INGLEWOOD, California, February 6 ------ LeBron James had 26 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, and Luka Doncic watched approvingly from the bench while the Los Angeles Lakers thrashed the Los Angeles Clippers, 122-97. Doncic clapped and occasionally fist-pumped during the Lakers’ outstanding performance in their first game since they made the seismic trade to acquire the All-NBA scoring champion in exchange for star big man Anthony Davis. James and Doncic, who is close to a return from a strained calf, sat next to each other and talked at times.
Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura scored 20 points apiece for the Lakers, who finished a six-game trip with five victories despite losing Davis to injury even before the trade. The Lakers’ victory was their first at Intuit Dome, their crosstown rivals’ sparkling new arena. Norman Powell scored 20 points for the Clippers (28-22), who fell two games behind the fifth-place Lakers (29-19) in the West. James Harden went 2 of 12 for seven points, and Kawhi Leonard scored just 11 before both stars took the fourth quarter off. Bronny James hit his first NBA 3-pointer while playing the final six minutes. Patty Mills and Drew Eubanks played the final seven minutes in their debuts with the Clippers, who acquired the veterans Saturday from Utah.
Meanwhile in New York, Keon Johnson and D’Angelo Russell made 3-pointers in the final 10 seconds, and the Brooklyn Nets stunned the Houston Rockets, 99-97, for their first home victory in two months. Brooklyn trailed 97-93 when Tosan Evbuomwan inbounded the ball to Johnson, who made a 3 from the wing with 8.1 seconds left. Houston’s Amen Thompson then threw an inbounds pass that skipped past Dillon Brooks, and Evbuomwan tipped it to Russell, who buried a 3 to put the Nets ahead with 3.4 seconds remaining. Jalen Green missed a deep 3 at the buzzer for the Rockets as Brooklyn (17-33) ended its 11-game skid at Barclays Center. Johnson scored 22 points, and Evbuomwan and Nic Claxton each scored 14. Russell had 10 points on 3-of-15 shooting.
In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid had 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in his first action in a month to lead the 76ers to a 118-116 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, who fell to 0-2 since trading star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Embiid recorded his first triple-double of an injury-plagued season in which he’s appeared in just 14 games. A left knee injury sidelined the seven-time All-Star for the previous 15 games, and he wore a large brace on the knee. But he looked like his usual self, especially down the stretch. Embiid’s layup with 22 seconds left put Philadelphia ahead by a point. He grabbed a rebound on the Mavericks’ next possession and then defended the final play of the game when Dallas turned it over.
In Chicago, Rookie Matas Buzelis scored a career-best 24 points and Josh Giddey matched it to help the Bulls top the Miami Heat, 133-124. Coby White scored 22 points and Ayo Dosunmu added 21 points and nine assists for the Bulls, who played their first game since trading two-time All-Star Zach LaVine to Sacramento late Sunday.
In Cleveland, Jayson Tatum scored 22 points, Derrick White added 20 and the Boston Celtics showed their championship makeup down the stretch with a 112-105 win over the Cavaliers in a matchup of the Eastern Conference’s top teams. The defending NBA titlists executed in the final minutes and held off the Cavs, who lost for just the fourth time in 28 home games.
Source: mb.com.ph
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