Damian Lillard dazzled spectators with an epic performance, scoring a season-high 60 points, including nine 3-pointers, which powered the Portland Trail Blazers to a thrilling 134-124 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
Lillard tied for second-most in the NBA this season. Donovan Mitchell had 71 in an overtime game for Cleveland against Chicago on Jan. 3, and Luka Doncic scored 60 in Dallas’ OT victory over New York on Dec. 27.
Jerami Grant added 19 points to help Portland win its second straight game.
Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 24 points. He had a layup followed by a tip shot with 5:20 left that got Utah to 115-108.
When Lillard came to the free-throw line late in the game, the home crowd stood and chanted "MVP! "MVP!" Lillard missed a jump shot with 29.1 seconds left that would have topped his career best 61. Lillard has four career games of 60 points or more. He’s reached 61 twice.
76ers 137, Nets 133
James Harden hit two 3-pointers and had a driving layup in the final four minutes against his former Brooklyn teammates and Philadelphia stretched its winning streak to six games.
Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 27 points, and Joel Embiid had 26. Harden added 23, and Philadelphia was 35 of 36 from the foul line.
Seth Curry had a season-high 32 points for Brooklyn. Kyrie Irving had 30 for the Nets, who have lost five of the last seven games without Kevin Durant.
The game was the first regular-season matchup between Embiid and former teammate Ben Simmons since a February 2022 trade that sent Simmons to Brooklyn for Harden. Simmons missed the rest of the 2022 season with various injuries, then Embiid was injured and missed the Sixers’ win in Simmons’ Philadelphia return Nov. 22.
Warriors 122, Grizzlies 120
Jordan Poole scored the winning layup with a second remaining to cap a crazy, back-and-forth final minute, and Golden State fought back to beat Memphis.
Brandon Clarke had a tying dunk with 6.3 seconds left for Memphis on a pass from Ja Morant after Klay Thompson’s 3-pointer with 14.6 remaining put the Warriors ahead. Thompson then missed a rushed baseline jumper with five seconds to play, but Golden State got the ball out of bounds.
Stephen Curry outdueled Morant and scored 34 points before being ejected with 1:14 remaining in another thrilling game between the rivals who played last year in the Western Conference semifinals won by the Warriors in five games.
Morant wound up with 29 points and 12 assists after missing a game with an ankle injury. He converted a pair of free throws with 26.6 seconds left to put Memphis ahead before Thompson’s big 3.
Curry hit a tying jumper with 2:18 left and made three free throws at the 1:55 mark. He drew the ejection for throwing his mouthpiece into the seats.
Lakers 113, Spurs 104
Anthony Davis scored 21 points in his return from a right foot injury, LeBron James added 20 and Los Angeles bounced back from loss to the Clippers on Tuesday night to beat San Antonio.
Davis, who missed 20 games due to a stress injury suffered during the first half of a Dec. 16 game at Denver, came in with 4:22 remaining in the first quarter. He was 7 of 15 from the field and also had 12 rebounds in 26 minutes.
Patrick Beverley scored a season-high 18 points and Rui Hachimura added 12 in his Lakers debut. Keldon Johnson had 25 points for San Antonio.
Bucks 107, Nuggets 99
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 33 points and 14 rebounds to help Milwaukee beat defeated short-handed Denver.
The Western Conference-leading Nuggets were missing four usual starters in two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic (left hamstring tightness), Jamal Murray (left knee/injury management), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (sprained right wrist) and Michael Porter Jr. (personal reasons).
Jokic returned Tuesday night after missing two games and had his fourth straight triple-double in a 99-98 victory at New Orleans. But he rested the hamstring Wednesday rather than playing on back-to-back nights.
Aaron Gordon had 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Nuggets.
Timberwolves 111, Pelicans 102
Anthony Edwards scored 37 points, Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 12 rebounds in his return from a groin injury, and Minnesota spoiled New Orleans star Brandon Ingram’s return from a two-month absence.
Ingram, who had not played since Nov. 25 and had missed 29 games with a left toe injury, scored 13 points but struggled with his shot, missing 14 of 18, including all six attempts from deep.
CJ McCollum scored 25 points, and Jonas Valanciunas added 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Pelicans. They lost their sixth straight and dropped their ninth in the 12 games missed by star power forward Zion Williamson (right hamstring).
Raptors 113, Kings 95
Pascal Siakam had 26 points and 11 rebounds in Toronto's victory over Pacific Division-leading Sacramento,
Fred VanVleet scored 17 points for the Raptors, who had lost four of their last six.
Kevin Huerter scored 21 points to lead the Kings. They entered the game with seven wins in their last eight games.
Wizards 108, Rockets 103
Kyle Kuzma scored 20 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter to help Washington rally past Houston.
The Wizards trailed by 19 points and were down by 10 to open the fourth quarter.
Houston's Alperen Şengün had 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his second career triple-double.
Hawks 137, Thunder 132
Trae Young had 33 points and 11 assists in Atlanta's victory over Oklahoma City.
Dejounte Murray scored 21 points and Bogdan Bogdanovic added 20.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 36 points for Oklahoma City.
Magic 126, Pacers 120
Paolo Banchero scored 23 points, Garry Harris made all six of his 3-pointers and added 22 points and Orlando held Indiana.
Orlando made 15 of 28 attempts from 3-point range and shot 56% overall.
Bennedict Mathurin had 26 points for Indiana for the second straight game. Myles Turner added 22 points and 13 rebounds.