Kevin Durant registered a career-high 16 assists to go with 27 points and 10 rebounds in his 18th career triple-double on Wednesday, leading the Phoenix Suns to a 129-113 win over the Houston Rockets.

Durant shot 9 of 16 from the field and 3 of 7 from 3-point range as Phoenix snapped a three-game losing streak with it first road victory since Nov. 26.

Eric Gordon also scored 27 points in his first game back in Houston since being traded in February. He had 17 points in the Suns’ 43-point second quarter.

Alperen Sengun had 24 points and Jalen Green added 23 for the Rockets, who have lost four of six following a five-game winning streak.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams help Thunder win

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams scored 36 points apiece and Williams sank a pair of key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 129-120 victory over the New York Knicks.

Chet Holmgren added 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting as the Thunder followed Tuesday’s triumph over Western Conference-leading Minnesota with their fifth win in six games.

Williams scored 17 points on 6 of 7 from the field in the fourth quarter, including eight points and two 3s during a 10-2 run after the Knicks cut their deficit to five with 4:37 remaining.

Julius Randle had 25 points and Jalen Brunson added 24 for New York, which had won three of four.

Antetokounmpo, Bucks handle undermanned Nets

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and the Milwaukee Bucks pulled away for a 144-122 win over the short-handed Brooklyn Nets.

Khris Middleton added 27 points and 10 boards and Cameron Payne and Malik Beasley each hit five 3-pointers as the Bucks improved to 10-2 this month.

Milwaukee shot 23 of 51 from 3-point range and 58.4 percent (52 for 89) overall to bounce back from a Christmas Day loss to the Knicks.

The Nets rested three starters (Spencer Dinwiddie, Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson) and barely played two others one night after a victory in Detroit extended the Pistons’ losing streak an NBA-record 27.

The Detroit Pistons etched their name into the history books Tuesday, setting the NBA single-season record with their 27th straight loss, 118-112 to the Brooklyn Nets.

Cam Johnson scored 24 points and Mikal Bridges added 21 for the Nets, who handed the Pistons their 26th consecutive loss on Saturday.

Cade Cunningham poured in 37 of his 41 points in the second half and shot 15 of 21, but Detroit broke a tie with the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers hold the overall mark at 28 straight losses, a skid that started in 2014-15 and carried over into 2015-16.

The Pistons’ next chance to end the streak is Thursday at league-leading Boston.

Cunnigham made a pair of layups to draw the Pistons within 112-110 with less than a minute remaining, but Dorian Finney-Smith sank a baseline 3-point to put the Nets up 115-110 with 38 seconds left.

Alec Burks then missed a 3-pointer and Bridges hit two free throws for a 117-110 advantage.

Grizzlies win in OT, improve to 4-0 since Morant’s return

Ja Morant scored 31 points and the Memphis Grizzlies rallied for a 116-115 win in overtime against the New Orleans Pelicans to improve to 4-0 since he made his season debut a week earlier.

Desmond Bane scored 27 points, including a key 3-pointer in the final minute of regulation and the clinching free throw with 4 seconds left in overtime.

Jaren Jackson Jr. added 19 points, redeeming his missed free throw at the end of regulation with a pair of baskets late in OT that gave Memphis the lead for good.

Morant has averaged 28.8 points in four games since he returned from his 25-game NBA suspension after the Grizzlies were 6-19 in his absence.

Zion Williamson had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Pelicans, who also lost a double-digit, second-half lead to Memphis in the previous meeting.

Kings’ Fox scores 43 in loss to Trail Blazers

De’Aaron Fox had 43 points but it wasn’t enough as Anfernee Simons scored 29 to lift the Portland Trail Blazers to a 130-113 win over the Sacramento Kings.  

Duop Reath added a career-high 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds off the bench for the Blazers, who got 19 points from Malcolm Brogdon and 17 and 11 assists from rookie Scoot Henderson.

