San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama shrugged off Trayce Jackson-Davis' dunk after the Golden State Warriors ran out winners on Monday.

Jackson-Davis got the better of Wembanyama with just over a minute left of the fourth quarter, spinning the NBA draft's number one overall pick before finishing in style.

Wembanyama was left tumbling to the deck, and the Warriors went on to win 112-102.

But Wembanyama, who missed the Spurs' win over the Warriors at the weekend due to an ankle problem, is not overly concerned.

"Getting dunked on is nothing. It's part of the game," said the French youngster, fresh from finishing with 27 points and 14 rebounds.

"I dunk on a lot of people and a lot of people dunk on me too. But I think I block more often than I get dunked on, so that's positive."

Reflecting on the Spurs' performance, Wembanyama added: "Consistency is always [important], but today I think it's also responding to the physicality that they put [out]. We didn’t have a strong enough response."

Explaining his thought process behind the dunk, Warriors rookie Jackson-Davis said: "I saw that he overplayed it, and he overplayed it to my right.

"I'm left-handed. So, I think I spun or got to my left hand and then I had to step on him. I just tried him.

"I told Kevon [Looney] before the game that if I got the chance to try him, I would. At the end of the day, sometimes you dunk on people, sometimes you get dunked on. It's just a basketball play."

Monday's win saw the Warriors, who were without Stephen Curry, bounce back from back-to-back losses, with Golden State limiting the Spurs to just one point in the final stages of the fourth quarter.

"We weren't doing anything differently, just the effort and the connection," said coach Steve Kerr.

"If one guy is out of place and everybody's giving great effort, it still results in two points. I just felt we were better connected in the second half and as that went, we picked up some momentum."

Jonathan Kuminga led the Warriors with 22 points, with Klay Thompson adding 21, to go with a contribution of 19 from Chris Paul.

Kevin Durant scored 24 of his 37 points in the second half to help rally the Phoenix Suns to a 117-111 win over the hobbled Cleveland Cavaliers in a key inter-conference clash on Monday.

Durant added eight rebounds and six assists for Phoenix, which overcame a 19-point deficit in the second quarter while being boosted by All-Star Devin Booker's return from a sprained ankle.

Booker contributed 27 points on 11-of-22 shooting along with seven rebounds in 38 minutes after missing the Suns' last four games.

Darius Garland went 7 of 10 from 3-point range and finished with 30 points for the Cavaliers, who were again without three injured starters in All-Star Donovan Mitchell, forward Evan Mobley and guard Max Strus. Caris LeVert recorded 17 points and 11 assists in the loss. 

Cleveland has lost two straight and dropped a game behind the Milwaukee Bucks for first place in the Central Division.

Garland and the Cavs came out hot, as the standout guard put up 21 first-quarter points and Cleveland shot 66.7 per cent for the period to build a 41-32 lead. The margin grew in the second quarter, as Garland buried a 3-pointer to cap an 11-2 run that put the hosts up 63-44 with 4:50 left before half-time.

Phoenix closed the gap to 70-63 at the intermission before outscoring the Cavaliers by a 34-21 margin in the third quarter to pull ahead. Durant led the way with 19 points for the period on 6-of-8 shooting. 

Cleveland fought back to tie the game at 104-104 with under eight minutes left, but Booker and Durant led the Suns on a 9-3 flurry that the latter finished with a 3-pointer that gave the Suns a 113-107 lead with 3:43 remaining.

Doncic extends triple-doubles streak, but 30-point run ends

Luka Dončić posted his seventh consecutive triple-double, though his record run of six straight games of at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists came to an end in the Dallas Mavericks' 127-92 rout of the Chicago Bulls.

Doncic recorded 14 assists and 12 rebounds but failed to hit the 30-point mark after being removed from the blowout win midway through the fourth quarter. He finished with 27 points.

Dallas also dominated inside en route to its third consecutive victory, as post players Derrick Lively and Daniel Gafford combined for 44 points on 20-of-21 shooting. Lively missed just one of his 12 attempts while compiling a career-high 22 points, while Gafford was 9 of 9 from the field to end with 20 points.

