The Denver Nuggets ended the Los Angeles Lakers' winning streak in the NBA, while the Milwaukee Bucks slipped to another loss.
Inspired by a Nikola Jokic triple-double of 23 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists, the Nuggets snapped the Lakers' seven-game winning streak with a 122-105 victory on Sunday.
Jamal Murray had a game-high 25 points for the Nuggets (15-11).
LeBron James managed 22 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Lakers, who saw Anthony Davis (15 points in 14 minutes) suffer an Achilles strain.
The Bucks' losing run continued with a 114-109 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with a triple-double of 24 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists, but the Bucks were beaten.
Antetokounmpo has 100 points, 43 rebounds and 21 assists over the past three games, yet Milwaukee have lost all three.
He joined Russell Westbrook (November 2016) as the only players in the past 30 years to have 100-40-20 over a three-game span but lose all three.
Lillard lifts Trail Blazers, Towns shines
Damian Lillard scored 34 points and had 11 assists to see the Portland Trail Blazers end the Dallas Mavericks' four-game winning streak with a 121-118 success.
Luka Doncic led the Mavs with 44 points and nine assists, but he missed a jump shot that would have brough Dallas level with five seconds remaining.
Karl-Anthony Towns' double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds helped the Minnesota Timberwolves overcome the Toronto Raptors 116-112.
The Washington Wizards upset the Boston Celtics 104-91 on the back of 35 points from Bradley Beal.
Lou Williams posted 30 points and 10 assists in the Los Angeles Clippers' 128-111 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Celtics' slump continues
The loss marked Boston's 10th in their past 15 games. Star Jayson Tatum in particular struggled, going three-of-14 from the field for six points in 23 minutes.
Dynamic Doncic
Doncic hit an incredible three-pointer in the Mavericks' loss. He was five-of-eight from three-point range.
Sunday's results
Washington Wizards 104-91 Boston Celtics
Detroit Pistons 123-112 New Orleans Pelicans
Minnesota Timberwolves 116-112 Toronto Raptors
San Antonio Spurs 122-110 Charlotte Hornets
Portland Trail Blazers 121-118 Dallas Mavericks
Oklahoma City Thunder 114-109 Milwaukee Bucks
Phoenix Suns 109-90 Orlando Magic
Memphis Grizzlies 124-110 Sacramento Kings
Los Angeles Clippers 128-111 Cleveland Cavaliers
Denver Nuggets 122-105 Los Angeles Lakers
76ers at Jazz
The teams leading their respective conferences meet on Monday. The Utah Jazz (22-5) are on a seven-game winning streak ahead of hosting the Philadelphia 76ers (18-9).
Kemba Walker is confident the Boston Celtics will overcome their form slump after falling to another loss on Sunday.
The Celtics suffered their 10th loss in their past 15 games with a 104-91 defeat to the Washington Wizards.
Walker, who posted 25 points in the loss, was upbeat about the Celtics' chances of turning their season around.
"We've got to change some things, and we will. We will," Walker said.
"I'm very confident that we will change things and we will continue to get better. It'll change because it's not a great feeling the way we're playing. It can't get no worse than this. We're going to fix it."
Jaylen Brown also posted 25 points, but Jayson Tatum struggled, going three-of-14 from the field for just six points in 23 minutes.
Walker said the Celtics, who are now 13-13, would work together, with their next outing coming against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.
"Teams go through adversity every single year at some point in the season," he said.
"It's all about how you overcome it. The only way you can overcome adversity is by doing it as a whole, doing it together. And that we will do."
Kevin Durant was grateful for the warm reception and tribute video upon his first return to the Golden State Warriors as he led the Brooklyn Nets to a 134-117 win on Saturday.
Durant spent three seasons with the Warriors, winning two NBA Championships and was named Finals MVP twice.
He was absent last season after undergoing surgery on a torn Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, and then opted to leave as a free agent in July that year.
Saturday's contest was his first return to face the Warriors after sitting out 2019-20, and he went on to play an important role with 20 points, second only to Kyrie Irving (23) on the Nets' side.
Durant was impressed with the focus the Nets displayed, but he went on to revel in the tribute and reception afforded to him by his former team.
"We came out and played a great game," Durant said afterwards. "We were focused from this morning in shootaround, and it was a good vibe all day.
"The tribute video was cool. I think about those moments daily. Every single moment that I have had in this league, I think about it and try to analyse it and get better.
"My time here in Golden State was so much fun. It was such a big learning experience, especially learning basketball in a different philosophy. I'm going take to that with me for the rest of my life."
Warriors coach Steve Kerr was in charge throughout Durant's three-year spell in the Bay Area and felt the tribute video was the least they could do, and a similar acknowledgement will take place once fans are allowed back in attendance.
"This is something that is such a no-brainer," Kerr said. "When Kevin came here and gave us three years of just incredible basketball, the least we could do is welcome him back with open arms.
