Bobby Portis heats up as Bucks trounce Trail Blazers; Ja Morant stars in Grizzlies win over Magic; Jimmy Butler helps Heat overcome Hornets; Suns bounce back from streak-ending loss to beat Wizards; balanced scoring effort helps Kings beat Thunder
Sunday 6 February 2022 09:12, UK
LeBron James scored 29 points in his return from a knee injury as the Los Angeles Lakers rallied from a 21-point first-half deficit before beating the visiting New York Knicks 122-115 in overtime.
Malik Monk also had 29 points and Anthony Davis added 28 as the Lakers won for just the second time in their last six games.
James added 13 rebounds and 10 assists after missing five games with left knee swelling. Los Angeles went 1-4 in those games.
Monk scored 18 points in the third quarter as the Lakers turned a 71-56 halftime deficit into an 87-84 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Knicks had just 13 points total in the third quarter.
Despite the win, it was another tough night for Lakers guard Russell Westbrook, who was jeered by home fans after missing a shot during the second quarter. He ended with just five points on a 1-10 shooting display.
RJ Barrett scored a career-high 36 points and Julius Randle added 32 for the Knicks, who lost for the fifth time in their last six games.
Bobby Portis scored a season-high 30 points and matched a career best with six three-pointers as Milwaukee trounced host Portland.
Giannis Antetokounmpo added 29 points, nine rebounds and six assists as the Bucks won for the sixth time in their past eight games. Khris Middleton added 14 points, seven assists and five steals as Milwaukee opened a four-game road trip with an easy victory.
Ben McLemore and Anfernee Simons scored 19 points apiece for the Trail Blazers, who lost their fifth straight game and seventh in their past eight.
CJ McCollum added 17 points and six assists, and Jusuf Nurkic had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Ja Morant scored 22 of his 33 points during Memphis' 76-point first half and Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 21 points in the win over host Orlando.
Morant, who was listed as questionable for the game with right foot soreness, made 14-of-21 shots to go along with seven assists, five rebounds and two blocked shots.
Center Steven Adams (6-for-6 shooting) finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as Memphis won for the fifth time in six games.
De'Anthony Melton (16 points) made four three-pointers and Ziaire Williams (11 points) hit three triples as the Grizzlies finished 13-for-39 from beyond the arc. Brandon Clarke (eight rebounds) and Tyus Jones also had 10 points apiece off the bench.
Jimmy Butler poured in 27 points as Miami used a tremendous third quarter to flatten host Charlotte.
Bam Adebayo supplied 20 points and 12 rebounds as Miami controlled the lane for much of the second half. The Heat trailed 51-46 at halftime, but cranked out a 35-8 edge in the third quarter. Butler had nine points in the quarter.
Tyler Herro added 19 points for Miami, which has won back-to-back games following a three-game skid.
Terry Rozier led Charlotte with 16 points, while Miles Bridges had 15. The Hornets lost their fourth consecutive game, including the second one in two nights at home.
Deandre Ayton had 20 points and 16 rebounds to lead a balanced attack as visiting Phoenix routed Washington.
Chris Paul scored 14 points, Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges added 12 apiece, and Devin Booker had 11 for Phoenix, which bounced back after having its 11-game winning streak snapped by the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday. Phoenix led by as many as 36 points Saturday and improved to a league-best 42-10.
Montrezl Harrell paced Washington with 15 points, while Aaron Holiday scored 11 and Kyle Kuzma nine. The Wizards have lost seven of their past eight games, including five straight at home.
Harrison Barnes scored 24 points to pace Sacramento, which led most of the way - pulling away in the third quarter - to beat visiting Oklahoma City.
Moe Harkless had 18 points, Davion Mitchell 17, Richaun Holmes 14 and Tyrese Haliburton 13 to complement a career-high 17 assists. Sacramento's starters combined for 86 points in the Kings' second win in their last three games.
Rookie Josh Giddey led Oklahoma City with his season-best 24 points, Darius Bazley had 18 and Tre Mann 16. The Thunder saw a three-game winning streak come to an end.
