Russell Westbrook

Devin Booker scored 45 points as the Suns beat the Clippers 129-124 on Thursday to take a 2-1 lead, and only the Phoenix star is scoring more points so far in the postseason (36.3 per game) than Leonard (34.5).

But Leonard was not on the floor, watching instead from the sideline due to a knee injury.

The setback was only reported hours before the game in Los Angeles, although it was quickly clarified it was not related to the ACL injury that saw him miss the whole of last season.

Leonard could be back for Game 4, but his absence was a blow – especially as the Clippers came so close to beating the Suns even without him.

"I just feel sorry for him," team-mate Westbrook said. "He probably was playing his best basketball in a while, probably the best in the world, honestly. It just sucks just for him mentally.

"But it was good to see him be around and communicate with us on the bench. Hopefully we can see how he's feeling and see what's next.

"If he's not back, we have to rally around each other, support each other, find ways to make something happen. It's a series. First to four. Get ready for Saturday afternoon."

Coach Ty Lue added of the injury: "It's very deflating. I think more so for Kawhi.

"You have a guy who's coming off ACL, hasn't missed a rehab session, eats right, eats clean, does everything he can for his body, works extremely hard to get to this point. Then you have something like this happen.

"So, it's tough for him, for all the work that he puts in. I feel bad for him."

Irving led the way with 27 points and nine assists, shooting 11 of 18 from the field and Harden dropped five threes from his 10 attempts from downtown to power Brooklyn to an eighth straight win.

The All-Star duo were supported by Joe Harris, who sank four of six threes for 14 points, while Landry Shamet came off the bench to score 19 points, tying Harden with five from distance. 

After the Magic opened up a 10-point lead during the first quarter, the Nets went 41-19 in the second quarter and never looked back, with Nikola Vucevic finishing with 28 points for Orlando.

Still waiting on Kevin Durant to return from a hamstring injury, the 22-12 Nets are second only to the Philadelphia 76ers (22-11) in the Eastern Conference.

Close on their tails are the third-placed Milwaukee Bucks, who beat the New Orleans Pelicans 129-125 to go 20-13, with Giannis Antetokounmpo (38 points) outshining Zion Williamson (34).

Beal and Westbrook chemistry continues for Wizards

The Washington Wizards made it a 3-1 road trip, following up on wins against the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers with a 112-110 victory against the Denver Nuggets.

The NBA's leading scorer Bradley Beal buried 33 points while Russell Westbrook made it three triple-doubles in five games with his 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

George comes up short for Clippers

Tyus Jones was the game's top scorer in the Memphis Grizzlies' 122-94 win against the Los Angeles Clippers despite only spending 15 minutes on court.

Jones was the only player in the game to make 20 points, as Clippers guard Paul George only dropped three of his 12 field-goal attempts for his 13 points.

Zion producing coast-to-coast

Williamson may have come out on the losing side but the 20-year-old not only matched Antetokounmpo almost blow-for-blow, but he also showcased some razor-sharp defensive skills. 

Thursday's results

Philadelphia 76ers 111-97 Dallas Mavericks
New York Knicks 140-121 Sacramento Kings
Brooklyn Nets 129-92 Orlando Magic
Memphis Grizzlies 122-94 Los Angeles Clippers
Washington Wizards 112-110 Denver Nuggets
Milwaukee Bucks 129-125 New Orleans Pelicans

Jazz at Heat

The NBA-leading Utah Jazz looked untouchable during a blowout win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The Miami Heat have also recently knocked off the defending champions and are on a four-win stretch.

James is averaging 28.9 points per game this season for the Los Angeles Lakers, and amassed 25 points in Friday's 130-114 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

That victory made it four wins on the bounce for the Lakers, who have begun a bounce back from a dismal streak of one win in six.

But the Lakers remain 12th in the Western Conference with an 18-21 record for the season.

James, who turned 38 last month, is closing in on the all-time regular-season points record, held by former Milwaukee Bucks and Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who accumulated 38,387 across a long career.

Yet James is not interested in achievements if they come when the team are struggling.

"I want to win. [The losing is] not sitting well with me," James told ESPN.

"I don't like having accomplishments, and it don't feel right, when it comes in a losing effort.

"We sit here right now as a franchise and as a team that's below .500. We've been playing some good basketball as of late, but we want to and I want to win at the highest level.

"Breaking records or setting records or passing greats in a losing effort has never been a DNA of mine."

James was instrumental for the Lakers against the Hawks, adding 10 assists and seven rebounds to his tally of points.

Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Nunn also impressed for the Lakers, who were depleted by injuries. Indeed, James himself had only just recovered from illness.

Westbrook said: "There are going to be times where guys go down, unfortunately, and we have a group of guys that have just been preparing themselves for when it's their moment to play and play well.

"[It] seems like we've been hitting a good stride of figuring that out."

Coach Darvin Ham said: "It's motivating them to step their games up. They know I'll put anybody out there, and if they're playing the right way, they'll play a significant amount of minutes."

The nine-time NBA All-Star was benched in the fourth quarter for the second game running as the Lakers fell to a fifth defeat in seven outings, going down 131-116.

With nine minutes remaining at the Crypto.com Arena and his side down by 24 points, Westbrook was jeered after making two turnovers in the space of 12 seconds.

But Westbrook, who was traded to the Lakers from the Washington Wizards last August, is not letting the negative reaction get to him.

"It's a sign of respect," he said while smiling. "My mindset and how I think about this game and what I've been able to do for this game is not predicated on boos.

"I've a platform that I'm able to use to be able to do other things that God has blessed me to be able to do and I will continue to do those things.

"That's regardless of whether people boo for me, cheer for me, cuss me out, call me names, it doesn't really matter.

"The most important part is that I continue to use my gift to be able to play basketball and use that platform to be able to help other people around the world. That's all I can do."

Westbrook had 10 points off 3-of-11 shooting, 10 assists and four turnovers on another disappointing day for the Lakers' former MVP.

He has 1,006 points for the season, a tally bettered only by LeBron James (1,103) among Lakers players.

But Westbrook's 18.3 average through 55 games is his lowest since 2009-10, and down from the 31.6 managed with Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016-17 when crowned MVP.

However, responding to criticism regarding his loss of form, Westbrook said: "I shouldn't have to prove anything to anyone, to be honest. 

"I've put so much work into my game and I've earned so much respect in the league. I don't have to prove anything to anyone. 

"I've earned the right to be in the closing line-up standing.

"The numbers confirm it. I don't have to go into it any further. But I don't have to decide, that's the decision of the coach. Unfortunately, I just have to see how I deal with it."

Westbrook was on the court for just 26 minutes against the Bucks and suggested after the game he is not happy with Frank Vogel's constantly changing line-ups.

"You never know when you're coming in, you never know when you're coming out," he said. "You never know when you're playing, you never know... a bunch of things. 

"I'm speaking personally, so it's a difficult process to be able to figure out and create some rhythm and some consistency where we can see what we're able to do as a team.

"But those decisions are made by him and his coaching staff, and you've got to live with it and move on."

The Lakers, without LeBron James for a second game running due to an ankle injury, failed to protect a 26-point first-half lead as they fell 123-115 against a previously winless Thunder team.

Westbrook got his first triple-double for the Lakers in Wednesday's contest, but he also had 10 turnovers and was ejected late on for a second technical foul.

Nine-time NBA All-Star Westbrook took issue with Darius Bazley for scoring on a breakaway dunk, rather than dribble out the clock, with 1.5 seconds left in a feisty conclusion.

But while standing by his actions that led to that dismissal, the 32-year-old concedes that he could have done more to prevent his side from falling to a third defeat in five games.

"How I play the game, I'm more old-school," he said when asked about his confrontation with Bazley. "When s*** like that happens, I don't let it slide. 

"In the game of basketball, there's certain things you just don't do. Like in baseball, you don't flip the bat. 

"There's certain things you don't do in sports when the game's already over. And I didn't like it. Simple as that."

Westbrook, who ended the contest with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists, added: "I got to take care of the ball. There were too many mishaps allowed. 

"It's my fault. It's on me. But I'm going to take care of it. I know that. And keep the game simple. We need those possessions, especially in games like this."

Westbrook reached 7,000 career rebounds in the game, joining Oscar Robertson, Jason Kidd and James as the only players with at least 7,000 rebounds and 7,000 assists.

But it was not enough to prevent his side avoiding defeat as the Lakers allowed 115 points or more for the fifth game running this season – their longest ever such streak.

The Lakers may be going through a transitional phase with a number of new players on top of injuries to contend with, but Anthony Davis is not interested in excuses.

"This ain't no adjustment period at all," he said. "Not this game. That's just straight on us. 

"This isn't an adjustment game where I feel like it's, 'Oh, we're still learning each other'... Nah. Not this game."

The Lakers are ninth in the Western Conference ahead of their return to action on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The two combined for 78 points as the Rockets recorded a 116-105 home win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday that ended their opponents' run of seven straight victories.

