.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (hamstring) will play on Saturday against the Raptors. The former Oklahoma Sooner is usually listed on the injury report because of a nagging Achilles issue. However, hamstring tightness was the culprit heading into Saturday night. The Hawks are in trouble, with Jalen Johnson (shoulder), Zaccharie Risacher (hamstring), and De'Andre Hunter (illness) all sidelined. But those injuries could at least open the door for more production from Young, who has averaged 22.9 points and 11.7 assists this season.
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (back) will rejoin the action on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans. The 26-year-old is dealing with a back issue and didn't play on Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers. Bridges is enjoying a strong month, having notched 20-plus points in six of eight games. He is in a great position to add to the streak on Saturday, as New Orleans has the third-worst defensive rating in the league. Bridges will reclaim his starting position from Cody Martin (core), who is unavailable on Saturday. Josh Okogie will log fewer minutes due to Bridges' return.
Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (illness) won't play against the Raptors on Saturday. He was listed as questionable because of an illness. Unfortunately, the 27-year-old won't suit up for this one. With Jalen Johnson (shoulder) and Zaccharie Risacher (hamstring) on the shelf, Dyson Daniels and Trae Young (hamstring) should lead the way on the scoring end. Fantasy managers also shouldn't rule out above-average production from Vit Krejci, David Roddy, and Larry Nance Jr. (hand).
Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (knee) will play in Saturday's rematch with the Raptors. The veteran didn't suit up when the Hawks and Raptors met on Thursday because of right knee soreness, his first absence of the 2024-25 campaign. But after carrying a questionable designation, he's good to go. Capela was recently bumped from the starting lineup in favor of Onyeka Okongwu. However, with Jalen Johnson (shoulder), De'Andre Hunter (illness), and Zaccharie Risacher (hamstring) sidelined, Capela could see more minutes than usual from off the bench.
New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Zion Williamson (illness) will return to action on Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets. The enigmatic star has been in and out of the Pelicans lineup, with his last appearance coming on Jan. 17. Williamson has taken the court just 10 times this season. However, he has been in top form when available, averaging 21.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.2 steals in 28.9 minutes. Williamson will spearhead the team alongside CJ McCollum and Trey Murphy III, with Dejounte Murray (finger) sidelined on Saturday.