Gafford is now a perfect 28 of 28 on field goal attempts over his last four games.

The Mavericks set the tone right from the start, as they outscored Chicago by a whopping 44-16 margin in the first quarter while shooting 64.3 per cent as a team. Doncic had 15 points and seven assists for the period and Lively chipped in 10 points in just six minutes.

Chicago never mounted a serious threat the rest of the way, as Dallas took a 62-42 lead into half-time and went ahead by as many as 34 points in the third quarter.

Onuralp Bitim led the Bulls with a career-high 17 points off the bench. Chicago has now lost two straight following a three-game winning streak on the road from March 4-7.

Jokic, Nuggets overcome 22-point deficit to top Raptors

Nikola Jokić compiled a 35-point, 17-rebound, 12-assist triple-double that helped spark a big second-half comeback which lifted the Denver Nuggets to a hard-earned 125-119 win over the Toronto Raptors.

Denver trailed by 21 points in the third quarter and as many as 22 in the game before rallying behind Jokic and Jamal Murray, who recorded 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and scored the go-ahead bucket with 6:48 left to play.

Jokic also had a season-high six steals in addition to his 21st triple-double of the season.

The Nuggets moved to 9-1 since the All-Star break, though the underdog Raptors gave the defending NBA champions all they could handle for much of the night.

Toronto opened the second quarter on an 11-0 run to build a 45-32 lead and extended the margin to 68-51 at the break behind 15 points from RJ Barrett and 13 from rookie Gradey Dick.

The Nuggets began chipping away late in the third quarter, as they closed out the period on a 16-5 spurt to trim the deficit to 98-93 entering the fourth. Jokic had 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting for the quarter.

Murray's floater midway through the fourth quarter gave Denver a 108-107 lead, though the Raptors continued to keep it close until Michael Porter Jr.'s 3-pointer with 1:02 left to play proved to be too much to overcome as the Nuggets took a 124-119 edge into the final minute.

Barrett finished with 26 points, seven rebounds and nine assists for Toronto, which also received 24 points from Kelly Olynyk but lost for a fourth consecutive time.

Anthony Davis brushed off injury concerns and confidently declared the Los Angeles Lakers are "hitting our stride" after his record-breaking NBA showing against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Lakers man Davis was the star of the show as Los Angeles powered from a fourth-quarter tie to win 120-109 and secure their ninth victory in 13 games.

Davis finished with 27 points, 25 rebounds, five assists, seven steals and three blocks on Sunday, a feat that has never previously been matched.

No other player in NBA history has tallied 25-plus points, 25-plus rebounds, five-plus assists and five-plus steals in a single game.

"I think we're hitting our stride right now," Davis said after a roaring finish to a week that also saw the Lakers defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks.

"We're just trying to keep going, keep pushing, knowing that just like last year, all we got to do is get in. We feel like it's tough for anybody to beat us in a seven-game series.

"We like our chances against anybody at that point."

Davis was a doubt for the Minnesota meeting after reporting left-shoulder soreness from a collision with the Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo on Friday.

"I felt it at times out there," added Davis, who was in constant dialogue with the Lakers' medical staff whenever not on the court. "I still kind of feel it."

Such was the magnitude of Davis' dominance, LeBron James returning from a sore left ankle to put up 29 points, nine assists and eight rebounds was somewhat ignored.

A taming of the Timberwolves, alongside a piece of NBA history, also marked a birthday treat for Davis, who turns 31 on Monday.

"It was before my birthday, so I guess we can [count it]," he continued. "It's actually the first time I'm able to celebrate my birthday in my entire career at home, on my actual birthday."

The Lakers are ninth in the Western Conference with 16 games remaining, but are just two behind sixth-placed Phoenix Suns, as Austin Reeves insisted Los Angeles will back themselves.

"I think if you go ask anybody in our locker room, we're super confident with what we have," Reeves said.

"Regardless of where we stand, if we go put our best foot forward and play the basketball that we know we can play."

Damian Lillard is confident his relationship with Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is growing stronger after the pair dismantled the Los Angeles Clippers.

