Derrick White scored 30 points and Kristaps Porzingis had 21 in his return to the lineup as the Boston Celtics remained perfect at home with Friday's 133-123 win over the New York Knicks.

Jayson Tatum chipped in 25 points to help Boston improve to 10-0 at TD Garden this season and bounce back from Monday's 122-112 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the NBA's In-Season Tournament quarter-finals.

Porzingis, who had missed the Celtics' previous four games with a strained left calf, tallied 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting in the first half to help stake Boston to a 74-65 lead at intermission.

The Celtics stretched their advantage to as many as 20 points in the third quarter and the Knicks never got closer than seven points down in the fourth.

Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett each had 23 points for New York, which had won three straight prior to Tuesday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in the Tournament quarterfinals.

Fox leads rally as Kings top short-handed Suns

De'Aaron Fox scored 23 of his game-high 34 points in the fourth quarter as the Sacramento Kings dominated the second half en route to a 114-106 win over the Phoenix Suns.

Domantas Sabonis compiled 15 points, 17 rebounds and five assists for Sacramento, which overcame a nine-point half-time deficit by outscoring the Suns by a 33-12 margin in the third quarter.

Phoenix, which played without Kevin Durant due to an ankle injury and remains without fellow star Bradley Beal, shot 52.4 per cent in the first half to build a 59-50 lead. 

The Suns went 6 of 23 from the field in the third quarter, though, as the Kings fought back to tie the game before finishing the period on a 16-4 run to take an 83-71 advantage into the fourth.

Fox then took over in the final quarter as Sacramento gradually pulled away, with his 3-pointer with 1:44 remaining giving the Kings a comfortable 112-98 lead.

The slumping Suns lost for the fourth time in five games despite Devin Booker's 28 points on 10-of-14 shooting along with seven assists. Eric Gordon added 19 points for Phoenix.

Thunder continue mastery of Warriors with overtime win

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 38 points, Jalen Williams added 28 and the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied late in regulation before handing the Golden State Warriors a 138-136 overtime loss.

Chet Holmgren chipped in 21 points, including three free throws with 7.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter that forced overtime, as the upstart Thunder defeated the veteran Warriors for the third time in four meetings this season. 

Golden State fell to 10-12 on the season despite 34 points from Stephen Curry and 22 from Klay Thompson. Jonathan Kuminga posted 24 points and 12 rebounds off the bench before fouling out in OT.

The Thunder battled back from a 14-point second-quarter deficit, then never trailed in overtime after opening the session on a 12-3 run capped by a Holmgren 3-pointer that gave them a 130-121 lead with 2:40 left.

Golden State fought back and pulled to within 136-134 on Curry's 3-pointer with 29.7 seconds remaining, but Holmgren fed Luguentz Dort for a critical layup on the ensuing possession and the Warriors eventually ran out of time.

Kevin Durant did not look to use a contentious timeout call as an excuse after the Phoenix Suns slipped to a 106-103 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Suns were left furious after the referee elected to call a timeout following LeBron James' call, when the ball appeared to be loose, late in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's in-season tournament quarter-final.

With 15 seconds remaining, Davin Booker dispossessed Austin Reaves, with James swiftly requesting a timeout, which was granted.

Suns coach Frank Vogel fumed: "It's a loose ball, and you can't call a timeout on a loose ball.

"The whistle blows. I don't know why. Everything in the league is reviewable. I don't know why that can't be reviewable.

"We've got the trap, we've got the turnover, [and the] damn whistle blows. It's just frustrating."

Durant, though, did not share his coach's anger.

"That's not the ballgame," said Durant, who led the Suns with 31 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

"That's one play. It's a 48-minute game. I don't like to complain about calls.

"Sometimes the ref isn't going to get it right all the time. Sometimes it's on us to play through all that stuff and not worry about putting the game in the ref's hands."

Reaves added: "There was no call, and LeBron made a high-IQ play he's made a million times.

Vogel did, however, echo Durant's sentiment that the Suns did not do enough to win the tie and progress to Las Vegas.

"We didn't do enough early in the game," Vogel said. "The turnovers and on the glass, if we do a better job, we're not talking about a close game like that."

The Lakers will now face the New Orleans Pelicans for a place in the final of the inaugural in-season tournament, with the winner taking home the NBA Cup.

"You've got some of the most alpha male competitors in the world, and if you give us an opportunity to play for something meaningful or an incentive, then you get what you're getting," said James, who finished with 31 points and 11 assists.

