Irving hot from 3, now has rare stat of 5 50-point games
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kyrie Irving hit nine 3-pointers and scored a season-high 50 points, and the Brooklyn Nets snapped a four-game skid with a 132-121 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night.
Irving became one of 22 players in NBA history with five 50-point games, according to Basketball Reference. His career high is 57 points on March, 12, 2015, while with the Cleveland Cavaliers in an overtime win against San Antonio.
Andre Drummond dominated inside, finishing with 20 points and 14 rebounds for Brooklyn, which got back to .500 on the season and moved into sole possession of eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings, breaking a tie with the Hornets.
Miles Bridges and Terry Rozier each finished with 30 points for Charlotte, which had its two-game win streak snapped. LaMelo Ball added 24 points and seven assists.
Kevin Durant had a quiet 14-point night.
SUNS 102, MAGIC 99
ORLANDO, Fla. — DeAndre Ayton and Landry Shamet scored 21 points each, and Mikal Bridges blocked a potential tying 3-pointer in the final seconds to help Phoenix hold off Orlando.
After Cameron Payne’s two free throws put the Suns up by three with 6.9 seconds left, Orlando’s Franz Wagner put up a 3-pointer that Bridges deflected.
Ayton had 19 rebounds and scored the Suns’ final two baskets, including a putback with 1:31 left after Orlando had taken a 98-97 lead. Payne finished with 18 points and 12 assists.
Wendell Carter Jr. led Orlando with 20 points and had 12 rebounds. Mo Bamba had nine points and 15 boards.
CAVALIERS 127, PACERS 124
INDIANAPOLIS — Darius Garland had 41 points and 13 assists and hit a decisive pair of free throws with 14 seconds left to lead Cleveland past Indiana.
The Pacers went ahead 124-122 with 40 seconds remaining when Malcolm Brogdon was credited with a basket after Evan Mobley was called for goaltending. Mobley then tied the game on a putback before Garland put the Cavs ahead with his free throws.
Dean Wade intercepted a pass by Brogdon on the Pacers’ next possession. Lamar Stevens hit a free throw, and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton missed a desperation heave at the buzzer.
Mobley finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds and Lauri Markkanen added 21 points for Cleveland.
Haliburton led the Pacers with 25 points, and Duane Washington Jr., Jalen Smith and Gogh Bitadze each scored 15.
BUCKS 142, THUNDER 115
OKLAHOMA CITY — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 39 points and Milwaukee defeated Oklahoma City for its fifth straight win.
Antetokounmpo made 13 of 19 shots and had seven rebounds and seven assists.
Khris Middleton had 25 points and nine assists, and Bobby Portis added 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Bucks, who scored a season-high point total and shot 53% (53 for 100) from the field.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points, a career-high 14 assists and eight rebounds for the Thunder. It was the sixth time in seven games since the All-Star break that Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 30 points.
GRIZZLIES 132, PELICANS 111
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ja Morant had 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane added 22 points apiece as Memphis built an early lead and routed New Orleans.
The win solidified Memphis’ hold on second place in the Western Conference as the Grizzlies won for the second time in three games. Ziaire Williams finished with 16 points for Memphis.
CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with 32 points, going 13 of 21 from the field, including 5 of 10 from beyond the arc. McCollum also handed out 11 assists. Willy Hernangomez scored 17 points and Naji Marshall 16.
WARRIORS 112, CLIPPERS 97
SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson scored 20 points, and Golden State snapped a five-game skid by beating Los Angeles Clippers.
Jordan Poole also scored 20 points off the bench while Andrew Wiggins had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Warriors, who won for just the second time in their last nine games to complete a road-home back-to-back.
Nicolas Batum scored 17 points to lead the Clippers in a second straight defeat following a five-game winning streak.
