OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma City Thunder prospect Nikola Topic has made his NBA G League debut after recovering from a major knee injury and undergoing cancer treatment.
Topic had seven points and seven assists in 16 minutes for the Oklahoma City Blue in their 137-135 overtime victory over the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Monday night.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault praised Topic in Los Angeles before defending NBA champion Oklahoma City faced the Lakers.
“We’re all just collectively thrilled that he’s back playing basketball,” Daigneault said. “I know he’s missed it a great deal, and this is just so good for him mentally to get his feet back underneath him.”
The G League game was another remarkable step forward for Topic, who has barely played basketball since the Thunder made him the 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft.
Oklahoma City chose the Serbian guard even though he had torn a ligament in his knee two months earlier, and the injury sidelined him for his entire first season in North America.
Topic played for Oklahoma City in summer league games last year and appeared again in the Thunder's preseason, but was subsequently diagnosed with testicular cancer. He underwent chemotherapy before working his way back into playing shape again.
“Great accomplishment,” Daigneault said. “Just can’t say enough about him as a guy, his mental toughness, maturity, resilience. ... He hasn’t played a lot of basketball over the last two years, and he comes off a one-year rehab and immediately has a surprising diagnosis and goes through chemotherapy, three rounds of it. So for him to work himself back onto the court is just an unbelievable accomplishment, and we’re incredibly happy for him.”
DENVER , CO - FEBRUARY 9: James Harden (1) of the Cleveland Cavaliers stretches his shoulder after hitting a clutch three pointer as Donovan Mitchell (45) smiles during the fourth quarter of the Cavs' 119-117 win over the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Monday, February 9, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off one of their most encouraging wins of the season, downing the Denver Nuggets 119-117.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Mitchell came out guns blazing in this game. He scored 13 points in the first quarter and entered halftime with 18 overall. Mitchell converted some absurd and-one’s along the way.
Denver adjusted in the second half, blitzing Mitchell and forcing the ball out of his hands. That helped him rack up 10 assists. And, Mitchell was still able to finish the game with 32 points, including the game-winning free throws with less than a second on the clock.
Grade: A+
James Harden
22 points, 7 assists, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks
This was a slightly more aggressive version of Harden than the one we saw in his debut. He made more of an effort to get into the paint, going to his floater to account for his three-point struggles (2-7 shooting).
Those struggles went away when it mattered most.
Harden buried the 9-1-1 triple to tie the game with under a minute to play. His patented step-back jumper is something we’ve seen countless times in other jerseys. But, if you ask me, it looks so much sweeter in a Cavalier uniform.
Additional credit for his 10 rebounds. The Cavs had a difficult time cleaning the glass tonight, so Harden’s efforts made a difference. And no — that’s not a typo. Harden actually had 3 blocks tonight.
Grade: A+
Support us and rep Evan Mobley with Homage!
We’ve partnered with Homage to help provide Cavs fans with the best gear. Anything bought from the links below helps support Fear the Sword while also allowing you to rep the Cavs. You can also shop all Homage Cavs gear HERE.
Allen was the hero of this road trip. He put in the work each night, scoring a career-high 40 points earlier in the trip and then capping it off by battling Nikola Jokic for a win. Allen defended Jokic as well as you can reasonably expect, and punished him for being too slow on the other end. This was a monster stretch of games from Allen.
Grade: A+++
Jaylon Tyson
16 points, 1 assist, 3 rebounds
Tyson looked better than he did in Sacramento. His off-ball movement earned Tyson some quality shot attempts, and he shot efficiently from downtown, going 4-9 from the three-point line.
It’s been said before, but Tyson’s confidence is something to rave about. He has zero fear of the moment, and canned a catch-and-shoot three-pointer off a Harden kickout late in the fourth quarter. That type of stuff will earn a Hall of Famer’s trust very quickly.
Ellis converted a wild layup in transition that probably should have been an and-one. He was also fine enough on defense despite some of Cleveland’s blown coverages. Other than that, it was a hectic game that Ellis never really found his place in.