"The in-season tournament is what it is, and we have an opportunity to play on a big stage, be on national television, represent our families, our communities, where we come from."

The Los Angeles Lakers secured a spot in the In-Season Tournament semifinals on Tuesday with a 106-103 win over the Phoenix Suns, as LeBron James scored 15 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter.

James had 15 of the Lakers’ first 19 points in the final quarter and got the assists on his teammates’ other two baskets as Los Angeles pulled ahead.

Anthony Davis tallied 27 points and 15 rebounds and Austin Reaves added 20 points, including a key 3-pointer with 15 seconds left to extend the Lakers’ lead to 105-101.

Los Angeles advances to face New Orleans on Thursday in Las Vegas.

Kevin Durant scored 31 points for the Suns but came up short on a potential tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Bucks handle Knicks to reach semifinals

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 35 points and 10 assists to help the Milwaukee Bucks book a spot in the semifinals of the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament with a 146-122 victory over the New York Knicks.

Damian Lillard added 28 points and Malik Beasley had 18 for the Bucks, who improved to 5-0 in tournament play with their ninth consecutive home win.

They set a season high in scoring, shooting 60.5 percent (23 of 38) from 3-point range and 60.4 percent overall to set up a matchup with Indiana in Las Vegas on Thursday.

Julius Randle scored a season-high 41 points on 14-of-19 shooting, and Jalen Brunson had 24 points, but the Knicks had a three-game win streak stopped.

Kevin Durant reflected on "a long journey" after entering the top 10 of the NBA's career scoring list.

The Denver Nuggets held off the Phoenix Suns with a 119-111 road victory on Friday.

That made it a mixed night for Durant, but still a memorable one.

The 35-year-old finished with 30 points but shot 8 of 25 from the field and missed all five shots in the fourth quarter, with Nikola Jokic having 21 points and 16 assists for the Nuggets.

A 30-point total was more than enough for Durant to move into 10th place on the scoring list.

He did so in the second quarter, driving the baseline for a layup to pass Moses Malone, who had 27,409 points, with Durant's total standing at 27,423 at the end of play.

"As a basketball player, I think it's our job to go back and know the history of the game and who paved the way for us," said Durant, per ESPN, as he labelled Malone one of the most underrated players in the sport.

"It's a long journey to be up there, mentioned with the greats.

"It takes a lot of work, a lot of preparation, a lot of people helping me get to this point."

Reggie Jackson added 20 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 19 with 10 rebounds as the Nuggets (14-6) won their fourth straight game with all five starters scoring at least 15 points.

"When we make shots like that, it's much easier for us to have a good game," said Jokic. "I think we create open looks — it's just a matter of if we're going to make it or not."

Denver played without Jamal Murray (ankle) and Aaron Gordon (heel), while Phoenix was without Devin Booker (ankle) and Bradley Beal (back).

The Suns dropped to 11-8 and are 4-5 in home games this season.

LeBron James tops the all-time scoring list with 39,124 points and is the only other active player in the top 25. 

He was quick to congratulate Durant on social media.

Durant will have his sights set on moving further up the list. Carmelo Anthony (28,289 points) and Shaquille O’Neal (28,596) will be his next targets.

Suns forward Durant is a two-time NBA champion and two-time NBA Finals MVP, achieving those feats with the Golden State Warriors.

And the 13-time All Star was the NBA MVP in 2014 as a representative of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Orlando Magic beat the Washington Wizards 130-125 on Friday to match a franchise record with their ninth straight win behind strong games from Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero.

Wagner scored 31 points for his third straight game with at least 30 and Banchero had 28 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

Orlando has had four nine-game winning streaks, previously in 1994, 2001 and 2010-11. The Magic are one of only two NBA franchises without a double-digit win streak. The Indiana Pacers’ longest win streak is also nine games.

Jalen Suggs and Banchero combined for 10 straight points midway through the third quarter to give Orlando an 86-79 lead.

The Magic did not pull ahead for good until Wagner’s layup with 7:06 remaining opened a 7-0 run.

Kyle Kuzma led Washington with 27 points and Daniel Gafford had 18 and 11 rebounds. The Wizards have lost 11 of 12.

Tatum ejected but Celtics get past depleted 76ers

Jayson Tatum scored 21 points before he was ejected and the Boston Celtics defeated the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers, 125-119 to remain unbeaten on its home court.

Tatum was tossed near the end of the third quarter for arguing a foul call after he had already received a technical in the first half.

Derrick White also had 21 points and Jaylen Brown and Al Horford each added 20 for Boston, which has won three straight overall and improved to 9-0 at home.