Lillard had 35 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists, while Antetokounmpo finished with 34 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as the Bucks beat the short-handed Clippers 124-117 on Sunday.

They turned on the style in the fourth quarter, with Antetokounmpo and Lillard playing a direct role in 31 consecutive points for the Bucks.

The duo are only the second pair of teammates to finish with at least 30 points and 10 assists in the same game since 1980.

"I think it's getting much better," said Lillard, who joined the Bucks from the Portland Trail Blazers last year.

"To start the season, I think a lot of people wanted it to just click and happen right away.

"But I think any time you put two guys together who have always been the decision-maker, always had their hands on the ball for years and years and years, it's going to take time for us to learn how to play with each other."

Sixteen of Lillard's points came in the final quarter, with Antetokounmpo stating the Bucks have been working on finishing strong down the stretch.

"It's how we work in practice," he said.

"We got a lot of good shots down the stretch. Tonight it worked, and it's something we're going to have to do moving forward."

The Bucks bounced back from back-to-back defeats, while the Clippers – who were without Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook – lost for the second time in the space of four games.

Coach Tyronn Lue, though, credited the Bucks' star performers.

"Those two guys, they're great players, and we understand that," Lue said.

"They had a good game. I thought Dame set the tone early and then took over the game late.

"Once he got going, it was hard to stop him. We tried to blitz, tried to do some different things, but he had it going and made some big shots."

Anthony Davis filled the stat sheet with a dominant performance that propelled the Los Angeles Lakers to an important 120-109 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.

Davis recorded 27 points, 25 rebounds and a career-high seven steals to lead the way as the Lakers defeated a potential title contender for the second time in three days. Los Angeles was coming off a 123-122 triumph over the Eastern Conference power Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. The All-Star forward added five assists and three blocks.

The Lakers also received 29 points, eight rebounds and nine assists from LeBron James in the legendary superstar's return after he missed the Milwaukee game tending to a nagging ankle injury.

Los Angeles still sits in ninth place in the challenging Western Conference, but has gone 12-5 since Feb. 1.

The Timberwolves, meanwhile, lost ground in the race for the West's top spot after being dealt a second straight loss. Minnesota now trails first-place Oklahoma City by 1 1/2 games after the Thunder defeated the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid, starting in place of an injured Rudy Gobert, led Minnesota with 25 points each.

The Timberwolves did hold a slim 92-91 lead after three quarters, but went just 5 of 17 from the field as James and Davis took over in the fourth.

Los Angeles' star duo sparked a pivotal 11-0 run that Davis finished with a three-point play that gave the Lakers a 107-94 advantage with under seven minutes to go, and they maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the way as the Timberwolves continued to miss shots down the stretch.

 Lillard, Antetokounmpo lead way as Bucks top Clippers

Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo combined for 69 points as the All-Star duo got the Milwaukee Bucks back on track with a 124-117 victory over the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers.

Lillard scored 16 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter and added 11 assists, while Antetokounmpo recorded 10 helpers along with 34 points to help lead Milwaukee to its first win on its current four-game road trip. The Bucks had won six straight before opening the trek with losses at Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Clippers played without two of their stars as both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were rested with the team playing for a second consecutive day. Norman Powell paced Los Angeles with 26 points off the bench and James Harden recorded 11 assists, though the 10-time All-Star finished with just 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting.

Despite those obstacles, the Clippers owned a 98-96 lead with under 8 1/2 minutes left before Milwaukee seized momentum. Antetokounmpo scored on back-to-back possessions and Lillard followed with one of his seven 3-pointers for the game to give the Bucks a five-point edge with seven minutes to go.

The Clippers countered with two Ivica Zubac baskets to cut the lead down to one, but Lillard had nine points during a game-sealing 12-4 run shortly afterward that staked the Bucks to a 119-109 lead with 1:19 remaining.

Los Angeles had won four of five coming in, including a 112-102 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.

76ers hold Knicks to 73 points in defensively dominated win

Defence reigned supreme in New York's Madison Square Garden on Sunday, as the Philadelphia 76ers held the home-town Knicks to the lowest points total by any team in an NBA game this season in an ugly 79-73 win.