Harden scored 42, including seven three-pointers, with Westbrook adding 36 as they followed Los Angeles Clippers duo Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to become the second NBA team-mates to achieve the feat in 2019-20.

Leonard and George did it in a December game against the Minnesota Timberwolves but this was the first time it had happened in Rockets team history, per the Elias Sports Bureau.

Harden and Westbrook's exploits helped the Rockets bounce back from two consecutive defeats to move to 34-20, good for fifth in the Western Conference.

"It's pretty scary," Harden said, per ESPN, of his and Westbrook's potential.

Westbrook is relishing having an open floor to attack due to Harden and Houston's other three-point threats. The Rockets are playing with a small-ball lineup having traded center Clint Capela.

He added: "It's tough to guard, especially when I'm attacking and making plays and being able to do what I need to do to be effective.

"We made a big change, and we've got to get adjusted to that with Clint gone. So we're just kind of getting acclimated to that. I think we've got it moving in the right direction.

"We can be pretty successful. We've just got to find ways to continue to be effective, efficient and make the right plays."

Westbrook also had 10 rebounds and five assists, while Harden had eight rebounds and seven assists.

Coach Mike D'Antoni is keen to utilise the strengths of his two All-Stars.

"For Russell, [the spacing created by small lineups] is really advantageous, and it will be for James, too," said D'Antoni.

"It makes them really hard to guard and it's helping both of them. It opens up the floor. Both of them are great drivers and great finishers and it should trickle down to everybody else, too."

Celtics coach Brad Stevens knew he had been up against elite competition, adding: "Harden was great and Westbrook was great. Those guys are two of the best in the world and they showed it again."

Barrett put up 27 points, his joint-season high, as the Knicks ended the Rockets' six-match winning streak in a 125-123 success at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

Rockets superstar Harden, who top-scored with 35 points, is impressed by what he has seen from the Knicks guard.

"Aggressive," Harden said of Barrett's performance in quotes reported by ESPN. 

"I like that, especially for a rookie. Not timid at all, and when you're aggressive and confident in your game, you look good out there. 

"Want him to continue to build his confidence and keep being aggressive and have the opportunity, which he will, to be great."

The Rockets fell to a 21-point deficit in a slow start and were 10 down by the end of the third quarter.

Harden, who was perfect with 16 of 16 from the free-throw line, and Russell Westbrook (24 points, nine rebounds) did their level best to drag the Rockets back into contention.

But Barrett, a right-hander, produced a moment of magic with just under eight seconds remaining with a left-handed lay-up on the drive over P.J. Tucker.

"I just took the shot that came," Barrett said. "I like going left. That was kind of, in that situation, you're not really thinking about it. You're kind of just playing."

Westbrook lamented the Rockets' slow start, saying: "We should've never put ourselves in that position because it takes a lot of energy to fight back. Especially on the road.

"We can't take games like this lightly. This is the NBA, everybody is going to go out and compete and we have to be ready to play."

Harden added: "We weren't consistent with our defensive principles throughout the course of the game and we paid for it. Simple."

The Rockets are fourth in the Western Conference with a 39-21 record, while the Knicks (19-42) remain a lowly 13th in the East.

The Lakers' slump continued on Wednesday as a fourth-quarter charge from the Indiana Pacers saw them lose 111-104.

That defeat means the Lakers have now lost four of their last five games. Indeed, it has been reported that Vogel might well have lost his role as head coach had his team not snapped a three-match losing streak by beating the Utah Jazz on Monday.

But a loss to a Pacers team that is 13th in the Eastern Conference and had won just one of their previous 11 games means questions will surely be asked once again.

It was no surprise then that Vogel's future was the topic of conversation in James' post-game media briefing.

"Coaching staff has been great," James told reporters.

"They put us in a position to succeed, and it's up to us to handle the business, so there's always things that we all can do better, but there's no blame.

"I'm not in that business, of pointing fingers or pointing blame. It's not my lane. I'm not a negative person. So if you got something to ask me besides trying to s*** on somebody, I'll answer those. It seems like y'all are in s*** mode right now."

James led the Lakers with 30 points and 12 rebounds, the 10th of which brought up his 10,000th across his regular season career, but his double-double was not enough to stop Los Angeles slipping below .500 in the Western Conference.

Carmelo Anthony, who scored 14 points, insisted the players must step up.

"I mean, we got to do it," Anthony said. "It's up to us. Frank's not out there. It's up to us to go out there and execute and play basketball and win some games."