The 76ers, who were without leading scorers Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, were led by Patrick Beverley’s season-high 26 points.

Jokic lifts Nuggets as Durant moves up scoring list

Nikola Jokić had 21 points and 16 assists to help the Denver Nuggets hold off the Phoenix Suns, 119-111 on the night Kevin Durant moved into 10th place on the NBA’s career scoring list.

Reggi Jackson added 20 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 19 with 10 rebounds as the Nuggets won their fourth straight game.

Durant finished with 30 points but shot 8 of 25 from the field and missed all five shots in the fourth quarter.

He moved into 10th place on the scoring list in the second quarter, driving the baseline for a layup to pass Moses Malone with 27,411 points.

Denver played without Jamal Murray (ankle) and Aaron Gordon (heel), while Phoenix was without Devin Booker (ankle) and Bradley Beal (back).

The Orlando Magic moved within one of the franchise record with their eighth straight win, as Franz Wagner scored 31 points in a 139-120 victory Wednesday over the reeling Washington Wizards.

Cole Anthony added 25 points and Jalen Suggs had 22 for the Magic, who are one win shy of the longest streak in team history set in 1994 and matched twice this century.

Orlando set season highs in 3-pointers (17) and shooting percentage (60.7) while its reserves outscored Washington’s 65-45.

Anthony had his sixth straight game of at least 15 points, all off the bench. In those six games, he has averaged 20.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists.

Kyle Kuzma scored 24 points and Deni Avdija had 22 as the Wizards dropped to 1-10 in their last 11 games.

Lakers send Pistons to franchise-record 15th straight loss

D’Angelo Russell poured in a season-high 35 points and Anthony Davis had 28 with 16 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers bounced back for a 133-107 rout of the Detroit Pistons, their franchise-record 15th consecutive loss.

LeBron James added 25 points and the Lakers, coming off a 138-94 loss to Philadelphia in the most lopsided loss of his career, started fast with a 38-24 lead after one quarter and were never seriously threatened.

Detroit broke the franchise record after sharing it with three teams that had 14-game skids during the 2021-22, 1993-94 and 1979–80 seasons.

Raptors end Suns’ winning streak

Scottie Barnes scored 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and Pascal Siakam added 22 in the Toronto Raptors’ 112-105 victory over the Phoenix Suns, who had a seven-game winning streak stopped.

Jakob Poetl had 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting and Precious Achiuwa contributed 14 and 10 rebounds as the Raptors avoided a third straight loss.

Kevin Durant scored 30 points after missing two games with a sore foot, but Devin Booker managed only eight points on 2 of 12 from the field, including 0 for 4 on 3-pointers.

Booker, who missed a 3 that would have tied it with 50 seconds remaining, hobbled to the bench early in the second half after stepping on Dennis Schröder’s foot but was able to return.

Phoenix Suns head coach Frank Vogel described Devin Booker as a "professional scorer" as he stepped up in Kevin Durant's absence on Friday, starring in a 110-89 road victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

The In-Season Tournament game was the first Durant has missed all season, with Phoenix's leading scorer complaining of soreness in his right foot before the game.

However, the Suns made light of his absence as Booker stepped up with a season-high 40 points, while Eric Gordon added 20 as Phoenix extended its winning streak to six games.

Asked about Booker's efforts in the aftermath of the win, which took Phoenix to 3-1 in the tournament, Vogel said: "The guy's just a professional scorer. He is a big reason we are having this six-game win streak."

With Phoenix waiting to see how Durant's condition develops, Booker says it will be difficult for the team to replace his contribution.

"It's tough", Booker said. "You can't replace what he brings to the court. His scoring ability, his versatility on defense. It's going to take a lot of extra from everybody else."

With the Los Angeles Lakers winning Group A of the In-Season tournament with a 4-0 record, the Suns must wait on other results across the Western Conference to see whether they have done enough for a wild-card spot.

Phoenix was made to endure something of a Memphis resurgence in the second half as the hosts cut their lead to single digits, but guard Jordan Goodwin scored eight straight Suns points in the fourth quarter to kill any hopes of a comeback.

"He was great," Vogel said of Goodwin, who finished with 14 points and added five rebounds in 20 minutes on the court.

"You know, he's had some ups and downs this year. We've been challenging him as a coaching staff to be better on both sides of the ball.

"He competes defensively but staying within the framework of what we're asking him to do… to see it all come together for him was a great night for all of us, as coaches, trying to challenge a player and see him respond, and for him, to respond and have a great night."

