Bridges scores 45 to lead Nets past the Heat
Mikal Bridges scored a career-high 45 points, including 15 in a row for Brooklyn to break open a game that had been close for 3 1/2 quarters, and the Nets beat the Miami Heat 116-105 on Wednesday night in the final game for both teams before the All-Star break.
In his third game since coming from Phoenix in the trade for Kevin Durant, Bridges had an electrifying scoring stretch that could even match Durant.
The Nets led only 90-89 before he went to work with an array of drives, 3-pointers and jumpers over the next three minutes. That pushed the lead to nine and when another Nets player finally scored, it was a 3-pointer by fellow newcomer Cam Johnson that pushed it to 108-96.
Bridges scored 17 points in the final quarter to blow by his previous career best of 34 points.
CELTICS 127, PISTONS 109 >>
Jayson Tatum scored 38 points, including 24 in the third quarter, and NBA-leading Boston rolled past Detroit. Malcolm Brogdon had 25 points off the bench, and Al Horford added 11 points and seven rebounds for Boston.Marcus Smart contributed nine points, seven rebounds, six assists and six steals in his first game back after missing nine with a sprained right ankle.
HORNETS 120, SPURS 110 >>
LaMelo Ball had 28 points, 10 assists and a season-high 12 rebounds and Charlotte beat San Antonio to send the Spurs into the NBA AllStar break with a franchise-record 14-game losing streak. Ball had his third triple-double of the season and franchiseleading ninth overall.
NUGGETS 118, MAVERICKS 109 >>
Reserve Jeff Green scored a season-high 24 points, Nikola Jokic had his 21st triple-double and Western Conference-leading Denver beat short-handed Dallas. Jokic finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for the Nuggets, who moved to an NBA-best 27-4 at home this season. Michael Porter Jr. hit five 3-pointers and finished with 22 points.
Luka Doncic had 37 points in leading a banged-up Dallas team that was missing guard Kyrie Irving due to lowerback tightness.
76ERS 118, CAVALIERS 112 >>
Joel Embiid scored 29 points — including the 10,000th of his career — and Philadelphia beat Cleveland. James Harden added 19 points and 12 assists to help send the 76ers into the All-Star break with their fourth straight victory. Donovan Mitchell had 33 points — including 25 in the second half — for the Cavaliers. They had won seven straight.
GRIZZLIES 117, JAZZ 111 >>
Jaren Jackson had 26 points, nine rebounds and four blocks and Memphis beat Utah in the last game for both teams before the All-Star break. Desmond Bane scored 24 points and Ja Morant had 20 points — on 8-of26 shooting — and nine assists. Jackson also had five steals.
PACERS 117, BULLS 113
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Buddy Hield made six 3-pointers in the second half and finished with 27 points, helping Indiana overcome a 24-point deficit after the first quarter to beat Chicago.
KNICKS 122, HAWKS 101 >>
Jalen Brunson scored 28 points, Julius Randle added 25 and New York cruised into the AllStar break with its third straight victory, blowing out Atlanta.
THUNDER 133, ROCKETS 96 >>
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points and Oklahoma City routed Houston. Gilgeous-Alexander, a first-time AllStar, played just three quarters because Oklahoma City was up 116-78 heading into the fourth.
FORMER NBA PLAYER FORBES ARRESTED >>
Bryn Forbes, an NBA free agent who has played for four teams over seven seasons, was arrested early Wednesday on a family violence charge in San Antonio, police records show. Forbes, who was released last week by the Minnesota Timberwolves, was arrested on suspicion of assault with bodily injury, a misdemeanor, after a verbal argument with a female companion turned physical, according to police records.