Fox was 16 of 26 from the field and 7 of 15 from long range while adding eight rebounds and four assists. Domantas Sabonis scored 34 points, but no other Sacramento player was in double figures.

The Detroit Pistons broke the record for the longest losing run in an NBA season as they fell to a 27th straight defeat against the Brooklyn Nets.

Having won two of their first three matches this season, the Pistons continued their losing run on Boxing Day as they went down 118-112.

They will match the overall record of 28 defeats – set by the Philadelphia 76ers across two seasons in 2015 – if they lose at the Boston Celtics, who have the NBA’s best record, on Thursday.

Beleagured Pistons fans, who have repeatedly called on owner Tom Gores to sell the team, were given hope of ending the run as they opened a 14-point lead in the first quarter.

Having surrendered that advantage to trail 61-54 at half-time, they hit back to lead 97-92 in the fourth quarter as Cade Cunningham scored 41 points.

Thirteen straight points from the Nets swung the game their way and secured the Pistons an unwanted place in the record books.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham said the team cannot keep doing the same things and expect different results after they tied the record for worst single-season losing streak in NBA history.

The Pistons suffered their 26th straight defeat on Saturday, losing 126-115 to the Brooklyn Nets in the first game of a home-and-away double-header either side of Christmas.

That saw them join the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and the 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers in losing 26 successive games within a single campaign. 

They are just two defeats away from matching the worst overall losing streak in NBA history, with the Sixers having lost 28 in a row across the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

The Pistons were in the game until the second half, when a 15-0 run from the Nets ended it as a contest. Cunningham, who finished with 22 points, said a new plan may be needed for Detroit to halt their historic slide. 

"Everybody wants to win, everybody hates losing, so it's hard," Cunningham said. "We've got to be realistic as well. 

"We can't just keep saying the same things over and over, like we'll get the next one. There has to be like a plan of action, so we're just trying to figure that out."

The defeat dropped Detroit to 2-27 with three games remaining in 2023. They will round off a miserable year against the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors after Tuesday's rematch against Brooklyn.

Head coach Monty Williams, meanwhile, is trying to remain upbeat, praising his players' resilience and outlining his confidence that an elusive win is not far away.

"Losing is awful in this league and we've had a lot of it," Williams told reporters. "I'm proud of the way they just keep battling every night.

"You have to allow people to be human but the way they come back the next day is something I am blown away at.

"I've been around a lot of teams and not many teams have that type of resiliency. 

"Our guys don't want to be a part of any kind of losing streak whatsoever, but every day they come back with focus and drive and grit trying to win a game."

The Nets improved to 14-15 with Saturday's win, with Mikal Bridges finishing with 29 points as one of seven players in double figures as they snapped their own five-game losing streak.

The Detroit Pistons lost their 26th straight game Saturday, falling 126-115 to the Brooklyn Nets to match the NBA record for longest losing streak in a season.

The Pistons joined the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and the 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers to drop to 2-27 in their first season under Monty Williams.

These teams meet again Tuesday in Detroit, with the Pistons nearing the longest overall slide in league history. The 76ers dropped 28 in a row from late in the 2014-15 season through early 2015-16.

Mikal Bridges had 29 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Nets, who had seven players in double figures to snap their five-game skid.

Jaden Ivey scored 23 points and Cade Cunningham had 22 as Detroit remained winless since October 28.

Brooklyn put the game away with a 15-0 run in the third and fourth quarters to open a 21-point lead.

Streaking Bucks handle Knicks

Giannis Antetokoumpo tallied 28 points, seven assists and seven rebounds to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to their seventh straight win, 130-111 over the New York Knicks in the opener of a two-game series.

Bobby Portis had 23 points and 11 rebounds, Khris Middleton added 20 points and Damain Lillard contributed 19 points, nine boards and seven assists to help the Bucks win their ninth game in a row against the Knicks.

The teams will meet again on Monday in front of a national TV audience.

Jalen Brunson poured in 36 points for New York after he had 45 points in a loss to Milwaukee on November 3.