Both teams shot under 39 per cent in a game in which neither could find any sustained offensive momentum, and no player finished with more than New York's Jalen Brunson's 19 points. Brunson got there on a 6-of-22 shooting performance, while Kelly Oubre Jr. was 6 of 19 while leading Philadelphia with 18 points.

There were plenty of rebounds, however, due to all the clanged shots. Oubre had 10 and Tobias Harris 12 for the 76ers, while the Knicks got 11 boards from Josh Hart and 10 from Isaiah Hartenstein.

Oubre did manage 12 points during a first half in which the 76ers carried a 37-31 lead into the break, with the 68 combined points the lowest at half-time in any NBA game since the Portland Trail Blazers held a 34-31 edge over the Detroit Pistons on March 30, 2019.

New York did battle back to tie the game at 47-47 on Brunson's layup with 5:09 remaining in the third quarter, but Buddy Hield hit a pair of 3-pointers during a 14-5 spurt that put the Sixers up by a 61-52 count with 1:29 left in the period.

That would be enough for Philadelphia to hold on, as the Knicks shot 25 per cent while mustering a mere 16 points in the fourth quarter.

Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine hopes to be fit for the start of the next NBA campaign after his season-ending injury to his right foot.

LaVine, who has not played since mid-January due to an ankle sprain, elected for surgery and will have been out for between four and six months by the time he returns to the court.

The Bulls man joined his teammates in Los Angeles before Saturday's 112-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, who overturned a 14-point deficit for victory.

Speaking on his personal decision for surgery, LaVine insisted the operation was the best way to progress in his rehabilitation.

"You never want to have surgery," he said. "But I got to a conclusion, especially with what the doctor was telling me, your pain level, this thing isn't going to heal on its own."

Having met up with his Bulls teammates before the Clippers defeat, LaVine sees no issue with settling back into the Chicago group.

"Same way it always has been," he said about the idea of fitting back in with the team. "It's not hard to fit back in, especially with the way I play the game and want to go out there and help."

Lonzo Ball, who has not played since January 2022 because of knee injuries, is also having rehabilitation treatment in Los Angeles.

Chicago coach Billy Donovan suggested Ball is recovering well, saying: "There's a lot of time for where he's at right now to get himself back hopefully where he gets cleared to play 5-on-5 and contact. 

"That's going to be the biggest thing. Whenever he gets to that place."

The Bulls dropped to 31-33 for the season after losing in Los Angeles but LaVine expects Chicago to bounce back.

"I talk to these guys pretty much every day, every game," he added. "It's been great, they've been winning a lot of games, a lot of games that come down to the wire."

Luka Dončić made NBA history by becoming the first player to register six straight 30-point triple-doubles as the Dallas Mavericks pulled away for a 142-124 win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.

Doncic had 39 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to surpass Russell Westbrook’s run of five consecutive 30-point triple-doubles. Doncic also extended his own record with a fifth straight 35-point triple-double.

During his six-game run, Doncic is averaging 36.3 points, 11.5 assists and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 51.6 percent from the field.

Kyrie Irving added 21 points and Daniel Gafford and Tim Hardaway Jr. each scored 17 points as Dallas won its second straight after a three-game losing streak.

Cade Cunningham had 33 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds and Simone Fontecchio chipped in a career-high 27 for Detroit, which has lost 10 of 12.

Celtics overcome Durant’s big game

Jayson Tatum had 29 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists and Jaylen Brown scored 27 points as the Boston Celtics survived Kevin Durant’s 45-point outburst in a 117-107 win over the Phoenix Suns.

With Kristaps Porzingis sidelined with right hamstring tightness, the Celtics got 14 points from reserve Luke Kornet and 10 from Payton Pritchard to avoid a third straight loss.

Bradley Beal had 25 points and Jusuf Nurkic added 11 with 11 rebounds for the Suns, who played without injured All-Star Devin Booker and failed to win a third consecutive game.