De’Aaron Fox scored 16 of his season-high 43 points in the fourth quarter and the Sacramento Kings won their fifth straight, 129-120 over the San Antonio Spurs to remain perfect in the In-Season Tournament on Friday.

Domantas Sabonis had 28 points and Malik Monk added 20 as the Kings won their fourth in a row in San Antonio and moved to 2-0 in the West Group C standings of the tournament.

Victor Wembanyama had 27 points on 12-of-26 shooting and nine rebounds after scoring a season-low eight points in Tuesday’s loss at Oklahoma City.

Zach Collins scored 28 points and Keldon Johnson contributed 20, but the Spurs lost their seventh straight and dropped to 0-3 in the in-season tournament.

Durant stars as Suns beat Jazz

Kevin Durant scored 38 points and came up just shy of a triple-double and Devin Booker had 24 points and 15 assists to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 131-128 victory over the Utah Jazz.

Durant had nine rebounds and nine assists and scored at least 25 points for the 11th straight game, the longest active streak in the NBA.

Durant’s 3-pointer gave Phoenix a 124-115 lead before Utah rallied to get within one in the final minute. He struck again with his sixth 3 of the game with 18 seconds to play.

Jordan Clarkson had a season-high 37 points for Utah and Lauri Markkanen added 21.

Harden hits key 3-pointer as Clippers snap skid

James Harden drilled a tiebreaking 3-pointer while getting fouled with six seconds remaining and the Los Angeles Clippers ended a six-game losing streak with a 106-100 win over the Houston Rockets.

Harden sank a 26-footer from atop the key and completed the rare four-point play to seal his first win since joining the Clippers, who had lost their last five games since acquiring the superstar.

Kawhi Leonard added two free throws in the final second and finished with 26 points, while Harden added 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

Alperen Sengun scored 23 points for the Rockets, whose six-game win streak was stopped after allowing Los Angeles to close the game on a 12-1 run.

The Phoenix Suns announced Friday that All-Star guard Bradley Beal will remain sidelined due to a lower back strain that has limited him to just three games this season.

Beal will be re-evaluated in three weeks, the club said in a statement, and this new timeline “was determined following further evaluation and consultation on his injury.”

Brought to Phoenix by a blockbuster offseason trade, Beal missed the Suns’ first seven games before making his debut on Nov. 8.

He averaged 17.3 points per game on 39.1-percent shooting in three games, then was a late scratch before the Suns’ win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.

Phoenix still has not had its All-Star trio of Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker all available for the same game.

Booker has also only played three games this season while dealing with toe and calf injuries, but he returned Wednesday to score 31 points on 12-of-22 shooting.

The rash of early injuries has left the Suns with a 5-6 record to start the season as players like Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen have been thrust into larger roles.

Devin Booker gave the Suns a huge boost with 31 points in his return and Phoenix snapped the Minnesota Timberwolves’ seven-game winning streak, 133-115 on Wednesday.

Kevin Durant also scored 31 points and Eric Gordon added 15 as Phoenix avoided a third straight loss.

Booker returned after missing five games with a strained calf, but Bradley Beal was a late scratch with a sore back.

The Suns have yet to have their three stars - Booker, Durant and Beal - play a game together.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points on his 28th birthday and Mike Conley added 14 points for Minnesota, which lost its first game in November.

Phoenix was never seriously threatened, taking a six-point lead after one quarter, a 22-point lead at halftime and a 28-point advantage entering the fourth.

White leads surging Celtics past 76ers

Derrick White scored 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter to propel the short-handed Boston Celtics to a 117-107 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in a matchup of Eastern Conference heavyweights.

Jayson Tatum had 29 points and Jrue Holiday added 18 with 10 rebounds to help Boston win its fourth straight despite missing Jaylen Brown (non-COVID illness) and Kristaps Porzingis (right knee contusion).

The 76ers got 20 points apiece from Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in its second consecutive loss following eight straight wins.

Sam Hauser and Al Horford filled in for Brown and Porzingis and combined for 22 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and six blocks.

Lillard stars as Bucks win without Antetokounmpo

Damian Lillard poured in 37 points to go with 13 assists and the Milwaukee Bucks overcame Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence in a 128-112 win over the Toronto Raptors.

Lillard was 9 of 18 from the field and 15 of 16 from the free throw line while hitting four of Milwaukee’s season high-tying 20 3-pointers.

Antetokounmpo missed his first game of the season due to a strained right calf.