The Bucks essentially put the game out of reach with an 11-0 run early in the fourth quarter, turning an 11-point lead into a 114-92 cushion on Portis’ 3-pointer with 6:29 remaining.

Doncic stars in Mavericks’ win as Wembanyama sits

Luka Doncic had 39 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to power the Dallas Mavericks to a 144-119 rout of the San Antonio Spurs, who were without rookie Victor Wembanyama.

Doncic recorded his seventh triple-double of the season and 63rd of his career in just three quarters. It was his 36th triple-double with at least 30 points, one shy of LeBron James for third on the career list.

Wembanyama did not play after the rookie stepped on a ball boy’s foot after taking a few steps following a shot before the game.

The Spurs lost their fourth straight and have dropped 22 of their last 23 games.

The Detroit Pistons lost their 26th straight game Saturday, falling 126-115 to the Brooklyn Nets to match the NBA record for longest losing streak in a season.

The Pistons joined the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and the 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers to drop to 2-27 in their first season under Monty Williams.

These teams meet again Tuesday in Detroit, with the Pistons nearing the longest overall slide in league history. The 76ers dropped 28 in a row from late in the 2014-15 season through early 2015-16.

Mikal Bridges had 29 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Nets, who had seven players in double figures to snap their five-game skid.

Jaden Ivey scored 23 points and Cade Cunningham had 22 as Detroit remained winless since Oct. 28.

Brooklyn put the game away with a 15-0 run in the third and fourth quarters to open a 21-point lead.

Streaking Bucks handle Knicks

Giannis Antetokoumpo tallied 28 points, seven assists and seven rebounds to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to their seventh straight win, 130-111 over the New York Knicks in the opener of a two-game series.

Bobby Portis had 23 points and 11 rebounds, Khris Middleton added 20 points and Damain Lillard contributed 19 points, nine boards and seven assists to help the Bucks win their ninth game in a row against the Knicks.

The teams will meet again on Monday in front of a national TV audience.

Jalen Brunson poured in 36 points for New York after he had 45 points in a loss to Milwaukee on Nov. 3.

The Bucks essentially put the game out of reach with an 11-0 run early in the fourth quarter, turning an 11-point lead into a 114-92 cushion on Portis’ 3-pointer with 6:29 remaining.

Doncic stars in Mavericks’ win as Wembanyama sits

Luka Dončić had 39 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to power the Dallas Mavericks to a 144-119 rout of the San Antonio Spurs, who were without rookie Victor Wembanyama.

Doncic recorded his seventh triple-double of the season and 63rd of his career in just three quarters. It was his 36th triple-double with at least 30 points, one shy of LeBron James for third on the career list.

Wembanyama did not play after the rookie stepped on a ball boy’s foot after taking a few steps following a shot before the game.

The Spurs lost their fourth straight and have dropped 22 of their last 23 games.

Stephen Curry "flipped the switch" as the Golden State Warriors halted their slump with a 124-120 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, with Steve Kerr admitting the two-time MVP had carried his team.

The Warriors approached their meeting with the Nets having suffered three straight defeats to slide to 10-14, while they also lost Draymond Green to an indefinite suspension this week following his third ejection of the season.

They then found themselves behind with just over nine minutes to play, but Curry scored 12 straight fourth-quarter points as he finished with 37, shooting seven-of-seven in the final period.

Klay Thompson added 24 points including two vital three-pointers in the closing stages, but for head coach Kerr, it was all about Curry's contribution.

"Steph has had to carry this team, let's be honest," Kerr said. "Then with the Draymond news, he was emotionally spent in the last few days. 

"It was a slow start tonight. Then, as he's done so often, he flipped the switch. You can kind of see when it happens right away. He was incredible.

"Steph was sublime down the stretch. That was unreal. We've seen him do this over and over again but it never ceases to amaze me, what that guy is capable of."

Looking back on Curry's explosive finish to the game, Kerr added: "That gave us confidence.

