The Philadelphia 76ers revealed Joel Embiid missed their victory over the Brooklyn Nets with a knee injury, while the star centre will also be absent from this Sunday's clash with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Philadelphia ended a five-game losing streak with a 113-98 win at Wells Fargo Center, but did so without the services of Embiid.

The centre was not initially listed on the franchise's injury report ahead of the game, but was later added for left knee injury management, having been ruled out 30 minutes before tip-off.

"He was dealing with some swelling in his knee today, got to the arena and was ruled out," 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. "They're going to treat it all weekend, so he'll be out for Sunday as well.

"He had some swelling from the last game. It's something we knew we were going to be dealing with going into the season. They do what they can do to remove that swelling, but it just didn't feel good enough to go.

"We were pretty well aware of that not too much longer after [my pre-match] press conference that he wasn't going to be able to go tonight.

"Then, they obviously looked at it again during the game and half-time, and decided that they needed to treat it this weekend, and go from there.

"Hopefully, on Monday, we'll give you an update on where we're at and, hopefully, he'll be in good shape."

In Embiid's absence, rookie guard Jared McCain stepped up to produce another impressive performance with 30 points, passing the 20-mark for a seventh successive game.

The 20-year-old was heard saying "I'm rookie of the year!" after shooting one of his six three-pointers during the final quarter.

"I did say that," he said after the game. "It was pretty clear. It's one of my goals for the season, obviously, but it was just that competitiveness coming out of me.

"I respect every other rookie in this league, but obviously, I'm a believer in myself."

The Dallas Mavericks withstood blowing a big lead and a triple-double by Nikola Jokic in the reigning NBA MVP's return to the court to come through with a hard-earned 123-120 road win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday.

Dallas also overcame the absence of superstar Luka Doncic, out with a sprained wrist, to extend their winning streak to four games.

Naji Marshall provided the Mavs their biggest lift by recording a career-high 26 points off the bench on 11-of-15 shooting, while P.J. Washington made an impact as well with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Jokic was back after missing three games due to a personal matter and racked up 33 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists while helping Denver take a late lead in a game it trailed by 24 points in the third quarter.

The Nuggets charged back to grab a 113-108 advantage with three minutes left, but Dallas put forth a late rally of its own to move back ahead.

Washington scored five straight points to pull the Mavericks even, and Quentin Grimes hit two free throws before Washington struck again with a layup that put Dallas up 117-113 with 49.7 seconds to go.

Denver closed the gap to a point on two occasions in the final minute, but couldn't regain the lead and was dealt a third loss in four games. Washington's two free throws with 3.8 seconds remaining gave Dallas a 123-120 edge before the Nuggets turned the ball over in the last stages.

Kyrie Irving scored 13 of his 19 points during a big second quarter that helped the Mavericks build a 73-53 half-time lead after outscoring the Nuggets by a 40-22 margin for the period.

Dallas led by 19 points just over four minutes into the second half before the Nuggets reversed momentum with an 18-2 run, capped by Jokic's short jumper with 3:29 left in the third quarter, to close within 83-80.

The Mavericks moved to 2-1 in the West's Group C bracket with Friday's win, while the Nuggets fell to 1-2 in group play. 

Hobbled 76ers rally past Nets to end losing streak

Jared McCain scored 30 points and helped spark a second-half comeback that carried the injury-plagued Philadelphia 76ers to a much-needed 113-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Playing without ailing stars Joel Embiid and Paul George, Philadelphia still managed to stop a five-game losing streak and rally from a nine-point third-quarter deficit behind McCain and Tyrese Maxey. McCain had 14 fourth-quarter points and 21 in the second half, while Maxey tallied 16 of his 26 points after half-time in his second game back from a strained hamstring.

The duo went a combined 15 of 24 from the field over the final two quarters to lead the 76ers to just their third win in 15 games this season.

