Nets hold off Pistons
Harden shows way for Brooklyn with 44 points in victory
Detroit
James Harden scored 44 points and Blake Griffin added 17 in his return to Detroit, lifting the Brooklyn Nets to a 113-111 victory over the Pistons on Friday night.
Harden was back after missing his team’s previous game because of neck soreness, and he added 14 rebounds and eight assists in addition to his big scoring night. Brooklyn was still without Kevin Durant (left hamstring strain) and Kyrie Irving (personal reasons), but the Nets had enough to hold off the last-place Pistons.
Jerami Grant scored 19 points for Detroit.
Griffin spent three-plus years with the Pistons, but he reached a buyout agreement with Detroit earlier this month and went to the contending Nets. The Pistons played a tribute video for him during a first-half timeout, and he stood to acknowledge the small number of fans in attendance.
Celtics 122, Bucks 114: Jayson Tatum scored 34 points, Marcus Smart had 23 and Boston beat Milwaukee to snap the Bucks’ eight-game winning streak and spilt the two-game series. The Celtics, who led 60-55 at the half, hit nine of 14 3-pointers in the third quarter to push the lead to 103-89 entering the final period.
Suns 104, Raptors 100: Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton each scored 19 points and Phoenix held off Toronto despite not making a field goal in the last 3:50.
Nuggets 113, Pelicans 108: Nikola Jokic had 37 points and nine assists and Denver outlasted New Orleans in a tight fourth quarter.
Timberwolves 107, Rockets 101: Karl-anthony Towns had 29 points and 16 rebounds, and Juancho Hernangomez had 19 points off the bench as Minnesota came back to beat Houston.
Trail Blazers 112, Magic 105: Orlando got a look at their harsh, new reality a night after trading away the core of their team, losing to a Portland squad without injured star guard Damian Lillard. Newly acquired guard Norman Powell scored 22 points and hit five 3-pointers in his Portland debut.
Hornets 110, Heat 105: Malik Monk scored 32 points, Terry Rozier had 26 points and a career-high 11 assists. and Charlotte handed Miami its sixth straight loss.
Pacers 109, Mavericks 94: Domantas Sabonis had 22 points and 15 rebounds, Malcolm Brogdon also scored 22 points, and Indiana hit early and often from long range.
Notes: Center Andre Drummond is now a free agent and can sign with a contending team after reaching a buyout with the Cavaliers. Drummond, who hasn’t played since mid-february, began negotiating terms of the buyout with the Cavs on Thursday after the club didn’t trade the 27-year-old before the deadline. ... Memphis expects forward Jaren Jackson Jr. back in the lineup by the end of April, nearly nine months after he hurt his left knee in the NBA bubble . ... Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak says he’s not ruling out Lamelo Ball returning this season from his broken right wrist.