The Denver Nuggets picked up right where they left off before the All-Star break - with a win. (More Sports News)
ജLed by Jamal Murray's 34 points and Nikola Jokic's near triple-double, the Nuggets won their first game coming out of the break, extending their season-high winning streak to nine games with a 129-115 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday.
𒅌Murray made 7 of 10 shots from 3-point range, while Jokic attempted a career-high 14 3-pointers and made six. He finished with 29 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists to fall just short of his 26th triple-double.
🐟The Nuggets (37-19), who haven't lost since January 29, moved a half-game ahead of Memphis for second place in the Western Conference with the Grizzlies losing 127-113 to the Indiana Pacers. Denver hasn't won 10 straight games since a franchise-record 15-game run during the 2012-13 season.
💞The Hornets (14-40) have lost 10 of their last 12 games and played without LeMelo Ball, as their leading scorer sat out the second half of a back-to-back to rest his sore right ankle.
🍷Miles Bridges stepped up for short-handed Charlotte, scoring a season-high 36 points to go with 13 rebounds and seven assists.
James scores 40 as Lakers hold off Trail Blazers
Another 40-point game for the 40-year-old.
🙈LeBron James scored 40 to become the first 40-year-old with multiple 40-point games and Austin Reaves added 32 as the Los Angeles Lakers held on to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 110-102.
ꦓWith Los Angeles leading 83-81 just over two minutes into the fourth quarter, James scored eight straight points for the Lakers to help them pull away - with a pair of deep 3-pointers highlighting the scoring surge.
෴It was the second 40-point game of February for James, who was playing in his 1,542nd regular-season game to move him past Vince Carter for third on the all-time list. James also had eight rebounds and four assists, but turned the ball over 11 times to match a career worst.
ꦕThe Lakers (33-21) were playing without the newly acquired Luka Doncic, who had the night off as he works his way back from a calf injury after playing 33 minutes in Wednesday's 100-97 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
🧔Deni Avdija had a team-high 28 points for the Trail Blazers (23-33), who suffered a fourth straight loss after winning their previous six games.
Antetokounmpo returns as Bucks rally past Clippers
ꦇGiannis Antetokounmpo was back on the court for Milwaukee, though was resting on the bench when the Bucks completed their 116-110 comeback win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
🐼Antetokounmpo had 23 points and eight rebounds in his first game since February 2 after missing Milwaukee's last six games because of a strained calf. The two-time NBA MVP was on a minutes restriction, however, and played a little less than 24 minutes, heading to the bench for good with 6:27 remaining in the fourth quarter with the Bucks trailing 101-96.
ജDamian Lillard and Brook Lopez then took over, putting the finishing touches on Milwaukee's 13-point, fourth-quarter comeback.
♑Lillard scored nine of his 15 points after Antetokounmpo checked out, while Lopez had six of his 22 points in the final six minutes. Lopez's three-point play with 3:02 remaining gave the Bucks the lead for good.
🐈Milwaukee (30-24) was playing without Bobby Portis after he was suspended 25 games by the NBA for testing positive for the painkiller Tramadol, which is in violation of the league's anti-drug program.
♑Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers (31-24) with 25 points, while James Harden added 24 and Ivica Zubac contributed 20 points and 15 rebounds.