Murray, Jokic too much for Jazz

Jamal Murray scored 37 points and Nikola Jokić played through a bruised arm to score 26 as the Denver Nuggets eased to a 142-121 rout of the Utah Jazz.

Michael Porter Jr. added 19 points for the Nuggets, who won for the eighth time in nine games to pull within one-half game of Oklahoma City for the Western Conference lead.

Keyonte George led the Jazz with 29 points and Jordan Clarkson added 22 as Utah dropped to 2-10 in its last 12 games.

Rudy Gobert has acknowledged the gesture which landed him a costly technical in the Minnesota Timberwolves' defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday was "immature", though he refused to back down on his claim sports betting is influencing NBA officials.

The Timberwolves led the short-handed Cavs with just 27.8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse when Gobert was pulled up for his sixth and disqualifying foul. 

The three-time All-Star responded by rubbing his fingers together in an apparent money gesture towards referee Scott Foster. 

Fellow official Natalie Sago spotted the gesture and hit Gobert with a technical, sending Cleveland's Darius Garland to the free-throw line to tie the game up at 97 apiece.

Garland finished with 34 points and Jarrett Allen added a career-high 33 including 10 in overtime, as the Cavs took full advantage of Gobert's loss of discipline to claim a 113-104 win.

Gobert is now facing the prospect of further punishment from the NBA, having told reporters that gambling is influencing the way games are being officiated.  

"I'll bite the bullet again," Gobert said. "I'll be the bad guy. I'll take the fine, but I think it's hurting our game. 

"I know the betting and all that is becoming bigger and bigger, but it shouldn't feel that way.

"It's not just one call. Everyone makes mistakes, but when it's over and over and over again, of course it's frustrating."

The Frenchman did concede that he was wrong to make the gesture at such a pivotal moment, adding: "My reaction, I think it was the truth, but it wasn't the time to react that way. 

"It cost my team the game. It was an immature reaction."

Minnesota coach Chris Finch missed the game after feeling unwell prior to tipoff, with assistant Micah Nori taking his place on the bench.

Nori was furious with Gobert for the timing of his technical, saying: "A technical foul with 27 seconds in the game, to be honest, is unacceptable. 

"That's who Rudy is, but you've got to be smart. He made a visual that was automatic. He was obviously frustrated, both teams were, but we have to be smarter."

The Timberwolves, who sit second in the Western Conference at 44-20, now head to Los Angeles to face the Lakers and the Clippers, while the Cavs host the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.

D'Angelo Russell described himself as a "killer" after his career-best 44-point haul lifted the Los Angeles Lakers to a dramatic victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, as LeBron James sat out another game due to ankle discomfort. 

James missed his ninth game of the season on Friday as he continues to battle the niggling injury, but the Lakers overcame his absence with a stirring 123-122 win at Crypto.com Arena.

The Bucks held a one-point lead with 39 seconds remaining, with Giannis Antetokounmpo recording 34 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists while Damian Lillard backed him up with 28 points.

However, Russell scored 21 of his points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead jumper with 5.9 seconds remaining on the clock, to put the hosts up one.

There was more drama to come in the dying moments as Spencer Dinwiddie blocked Lillard's attempted buzzer-beater to preserve the win, improving the Lakers to 35-30.

Russell's nine 3-pointers were a joint-career best, while he also dished out nine assists. Speaking after the win, the 28-year-old said he always had confidence in his ability to deliver in clutch moments. 

"On the floor, I've always felt like I was capable of doing things. Getting hot makes it a little more exciting," Russell said. 

"Off the floor, obviously you all know what I've been through. Public humiliation has done nothing but mould me into the killer that you all see today. 

"I never lack confidence. I never fear confrontation. I want all the smoke. I just feel confident in what I bring to the basketball game, so whatever room I walk in, I'm confident."

Lakers team-mate Austin Reaves – who added 18 points – said: "D-Lo just stepped up and won us the game, and obviously with Spence with the defense on that last possession. 

"Just seeing D-Lo take over the game, I constantly kept telling him in timeouts, 'take us home'."