Embiid and George are both dealing with knee injuries and will also miss Sunday's game against George's former team, the Los Angeles Clippers.

Brooklyn lost for the sixth time in eight games despite a season-high 37 points from Cameron Johnson, who tied a career best with nine made 3-pointers in 13 attempts. 

The Nets trailed 53-50 at half-time but hit four 3-pointers during a 14-0 run that gave them a 64–55 lead three minutes into the third quarter.

Philadelphia answered shortly afterward with an 18-4 spurt, with Maxey scoring seven points during the surge, to take a 77-72 advantage later in the period.

The Nets fought back and went back ahead when Johnson's 3-pointer gave them a 90-89 edge with 7:25 left, but the 76ers responded with a 16-4 run to take the lead for good. Maxey had nine points during the flurry, with McCain adding seven.

Both teams are now 1-2 in the NBA Cup's East Group A bracket.

Warriors become first team to reach NBA Cup knockout stage

Andrew Wiggins' season-high 30 points helped the Golden State Warriors clinch a spot in the NBA Cup's knockout round by holding on for a 112-108 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Owners of the Western Conference's best record at 12-3, the Warriors moved to 3-0 in the NBA Cup's West Group C bracket to become the first team of this year's in-season tournament to advance to the knockout stage.

Stephen Curry contributed 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to Golden State's fifth win in its last six games overall.

New Orleans lost for the fourth straight time and fell to 4-13 while continuing to deal with injuries to several key players. Trey Murphy paced the depleted Pelicans with a season-high 24 points, while Jeremiah Robinson-Earl posted 19 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.

Despite their short-handed roster, the Pelicans held a 63-62 lead at half-time behind Murphy's 15 points and trailed by just one point early in the fourth quarter before the Warriors began to assume control.

Golden State briefly pulled away via a 12-3 run, capped by back-to-back baskets by Trayce Jackson-Davis, to claim a 99-89 advantage with under 6 1/2 minutes left.

The Pelicans would not go away, however, as Murphy ended an 8-2 spurt with a 3-pointer that cut the Warriors' lead to 110-108 with 14 seconds remaining.

Murphy misfired on another 3-point try in the final seconds, however, before Golden State's Draymond Green sealed the outcome by hitting two of four late free throws. 

The Dallas Mavericks withstood blowing a big lead and a triple-double by Nikola Jokić in the reigning NBA MVP's return to the court to come through with a hard-earned 123-120 road win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday.

Dallas also overcame the absence of superstar Luka Dončić, out with a sprained wrist, to extend its winning streak to four games. Naji Marshall provided the Mavs their biggest lift by recording a career-high 26 points off the bench on 11-of-15 shooting, while P.J. Washington made an impact as well with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Jokic was back after missing three games due to a personal matter and racked up 33 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists while helping Denver take a late lead in a game it trailed by 24 points in the third quarter.

The Nuggets charged back to grab a 113-108 advantage with three minutes left, but Dallas put forth a late rally of its own to move back ahead.

Washington scored five straight points to pull the Mavericks even, and Quentin Grimes hit two free throws before Washington struck again with a layup that put Dallas up 117-113 with 49.7 seconds to go.

Denver closed the gap to a point on two occasions in the final minute, but couldn't regain the lead and was dealt a third loss in four games. Washington's two free throws with 3.8 seconds remaining gave Dallas a 123-120 edge before the Nuggets turned the ball over in the last stages.

Kyrie Irving scored 13 of his 19 points during a big second quarter that helped the Mavericks build a 73-53 half-time lead after outscoring the Nuggets by a 40-22 margin for the period.

Dallas led by 19 points just over four minutes into the second half before the Nuggets reversed momentum with an 18-2 run, capped by Jokic's short jumper with 3:29 left in the third quarter, to close within 83-80.

The Mavericks moved to 2-1 in the West's Group C bracket with Friday's win, while the Nuggets fell to 1-2 in group play. 