Grade: C-
Nae’Qwan Tomlin
6 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists
Tomlin’s inexperience can hold him back at times. The Cavs could have used tighter rotations and better positional awareness from him tonight. A few rebounds would have gone a long way.
I’ll give Qwan credit for nailing two three-pointers, though.
Grade: D+
Dennis Schroder
5 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals
I like what Schroder provides for this team. Pesky defense and on-ball creation. But those skills will look better when he isn’t playing in three-guard lineups. This game wasn’t built for Schroder’s strengths.
Grade: C-
Sam Merrill
9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist
The Cavs’ lack of size is putting a heavy strain on Merrill right now. He’s too small to defend opposing forwards, and he doesn’t have enough backline help to support him when he’s defending the perimeter.
Thankfully, Merrill was able to get going from downtown. His three triples made a difference and gave Cleveland enough fuel to get to the finish line.
Grade: C
Craig Porter Jr.
0 points, 1 rebound, 9 minutes
Porter just isn’t in a position for success right now. He’s in lineups featuring one, two, or sometimes three other ball-handling guards. The results haven’t been surprising. Porter isn’t a good enough floor spacer or defender to thrive in that type of lineup.
Grade: D-
Thomas Bryant
5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Bryant offered crucial support for Allen in this one. Defending Jokic is no easy task. Bryant’s physicality was important for limiting Jokic as much as humanly possible tonight.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 9: Corey Kispert #24 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 9, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Less than two minutes into the first quarter of the Minnesota Timberwolves second leg of their home back-to-back against the Atlanta Hawks, Donte DiVincenzo sank his first field goal – a wing three off of an assist from Jaden McDaniels.
On most nights, a pretty routine start for the Wolves guard and an ordinary thing that happens within the flow of the offense.
But coming off of Sunday’s embarrassing blowout loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers, a game in which DiVincenzo didn’t record a field goal, it was an omen for a team that badly needed a positive one.
One assist shy of their season-high 37 on Monday night, it was a concerted effort to come out of the gate and move the ball. Especially in the first quarter, there was an extremely low amount of one-and-no-pass possessions.
“Quick decision making and a lot of mixed-action basketball,” coach Chris Finch attributed to an intentional start to the game. “Julius and Ant were really great in that…they led the way.”
Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards recognition feels notable. A Hawks team missing two key pieces descended upon Target Center on Monday night, and on the tail end of a back-to-back, has embodied what the Wolves have struggled to come up with the energy for as of late.
An @emoryhealthcare injury report for tonight's game at Minnesota:
It’s been a lackluster effort from the Wolves’ top two over the last few games, specifically, and Monday felt like a return to normalcy and a simultaneous pull out of a hole.
“It felt great…the ball was moving,” said Rudy Gobert after the game. “I thought our focus was there.”
The reflection of the ball movement was in the box score. A 45 percent 3-point mark at the half, towering over the 33 percent halftime mark on Sunday; a much more iso-heavy game in which one-and-no-pass possessions were the norm.
The fruits of the labor were apparent. 70 points in the paint for Minnesota ballooned to Atlanta’s 42, and seven of the nine players who checked in scored in double digits.
“It was a return to our concepts and our free-flowing stuff,” Finch said. “We just have to commit to it.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 9: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Nickeil Alexander-Walker #7 of the Atlanta Hawks swap jerseys after the game on February 9, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
A Familiar Face Returns
Monday night marked the first time Nickeil Alexander-Walker was back at Target Center in another uniform.
A fan favorite and cheered for by everyone, he returned as the leader of a team he’s been on for less than a season. The hallmark of player development, Alexander-Walker’s tenure in Minnesota went from DNP to major contributor to back-to-back Western Conference Finals teams. His welcome from fans reflected his contributions.
While the game wasn’t close, I think it also served as a reflection of just how much this team has missed Nickeil this season. His willing on-ball defense, spot up shooting, and ability to seamlessly fill gaps is something has sorely missed, and fair to wager that it has cost them some of the games that have so many fans pulling their hair out.