Malik Beasley scored a season-high 30 points on 11-of-14 shooting – including 8 of 11 from long range – as the Bucks avenged a loss at Toronto earlier this month.

Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 29 points and Jakob Poeltl had 13 and 11 boards.

Phoenix Suns star duo Kevin Durant and Devin Booker had nothing but praise for San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama.

The Spurs beat the Suns 132-121 on Thursday, with the number one overall pick Wembanyama marking his arrival in the NBA with a 38-point performance.

Ten of those points came in the final 4:15 as the French teenager took the game away from the Suns down the stretch.

It marked the Suns' second defeat on the spin to the Spurs, and Durant and Booker, who combined for 59 points, were not afraid to pile the plaudits onto the 19-year-old swiftly emerging as San Antonio's talisman.

"He's an unbelievable talent," said Booker. "Everyone knows that. We're just trying to figure what he is because we've never seem him before.

"We got him early in the season. Hopefully, next time we play him we can make some adjustments to make it tougher. But he has an advantage being 7-4 and being able to shoot over everybody."

Two-time NBA champion Durant added: "I don't see anyone else like him in this game.

"We're both skinny and I know he watched me growing up, but he's his own player.

"His enthusiasm for the game – you can tell that through the TV and playing against him.

"He's his own player, own person. He's going to create his own lane and is much different than anyone else who has played."

Wembanyama has averaged 20.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists across his first five NBA games.

"He's a multi-faceted player – he’ll pass to the open guy," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

"He's got confidence in himself. He made some plays that were unbelievable. That combination is pretty good."

Wembanyama, though, pointed out that it remains a team game.

"Every game is different," he said. "We got our third win. Every game we try to find the spots that we need to hurt them.

"Today, it might have been in this way. Tomorrow, it will be someone else. That is how great teams work. If we want to be great, we need to play with everyone."

Victor Wembanyama had the best game of his young career with 38 points and sparked a decisive fourth-quarter run as the San Antonio Spurs squandered a 27-point lead before pulling away for a 132-121 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.

Wembanyama produced a handful of highlight plays in his fifth NBA game, including a flying dunk in the lane in the second quarter. The 7-foot-4 phenom shot 15 of 26 and grabbed 10 rebounds.

He hit a 3-pointer, made three free throws, dunked and hit an 18-foot jumper during a 12-0 run after the Suns erased a 27-point deficit to tie it at 116 with 4:21 remaining.

Devin Booker scored 31 points in his return from a sprained ankle and added 13 assists and nine rebounds, while Kevin Durant tallied 28 points.

The Spurs beat the Suns in Phoenix for the second time in three days after a stunning 115-114 victory on Tuesday, when they rallied from a 20-point deficit.

Embiid leads 76ers past Raptors

Joel Embiid tallied 28 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 114-99 win over the Toronto Raptors in their first game since trading James Harden.

Kelly Oubre Jr. had 23 points and Tyrese Maxey added 18 as Philadelphia won its third straight since a season-opening loss.

Scottie Barnes scored 24 points for the Raptors, who have lost four of five, including two losses to the 76ers in six days.

Oubre moved into the starting lineup in place of PJ Tucker, who was also dealt to the Clippers in the Harden deal.

Marcus Morris and Nic Batum did not play in their first game since they were dealt, though Robert Covington and K.J. Martin played some in the final 90 seconds with the game in hand.

Short-handed Pelicans beat Pistons

CJ McCollum poured in 33 points and Jonas Valanciunas had 23 with 13 rebounds as the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a pair of key absences in a 125-116 win over the Detroit Pistons.

New Orleans had a season high in points despite playing top scorers Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.

Williamson was given the night off in the second half of a back-to-back and Ingram missed his third straight game with right knee tendinitis.

Matt Ryan made his first career start and responded with a personal-best 20 points, making the first four 3-pointers he took and finishing 6 of 8 from long range.

Cade Cunningham had 22 points and 11 assists as Detroit lost its third straight.

Rookie Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs recorded a comeback victory against the Phoenix Suns after taking the lead with just one second remaining.

After being down 18 points at half-time, the Spurs rallied back in the second half and with just six seconds left, Wembanyama, who had 18 points, cut the Suns lead to just one point with a put-back dunk.

Durant was then given the ball and became surrounded by three Spurs players, with his team rejecting to call the time out.

He then had the ball stolen by Keldon Johnson who scored the winning basket with just 1.2 seconds left on the clock, which was the first time the Spurs led during the game.

Johnson finished with a game-high 27 points, while Durant, who became the 12th player in NBA history to score 27,000 points, had 26 points in the 115-114 loss.

