Conference leaders clash as Nuggets top Bucks 129-106

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 31 points and 11assists, Jamal Murray finished with 26 points and nine assists, andthe Denver Nuggets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 129-106 on Saturdaynight in a late-season showdown of the NBA’s conferenceleaders.

Michael Porter Jr. scored 19 points for West-leading Denver(50-24), which outscored East-leading Milwaukee 68-40 in the secondhalf.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points -- just seven in thesecond half -- and grabbed nine rebounds for the Bucks (53-20).

The battle of the top teams in each conference -- and two strongMVP candidates -- was more competitive than the teams’ firstmeeting, won by the Bucks 107-99.

SUNS 125, 76ERS 105

PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 29 points, Bismack Biyomboadded 17 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks, and the Phoenix Sunssnapped a three-game losing streak.

Phoenix got good minutes from most of their bench players,particularly Terrence Ross and T.J. Warren. Warren finished with 16points, while Ross had 15. Booker shot 9 of 18 from the field andhit all nine of his free throws.

The Suns won despite a huge game from Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey,who finished with 37 points on 14-of-19 shooting, including 7 of 11from 3-point range. Joel Embiid added 28 points and 10rebounds.

KINGS 121, JAZZ 113

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Huerter scored 27 points, hadseven rebounds and four assists and Sacramento beat Utah.

Domantas Sabonis finished with 16 points, 15 rebounds and sevenassists for his NBA-leading 60th double-double of the season.Harrison Barnes added 18 points. Keegan Murray scored 14 of his 22total points in the first quarter and knocked down sixthree-pointers for the Kings.

Jazz rookie Walker Kessler scored a career-high 31 points forthe Jazz. Kessler added 11 rebounds and finished 14 of 16 from thefloor. Kelly Olynyk finished with 17 points and 10 assists, OchaiAgbaji scored 20 and Jarrell Brantley added 13 off the bench forUtah.

NETS 129, HEAT 100

MIAMI (AP) — Mikal Bridges scored 27 points, and the BrooklynNets opened the third quarter on a 31-6 run on the way to rollingpast Miami and leapfrogging the Heat back into the No. 6 spot inthe Eastern Conference.

Cam Johnson added 23 points and Spencer Dinwiddie scored 15 forthe Nets (40-34), who snapped a five-game slide. They’re only ahalf-game up on Miami (40-35) in the race for the sixth and finalguaranteed playoff berth, but swept the Heat 3-0 this season andwould also own a head-to-head tiebreaker.

Max Strus scored 23 for the Heat, all of them in the first half.Tyler Herro scored 23, Jimmy Butler had 18 and Bam Adebayo finishedwith 16 for the Heat. Miami was outscored 64-31 after halftime.

HAWKS 143, PACERS 130

ATLANTA (AP) — John Collins led eight Atlanta scorers in doublefigures with 21 points and the Hawks overcame Jordan Nwora’sseason-high 33 points and protected their shaky hold on the No. 8spot in the Eastern Conference playoff standings

Trae Young was ejected in the third quarter after firing anunusually hard pass to referee Scott Wall during a timeout. Wallcaught the ball. Young was immediately called for a technical fouland ejected. Young had 14 points and five assists. Dejounte Murrayhad 20 points in his return after missing two games with anon-COVID illness. Saddiq Bey led Atlanta’s bench with 18points.

Tyrese Haliburton scored 19 points and Buddy Hield had 16 forIndiana.

PELICANS 131, CLIPPERS 110

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Trey Murphy III scored 32 points, BrandonIngram had 32 points and 13 assists, and the New Orleans Pelicansnever trailed against the Los Angeles Clippers.

C.J. McCollum had 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assistsfor the Pelicans, who have won four in a row.

Bones Hyland scored 18 points and Kawhi Leonard added 12 pointsand six rebounds for the Clippers, who have lost three of four.

At risk of falling out of the play-in tournament with a loss,the energized Pelicans started out hot, scoring the first eightpoints, and never let up.