“He deserves all of the love that he is getting…I’m really proud of him,” Rudy Gobert said, who was both in Utah with Alexander-Walker and Minnesota. “He got his opportunity, and I was there to witness it. I think he is still getting better every day, and I am happy that he got this opportunity.”
So who fills that role moving forward? While he’s not the same player, Tim Connelly’s latest acquisition in Ayo Dosunmu has to be the answer.
A willing defender and the main source of offensive pace in his second game in the trees, Dosunmu finished his night with 21 points off the bench. He spent a lot of his time attacking the paint and showing off his switchability on the perimeter.
While Nickeil may have brought other things to the game that Dosunmu does not, it’s clear that his downhill nature is an important element to this team that is only brought consistently by Anthony Edwards. Pair that with his fellow bench mob member Bones Hyland’s ability to push pace alongside him, and an identity seems to be forming with the second unit.
“I think [running in transition] is one of my strengths, and I’m excited about that,” Dosunmu said afterwards. “The city has embraced me, and my teammates have done a great job of putting me in positions to succeed.”
While he admitted that he still has a ways to go to get fully up to speed, the transition has been seamless. Another game and a full All-Star break should be a nice remedy to that moving forward.
Up Next
The Timberwolves will keep the homestand rolling and welcome the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night in their last game before the All-Star break.
The Blazers have played well over their last three games, and their All-Star Deni Avdija presents a foul-drawing challenge for a Wolves defense that can get their physicality impacted by a heavy whistle.
This is the third “home and stay home” series for the Houston Rockets this season. They’re 1-3 so far, with each of those games coming on the road (at Utah and at Portland). Tonight and tomorrow, they take on the new-look Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers traded James Harden for Darius Garland and decided to start tear things down when they traded Ivica Zubac to the Pacers (Indy is going to be really fun next season).
LA still has Kawhi Leonard and John Collins, both of whom lit up Houston when the teams played back in December. Since then, the Clips have the best record in the NBA. Ty Lue is a good coach and LA is just a few games back of being in 8th place in the West and having the inside track on making the playoffs.
Kansas — without potential top NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson for the 11th time this season — trailed by three at halftime and found themselves down by as many as 11 at the 17-minute mark. They responded with a 9-2 run over the next two minutes to come within three points of Arizona before taking the lead on a Flory Bidunga layup with nine minutes to go.
"KANSAS HAS KNOCKED OFF UNBEATEN ARIZONA! NO. 1 GOES DOWN INSIDE ALLEN FIELDHOUSE! NO DARRYN PETERSON, NO PROBLEM FOR THE KANSAS JAYHAWKS!"
Bidunga led the Jayhawks in both scoring (23 points) and rebounds (11). The sophomore big man also had a critical block with 17 seconds left in the game on Koa Peat's layup attempt to protect a three-point lead. Tre White sealed the win by draining a pair of free throws in the final five seconds.
Feb 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) during the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers ended their five-game Western Conference roadtrip with a bang. They overcame a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to beat a strong Denver Nuggets team 119-117 thanks to their dynamic backcourt.
The Donovan Mitchell and James Harden pairing couldn’t have gotten off to a better start.
The Cavs were kept at arm’s length for most of the game. They never let the Nuggets get out in front by more than 11, but it also never felt like they really had a chance of getting into the game.
That changed down the stretch.
Cleveland’s half-court offense feels inevitable. There’s only so much you can do when you have two guards who require that much attention. There’s just too many holes to plug, and eventually, the defense is going to break.
That’s what happened late. Jarrett Allen found himself wide open for back-to-back crucial baskets to make it a one-point game with just over a minute left.
Harden then hit an impossible step-back three with 32 seconds left to tie the game for the first time in the fourth.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Spida shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
Mitchell has been the primary scoring engine in their first two games. He poured in 32 points on 11-23 shooting to go along with 10 assists.
Harden, on the other hand, has been the orchestrator of the offense. He’s continually found ways to generate open looks for his teammates, which includes feeding Allen early and often.
This group hasn’t had someone with the playmaking capabilities of Harden. His ability to draw as many defenders into him and then deliver on-time and on-target passes is truly unbelievable.