Hobbled 76ers rally past Nets to end losing streak

Jared McCain scored 30 points and helped spark a second-half comeback that carried the injury-plagued Philadelphia 76ers to a needed 113-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Playing without ailing stars Joel Embiid and Paul George, Philadelphia still managed to stop a five-game losing streak and rally from a nine-point third-quarter deficit behind McCain and Tyrese Maxey. McCain had 14 fourth-quarter points and 21 in the second half, while Maxey tallied 16 of his 26 points after half-time in his second game back from a strained hamstring.

The duo went a combined 15 of 24 from the field over the final two quarters to lead the 76ers to just their third win in 15 games this season.

Embiid and George are both dealing with knee injuries and will also miss Sunday's game against George's former team, the Los Angeles Clippers.

Brooklyn lost for the sixth time in eight games despite a season-high 37 points from Cameron Johnson, who tied a career best with nine made 3-pointers in 13 attempts. 

The Nets trailed 53-50 at half-time but hit four 3-pointers during a 14-0 run that gave them a 64–55 lead three minutes into the third quarter.

Philadelphia answered shortly afterward with an 18-4 spurt, with Maxey scoring seven points during the surge, to take a 77-72 advantage later in the period.

The Nets fought back and went back ahead when Johnson's 3-pointer gave them a 90-89 edge with 7:25 left, but the 76ers responded with a 16-4 run to take the lead for good. Maxey had nine points during the flurry, with McCain adding seven.

Both teams are now 1-2 in the NBA Cup's East Group A bracket.

Warriors become first team to reach NBA Cup knockout stage

Andrew Wiggins' season-high 30 points helped the Golden State Warriors clinch a spot in the NBA Cup's knockout round by holding on for a 112-108 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Owners of the Western Conference's best record at 12-3, the Warriors moved to 3-0 in the NBA Cup's West Group C bracket to become the first team of this year's in-season tournament to advance to the knockout stage.

Stephen Curry contributed 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to Golden State's fifth win in its last six games overall.

New Orleans lost for the fourth straight time and fell to 4-13 while continuing to deal with injuries to several key players. Trey Murphy paced the depleted Pelicans with a season-high 24 points, while Jeremiah Robinson-Earl posted 19 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.

Despite their short-handed roster, the Pelicans held a 63-62 lead at half-time behind Murphy's 15 points and trailed by just one point early in the fourth quarter before the Warriors began to assume control.

Golden State briefly pulled away via a 12-3 run, capped by back-to-back baskets by Trayce Jackson-Davis, to claim a 99-89 advantage with under 6 1/2 minutes left.

The Pelicans would not go away, however, as Murphy ended an 8-2 spurt with a 3-pointer that cut the Warriors' lead to 110-108 with 14 seconds remaining.

Murphy misfired on another 3-point try in the final seconds, however, before Golden State's Draymond Green sealed the outcome by hitting two of four late free throws. 

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland says their unbeaten start is not a "fluke", as they extended their record to 11-0 at the start of the NBA season.

It was the first time the Cavaliers had failed to score 110 points this season, but they rallied for a 105-100 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, becoming the 12th team in NBA history to start a season 11-0.

Garland scored eight of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, which Cleveland started by trailing, but they dug deep to ensure their perfect record stayed intact.

The Cavaliers are now just two victories away from matching the longest streak in franchise history, having won 13 in a row three times, most recently in 2017.

And Garland believes they have proven that they are among the contenders in the NBA this season.

"I don't think this is just any old fluke," he said after the game. "We played some really good teams out of these 11 games, and we had some great challenges.

"I think we have a really good chance at being one of those contenders for sure."

With the team trailing 82-68 late in the third quarter, coach Kenny Atkinson made the bold decision, choosing to bench Jarrett Allen for the final quarter and moving Evan Mobley to centre.

In the end, it worked. Mobley finished with 23 points and 16 rebounds, with Atkinson praising his performance.