"I think that's the biggest issue when you're struggling, maybe you're a little spent. You have to find confidence. So I think Steph just infuses us with confidence."

Curry's performance came after the four-time NBA champion emerged for his warmup around two hours before tipoff, around 45 minutes earlier than his usual warm-up slot.

The 35-year-old said that was to ensure he had time to find his groove, while refusing to take all the credit for the Warriors' much-needed win.

"It was just a call of trying to get some space before the game, a little more time to get right, and it paid off," Curry said. 

"It's not just me. I can't go win a game by myself. I can play well, and I have to play well. I know that. But I don't [play] the game by myself. 

"There's definitely pressure and I live for those moments, but there are guys getting opportunities to step up. Confidence is starting to build." 

Jimmy Butler scored 18 of his 36 points in the third quarter and the Miami Heat extended the NBA’s current longest winning streak to seven games with a 122-115 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.

Duncan Robinson added 26 points and Bam Adebayo had 20 to help Miami win seven in a row for the first time since Dec. 30, 2017-Jan. 14, 2018.

The Heat dropped to 1-4 with a loss to Brooklyn on Nov. 4, but haven’t lost since and their 8-4 record ties for the fourth-best 12-game start under Erik Spoelstra.

Each win during Miami’s current streak has been by single digits. Charlotte is the only other team without a double-digit win yet.

Mikal Bridges and Lonnie Walker IV scored 23 points apiece for the Nets, which had won five straight against the Heat.

Joe perfect from deep as Thunder win

Isaiah Joe went 7 for 7 from 3-point range to score 23 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder handed the short-handed Golden State Warriors their fifth straight loss, 128-109.

Shai Gilgeous Alexander had 24 points and seven assists and Josh Giddey scored 19 to propel Oklahoma City to its fifth win in six games.

Chet Holmgren added 13 points and 10 rebounds as the Thunder defeated the Warriors for only the second time in the past 11 meetings.

Jonathan Kuminga scored 21 points for Golden State, which dropped to 1-5 at home this season.

Golden State played without Stephen Curry (right knee soreness) and Draymond Green (suspension) and guard Gary Payton II exited with a sprained left ankle in the second quarter.

Jayson Tatum found it "hard to process" the achievement of becoming the Boston Celtics' youngest player to 10,000 points in NBA history after Saturday's win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Tatum was one of five Boston players to finish with double-figure scores as the Celtics improved to 5-0 for the new season with a 124-114 win over the Nets.

Victory marked a memorable outing for 25-year-old Tatum, too, as he brought up the points landmark for the Celtics – surpassing previous record holder Antoine Walker, who was 26.

"It's kind of hard to process," Tatum said. "In the moment, it's a huge accomplishment. I'm extremely blessed to be part of such a great franchise.

"I've just been fortunate to be on some really good teams; have some really, really good coaches and obviously have some great teammates that have helped contribute to 10,000 points along the way."

Tatum is the 10th player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career points before his 26th birthday.

The Celtics star joined an illustrious list that includes LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady, Devin Booker, Bob McAdoo, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dwight Howard.

However, his record-breaking efforts came as no surprise to Boston coach Joe Mazzulla.

"He shows up to work every single day," Mazzulla said. "He puts in the work and he dedicates his life to it.

"He doesn't miss days. He doesn't miss practices, games. And just his open-mindedness and wanting to be coached and wanting to be held to a high standard.

"When you have guys like that – that you can coach – it also allows you to bring the best out of everybody else and so he's one of the guys that sets the tone for us."

The four-time All Star finished with 32 points and 11 rebounds against the Nets before acknowledging he could not have foreseen his achievements after being the number three pick in 2017.

"I was ignorant when I got drafted," added Tatum. "First of all, I didn't even want to come [to Boston] because I didn't think I was going to play.

"They had Gordon [Hayward], and JB [Jaylen Brown], and IT [Isaiah Thomas], and [Marcus] Smart; I didn't think I was good enough to be on that team.