Harden’s facilitating doesn’t come at the expense of generating good looks for himself. He provided 22 points on 7-16 shooting to go along with 10 huge rebounds and seven assists.
Even though the offense was impressive, Harden’s defense was just as important. He did an excellent job of double-teaming Nikola Jokic and providing help defense when needed. This led to a crucial Jokic turnover on Denver’s third-to-last possession.
Allen continues to be the biggest beneficiary of Harden’s playmaking. He provided 22 points on 10-16 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds.
Allen did a good job of staying in front of Nikola Jokic and containing him the best he could. Unfortunately for Cleveland, containing Jokic still meant he finished with a triple-double with 22 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists. He also committed seven costly turnovers.
Julian Strawther and Christian Bruan provided 20 points each.
The Cavs return home to take on the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. It will be their last game before the All-Star break. Tip-off is at 7 PM.
Rob Pelinka, President of basketball operations and general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, attends the FIBA EuroBasket match between Slovenia and Poland in Katowice, Poland, on August 28, 2025. The European Basketball Championship game is part of the group phase, Group D competition, in Spodek Arena. (Photo by Marcin Golba/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Lakers are finally going to start acting like the financial powerhouse they are.
New owner Mark Walter is already one of the wealthiest owners in the NBA, a far cry from the Buss family. That wealth can be spent in only a few ways in the NBA, unlike the Dodgers, which Walter also owns.
One of those ways is the front office where there is no limit on what the Lakers can spend on the staff off the court. Last week, Dan Woike of The Athleticreported that the Lakers planned to make wholesale hires to the front office.
Prior to the Lakers’ win over the Warriors on Saturday, President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka confirmed the report, noting that he and Governor Jeanie Buss would oversee the hires.
Referencing Mark Walter and the Lakers' new majority ownership group, Rob Pelinka said, "there is no expense they'll spare in being the best sort of front office in the world…I think now we'll have an opportunity just with extra resources that Mark brings to build it out and… pic.twitter.com/d91onBvEe4
Rob Pelinka on collaborating with the Dodgers: “Being able to tap into a person like Andrew Friedman for best practices. He's so incredibly smart and has done such an amazing job bringing championships to the Dodgers” pic.twitter.com/4KCi9N0c6b
It would be fair to have some concerns about Pelinka overseeing the hires of the front office considering how hot his seat could be if things go awry this offseason, but given his title, it would be his job to oversee the hirings of the front office.
The question now will be how quickly and how aggressively the team moves to make these hires. It’s unlikely personnel will leave teams midseason, though front office hires and movement aren’t often reported, so it’s possible.
Considering how important this summer will be for the Lakers, assembling a front office and, specifically, a scouting department, should be a high priority.
This is an area where the Lakers should have an advantage over most teams. They are the face of the NBA. They now have the spending power to go along with that.
It’s time they start acting like the premier franchise they are.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid did not play against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night to rest his right knee after an off day.
Embiid is averaging 26.6 points, 7.5 rebound and 3.9 assists this season. He has played in 31 games after being limited to 19 games last year and 39 games the previous season. The 7-foot center scored 33 points in a win at Phoenix on Saturday night.
In Portland, the Sixers also ruled out Quentin Grimes and Quentin Dominick because both had an illness.
Philadelphia was also missing Paul George, who was recently suspended 25 games for violating the terms of the NBA’s anti-drug program.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Lamar Wilkerson had 41 points and Indiana beat Oregon 92-74 on Monday night, handing the Ducks a 10th straight loss.
Wilkerson missed his first five shots and then made 13 of 15 for the Hoosiers (17-8, 8-6 Big Ten Conference), who have won two straight and five of six. He made 6 of 12 from 3-point range and 9 of 11 free throws. The senior guard hit 10 3-pointers and scored an Assembly Hall record 44 in a 113-72 victory over Penn State in December. He is the fifth Hoosier to have multiple 40-point games in one season.
Sam Alexis had 16 points for Indiana and Tucker DeVries totaled 15 points and seven assists. Nick Dorn scored 11.