While the victory was a crucial one for the Lakers' playoff chances, the Bucks sit third in the Eastern Conference with a 41-23 record, and coach Doc Rivers knows the defeat will have little impact on their long-term ambitions.

He does, however, hope it serves as part of a learning curve, saying: "You want to win all these games, but that's the stuff that we're going to keep doing more and more until it becomes us. 

"There was a stretch where Damian and Giannis were playing a two-man game, and it was unstoppable. We want to encourage that more and more.

"It is a missed opportunity, but if we had won, that doesn't change anything. We're trying to go and get better. 

"I thought we had the game in our hands, and we let it go. That happens, and it'll happen again, and we'll win some the other way, too."

The Lakers are back in action against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, while the Bucks remain in Los Angeles to face the Clippers on the same day. 

D’Angelo Russell scored 21 of his season-high 44 points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead jumper with 5.9 seconds left, and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame LeBron James’ absence in a 123-122 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.

After Russell’s basket put the Lakers up one, Spencer Dinwiddie blocked Damian Lillared’s step-back jumper before the buzzer to preserve a stirring win for the Lakers.

Russell matched his career high with nine 3-pointers, handed out nine assists and scored the Lakers’ final eight points in the final 1:13 to help them rally from a late deficit.

Anthony Davis had 22 points and 13 rebounds and Austin Reaves added 18 points as the Lakers won without James, who sat out to rest his sore left ankle.

Giannis Antetokounmpo tallied 34 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists for his 43rd career triple-double and Lillard scored 28 points, but Milwaukee lost its second in a row after coming out of the All-Star break with six consecutive wins.

Depleted Cavaliers outlast Timberwolves

Darius Garland scored 34 points and Jarrett Allen scored 10 of his career-high 33 in overtime and also grabbed 18 rebounds to lead the injury-thinned Cleveland Cavaliers to a 113-104 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Allen made a career-best 15 free throws, 14 after halftime and his dunk early in overtime put the Cavaliers ahead for good.

Georges Niang had 16 points and Caris LeVert added 15 and eight assists to help Cleveland win despite missing starters Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Max Strus.

Naz Reid scored a career-high 34 points and Anthony Edwards added 19 on 7-of-27 shooting for the Wolves, who entered with a league-best 21-11 road record.

Minnesota’s loss coupled with Oklahoma City’s win over Miami moved the Thunder into sole possession of the Western Conference lead.

Thunder win to move atop West

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 23 of his 37 points in the second half and the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied for a 107-100 victory over the Miami Heat to move into sole possession of the Western Conference lead.

Jalen Williams added 15 points and Josh Giddey had 11 points, nine rebounds and six assists as the Thunder overcame a 14-point deficit to move into first place in the West, one-half game ahead of Minnesota.

Rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 25 points and Jimmy Butler had 20, 10 boards and eight assists for Miami, which has lost consecutive games for the first time since a seven-game skid in January.

The Golden State Warriors appear to have avoided a major injury to Stephen Curry, as ESPN reported Friday that an MRI on the two-time NBA MVP's right ankle showed no structural damage.

Curry, who was injured in the fourth quarter of Golden State's 125-122 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, is still likely to miss a few games but is not expected to be facing an overly lengthy absence. According to ESPN, the Warriors will have a better idea on the star guard's return timeline as his ankle responds to treatment over the next few days.

Though the Warriors currently reside in ninth place in the Western Conference, their 12-4 record since Feb. 5 is the best among teams in the West and they trail the sixth-place Phoenix Suns by just 3 1/2 games. The top six teams are guaranteed to avoid the play-in round and earn a spot in the conference quarter-finals for the upcoming play-offs.

Curry has stayed mostly healthy this season and is in the midst of another standout campaign, as the 10-time All-Star leads the NBA in 3-point field goals made (290) while averaging a team-leading 26.9 points in 59 games. The Warriors have lost all three games he's missed this season.

The 36-year-old does have a history of issues with his right ankle, however, including two surgeries he underwent in 2011 and 2012.

"I know we're going to miss him if he does have time off,” teammate Klay Thompson said following Thursday's game. “We've been in his position before where he has had time off and we've just got to do it collectively. I know he'll be ready to go when he does come back, whenever that is. We just want to wish him a speedy recovery and to take his time.”

