New Orleans 138, Utah 132
Milwaukee 128, Boston 123
Phoenix 121, New York 98
LA Clippers 122, Orlando 95
Denver 134, Golden State 131 (OT)
MILWAUKEE (AP) – Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 17 rebounds, Khris Middleton scored 23 and the Milwaukee Bucks held off the Boston Celtics 128-123 on Thursday night.
With the victory, the NBA-leading Bucks (37-6) extended their winning streak to five games.
Kemba Walker scored a game-high 40 points to lead the Celtics, who took the floor without Jaylen Brown. The 6-foot-6 forward suffered a sprained right thumb in a 13-point loss to Detroit on Wednesday.
“We saw a play late in the first half and we think that might have been when it happened,” Boston coach Brad Stevens said. “Maybe it got worse as the game went on. He didn’t say much about it at halftime. Certainly, after the game it was sore. Today, more sore.”
Stevens said they will do more tests on Brown’s thumb on Friday.
Marcus Smart, who started in place of Brown, had 24 points.
Antetokounmpo, who also had seven assists, had his 35th double-double of the season.
After trailing by as many as 27, the Celtics outscored Milwaukee 36-22 to pull within 127-123 with 38 seconds to play. But Smart missed a 3-pointer and Middleton knocked down one of two free throws to seal the victory.
Antetokounmpo scored the first basket of the night and the Bucks never trailed.
Milwaukee hit seven of their first 10 shots, including their first four attempts from 3, and led 36-20 after the first quarter. Brook Lopez had three of those 3-pointers and had 11 points in the opening quarter. Lopez finished with 16 points.
Milwaukee set a new season-high with 76 points in the first half. The Bucks had a 76-58 lead at the break.
SUNS 121, KNICKS 98
In New York, Deandre Ayton had 26 points and a career-high 21 rebounds, and the Phoenix Suns pounded the New York Knicks 121-98 on Thursday night.
The Suns shot 51% (47 for 92) from the field and placed five players in double figures in their third win in four games. Devin Booker scored 29 points, and Ricky Rubio had 25 points and 13 assists.
Ayton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, was 11 for 15 from the field in his 11th game this season. The 6-foot-11 center played on opening night, and then served a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug program after testing positive for a diuretic. He sprained an ankle in his return to the lineup Dec. 17.
Julius Randle led the Knicks with 26 points. Marcus Morris Sr., who returned to the starting lineup after missing five games with a sore neck, had 17 points, and Mitchell Robinson finished with 12.
New York opened a 35-27 lead on Bobby Portis’ 3-pointer with 11:20 left in the first half. But Phoenix ripped off 28 of the next 37 points to go in front for good.