"He [Mobley] was phenomenal," Atkinson said. "Those three or four stops we needed at the end of the game, he got caught on a switch and Cam [Thomas] tried to shoot it over him.

"He's just too long. He had the big block on the last play, and he rebounded the heck out of the ball."

The Golden State Warriors hold the league record for winning their first 24 games in 2015-16, and Atkinson admitted that the prospect of losing their winning streak did play on his mind.

"You're thinking about it," he added.

"Normally, this is 11 games in. You're not thinking about a streak, but then you're like, man, I don't want it to end this way.

"We're competing. We're trying to win every game, but it's kind of weirdly in the back of your mind when you're out there competing. Like man, we got to keep this thing going."

The Cavaliers face the Chicago Bulls in their next match on Monday. 

J.B. Bickerstaff believes the Detroit Pistons are "getting better at everything" after bouncing back to beat the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.

The Pistons suffered a heavy defeat to the New York Knicks on Friday but made it two wins from three with their 106-92 victory over the Nets after they lost their opening four games of the NBA season.

Detroit finished with six players on double figures, with Cade Cunningham leading the charge with 19 points. It was the second time this season they have had that many players score 13 points or more in a single game, after doing it just once last term.

And while their attack was impressive, they also held the Nets to just 15 points in the fourth quarter, showing a vast improvement to their defense.

Bickerstaff was impressed with how his team have grown already since the start of the season.

"The guys did a great job of bouncing back," Bickerstaff said. "The conversation around the group has been to be better than we were the other night.

"Every single night we step on the floor, we aim to improve. The guys, just from a grit standpoint, how hard they played and how they shared the ball, it was unbelievable.

"We're getting better at everything. I feel our guys have embraced the system. They're really competing on that end of the floor. Individually, everybody's taking the challenge.

"There are still small things systematically, we're going to continue to improve on things. I'm learning what guys are capable of, but guys' willingness to take the challenge has given us an opportunity to put ourselves in a position that now we have a foundation of that, and we can grow from there."

Malik Beasley, who was another to finish on double figures as he scored 18 points, including two critical 3-point shots, believes their more proactive approach to defending pushed them towards the win.

"We started the game physical," Beasley said. "Last game, New York came out and just got whatever they wanted to get to.

"We made a point today to be physical and if we get fouls called early, it is what it is. We need to be known for a grit team, the Bad Boys, that whole thing. We did that [on Sunday]."

The Pistons are in action again on Monday when they face the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Nikola Jokic was in jubilant mood after inspiring the Denver Nuggets' second straight overtime win in the NBA this season.

Coming off the back of an overtime victory against the Toronto Raptors at the Scotiabank Arena, the Nuggets did it again to beat the Brooklyn Nets 144-139 on Tuesday.

Jokic's display saw him become the first player with multiple triple-doubles and multiple 40-point games within his first four matches of a season in NBA history. 

The Serbian finished the game with 29 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists but, when speaking to local TV after the game, said that he was just happy to win.

"We were fighting," he said, when asked about how they ground out the victory.

"We're still not playing the way we're supposed to play, but we're finding a way to win games.

"I think that's the most important thing right now, just to find a way to win a game."

While Jokic made a triple-double, he was one of four players on the Nuggets roster who finished with 20 points or more and one of six who got into double figures.

One of those was Russell Westbrook, who made 22 points in 21 minutes on the court.

"Russ was really amazing, in the third or fourth quarter, I don't know, he kept us in the game. 

"He was really good, pushing the pace and made a couple of shots, he was really good today.

"We shared the ball, we found the open guys and that's how we scored a lot."

Westbrook is a relatively new arrival at the Nuggets, having only joined the team in July from the Los Angeles Clippers.

But according to Jokic, he has been a welcome addition to the roster.

"He's always talking, he's always lifting the guys up, he's always pushing the guys. He's a really good teammate and it's good to have him on our team."

