2 weeks Ago By N/A (Associated Press)
Luka Doncic had 14 points, five rebounds and four assists in his Lakers debut as Los Angeles beat the Utah Jazz, 132-113, on Monday night, Feb. 10. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic had 14 points, five rebounds and four assists in his Lakers debut as Los Angeles beat the Utah Jazz, 132-113, on Monday night, Feb.
10. LeBron James had 24 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, Austin Reaves scored 22 and the Lakers got their sixth straight win. Doncic, acquired in a shocking trade from the Dallas Mavericks on Feb.
2, played for the first time since sustaining a calf strain on Christmas. He was limited to just under 24 minutes as a precaution and was able to sit out the fourth quarter with his new team in complete control, but still had several standout moments to help the surging Lakers get their 12 victory in 14 games. Buoyed by its new superstar, Los Angeles had seven players reach double figures, shot a blistering 54.
3% from the floor and led by as many as 34. Lauri Markkanen and John Collins each had 17 points for the Jazz, who have dropped nine in a row on the road. Head coach Will Hardy said before the game that he hoped his young team would embrace the unusual circumstances, but Utah struggled in the spotlight.
Doncic’s debut was a star-studded affair, even by Los Angeles standards. Adele, Will Ferrell, Flea and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Mavericks great Dirk Nowitzki, were among those in attendance. Meanwhile in Milwaukee, Stephen Curry scored a season-high 38 points and the Golden State Warriors pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Bucks, 125-111.
Jimmy Butler had 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists in his second game with the Warriors. Buddy Hield added 16 points, while Quinten Post and Moses Moody added 13 each. The Bucks were playing for a second straight day after beating the Philadelphia 76ers 135-127 at home on Sunday.
Milwaukee also was playing a sixth straight game without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who will be out through the All-Star break as he deals with a left calf strain. In Dallas, DeMar DeRozan scored a season-high 42 points, including a baseline floater with 2 seconds left in overtime, and the Sacramento Kings beat the depleted Mavericks, 129-128. Zach LaVine and Malik Monk each scored 17 points for the Kings in the opener of a three-game trip.
Domantas Sabonis had 16 points and 15 rebounds. The Mavericks lost center Daniel Gafford to a sprained right knee after he had a knee-to-knee collision with Monk early in the second quarter. In Denver, Nikola Jokic scored 40 points, Christian Braun had 26 points, and the surging Nuggets beat the Portland Trail Blazers, 146-117, for their seventh straight win.
Jamal Murray added 17 points and eight assists before picking up his second technical foul and Julian Strawther finished with 18 for Denver. The seven-game winning streak is the longest of the season for the Nuggets, who played without Michael Porter Jr. for the second straight game due to hamstring tightness.
In Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points in three quarters as the Thunder routed the New Orleans Pelicans, 137-101. Oklahoma City hit a franchise-record 27 3-pointers, despite no individual making more than four. Eleven players drained at least one for a team that made 49% of its 55 3-point tries.
Aaron Wiggins scored 24 points and Jalen Williams added 16 for the Thunder, who won their sixth straight game..