Vogel, meanwhile, acknowledged it was a damaging defeat.

"This is definitely a disappointing loss," Vogel said. "Indy is a team that's sub-.500, that on our home court, we feel like we should win. And you got to win the games you feel like you should win. So, a disappointing loss.

"I meet with our front office. We talk about the previous night's game. Every game. All year. It's been that way for three years. And it's not been different this week or of late.

"Everyone is working together to leave no stone unturned in terms of getting this thing going in the right direction. And we all have a great working relationship where we're trying to figure out things together. We won a championship this way, and I feel good about our process.

"In this business, and with this team, if you're not winning at a super high level, you're going to get this type of noise. I'm good at blocking that out. I feel good about the job that we're doing. I believe in what we can do this year."

Vogel made a big call to take off Russell Westbrook, with the Lakers star having struggled to cope with Indiana's Caris LeVert, who had 30 points.

"I played the guys that I thought were going to win the game," Vogel explained.

Westbrook has 833 points for the season, behind only James (952) in the Lakers' roster.

MVP contender Stephen Curry only managed two first-half points as the Warriors produced arguably their worst half of the season before storming back in the second half to tie the game in the fourth quarter.

Jokic, who had 22 points, 18 rebounds and five assists, made a key defensive stop on rookie Jonathan Kuminga after his own turnover at 88-86 before Andre Igoudala missed a three-point attempt on the buzzer to force over-time.

Curry's output increased dramatically in the second half to finish with 23 points including five triples, as the Warriors reeled in the Nuggets after trailing by 24 points. The Warriors' two-time MVP had six turnovers for the game.

However, Curry also reached another milestone with his 3,000 career three-point attempt made, marking 157 straight games with a triple.

Andrew Wiggins scored 21 points with eight rebounds with the Warriors without Draymond Green who entered COVID-19 protocols this week. The result means the ladder-leading Warriors fall to 27-7 while the Nuggets improve above .500 to 17-16.

LeBron and Russ end Lakers' skid

LeBron James and Russell Westbrook both recorded triple-doubles as the Los Angeles Lakers ended their five-game skid with a 132-123 victory over the Houston Rockets. James had 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists while Westbrook added 24 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 28 points with six rebounds and six assists in his second game since returning from COVID-19 protocols while Bobby Portis nailed five three-pointers in his 19-point haul as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Orlando Magic 127-110.

Joel Embiid had 36 points with 11 rebounds while Tobias Harris (19 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) recorded a rare triple-double as the Philadelphia 76ers knocked off the Toronto Raptors 114-109.

Randle loses handle in offense

Last season's Most Improved Player Julius Randle continues to struggle to re-discover his offensive games, shooting five of 20 from the field and having only two assists in the New York Knicks' 96-88 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Nuggets center Jokic finished with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists and brought up his triple-double in the third quarter, as Denver piled on 73 first-half points before restricting the Lakers to only 36 points in the second half.

LeBron James scored 25 points with nine rebounds and two blocks for the Lakers, while Russell Westbrook had 19 points, five rebounds and three assists.

The defeat means the Lakers, who are still without Anthony Davis due to injury, move to a 21-22 record after losing three games in a row.

Bones Hyland was brilliant off the bench for Denver, who improve to 22-19, with a career-high 27 points including six triples and 10 rebounds.

Durant injured as Nets win

Kevin Durant limped out with a knee sprain as James Harden had 27 points, eight rebounds and 15 assists while Patty Mills scored 21 points as the Brooklyn Nets won 120-105 over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Pascal Siakam over-shadowed Giannis Antetokounmpo with a triple-double with 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Toronto Raptors won 103-96 over the Milwaukee Bucks. Antetokounmpo scored 30 points with six rebounds and four assists.

Jayson Tatum had 23 points with 12 rebounds as the Boston Celtics won 114-112 to condemn the Eastern Conference-leading Chicago Bulls to three straight losses, while Darius Garland had 27 points and a career-high 18 assists in the Cleveland Cavaliers' comeback 107-102 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Butler struggles as Heat go cold

Jimmy Butler struggled from the field, making one of 11 for his eight points as the Miami Heat's four-game winning streak was ended by the in-form Philadelphia 76ers 109-98. Joel Embiid had 32 points with 12 rebounds for the 76ers.

Leonard, who missed all of last season after sustaining an ACL injury in the 2021 playoffs, played 21 minutes off the bench, shooting six-of-12 from the field, including a crucial two-pointer with under two minutes left at Crypto.com Arena.