"He's a guy that gave everything to us for three years then left with a devastating injury. There should be a lot of love, he did so much for us.''
Victory leaves the Nets third in the Eastern Conference.
James Harden has apologised for the "drama" surrounding his exit from the Houston Rockets and wishes his trade to the Brookyln Nets could have been a smoother process.
Former NBA MVP Harden was moved to the Nets one month ago after playing more than eight seasons with Houston.
He joined Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in a star-studded roster, having played eight games early in the season with the Rockets.
Harden's desire to seek a trade had been public knowledge since the offseason but a drawn-out process followed until the 31-year-old was traded after a 17-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
After that game Harden called the situation "crazy" and "something that I don't think can be fixed".
Harden was happy the Rockets ultimately granted his wish to move to Brooklyn, but regrets the acrimonious nature of his departure.
"Apologise for how it went down, but I guess I had to do what I had to do in order to get to where I wanted to go," Harden said to ESPN.
"And credit to Houston, they didn't necessarily have to trade me to Brooklyn. They could have traded me anywhere, but those are some stand-up guys over there.
"And it ended up the right way, but just didn't like how that month or two played out."
Harden insists the circumstances of the weeks leading up to his Rockets exit did not provide a fair reflection of his character.
He added: "I don't like it at all because that's not who I am. The drama, the extra whatever you want to call it, the negativity for me.
"I don't really like negative energy. That's draining. So I don't like how it necessarily happened.
"The front office knew where I stood and what I wanted. I feel like it could have happened a lot smoother, a lot easier, but it is what it is."
The Nets are 15-12, third in the Eastern Conference, ahead of Saturday's big game at the Golden State Warriors (14-12).
Harden leads the league with 11.0 assists per game in 2020-21, though his scoring average sits at 23.9 points, lower than what he recorded in any of his full seasons with the Rockets.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was full of admiration for the Utah Jazz after his Milwaukee Bucks were on the end of a 129-115 loss to the Western Conference leaders.
The Jazz improved to 21-5 as four players racked up 25 points or more for the first time in franchise history, with Rudy Gobert (27 points), Joe Ingles (27), Donovan Mitchell (26) and Jordan Clarkson (25) all hitting the mark.
It represents a sixth win on the bounce for the impressive Jazz, whose 26-game record is the best in their history.
For his part, Antetokounmpo contributed 29 points and 15 rebounds, but Milwaukee (16-10) slipped to back-to-back defeats.
However, the 26-year-old insisted there was no shame in losing to the best team in the Western Conference, showering his opponents with praise in the process.
"It's okay, it's nothing to be upset about. It will be hard, especially when you play the best team in the West," Antetokounmpo said.
"They're moving the ball, they're fighting, they play for one another, they know their role.
"Whatever they do, they are doing it hard.
"It just looks fun. Like when I watch them play, it looks fun, it looks easy, it looks simple.
"For sure, they look like us last year, and man, when you're at that point and you're playing with that confidence, you're hard to beat for sure."
Kevin Durant will make a long-awaited return to the Bay Area on Saturday as the Brooklyn Nets visit the Golden State Warriors in a mouth-watering NBA clash at Chase Center.
It is a game that pits the league's newest 'big three' (Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden) against a Warriors team led by Stephen Curry, whose incredible performances this season merit MVP votes.
But more significantly it is Durant's first road game against the Warriors since leaving them to join the Nets after the 2018-19 season that ended with Golden State losing the NBA Finals to the Toronto Raptors in a series that saw the 2014 MVP suffer an Achilles injury.
Having missed the last three games because of coronavirus contact tracing protocols, Durant has been cleared and will face the team with whom he won two NBA titles and two Finals MVPs, though Curry does not expect his former team-mate to treat the contest any differently.
Reflecting on Durant's time with the Warriors, Curry told a media conference: "Two championships, an unfortunate ending with injuries and not getting it done in the 2019 Finals, but it was some of the best basketball the world has ever seen.
"The ability to put that much talent and experience together and make it work, there was no guarantee it was going to work, and we figured it out and it was an amazing run."
Asked about the emotions of his return, Curry added: "Honestly, I don't know how special it'll be because it's not at Oracle [Arena] and there's no fans, so it's kind of weird that whole vibe.
"We've got a tribute video which he deserves, and hopefully it'll be a moment that he'll appreciate. But outside of that it is kind of weird to be honest, in terms of all the things that have changed since 18-19.
"If you ask him how he feels he'll probably say it's another game and I'm sure that's how it will be once the ball drops on Saturday."
TOP PERFORMERS
Stephen Curry - Golden State Warriors
Curry has bounced back from a 2019-20 season lost to injury in utterly remarkable form.
He is averaging 30 points a game, the only other season in which he has done so was in 2015-16, when he was named the league MVP in a unanimous vote.