Jordi Fernandez labelled his first NBA triumph as "special" after watching his Brooklyn Nets side upset Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks 115-102 on Sunday.

Fernandez's team outworked the Bucks for four quarters, forcing 18 turnovers and grabbing 12 offensive rebounds while attempting 17 more field goals than their opponents.

Cam Thomas and Dennis Schroder starred in the victory, scoring 61 points between them, handing the rookie head coach a maiden win at the third attempt. 

Fernandez is the first Spanish-born head coach in NBA history, with the result marking the end of a 15-year journey through the ranks. 

He started with the Canton Charge in the G League, then becoming an assistant for both the Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings before his move to the Nets in April. 

"It's very special to come all the way from starting from the bottom in the NBA, and working really hard and move up, and move up, and some good moments, some tough moments, different teams, friends, memories," Fernandez said.

"And it's really cool now you look and you have to enjoy this moment because there's only one time that you're a head coach and win a game.

"On the other end, I also feel like, what's the next step? And we've got to move on to the next thing and I want to be in this league, I want to be with this club for a long time."

The New York Knicks have agreed to a trade that would have coveted forward Mikal Bridges playing in Madison Square Garden next season, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.

The Knicks reportedly acquired Bridges for a king’s ransom, with Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round draft picks and a protected first-round pick via the Milwaukee Bucks headed to the Brooklyn Nets in return.

News of the trade broke a day before the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, as the Knicks continued to add talent around All-NBA Second Team guard Jalen Brunson.

Bridges, 27, has two seasons left on the four-year, $90.9million rookie extension he signed when he was with the Phoenix Suns, and the Nets reportedly feared that he may leave for nothing if he reached free agency.

A six-year veteran, Bridges averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 82 games last season in Brooklyn.

Bridges will reunite with former college teammates in Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart as the Knicks continue to build a Villanova alumni club in their locker room.

A versatile two-way threat, Bridges is expected to bring secondary scoring and ball-handling on offence and could see plenty of open 3-point looks with defenses focusing on Brunson and Julius Randle.

Bridges is also the NBA’s active Iron Man with 474 consecutive games played, a welcome addition for a Knicks team that was devastated by injuries down the stretch last season.

The trade is not without risk for the Knicks, however.

In addition to the vast amount of draft capital sent to the Nets, Bridges’ addition casts doubt on New York’s ability to retain both OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein, who will be free agents on June 30.

Bridges is able to easily swing between guard and forward positions, but a frontcourt that included Randle, Anunoby, Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson could be too crowded.

The Knicks gave up talented pieces in RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to acquire Anunoby at last season’s deadline, but his skill-set could be somewhat redundant with Bridges on the roster.

If Knicks president Leon Rose is able to keep even one of Anunoby or Hartenstein, however, New York will add talent and depth to a team that won 50 games last season and broke down in the playoffs only after several key injuries.

The Nets will almost certainly take a step back after losing last season’s leading scorer, but the trade helps replenish the franchise’s arsenal of future assets that was diminished by acquiring James Harden in 2021.

With early reports touting the 2025 draft class as deep in high-level talent, Brooklyn turned its focus away from the 2024-25 season and toward the future.

LeBron James suggested he is still not respected by some opponents after matching a Michael Jordan achievement with a 40-point showing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 20-time NBA All-Star registered a career-high nine 3-pointers in the Lakers' 116-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Sunday.

That helped James to equal Jordan in becoming the only two NBA players ever to record multiple games of 40-or-more points after turning 39.

James, who went 13-for-17 from the floor and 9-for-10 from deep, felt he proved a point with his performance against the Nets.

"I don't ever have to lean on [3-pointers] because I can do so much," said James, whose 3-point percentage of 41.6 per cent for the season is the best of his career.

"I can score on any level on the floor basically once I cross half court. But being able to have a growth mindset and be able to work on things that the league is changing to, the league is a heavy 3-point shooting league.