The Lakers had hit the lead in the last quarter after LeBron James' block on Paul George set up Lonnie Walker IV's jam, but the Clippers were clutch down the stretch to extend their winning streak over their rivals to eight games.

The Clippers' current eight-game winning run over the Lakers is the second-longest in franchise history, behind 11 from 2014 to 2016.

James, in his 20th season in the NBA, scored 20 points with 10 rebounds, six assists and two blocks, while Anthony Davis was exceptional with 25 points including two triples and eight rebounds.

But the three-point issues that plagued the Lakers last season reared their head again, going at 20 per cent from beyond the arc as a team. The Lakers' two-game three-point percentage of 22 per cent this season is the worst by any team through two games in NBA history (minimum 60 attempts).

Russell Westbrook was a major culprit, managing only two points in 27 minutes, shooting none-of-11 from the field and none-of-six from beyond the arc.

Giannis in top form as Bucks open with 76ers win  

The Philadelphia 76ers lost for the second straight game to open the season after James Harden missed a floater off the glass on their last offensive play in a 90-88 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The 76ers were booed by their fans at Wells Fargo Center in the third quarter, before rallying with a 13-0 run in the fourth, led by Harden who had eight points during that span, finishing with 31 for the game, along with eight rebounds and nine rebounds.

But Harden, who went one-for-seven from three-point range, missed his late chance straight after Wesley Matthews' triple as the Bucks won their season opener.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was in MVP form, having 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks in the first half, finishing with 21 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists with three blocks. Joel Embiid was kept scoreless in the second half, to have only 15 points with 12 rebounds for the game.

No offseason trade made bigger headlines than the blockbuster that sent nine-time All-Star Russell Westbrook from the Houston Rockets to the Washington Wizards for John Wall in a swap of high-scoring point guards.

Playing for his third team in three years has not done anything to slow Westbrook's production, as he has averaged 19 points, 13.7 rebounds and 12.7 assists with three triple-doubles in as many games for the Wizards. He is the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1961 to record triple-doubles in the first three games of the season.

While Westbrook's accomplishment is undeniably remarkable, the Wizards are one of four winless teams left in the league and the 0-4 start is the franchise's worst since it began 2012-13 with 12 consecutive losses.

Many of the same issues that have plagued Westbrook throughout his career have followed him to the nation's capital, with shot selection the most glaring weakness.

The early returns on the trade aren't very good from Washington's perspective but at least Westbrook has been on the court. Wall has yet to play a game for Houston after he and several team-mates had to quarantine following COVID-19 issues on the Rockets.

The most surprising free-agent acquisition of the offseason was Gordon Hayward leaving the contending Boston Celtics to sign a four-year, $120million deal with the Charlotte Hornets, a team that have not won a playoff round since 2001-02.

Hayward will not post the eye-popping numbers of some players, but he consistently makes smart choices and elevates the players around him. Hayward has averaged 19.8 points and six assists through his first four games with Charlotte.

A move that would've been impossible to predict a couple years ago was the Rockets giving a three-year, $41million contract to Christian Wood, a player that went undrafted and has been waived four times since entering the league in 2015.

A versatile big man, Wood had a breakout season with the Detroit Pistons in 2019-20 and played at an All-Star level after moving into the starting line-up in early February. He averaged 21.9 points on 56.0 per cent shooting with 9.4 rebounds in 12 games.

In his first two games with Houston, Wood has totalled 54 points on 23-of-42 (54.8 per cent) shooting and 16 rebounds while starting at center. With the James Harden saga hanging over the team, Wood has given Rockets fans a young player to be excited about.

Veteran point guard Chris Paul has been on the move quite a lot lately, with the Phoenix Suns his fourth team in five years following his November trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Paul should be the perfect floor leader and mentor for a young Phoenix team that was the story of the bubble last season with an 8-0 record in the seeding games before falling short of a postseason appearance.

Paul has only scored in double figures once in his first four games but he is among the league leaders in assists (9.5) and has helped the Suns to a 3-1 record, their best four-game mark since 2014-15.

Kevin Durant was technically a member of the Nets last season though an Achilles injury kept him sidelined all year. The four-time scoring champion has not shown any rust upon his return this season, averaging 28.3 points on 52.2 per cent from the field while helping Brooklyn to a 3-1 record in the games he has played.

Brooklyn is reportedly Harden's preferred destination and acquiring him seemed to make sense for the Nets, since collecting superstars on one team is all the rage in today's NBA. But with Durant seemingly back to his All-Star form and Kyrie Irving also playing extremely well, perhaps Harden's scoring and demand for the ball is not needed in Brooklyn.