Golden State will play three games in five days beginning with Saturday's home matchup with the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors then visit San Antonio on Monday before another road game against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. 

Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said NBA fans are being treated to something "as rare as a Picasso" after Luka Doncic extended his run of 30-point triple-doubles to five games on Thursday.

Doncic had 35 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists as the Mavs rallied for a 114-108 win over the Miami Heat, fighting back from 15 points down to halt their three-game skid.

The NBA's scoring leader for 2023-24 shot 12 of 24 from the field and made seven of 13 3-pointers as he claimed a slice of league history with another dominant display.

He joined Russell Westbrook as the only players to record five straight 30-point triple-doubles, also becoming the first in league history to manage four straight 35-point triple-doubles.

The enormity of Doncic's achievement was not lost on Kidd, who managed 107 triple-doubles dring his own playing career but only had 35 points in two of them.

"I've always said this: We can't take that young man for granted," Kidd said of Doncic. "You're seeing something as rare as a Picasso."

Doncic's last two performances have come with the Slovenian walking a disciplinary tightrope. Having been pulled up for 13 technical fouls this season, Doncic is just three shy of the threshold for a one-game suspension, but he has avoided committing one in his last two outings.

Kidd joked that run was as important as Doncic's triple-double sequence, saying: "We're rolling. You talk about the triple-double streak. I think we've got the no-T streak going!

"That's something we have to talk about, too. I think he has a little bit more energy now and I think his composure is in a really good place, no matter whether we're winning or losing. 

"He loves to win. He wants to win, but I think you're starting to see him turn the corner here."

Doncic himself, however, was simply pleased to get back to winning ways as the Mavs improved to 35-28, saying of his form: "It's great, especially when it comes with the win. That's all that matters right now."

Dallas now face back-to-back road games against the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls, before returning to American Airlines Center to face the Golden State Warriors next Wednesday. 

Kristaps Porzingis bowed down to the "incredible" Luka Jokic after the Denver Nuggets star dismantled the Boston Celtics.

Eastern Conference leaders Boston lost back-to-back game for the first time since November as the Nuggets ran out 115-109 victors on Thursday.

Jokic had 32 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists – his 20th triple-double of the season and his 30th career 30-point triple-double as the Nuggets completed the series sweep against the Celtics.

Porzingis recorded 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 41 points and 14 rebounds, but ultimately Jokic's quality told for the reigning NBA champions.

"He's just an incredible basketball player," said Porzingis.

"Some things I learned from him today, actually. He's just so smart, so crafty, so many things you don't see that he does on the floor that helps that team win.

"It's incredible. Whenever you [slip up] just a little bit, he'll find [Aaron] Gordon, he'll find all these guys. It speaks to how valuable he is for them."

The Nuggets have won seven of their last eight games and sit third in the West.

"They're a really good team, and they have basically an answer for everything," Jokic said.

"Matchup-wise, defense-wise, offense-wise. They are a really well-built team, and they're playing really good.

"That's why they're the best team in the NBA right now. It's really hard to play against that team. They're long and tall. They defend really good. They have really smart players. It's a great thing."

Denver coach Michael Malone knows it is something of a statement win.

"That team never goes away," Malone said of the Celtics, before adding of his team: "I thought the bench was outstanding, they gave us really good contributions.

"We've got 19 to go, we've got to find a way to stay hungry, we can't just get up for the great teams, we've got to get up for everybody and play that brand of basketball every night."

Luka Doncic became the second player with five straight 30-point triple-doubles and the Dallas Mavericks rallied for a 114-108 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday.

Doncic had 35 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to join the exclusive group with Russell Westbrook, who had five consecutive 30-point triple-doubles in 2017 for Oklahoma City. Doncic also became the first in history with four straight 35-point triple-doubles.

Doncic was 12 of 24 from the field and 7 of 13 on 3-pointers and sank all four free throws. He is averaging 35.8 points, 11.8 assists and 11 rebounds during his five-game run.