The New York Knicks put together their best defensive effort of the season as they kept the Cleveland Cavaliers to just 91 points in an 18-point win.

New York took the lead in the first quarter and did not let it go for the game’s duration.

The Knicks boasted a shared scoresheet, with four players scoring more than 15 points and forward Julius Randle landing a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

The Cavaliers fell to their third loss of the season despite shooting guard Donovan Mitchell scoring 26 points. Isaac Okoro was the only other player who scored more than 10.

Meanwhile, Paul George starred for the Los Angeles Clippers in their 118-102 win over the Orlando Magic with 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

The Clippers were slow out of the blocks with only 13 points in the first quarter but their talent across the board was too much for the youthful Magic.

Keldon Johnson scored on a contested layup after a steal with 1.2 seconds remaining to give the Spurs their only lead of the game and San Antonio rallied for a stunning 115-114 win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.

The Suns led by as many as 13 in the fourth quarter, but the Spurs closed to within 114-113 after Victor Wembanyama scored four straight points.

Johnson then stole the ball from Kevin Durant and put in a layup to put San Antonio on top.

Durant missed a fadeaway as the buzzer sounded to give the Spurs their first win against the Suns in the past 10 meetings.

Johnson finished with 27 points and Devin Vassell and Wembanyama each added 18 for San Antonio, which outscored Phoenix 33-19 in the fourth quarter.

Durant scored 26 points and Eric Gordon had 20 for a Phoenix team that was again without the injured starting backcourt of Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

Knicks handle undermanned Cavaliers

The New York Knicks got 19 points and 10 rebounds from Julius Randle and never trailed over the final three quarters in a 109-91 win over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers.

Jalen Brunson scored 19 points and Immanuel Quickley added 18 off the bench to help the Knicks win the first half of a home-and-home series.

Donovan Mitchell had 26 points in 29 minutes for the Cavaliers, who lost their third straight and fell to 0-3 at home.

Cleveland was without point guard Darius Garland (left hamstring strain), center Jarrett Allen (left ankle bone bruise), top reserve Caris LeVert (left hamstring soreness) and backup guard Ty Jerome (right ankle sprain).

LeBron James said it was an "easy" decision to play beyond a planned limit to his gametime after helping the Los Angeles Lakers to Thursday's come-from-behind victory over the Phoenix Suns.

The Lakers had planned to limit James' time on court to around 30 minutes per game in the early stages of the season, with the NBA's all-time leading scorer having missed a total of 111 games since joining the team in 2018, most of them through injury. 

James played just 29 minutes – well below his 2022-23 average of 35.5 per game – as the Lakers began the new season with a 119-107 defeat against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

Head coach Darvin Ham suggested that would become the norm, but with the Lakers trailing the Suns by 12 points going into the fourth quarter, he was forced to rethink that plan.

Following a conversation with Ham, the four-time NBA champion played the entire fourth quarter and led the Lakers to a 100-95 victory, ensuring they avoided a 0-2 start to 2023-24.

James ended the game with 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in 35 minutes, and he had no hesitation in staying out there to get Los Angeles back in the contest. 

"He [Ham] asked me if I could go the [whole] quarter, and I looked at the time and the score and what was going on in the game, and it was an easy answer for myself," James said after the win.

"I know how much work I've put in to be able to play quarters or whatever the case may be.

"I understand that we definitely have a system in place, but tonight called for me to go outside the box."

The Lakers outscored Kevin Durant's Suns 28-11 in the fourth, with James racking up 10 points alone, vindicating Ham's decision to leave the 38-year-old on the floor.

"We were dragging our feet there for the better part of the first half, and things weren't clicking," Ham said. "He [James] has that spirit, that intensity to put the team on his shoulders. 

"I had timeouts to play with, so I went to him, I said, 'How we feeling? What do we want to do?' 

"He answered my question and you guys saw the results. So we used a couple of our timeouts to get him some breathers."

James' team-mate Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 30 points after going scoreless through the second half against Denver last time out. 

That performance led to Davis receiving fierce criticism from some quarters, but James made it clear that Los Angeles were not affected by the noise surrounding the eight-time All-Star.

"We don't give a s*** about criticism of AD," James said. "We don't care. Nothing bothers us. AD doesn't care. I don't know if guys have figured that out. 

"AD does not care. He's not on social media, so he doesn't see none of it. He rarely talks, unless it's to us, so we don't give a s*** about it, and he definitely doesn't. 

"He just goes out and does his job, and we're happy to have AD."