The Durant-Irving combination and a strong supporting staff of players could be enough to get the Nets to a place the franchise has not been since the days of Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin and Richard Jefferson.

Durant, Irving and the rest of the league are chasing defending champions the Los Angeles Lakers, who on paper appear to be even better than last season. The addition of point guard Dennis Schroder in a trade with Oklahoma City is already proving to be a very valuable addition.

Schroder is a prolific scorer that can ease the burden on LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and he can take over some of the ball-handling duties in place of the departed Rajon Rondo.

Schroder is one of just 15 players this season (minimum of three games) averaging at least 17 points, five rebounds and five assists. Some of the others on that list are James, Westbrook, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic.

With a grand total of 351 points, it eclipsed the previous second-highest score by 14 points, set back in 1982 as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Milwaukee Bucks 171-166. Only the Detroit Pistons' 186-184 victory over the Denver Nuggets in 1983 had more.

In a wild back-and-forth affair, both teams had hit 110 points by three-quarter time, and after the Kings trailed by 11 with three minutes left, the visitors rallied back with a 17-6 run to close regulation and tie it up at 153-153.

All-Star Domantas Sabonis fouled out in the first overtime period with 20 points (eight-of-14 shooting), 10 rebounds and four assists to his name, leaving Malik Monk and De'Aaron Fox to run the show.

A pair of clutch Monk free throws forced a second overtime, where Monk again rose to the occasion with a deep three to cut the Clippers' lead to one with a minute to play, setting up Fox for the go-ahead basket with 36 seconds on the clock.

Monk finished with a career-high 45 points on 15-of-24 shooting, while Fox finished two points shy of his career-high with 42 on 17-of-27 shooting with 12 assists.

Both the Kings and Clippers set new franchise-records for their most points in a single game.

Kawhi Leonard finished one point away from his career-high with 44 points (16-of-22 shooting), three steals and two blocks, and he also tied his career-high for minutes played with 46.

With the win, the Kings strengthened their position sitting third in the Western Conference at 34-25, while the Clippers (33-29) are 2.5 games back in fifth.

Randle ties career-high

New York Knicks All-Star Julius Randle tied his career-high with 46 points during Friday's 115-109 road win against the Washington Wizards.

Randle shot 16-of-29 from the field, including seven-of-14 from deep, making up for an off shooting night by running-mate Jalen Brunson (six-of-20).

In his first game since returning from an injury he suffered on January 18, Mitchell Robinson returned to the Knicks' starting line-up and put together a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double, while finishing with a game-high plus/minus of plus 13.

Klay catches fire

Future Hall of Fame marksman Klay Thompson put on a shooting display against the Houston Rockets as he drilled 12 three-pointers in the Golden State Warriors' 116-101 victory.

All 12 of Thompson's field goals came from long range, finishing 12-of-19 from the field and 12-of-17 from deep for his game-high 42 points.

There have only been eight instances in NBA history of a player hitting 12 threes in a single game. Thompson has three of them – two of which have been this month – and he is the only player to make 14.

James was not on the court because of a ban handed down – the first of his illustrious career – for his ejection against the Detroit Pistons, the four-time NBA champion struck Isaiah Stewart in the face and drew blood, sparking a melee.

Since James joined the Lakers in 2018, the team had been averaging 113.0 points and with a winning percentage of 64.6 when he plays heading into the matchup, while averaging 107.4 points with a 39.7 winning percentage when he does not.

In his absence, former MVP Westbrook had 31 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists but the Lakers still lost on the road against the Knicks on Tuesday.

Westbrook posted 18 points in the third quarter to tie the game after the Lakers (9-10) had fallen in a 25-point hole, however, the Knicks recovered to beat the storied franchise for the ninth time in 11 games.

Anthony Davis put a pre-game illness aside to battle for 20 points, six rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes.

Julius Randle inspired the Knicks (10-8) with 20 points, 16 rebounds and five assists, while Evan Fournier contributed a team-high 26 points.

Porzingis achieves career first as Mavs win

For the first time in his career, Kristaps Porzingis (30 points) scored 20 or more points in seven straight games after helping the Dallas Mavericks trump the Los Angeles Clippers 112-104 in over-time.

Denver's slide continues as Jokic sits out again

Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic missed his third straight game due to a right wrist sprain and the Denver Nuggets went down 119-100 to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Nuggets have lost five consecutive games – their worst run since a five-game skid in January 2017.