Kyrie Irving added 23 points as Dallas snapped a three-game skid.

Terry Rozier had 27 points and 11 assists for Miami, which had won seven of eight.

The Mavericks trailed 101-100 with under four minutes remaining but 3s by Doncic, Dante Exum and Irving gave them the lead for good.

Curry limps off as Warriors fall to Bulls

Stephen Curry limped off late in the fourth quarter and DeMar DeRozan converted a three-point play with 26 seconds remaining to give the Chicago Bulls a 125-122 win over the Golden State Warriors.

Curry exited with 3:51 left after rolling his right ankle and went to the locker room. He scored 15 points in 29 minutes.

DeRozan, who also hit a key jumper with 43 seconds to play, finished with 33 points, while Nikola Vucevic had 33 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, including a tying 3-pointer with 2:49 to go.

Chicago won for the fourth time in five games and snapped an eight-game skid on Golden State's home court.

Jonathan Kuminga scored 19 points and Draymond Green notched a triple-double with 11 points, 12 assists and 10 boards.

Edwards stars in Wolves’ win

Anthony Edwards tied his season high with 44 points, hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer and came up with a stellar block at the buzzer to give the Timberwolves a 113-111 win over the Indiana Pacers.

Edwards soared to reject a last-second layup attempt by Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith, hitting his head on the rim as time expired.

He accounted for the team’s final eight points, shooting 18 of 35 from the field with three 3s and six rebounds.

Rudy Gobert had 18 points and 14 rebounds and Naz Reid contributed 13 points and eight boards as Minnesota won its second straight to move back into sole possession of the Western Conference lead.

Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 23 with 13 assists for the Pacers, who erased a 17-point deficit to lead 104-103 with two minutes remaining.

RT if that was the best block you’ve ever seen. pic.twitter.com/6UrBuoLFdR

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 8, 2024

Luka Dončić became the second player with five straight 30-point triple-doubles and the Dallas Mavericks rallied for a 114-108 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday.

Doncic had 35 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to join the exclusive group with Russell Westbrook, who had five consecutive 30-point triple-doubles in 2017 for Oklahoma City. Doncic also became the first in history with four straight 35-point triple doubles.

Doncic was 12 of 24 from the field and 7 of 13 on 3-pointers and sank all four free throws. He is averaging 35.8 points, 11.8 assists and 11 rebounds during his five-game run.

Kyrie Irving added 23 points as Dallas snapped a three-game skid.

Terry Rozier had 27 points and 11 assists for Miami, which had won seven of eight.

The Mavericks trailed 101-100 with under four minutes remaining but 3s by Doncic, Dante Exum and Irving gave them the lead for good.

Curry limps off as Warriors fall to Bulls

Stephen Curry limped off late in the fourth quarter and DeMar DeRozan converted a three-point play with 26 seconds remaining to give the Chicago Bulls a 125-122 win over the Golden State Warriors.

Curry exited with 3:51 left after rolling his right ankle and went to the locker room. He scored 15 points in 29 minutes.

DeRozan, who also hit a key jumper with 43 seconds to play, finished with 33 points, while Nikola Vucevic had 33 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, including a tying 3-pointer with 2:49 to go.

Chicago won for the fourth time in five games and snapped an eight-game skid on Golden State's home court.

Jonathan Kuminga scored 19 points and Draymond Green notched a triple-double with 11 points, 12 assists and 10 boards.

Edwards stars in Wolves’ win

Anthony Edwards tied his season high with 44 points, hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer and came up with a stellar block at the buzzer to give the Timberwolves a 113-111 win over the Indiana Pacers.

Edwards soared to reject a last-second layup attempt by Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith, hitting his head on the rim as time expired.

He accounted for the team’s final eight points, shooting 18 of 35 from the field with three 3s and six rebounds.

Rudy Gobert had 18 points and 14 rebounds and Naz Reid contributed 13 points and eight boards as Minnesota won its second straight to move back into sole possession of the Western Conference lead.

Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 23 with 13 assists for the Pacers, who erased a 17-point deficit to lead 104-103 with two minutes remaining.