CJ McCollum scored 42 points, making a career-high 11 3-pointers, and Zion Williamson added 36 to power the New Orleans Pelicans to a 127-116 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
McCollum nailed 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions in a 42-second span of the second quarter, giving the Pelicans a 56-40 lead.
McCollum finished the half 7 of 11 from long range and 11 of 16 for the game.
CJ McCollum (3) attempts a 3-point shot in the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers
The Pelicans were 10 of 17 from distance in taking a 67-60 halftime lead and finished the game 15 of 31 behind the arc.
Williamson scored seven of the Pelicans´ first 10 points in the final quarter as New Orleans pushed a 99-91 lead to 119-107 with 5:03 left. McCollum capped a 7-2 run with a 3-pointer from the right wing.
McCollum´s 11th 3-pointer 2:37 later gave New Orleans a 124-110 lead. McCollum tied a franchise record for most 3-pointers in a half, joining Jonas Valanciunas, Ryan Anderson and Peja Stojakovic.
McCollum (3) drives to the basket against Philadelphia 76ers guard Matisse Thybulle (22)
Joel Embiid finished with 37 points on 14-for-22 shooting. He scored 15 of Philadelphia´s first 24 points and had 20 first-half points on 8-of-9 shooting.
James Harden added 20 points.
The Pelicans forced 13 turnovers in the first half and turned those into 25 points.
McCollum celebrates after breaking the Pelicans single game 3-point record against 76ers
BUCKS 123, TIMBERWOLVES 114
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 43 points and 20 rebounds and Milwaukee beat Minnesota to snap a four-game losing streak.
Antetokounmpo finished two points off his season high and also had five assists to join Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor as the only players in NBA history with back-to-back games of at least 40 points, 20 rebounds and five assists. Chamberlain did it five times and Baylor once, with Chamberlain the last to do it Jan. 6-7, 1966.
Antetokounmpo has topped 40 points in four of the last six games.
Bobby Portis added 22 points for Milwaukee.
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 30 points on 10-of-20 shooting. Luka Garza and Jaylen Nowell each had 16 points in the Timberwolves´ fifth straight loss. Minnesota center Rudy Gobert sat out because of a non-COVID illness and star forward Karl Anthony-Towns did not play because of a strained right calf.
Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks past Minnesota Timberwolves’ Luka Garza
NUGGETS 124, HEAT 119
Jamal Murray scored seven of his 14 points over the final two minutes, Nikola Jokic had his eighth triple-double of the season and Denver rallied to beat Miami.
Jokic finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. The two-time reigning NBA MVP was 8 of 15 from the floor, marking his team-record 26th straight game shooting 50% or better. He has 84th career triple-doubles.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the Nuggets with 20 points on 7-of-7 shooting from the floor.
Tyler Herro had 26 points and 10 rebounds for Miami. Bam Adebayo added 22.
Denver Nuggets r Nikola Jokic, left, looks to pass the ball as Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo
RAPTORS 113, SUNS 104
Gary Trent Jr. matched his season high with 35 points, Pascal Siakam had 26 and Toronto beat short-handed and sloppy Phoenix to snap a five-game home losing streak.
Siakam has scored at least 25 points in seven consecutive games. Vince Carter did it in a franchise-record eight straight in February and March 2001.
Chris Paul had 20 points and 12 assists, but had six of the Suns´ season-worst 27 turnovers that led to 34 points for the Raptors.
Mikal Bridges scored 21 points and Torrey Craig had 13 as Phoenix lost for the fifth time in its past six. The Suns played their third straight game without All-Star guard Devin Booker, who is expected to miss at least four weeks because of a strained left groin.
Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr., center, drives against the Phoenix Suns during second-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
BULLS 132, PISTONS 118
CHICAGO (AP) – Zach LaVine scored a season-high 43 points and Chicago beat Detroi.
LaVine looked more like his old explosive self than the guy managing his left knee following offseason surgery. And the Bulls ended the game on a 17-3 run after getting all they could handle from the team with the NBA´s worst record.
DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points. Nikola Vucevic added 19 points and nine rebounds and the Bulls won for the fifth time in six games.
Jaden Ivey led Detroit with 22 points. The Pistons were down two players, with guard Killian Hayes starting a three-game suspension for striking Orlando´s Moritz Wagner in the back of the head in Wednesday and forward Hamidou Diallo serving a one-game punishment.
Dalen Terry #25 of the Chicago Bulls pours water on Zach LaVine #8 after the game against the Detroit Pistons
WIZARDS 119, MAGIC 100
Kristaps Porzingis had 30 points and 13 rebounds and Washington routed short-handed Orlando for its fourth straight victory.
Kyle Kuzma added 23 points and Rui Hachimura had 16 points and seven rebounds. The Wizards played without star guard Bradley Beal for the second straight game because of a strained hamstring.
Franz Wagner had 28 points and eight assists for Orlando. The Magic had only eight players available after suspensions by the NBA in the wake of an incident at Detroit on Wednesday night.
Washington Wizards center Kristaps Porzingis (6) goes up for a dunk between Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) and center Bol Bol (10)
KINGS 126, JAZZ 125
Kevin Huerter hit a 3-pointer with 9.2 seconds left and the Sacramento Kings held off Utah 126-125 on Friday night when Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen missed a jumper in the final seconds.
Huerter scored 30 points to help Sacramento improve to 19-15, with coach Mike Brown returning after missing the past two games because of COVID-19. Domantas Sabonis added 28 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, and De’Aaron Fox had 24 points and 10 assists.
Markkanen scored 36 points for Utah (19-19). Jordan Clarkson had 25 points and nine assists, and Mike Conley scored 17 points.
Kevin Huerter #9 of the Sacramento Kings makes a three-point basket in the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz at Golden
WARRIORS 118, TRAIL BLAZERS 112
Jordan Poole scored 41 points, Klay Thompson made a key 3-pointer with 1:36 left and added 31, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Portland Trail Blazers 118-112 on Friday night to improve the league’s best home record to 16-2.
Damian Lillard did his best to rally the Trail Blazers after halftime and finished with 34 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
Poole notched his second 40-point game in the past 15 contests. His 3 with 2:57 remaining got Golden State within 110-109 but he turned the ball over the next possession before Jonathan Kuminga’s driving, two-handed slam for the lead moments later.
Jordan Poole #3 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers
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