The number one pick in the NBA Draft, it is safe to say Cade Cunningham's rookie season has been a baptism of fire. The first-year Pistons teenager has been criticised for his performances. In a 100-92 loss to the Miami Heat, he was just two-of-10 shooting – making one of seven three-pointers – for six points in 29 minutes, while he had four turnovers.

Westbrook joined the Lakers in a major off-season move from the Washington Wizards, linking up with four-time MVP LeBron James and All-Star Anthony Davis as the 2020 NBA champions bid for another title tilt.

But the Lakers have struggled with a 16-18 record this season, including five straight defeats with Westbrook often copping the blame.

"Everybody wants me to do this but then they don't want me to do this," Westbrook said on a virtual news conference on Monday. "Honestly, I'm over the whole situation with what everyone else wants me to do and what they think I should be doing."

Westbrook has averaged 19.6 points per game this season, which is his lowest return since his second season in the NBA back in 2009-10.

The 33-year-old point guard has also averaged 7.9 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game this season, down on last season's career-best 11.5 rebounds and league-high 11.7 assists with the Wizards.

Westbrook also last season broke Oscar Robertson's record for the most triple-doubles in NBA history but has only managed six this season in 34 games.

"Honestly, I think I've been fine," Westbrook said. "The conversation has been heavily on how I'm playing and what I'm doing, but I think people are expecting me to have f---ing 25, 15 and 15, which, that is not normal.

"Everybody has to understand, like, that's not a normal thing that people do consistently."

He added: "People are saying 'let Russ be Russ,' I think nobody understands what that means. "I think people just say it - 'let Russ be Russ' - but nobody actually knows what that means but myself.

"I'm gonna lean on that and make sure I do what I'm supposed to do. And let everything else outside the locker room, whatever that may be, take care of itself."

LeBron James finished with 24 points, three rebounds and five assists but missed a last-gasp three-point attempt in normal time, but the Mavs fumbled the rebound and Wayne Ellington swooped to hit a triple to send the game overtime.

Russell Westbrook (23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists) came up with a clutch three-pointer in overtime - his only of the game - while Anthony Davis had 20 points and 12 rebounds to lift the Lakers to a 16-13 record with their third straight win.

Both sides had traded triples in overtime but 23-year-old shooting guard Reaves stepped up with scores locked at 104-104 after being found by Westbrook wide open, draining his three-point attempt with 0.9 seconds on the clock.

The Lakers surrendered a good start with a poor second quarter, where the Mavs outscored them 27-14, but defensively were excellent keeping Dallas, who were without Luka Doncic, to 27.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Good Holiday with others out

Jrue Holiday stepped up in the absence of Khris Middleton (knee) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (COVID protocols) with 26 points and 14 assists to lead the Milwaukee Bucks past the Indiana Pacers 114-99. Tyrese Maxey had a game-high 27 points for the 76ers.

Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic continued his hot run with another triple-double (27 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists) but the Denver Nuggets lost 124-107 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, as Anthony Edwards scored 10 triples in his 38 points.

The Utah Jazz stretched their winning streak to eight games, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 124-103 with Rudy Gobert (20 points and 17 rebounds) and Donovan Mitchell (27 points and six assists) starring.

Devonte' Graham drained a 65-foot game-winning buzzer beater as the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-110, while Gordon Hayward scored 41 points from 29 minutes on court as the Charlotte Hornets beat the San Antonio Spurs 131-115.

Embiid loses his touch

Joel Embiid missed a late three-point chance to tie the game and shot five of 13 from the field for his 17 points as the Philadelphia 76ers lost 101-96 to the weakened Miami Heat, who were without Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. Gabe Vincent landed seven three-pointers in his career-high 26-point haul for the Heat.

James finished with 20 points along with 10 rebounds and 11 assists, bringing up his 100th career triple-double, but the Lakers could not stop the Grizzlies, still missing the injured Ja Morant, from scoring offensively.

Jaren Jackson Jr had 25 points for Memphis, while guard Desmond Bane finished with 23 points including five three-pointers.

Anthony Davis top scored with 22 points for the Lakers, who led at quarter-time, but Russell Westbrook struggled for impact, finishing with nine points, six rebounds and seven assists.

The result leaves the Lakers with a 13-13 record while the Grizzlies are 15-11.

The nine-time All-Star and former MVP had a patchy first season in the purple and gold despite averages of 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists.

The 33-year-old was widely regarded as the cause behind the Lakers finishing with a 33-49 record which saw them finish 11th in the Western Conference, even missing the Play-In Tournament.