"I'm not one of those guys that wants to go out there and shoot 12, 14 or 15 3s per game. But I want to be respected, and teams have to play me from the outside. 

"That's still kind of one thing teams think. 'If we have to give up something, we'd much rather him shoot the ball from the outside'."

James has been nursing an ankle issue for much of this season, but he showed no signs of being below full fitness against the Nets.

"My foot has felt a lot better," James said. "I didn't have much time to really rep a lot last year because I had to make sure I could be on the floor running around or [not] putting much pounding of my foot on the floor. 

"I've had a lot of opportunity to get on the floor. You probably see me before every game out on the floor, working on my game, working on my craft. That's helped out a lot, too. 

"And just trying to stay consistent with my shot, do the same shot every time. And just work. Just work, work, work, work."

James scored 17 of his points in the fourth quarter as he helped the Lakers get over the line after their lead was reduced from 26 points to just eight at one point.

"It's incredible," coach Darvin Ham said. "I told him in the huddle before his last little stretch and we ultimately subbed him out that I was just extremely thankful that he packed the cape on the road trip. We needed all nine of those 3s."

Los Angeles have now won six of their last seven and are 42-33 for the season, placing them ninth in the Western Conference with seven regular-season games to go.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is aiming to control the controllables after he returned to action with a 21-point haul in Thursday's win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Antetokounmpo had missed the Milwaukee Bucks' win over the Phoenix Suns and their defeat to the Boston Celtics with a hamstring issue.

But the two-time NBA MVP wasted little time in getting back to form, finishing with 21 points, nine rebounds and five assists in a 115-108 victory over the Nets.

"You try to control what you can control," Antetokounmpo said.

"Things like this [injury] are going to pop up now and then.

"Kind of unexpected, but at the end of the day, these are the cards you've been dealt, and you just have to keep on figuring it out, keep on playing through pain, playing through adversity."

Damian Lillard, meanwhile, recorded at least 30 points for a third straight game for the Bucks, as he finished with 30 points and 12 assists.

However, his most important plays were arguably late steals that helped Milwaukee, who occupy second in the Eastern Conference, seal the win.

Lillard said: "I think in my career, I haven't been known as a defender, but down the stretch of games, I've always been able to have a moment or do what I needed to do at the end of the game defensively."

Bucks coach Doc Rivers was effusive in his praise of Lillard, saying: "Dame defensively was phenomenal, all game.

"He's a very competitive guy, and you could see that."

Rivers also explained his decision to give Khris Middleton a rest, after he had played two straight games after missing 16 due to an ankle issue.

"He's been out all these games, and he's playing great," Rivers said. "We just want to keep him where he's at."

The Nets, meanwhile, have now lost five straight games and sit out of the playoff picture in the East as it stands.

Interim coach Kevin Ollie was able to take the positives, however.

"We didn't get a win, but I really believe that we grew tonight," he said.

"That's the message I've been telling them since I took over. I just want them to grow."

For the third time in as many years with the Brooklyn Nets, Ben Simmons will miss the rest of the season with a back injury.

The Nets announced on Thursday that the former All-Star won't play again this season as he attempts to treat his ailing back.

"Ben Simmons will remain out for the remainder of the season while he consults with specialists and explores treatment options for the nerve impingement in his lower back," the team said in a statement. "Simmons, along with his representatives and Nets medical personnel, are currently in discussions with numerous experts to determine the course of action that will provide him with the best opportunity for long-term sustainable health."

Simmons has missed Brooklyn's last five games because of the injured back, as well as a 38-game stretch earlier this season for the same injury.

In all, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 NBA draft appeared in just 15 games this season, with averages of 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

Acquired by the Nets from the Philadelphia 76ers at the trade deadline in 2022, Simmons has yet to finish a season with Brooklyn.

He missed the entire 2021-22 season, and then sat out 40 games last season.