Nate Bittle and reserve Wei Lin scored 15 apiece to pace the Ducks (8-16, 1-11), who are in the midst of the longest losing streak in head coach Dana Altman's 16 seasons. Bittle added eight rebounds and five assists. Sean Stewart scored 12, Takai Simpkins 11 and Drew Carter 10.
Wilkerson scored 16 in a first half that saw nine lead changes and two ties to help Indiana take a 36-30 lead into the break. Lin had nine points as the Ducks bench outscored Indiana's 13-0.
Wilkerson and DeVries hit 3-pointers, and Alexis scored six and had the final two baskets in a 16-6 run for a 52-36 advantage in the first four minutes of the second half. The lead never slipped below 10.
Indiana shot 81.8% in the second half — 18 for 22.
Josh Hart’s nightly boxscore is like a box of chocolates: you never quite know what you’re going to get.
He molds his aggressiveness in that department to whatever the game needs.
At times, he becomes the main facilitator, orchestrating the Knicks offense, pushing them in transition and allowing Jalen Brunson to play off the ball.
Other times, he is their second-leading scorer and temporarily carrying the offense.
Often, it’s somewhere in between.
“I turn down shots, I don’t know how many times,” Hart said after the win over the Celtics in Boston on Sunday. “I love getting assists. I used to love scoring. Now, I love getting guys shots, getting guys involved. Sometimes, it’s the bad read because I should shoot it when I’m open, but I love getting guys shots.”
Sunday was a bit different than that.
He took 14 shots, making seven of them.
That was second most on the team, behind Brunson, and five more than Karl-Anthony Towns — who is supposed to be the clear second option on offense — despite playing three fewer minutes than him.
Knicks forward Josh Hart (3) defends the ball from Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. AP
Hart took six 3-pointers — also second most on the team.
He had three assists, two below his season average.
In the 13 games he’s played since returning from his sprained ankle, he’s taken as many as 17 shots — which he did in a win over the Blazers at the end of January — and as few as three, which he did in a rout of the Wizards last week.
Some of it is a result of how opponents defend him.
Most view him as the weakest 3-point shooter in the normal Knicks starting lineup of Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Hart, OG Anunoby and Towns.
That means other teams often match up their five on him, allowing them to sink into the paint and help on others, not respecting Hart’s ability to hurt them from deep.
Those are usually the times Hart is forced to be the most aggressive, given that he is left open.
“Games like [Sunday],” Hart said, “[are] where that sacrifice is me having to go out there and be super aggressive and keep them honest.”
Josh Hart of the Knicks has a laugh with Jalen Brunson during the second half of their win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on February 8, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. Getty Images
Hart is shooting a career-best 40.4 percent from 3-point range this year, exploiting strategic decisions by the opposition.
“I don’t ever call a play for Josh, and he finds his way,” coach Mike Brown said. “Teams keep putting their five on him, and we tell him to let it fly. He’s really good because he knows when to let it fly. Not only that, if the ball gets pushed ahead to him, fives are used to sitting in the paint or shrinking; now, when the ball gets pushed ahead, that five closes out to Josh, he’s quick on a snap drive. He finishes on the front side, the back side, he can still spray it and he’s got his little [midrange].
Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics on February 8, 2026 at TD Garden. NBAE via Getty Images
“He makes a big difference offensively. It’s him because he knows how and when to pick his spots with it. Also when he was out and he came back, that first game in Portland, you felt his presence in transition. Whether he was bringing it or just filling that wing, you felt his presence and it’s much needed especially against the better teams.”
Hart hasn’t always enjoyed his chameleon-like identity.
It was something he had to grow to embrace.
“I think I acquired it in Portland,” Hart said. “Mark Tyndale, who’s here right now, I think one day I was venting to him. I was saying ‘bro I’m not getting the ball. I’m not getting any touches.’ He’s like ‘we’ve got [Damian Lillard], we’ve got all these guys. We’re not saying you can’t score. We’re saying we’ve got guys that are better and that’s what they’re here to do.’ And from then on, I said ‘let me work out how I can help these guys and find them in good positions.’”