"It's been a long process. I've had to learn through the ups and downs, through my mistakes of late-game decisions or whatever it may be; just growing pains and playing enough games, being in enough playoff series, you learn from those things."

The Boston Celtics improved their unbeaten start to eight games courtesy of a 124-114 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Despite trailing by 12 points at half-time, the Nets were able to draw back within one possession halfway through the fourth quarter.

But the Celtics were able to steady the ship late, lifted by double-doubles from Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday.

Cam Thomas top-scored for Brooklyn with 27, as the Nets dropped to three wins and three losses on the season.

A 31-point effort from Kevin Durant was not enough for the Phoenix Suns to topple the Philadelphia 76ers.

Joel Embiid and Kelly Oubre Jr combined for 51 points as the Sixers held on for a 112-100 victory – their fourth in a row.

Phoenix missed injured starters Bradley Beal and Devin Booker, with Durant the only Sun to score more than 13 points.

The Orlando Magic continued their surprise start to the season with a dominant 120-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Franz Wagner led the way for Orlando with 26 points, followed closely by Paolo Banchero with 25.

The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Indiana Pacers 125-124 to snap a three-game losing streak.

Indiana had the chance to send the game into overtime late, but Buddy Hield missed a potential game-tying free throw.

Nikola Jokic finished one assist shy of a triple-double as he led the Denver Nuggets to a 123-101 demolition of the Chicago Bulls.

There were also big wins for the Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets were among the victors as the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament began.

A last-second layup from Steph Curry was the difference for Golden State in their 141-139 group stage win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Curry finished with 30 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Lu Dort top-scored for the Thunder with 29.

It also went down to the wire in Portland, where the Trail Blazers eclipsed the Memphis Grizzlies 115-113 in overtime.

After a back-and-forth first half, neither side was able to gain much of an advantage through the final two quarters.

Shaedon Sharpe’s clutch free throws drew the Trail Blazers level with eight seconds left on the clock before he blocked Luke Kennard’s attempt from the corner on the other end to force overtime.

Both teams continued to trade baskets until Jerami Grant’s late three proved enough to get Portland across the line.

A late flurry from Damian Lillard lifted the Milwaukee Bucks over the New York Knicks 110-105.

He finished with 30 points, including two clutch threes in the dying minutes, while Giannis Antetokounmpo added 22 points and eight rebounds.

The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Chicago Bulls 109-107 on the back of 41 combined points from Dorian Finney-Smith and Mikal Bridges.

Elsewhere, the Miami Heat beat the Washington Wizards by seven points, Myles Turner scored 27 to lead the Indiana Pacers over the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-116, and the Denver Nuggets cruised past the Dallas Mavericks 125-114.

The in-season tournament sees each NBA team play a four-game group stage in November, with the group winners advancing to knockout rounds.

The winning team claims the NBA Cup, and its players earn 500,000dollars each, with the final to be played in Las Vegas on December 9.

Luka Doncic reminded the basketball world just how good he is, scoring 49 points as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 125-120.

The Slovenian superstar hit four straight three-point shots in the final quarter, adding 10 rebounds and seven assists to his mammoth scoring effort, while Nets small forward Cam Thomas had 30 points in the losing side.

French rookie Victor Wembanyama secured the first win of his NBA career in style with 21 points and 12 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Houston Rockets 126-122 in overtime.

The 19-year-old proved he is more than ready for the NBA as he hit the game-tying bucket with 20 seconds left in regulation time and added crucial baskets in overtime.

Guard Alex Caruso handed the Chicago Bulls a dramatic victory over the Toronto Raptors, 104-103, with a go-ahead three with just two seconds left of overtime.

Demar DeRozan starred for the Bulls with 18 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter while Scottie Barnes had a triple double for the Raptors with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Steph Curry exploded for the Golden State Warriors with 41 points to get the win over the Sacramento Kings 122-114.

It was the battle of the guards throughout the game with Kings guard De’Aaron Fox trying to keep up with Curry, scoring 39 points.