A foot injury also forced him to miss his entire rookie season, but he was able to recover and quickly showed why the Sixers drafted him first overall.

Over the next four seasons, he averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists while playing in an average of 68.75 games per season.

He was the Rookie of the Year in 2017-18, a three-time All-Star and a two-time All-Defensive team selection before injuries derailed his career.

Under his contract, which expires after next season, he made $37.9million this season and is due to make $40.3million in 2024-25.

The Minnesota Timberwolves "needed a win desperately", according to head coach Chris Finch, whose team beat the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.

Minnesota came out on top 101-86 to claim a fifth win in the space of six games, bouncing back from a defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks last time out.

The Timberwolves are now clear at the top of the Western Conference with a 40-17 record, one win better than the 39-17 Oklahoma City Thunder.

But coach Finch said his team "desperately" needed a victory.

"We needed a win desperately," Finch said. "Still not playing really sharp basketball, particularly on the offensive end. But defensively, we were really strong."

Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 29 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 28 to Milwaukee's total.

"It was ugly, sloppy. I think by both teams, actually," said Timberwolves center Naz Reid.

"But we [were] able to buckle down in the last quarter and handle business."

The Nets dismissed coach Jacques Vaughn over the All-Star break, though are now 0-2 under interim Kevin Ollie.

"I thought we did a great job coming together as a team and facing adversity," Ollie said. "But we've got to make shots."

Sean Marks says the Brooklyn Nets must improve their "level of compete" after head coach Jacque Vaughn was fired.

Vaughn was dismissed on Monday after the Nets lost 136-86 to the Boston Celtics last week, leaving Brooklyn at 21-33 and 11th in the Eastern Conference heading into the All-Star break.

The Nets had made the postseason in the last five seasons, but a 6-18 run has left the team with it all to do if they are to keep their playoff streak going.

Nets general manager Sean Marks pointed to a perceived lack of effort as one area that must be fixed by the new head coach.

"It's about the level of compete," Marks told reporters. "We're not going to be the most talented team in the league. I'm not an idiot. I totally understand that.

"But at the same time, this is a talented group of young men out there. And my expectations, and I think their expectations, should be to hold each other accountable to do the little things. The effort plays, the loose balls, the contested shots and so forth, diving on the floor.

"These are things that should be expected when you're in a place that we're at right now, where we're clawing and grappling for every single thing we can. That's what I would hope to see over these next 28 games, and that's probably, to be quite frank, some things I haven't seen. The level of effort and the level of compete has not always been there."

Many pointed to the Nets' 144-122 defeat against the Milwaukee Bucks as the reason for Vaughn's firing. The Nets were fined $100,000 for violating the NBA's player participation policy after choosing to both rest and sit a number of key players.

However, Marks said the Bucks drubbing was not the reason for Vaughn's exit, commenting: "I don't think we lost the team that day.

"I appreciate the fact that players want to play. They want to play night in and night out.

"Again, I don't think there was one decision that ultimately affected the record or [making] this decision this day. I think a lot of things went into that."

Kyrie Irving described himself as "at peace" over his time with the Nets after scoring 36 points in a stellar return to Brooklyn as the Dallas Mavericks won 119-107 on Tuesday.

Irving, acquired from the Nets exactly one year ago, shot 15 of 24 from the field, was 4 of 11 on 3-pointers and handed out five assists.

Luka Doncic fell just short of a 10th triple-double this season with 35 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists.

Dallas improved to 28-23 with its second straight win before Thursday's road game in New York.

After the win, Irving faced a string of questions over his time spent with the Nets, with his return coming after Kevin Durant also made a winning return to Brooklyn last week.

"I don’t think about it too often now, I’m pretty much at peace with what happened and the time I spent here," said Irving.

"I wish a lot of the guys well. Obviously, it was emotional and you could see my emotions running on out there but after that, I was just pretty much focused on winning the basketball game.