“It took a little bit of getting used to, but I think right now I’m in a good head space with it.”
The Knicks are about to start a home-road back-to-back against the Pacers and 76ers on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Don’t be surprised if Hart’s approach is completely different between the two games.
Anunoby, who has missed the last two games with a sore toe, is questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Pacers.
Mitchell Robinson is out, with it being the first leg of a back-to-back.
MIAMI (AP) — Brice Sensabaugh made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 47 seconds remaining to lift the Utah Jazz to a 115-111 victory over the Miami Heat on Monday night.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 22 points, Lauri Markkanen added 17, Kyle Filipowski had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Ace Bailey also scored 16 for the Jazz, who won for only the fifth time in their last 23 games.
The Jazz erased a 108-103 deficit with 3:32 left and got within one at 111-110 on Isaiah Collier’s jumper with 1:23 remaining. Sensabaugh, who finished with 14 points, then connected with his shot from behind the arc.
Miami twice had opportunities at a tying or go-ahead score. Andrew Wiggins missed a short jumper with 36 seconds left and Kasparas Jakucionis’ corner 3-point attempt bounced off the rim with 4 seconds left.
Sensabaugh’s two free throws with 3 seconds remaining clinched the win for Utah.
Wiggins scored 26 points, Bam Adebayo had 23 points and 11 rebounds and Jakucionis finished with 20 points for the Heat.
Utah led 85-82 after three quarters but for the second consecutive game, coach Will Hardy sat Markkanen and Jackson in the fourth period. Jackson was acquired from Memphis in a trade Feb. 3. Jusuf Nurkic also sat out the fourth and finished with 10 points and 16 rebounds.
The Jazz outscored the Heat in the paint 54-30.
Miami’s Norman Powell (back tightness) and Pelle Larsson (right forearm strain) didn’t play, while Tyler Herro (ribs) has been sidelined since Jan. 17. Keyonte George (right ankle sprain) sat out for Utah.
Down 15 midway through the first quarter, the Jazz finished the first half on a 14-2 run. Collier’s 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Utah a 61-52 lead at the break.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Trey Murphy III made five 3-pointers and finished with 21 points, Jeremiah Fears scored 14 of his 20 in the second half and the New Orleans Pelicans sent the Sacramento Kings to their 13th straight loss Monday night, 120-94.
The Kings have their most consecutive losses since the franchise moved from Kansas City to Sacramento ahead of the 1985-86 season.
Murphy has made 23 3-pointers on 40 attempts (72.5%) in the last three games. Zion Williamson scored 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting and had six assists for New Orleans.
Maxime Raynaud had 21 points and career-high 20 rebounds — the 7-foot-1 rookie’s eighth double-double this season — for Sacramento. Russell Westbrook added 17 points, Devin Carter scored 12 and Nique Clifford 10.
Westbrook became the 14th player in league history to score at least 27,000 career points. The 18-year NBA veteran has 27,001 career points, 312 behind Elvin Hayes for 13th place on the league's career points list.
DeMar DeRozan made a driving layup with 4:08 left in the first quarter that gave the Kings a 20-15 lead, but Bryce McGowen and Murphy made back-to-back 3-pointers to give New Orleans the lead for good and spark a 25-6 run. Williamson scored eight points in the spurt.
Westbrook made a step-back jumper that trimmed the deficit to nine points with 7:36 left in the first half, but Sacramento got no closer.
Zach LaVine (finger), Keegan Murray (ankle), Malik Monk (illness) and Domantas Sabonis (lower back) did not play for Sacramento. The quartet combines to average 62 points this season.
The Pelicans snapped a string of 14 consecutive games in which they have not won or lost by more than 10 points.
Fists were flying after a hard foul in the game between the Pistons and the Hornets, which sent the contest into chaos and led to several ejections.
The brawl came in what ended up being a 110-104 loss for the Hornets on Monday.
The situation unfolded in the third quarter at Spectrum Center in Charlotte when Hornets forward Moussa Diabaté fouled Pistons center Jalen Duren while he was going for a shot inside the paint.