Asked about fitting Westbrook with LeBron James and Anthony Davis during his introduction as the Lakers coach, Ham took the opportunity to defend the embattled point guard.

"Don't get it messed up," he said. "Russ is one of the best players our league has ever seen, and there's still a ton left in that tank. I don't know why people tend to try to write him off.

"I'm going to approach him like I do every player I've ever encountered. We're going to talk about our running habits, with the ball, without the ball. And again, the team, the rhythm of the team and trying to establish a rhythm with LeBron, Russ, AD.

"And again, share the load defensively and offensively. Defensively is where you're going to see us make our biggest leaps and bounds. We have to commit to the defensive side of the ball or we don't have a chance to do anything. Our offence won't even matter if we don't get stops."

After an eight-year playing career in the NBA, Ham got his first coaching job in the league working as an assistant at the Lakers, as a part of Mike Brown's staff in 2012-13.

After that season, the 48-year-old spent the following years on Mike Budenholzer's staff with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks, winning the NBA title in 2021.

"The fact that I got my start as a coach here, this place will always be special for me," Ham said. "It's like a homecoming for me, in all seriousness."

"As sad as it is for me to be leaving coach Bud, sometimes you got to walk that walk on your own. We went from colleagues, to friends, to brothers while all the while making history."

Westbrook made a strong contribution for the Lakers, coming off the bench for the second straight game and playing 32 minutes with 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as the Lakers won 121-110 over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday to end their five-game losing run.

The 2017 MVP shot six-of-12 from the field including two three-pointers, while he was perfect with four-of-four from the free-throw line.

Westbrook's new role under Ham, who took over from Frank Vogel in the off-season, comes after the point guard was the subject of widespread criticism for the Lakers missing the playoffs in his first year at the franchise last season.

"I'm so happy for him," Ham told reporters. "Last couple of games, Minnesota and tonight, he's been phenomenal. Nothing short of amazing. But I'm so happy. I can't even imagine what that kid is going through.

"One of the biggest things about me getting this job was for him to get that respect that he deserved because a lot of what went on last year was not his fault.

"And everything, all the blame was placed on him. I told him, 'man, just listen to me, believe in me bro. I'm gonna put you in a position to succeed with the group, but you have to put the group first. I can't be about me or I or mine. It's got to be us, ours, we'. And he's done that."

Westbrook, who had 18 points and eight rebounds against the Timberwolves on Friday, may not have started on Sunday but he played a key role down the stretch, with a lay-up and two free-throws in the final two minutes.

"Like I've mentioned since day one, whatever is needed from me to help the team win, that’s what I'll do," Westbrook said.

The win improved the Lakers, who were the last winless team in the NBA, to 1-5 having missed the playoffs last season with a 33-49 record.

"I just think guys got tired of going through the same motions through the last four, five games where we've been highly competitive," Ham said. "I saw a different type of focus… It's a part of the process.

"Tonight we needed to prove something to ourselves, not the world, not to the media. That felt great how we responded throughout the game."

LeBron James top scored with 26 points, while power forward Anthony Davis was exceptional with 23 points and 15 rebounds but appeared to labor with a back issue.

"It's day by day," Davis said. "One day I feel great, the next day [I don't]. Just try to manage it and keep getting treatment. I'm not going to let that stop me."

James finished with 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists after playing exclusively at center in the second half of Friday's 116-105 win over the Orlando Magic.

The four-time MVP was moved into Dwight Howard's role after half-time with the Lakers immediately going on a decisive 20-2 to overcome their 62-54 deficit.

"He's the most unique player in the history of the game," Vogel told reporters about James.

"We won a championship with him playing point guard two years ago, he's been a ball-handling wing throughout his career and he's been playing center for us.

"It's pretty remarkable, and for him to be doing it at this stage of his career, it's even more remarkable."

Vogel also praised Russell Westbrook who was benched in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's 111-104 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Westbrook, who joined the Lakers from the Washington Wizards in the off-season, has been the subject of much criticism this season.

The 33-year-old Lakers point guard had 18 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists against the Magic.

“He’s all-in on doing whatever is necessary to get the Lakers in position to win a championship, for sure," Vogel said.

Westbrook added: “I was upset about [being benched on Wednesday] and I was more upset that we didn’t win the game.

"I’ve been here doing my job since day one and doing everything asked of me. I want to continue to do that for the betterment of the team."

Vogel also added that there was no firm timeframe on All-Star forward Anthony Davis' return from a knee injury.

James has scored 25 or more points in 16 consecutive games, which have all coincided with Davis' stint on the sidelines.