"It was just like any other basketball game, but it felt like I was home."

Pressed on his Brooklyn exit after impressing in his second game back after missing six with a sprained right thumb, Irving added: "It was time to get my own peace of mind and go somewhere where I was able to thrive.

"I did not want to be in a situation where I didn't have to worry about behind-the-back talk or the media talk or not knowing how to handle real-life circumstances that has nothing to do with the game of basketball. 

"While I was here, I learned a lot of lessons. I've made my peace again and I just want to move forward."

The Nets only won one playoff series with Durant and Irving, who spent three-and-a-half years in Brooklyn.

However, they almost defeated the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2021, a battle that took place while James Harden and Irving were both short of full fitness.

Irving said: "Things could have changed, and you look back at the past and you have 20-20 vision then this could've gone right or if this would've happened…

"If I didn't get injured versus the Bucks, do I still ask for a trade? If KD's foot wasn't on the 3-point line, are we talking about a different legacy here? If James doesn't ask for a trade – all of the woulda, coulda, shoulda, wouldas.

"Everything that I've learned about myself has come from being in the city and being in Jersey. It was a childhood dream to play for the Nets.

"Obviously I fell short in terms of the championship aspirations, but for me, I think it was bigger than a championship here.

"I had to really take some moral stances. There were some political things that were going on here as well and there were some things that I did on my accord that I look back on and they were mistakes. And I have to be accountable for those things. 

"I'm not perfect. But one thing I can say is I've been able to learn from things and continue to push forward."

Mikal Bridges scored 28 points and Royce O’Neal added 18 for Brooklyn, which cut a 23-point deficit to 107-101 with roughly five minutes left before Irving hit two straight 3s for a 113-101 advantage.

The Mavericks are eighth in the highly competitive Western Conference standings.

Irving added: "Hopefully after this night, we can just put that to rest, just move forward and I can look forward to the rest of my career and just handle it in Dallas and going after my second championship."

Kyrie Irving scored 36 points in a stellar return to Brooklyn and Luka Doncic fell just short of a triple-double in the Dallas Mavericks’ 119-107 win over the Nets on Tuesday.

Irving, acquired from the Nets exactly one year ago, shot 15 of 24 from the field, was 4 of 11 on 3-pointers and handed out five assists in his second game back after missing six with a sprained right thumb.

Doncic had 35 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists to come up short for his 10th triple-double of the season.

Mikal Bridges scored 28 points and Royce O’Neal added 18 for Brooklyn, which cut a 23-point deficit to 107-101 with roughly five minutes left before Irving hit two straight 3s for a 113-101 advantage.

Brunson hurts ankle in Knicks’ win

Jalen Brunson had 27 points and eight assists before leaving with an ankle injury and Donte DiVincenzo had 32 points as the New York Knicks held off the Memphis Grizzlies, 123-113.

Brunson appeared to injure his ankle when he was fouled by G.G. Jackson with 5:31 remaining. The Knicks did not have an update postgame.

Isaiah Hartenstein had 17 points and eight rebounds and Precious Achiuwa added 17 as the Knicks won for the 10th time in 11 games to move to 16-3 in their last 19.

Vince Williams Jr. led seven players in double figures with 19 points, but Memphis lost its sixth straight game to match a season high.

Suns’ star trio delivers in win

Devin Booker scored 32 points and Kevin Durant had 28 and 10 rebounds as the Phoenix Suns pushed past the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks, 114-106.

Bradley Beal added 25 points and 10 rebounds and Jusuf Nurkic had 10 points with 10 boards as the Suns won their third in four games despite missing 20 of 28 from 3-point range.

Giannis Antetokoumpo led Milwaukee with 34 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but the Bucks dropped to 1-4 since hiring coach Doc Rivers.

Damian Lillard missed the game with a sprained ankle and starting center Brook Lopez was out for personal reasons. Forward Khris Middleton left in the first quarter with a sprained ankle.