The foul was called, but the two got into each other’s faces almost immediately, and after Duren pushed Diabaté in his face, all hell broke loose.
Diabaté attempted to retaliate by swinging at Duren as players, coaches and officials tried to get control of the situation.
Diabaté was able to break free after he was briefly held back and attempted to chase down Duren a second time, but he was restrained again near the courtside seats.
As the focus was on Diabaté and calming him down, Miles Bridges went after Duren and ignited the situation even further, which led to Isaiah Stewart — who was not dressed for the game — to run off the Detroit bench to take on Bridges.
Hornets forward Moussa Diabate, second from left, is held back as he goes and Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) fight during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Monday. AP
Coaches, players and officials had to then work to separate those two.
Diabaté, Bridges, Duren and Stewart were all ejected from the game, and the NBA will likely take a look at what happened for supplementary discipline.
Pistons center Jalen Duren, left, throws punches with Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges, right, during a fight on the court in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C.. AP
At the time of the melee, the Pistons had been holding a 70-62 lead over the Hornets as Charlotte was looking to win its 10th straight game.
Things continued to be testy during the game as Hornets coach Charles Lee was kicked out in the fourth quarter.
Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges of the Charlotte Hornets fight Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons. Getty Images
Lee had to be held back while screaming at officials for an offensive foul that was called on Grant Williams.
He left the court to loud applause from the home fans.
NEW YORK (AP) — Nic Claxton scored 28 points and had 10 rebounds to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 123-115 win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.
Noah Clowney added 20 points for Brooklyn, which won its second in a row. Drake Powell had 14 points off the bench, rookies Danny Wolf and Nolan Traore each had 13 and Ziaire Williams added 11.
The Nets won three of the four meetings between the Eastern Conference teams that are rebuilding.
Anfernee Simons scored 23 points for Chicago, which lost its fifth straight. Collin Sexton scored 19 off the bench and Matas Buzelis had 18.
The Nets began the third quarter with a 14-5 spurt over the first three minutes to extend their advantage to 15 at 74-59. But Chicago responded with a 30-15 run over the final nine minutes of the quarter to tie it at 89 entering the fourth.
Two free throws by Isaac Okoro two minutes into the fourth gave the Bulls their first lead since early in the second at 93-91. The Nets then had a 12-6 spurt over the next three minutes to regain the advantage, 103-99.
The teams traded scores the rest of the way, with the most significant being Wolf’s layup with 3:33 remaining and two free throws by Claxton on the next possession that extended Brooklyn’s lead to 115-107.
Both teams were short-handed. The Nets didn’t have leading scorer Michael Porter Jr. (right knee tendinitis) and rookie guard Egor Demin (rest), while Chicago missed Zach Collins (sprained right toe), Josh Giddey (strained left hamstring), Tre Jones (strained left hamstring), and Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery).
Suspensions are coming after a massive fight broke out Monday night between the Pistons and Hornets.
It had been a physical game, especially in the paint, and that came to a head midway through the third quarter. Detroit was inbounding the ball, when Detroit's Jalen Duren and Charlotte's Moussa Diabate had some words. When the ball was inbounded, it ended up with Duren, who turned to score and was fouled by Diabate. Then those two got face-to-face and had words again, which is when Duren pushed Diabate away in the face, Diabate got angry and went at Duren taking swings while Tobias Harris held him back, and boy, that escalated quickly, as lot of people joined in the fight.
Charlotte's Diabate and Miles Bridges were ejected, as were Detroit's Duren and Isaiah Stewart.
Expect multiple suspensions and fines from the league office. Stewart is going to get the worst of it, he left the bench to jump into the fray — a cardinal sin in the league's eyes — plus he has a history of being in the middle of dust-ups.
This fight did not ease all the tensions around this game. In the fourth quarter, Charlotte coach Charles Lee was ejected and had to be held back by his assistants while yelling at officials over a no-call after Hornets forward Grant Williams.
In the end, Detroit snapped Charlotte's nine-game winning streak 110-104, behind 33 points from Cade Cunningham.