The Boston Celtics took out last year’s runners up the Miami Heat 119-111, taking revenge on the team who knocked them out in the Eastern Conference finals.

Derrick White starred for the Celtics with 28 points while Tyler Herro matched that for Miami.

Nikola Jokic continued his hot start to the season for the Denver Nuggets with 22 points and 12 rebounds as the NBA champions took down the Memphis Grizzlies 108-104.

The Utah Jazz upset the Los Angeles Clippers 120-118 with forward Lauri Markkanen scoring 35 points with 12 rebounds, while Paul George scored 36 points for the Clippers.

Orlando Magic beat the Portland Trail Blazers, the New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder took down the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons made easy work of the Charlotte Hornets.

Luka Doncic poured in 49 points and sank a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 26.3 seconds remaining to lift the Dallas Mavericks to a 125-120 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

Cam Thomas’ 3-pointer with 51 seconds left forged a 120-all tie but Doncic answered 25 seconds later when he banked in a 25-foot hook shot from the right sideline while tightly guarded as the shot clock was about to expire.

The Mavericks superstar shot 16 of 25 – including 9 of 14 from deep – and added 10 rebounds and seven assists.

The game was the first between the teams since the February trade that sent 10-time All-Star Kyrie Irving to Dallas in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie.

Thomas scored 30 points in his seventh career NBA start, a game after setting a league record by scoring 36 points off the bench in a season opener.

Thomas, though, missed a potential tying 3-pointer with 16 seconds left, and Josh Green sealed Dallas’ win with two free throws three seconds later.

Irving finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 19 points.

Dinwiddie had 23 points and six 3s and Mikal Bridges scored 18 for the winless Nets.

Wembanyama sparks Spurs to OT win

Victor Wembanyama had 21 points, including the tying basket with 20 seconds left in regulation, and the San Antonio Spurs notched a 126-122 win in overtime against the Houston Rockets.

The No. 1 draft pick shook off a slow start and had 16 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in the second half and overtime in his first NBA victory.

Devin Vassell scored 25 points and Keldon Johnson added 20 for the Spurs, who bounced back after a season-opening loss to Dallas on Wednesday.

Wembanyama’s jumper early in overtime sparked a 6-0 run, and he made a pair of free throws with 1:45 left to give San Antonio a 120-115 lead.

Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 25 points.

Celtics beat Heat in East finals rematch

Derrick White scored 28 points with five 3-pointers and the Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat 119-111 on Friday in a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference finals.

Jaylen Brown added 27 points and Jayson Tatum had 22 for the Celtics, who followed Wednesday’s season-opening victory over the Knicks with a win in their home opener.

Miami squandered a 3-0 series lead against the Celtics last season before winning Game 7 in Boston to advance to its seventh NBA Finals.

Tyler Herro led the Heat with 28 points and sank five of his team’s 16 3-pointers. Bam Adebayo added 27 points and Jimmy Butler scored 14 on 3-of-11 shooting.

Neither team led by more than five points at the end of any of the first three periods and there were six ties and six lead changes in the game.

The Philadelphia 76ers practiced at the team's facility on Wednesday.

James Harden, meanwhile, was reportedly in Houston.

Harden skipped the team's latest training session, and has been away from the 76ers since Sunday, according to ESPN.

He attended a team meeting in New York on Sunday, but was not at Philadelphia's shootaround the next day or at Monday's game against the Brooklyn Nets.

The disgruntled star has been frustrated with 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey for months and has demanded a trade since picking up his $35.6million player option for the 2023-24 season in late June.

Despite his bitterness, Harden has still been attending training camp and practices. He has yet to play in a preseason game, but said last week he could play in the 76ers' final exhibition game on Friday against the Atlanta Hawks.

First-year Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said he didn't know why Harden was a no-show at practice, and was still expecting him to play in Friday's game.