Curry is shooting 43.5 per cent from beyond the arc, having made 10 threes in Thursday's win over the Orlando Magic, which he finished with 40 points.
That his tally against the Magic was not close to his season-high is indicative of the level at which he is playing.
The six-time All-Star has a 62-point game and a 57-point game this season, and has topped 30 points on 10 other occasions. Curry is back, and he's back to his best.
James Harden - Brooklyn Nets
Harden may not be scoring at the same level as Curry but his impact this season is undoubted.
The former Houston Rockets star is sixth in the NBA in PAR (Points + Assists + Rebounds) per game with 41.8, so far justifying the Nets' blockbuster trade for his services.
He started the month with his fourth triple-double of the season against the Los Angeles Clippers and has four successive double-doubles since.
Whether it's as a scorer, facilitator or rebounder, the Warriors will have to do all they can to limit Harden's influence.
KEY BATTLE: CAN DRAYMOND STOP DURANT?
With the Warriors still without rookie center James Wiseman because of a wrist injury and DeAndre Jordan out for the Nets, Durant may have to matchup with Draymond Green at center.
In the absence of Wiseman, the Warriors have had to turn to small ball and play Green at the five, and his clash with Durant promises to be a feisty one, given they weren't afraid to get in each other's faces as team-mates.
One of Green's tasks will be to stop Durant from getting into the paint consistently. That is no easy feat, but the Warriors have had success stopping teams in that regard this season.
Their 43.5 points in the paint allowed per game are the sixth-fewest in the NBA. If Green and the Warriors can limit Durant's opportunities to get to the hoop, they will have a much better shot of pulling off the upset.
HEAD TO HEAD
Durant and Irving inspired the Nets to a blowout win over the Warriors to start the new season.
The Nets emerged 125-99 victors, Durant scoring 22 points and leading Brooklyn with a plus-minus rating of plus 26.
That game was illustrative of the massive changes both teams have undergone. It was Brooklyn's second successive win over the Warriors but they had lost their previous eight meetings with one of most dominant teams in NBA history.
The Utah Jazz continued their impressive NBA run with a win over the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Los Angeles Lakers extended their own streak.
The Western Conference-leading Jazz improved to 21-5 courtesy of a 129-115 victory over the Bucks on Friday.
Rudy Gobert (27 points), Joe Ingles (27), Donovan Mitchell (26) and Jordan Clarkson (25) all had 25-plus points for Utah, who have won six straight games.
Gobert also pulled down 12 rebounds in his double-double, while Ingles went seven-of-nine from three-point range, with the Jazz's 21-5 start their best 26-game record in franchise history.
Giannis Antetokounmpo starred for the Bucks with 29 points and 15 rebounds, but Milwaukee (16-10) slipped to back-to-back defeats.
The Lakers extended their winning streak to seven with a 115-105 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Anthony Davis (35 points and nine rebounds) and LeBron James (28 points, nine rebounds and eight assists) again led the way for the Lakers (21-6).
Mavs win fourth straight as Rozier shines for Hornets
The Dallas Mavericks won a fourth straight game with a 143-130 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Luka Doncic had a double-double of 46 points and 12 assists, while Kristaps Porzingis poured in 36 points. It marked the first time in NBA history a pair of foreign-born team-mates each had 35-plus points in a game, as per Stats Perform. Zion Williamson had 36 points for the Pelicans.
Terry Rozier's 41 points lifted the Charlotte Hornets past the Minnesota Timberwolves 120-114.
Kawhi Leonard posted 33 points as the Los Angeles Clippers improved to 19-8 with a 125-106 success over the Chicago Bulls.
Saddiq Bey had a double-double of 30 points and 12 rebounds in the Detroit Pistons' surprise 108-102 win against the Boston Celtics. He was the first Pistons rookie with 30-plus points and 10-plus rebounds since Grant Hill in 1995.
Misery for Wizards
The Washington Wizards dropped a second straight game, beaten by the New York Knicks 109-91. The Wizards shot at just 38.2 per cent from the field.
Porzingis in form
Porzingis went eight-of-13 from three-point range in the Mavericks' win, including hitting one from the logo.
Friday's results
Charlotte Hornets 120-114 Minnesota Timberwolves
New York Knicks 109-91 Washington Wizards
San Antonio Spurs 125-114 Atlanta Hawks
Dallas Mavericks 143-130 New Orleans Pelicans
Los Angeles Clippers 125-106 Chicago Bulls
Detroit Pistons 108-102 Boston Celtics
Denver Nuggets 97-95 Oklahoma City Thunder
Utah Jazz 129-115 Milwaukee Bucks
Los Angeles Lakers 115-105 Memphis Grizzlies
Portland Trail Blazers 129-110 Cleveland Cavaliers
Orlando Magic 123-112 Sacramento Kings
76ers at Suns
The Philadelphia 76ers (18-8) take on a Phoenix Suns (15-9) team riding a four-game winning streak on Saturday.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