"From the last discussions I've had with him and from everybody, yeah,” Nurse told reporters. "I'm still going on what he said the last time I talked him, that he was going to ramp up and get ready to play Friday. We'll see how it goes."

The 76ers open the regular season Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Harden's disdain for Morey all comes down to his belief that he wasn't offered a long-term max deal that he thought he deserved this past offseason.

The 2017-18 NBA MVP and three-time league scoring champion could have declined the option and become a free agent, but was hoping by exercising his option it would facilitate a trade.

Harden said last week there was no way his fractured relationship with Morey could be repaired.

While attending a promotional event in China in August, Harden eviscerated Morey, calling him a liar.

"Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organisation that he’s a part of," Harden said at the event. "Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organisation that he’s a part of."

Harden's comments were in response to the 76ers telling Harden's agent, Mike Silverman, that Morey was unable to find a trade for the 10-time All-Star and the franchise wouldn't deal him unless it could find a trade that would help the team contend for a championship.

Acquired in a trade with the Nets in February 2022, Harden averaged 21.0 points and a league-leading 10.7 assists in 58 games last season to help the 76ers to the third-best record in the Eastern Conference.

For his career, the 34-year-old Harden has averaged 24.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, seven assists and 1.5 steals in exactly 1,000 regular-season games.

Anthony Davis bounced back while LeBron James scored 25 points as the Los Angeles Lakers claimed a 2-1 first-round series lead with a 111-101 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.

Ja Morant returned from a hand injury for the Grizzlies, scoring a game-high 45 points, including 22 in a row for his team in the fourth quarter at Crypto.com Arena.

But the damage was done early, as the Grizzlies shot three-of-25 in the first quarter as the Lakers raced to a 35-9 lead.

Dillon Brooks was ejected for a flagrant 2 foul early in the third quarter following a hit to James' midsection, following tension between the pair after the former's comments after Game 2.

James put that aside to score 25 points on 10-of-20 shooting with nine rebounds, while Davis scored a team-high 31 points with 17 rebounds and three blocks.

The Grizzlies scored the final 10 points of the second quarter to close to 53-37 at half-time but were not helped by Brooks' ejection with 11:43 left in the third.

The Lakers kept Memphis at arm's length for most of the game, although Morant's remarkable fourth-quarter scoring run offered hope, getting within 10 points after a three-pointer with 2:54 left.

Jaren Jackson Jr lost the battle against Davis, contributing 13 points with five rebounds while Desmond Bane was kept to 18 points on three-of-seven three-point shooting. Morant made six-of-10 three-pointers, with 13 assists and nine rebounds.

Heat upset Bucks but left with injury worries

The Miami Heat claimed a 2-1 series lead with a 121-99 victory over the Eastern Conference top seed Milwaukee Bucks who were without Giannis Antetokounmpo due to a bruised lower back again.

But the excitement for the Heat was quelled by a worrying knee injury suffered late by Victor Oladipo, while Jimmy Butler battled a sore glute.

Butler top scored for Miami with 30 points on 12-of-19 shooting in 28 minutes. Duncan Robinson, on his 29th birthday, added 20 points on five-of-six three-point shooting.

Milwaukee shot at 44.7 per cent from the field, giving up 18 turnovers. Khris Middleton top scored with 23 points and six assists but was guilty for five turnovers.

Nets swept again, Suns go 3-1 up

The Brooklyn Nets suffered a first-round series sweep for the second straight year after the Philadelphia 76ers triumphed 96-88 in Game 4 despite the absence of Joel Embiid.

Tobias Harris scored a game-high 25 points with 12 rebounds, while James Harden had 17 points on four-of-18 shooting with eight rebounds and 11 assists. Embiid was out due to sprained right knee.

Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie managed a team-high 20 points and Nic Claxton had 19 points with 12 rebounds and four blocks.

The Phoenix Suns took a 3-1 lead in their series against the Los Angeles Clippers with a 112-100 win headlined by Kevin Durant's 31 points, 11 rebounds and six assists and Devin Booker's 30 points.