Damian Lillard drops season-high 43 points as Portland Trail Blazers beat Charlotte Hornets | NBA News

Damian Lillard scored a season-high 43 points as Portland beat Charlotte 125-116 to snap a seven-game losing streak.

Lillard shot 12 of 19 from the floor and six of 11 from three-point range, as well as adding eight assists, in one of his best performances of the season.

Ben McLemore added 28 points for Portland, hitting six of his eight three-pointers in the first half to help the Trail Blazers set a franchise record with 16 three-pointers in the half. They led 81-55 at the break.

LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 27 points in his first game back after being in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

The Blazers were 21 of 47 from three-point range overall.

Towns stars as Timberwolves blow out depleted Lakers

Karl-Anthony Towns had 28 points and 10 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves blew out the depleted Los Angeles Lakers for a second time this season, 110-92.

Malik Beasley and D’Angelo Russell each had 17 points and Jarred Vanderbilt grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds to help the Timberwolves win their third straight game. They played for the first time without star Anthony Edwards, who was placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols in the afternoon.

LeBron James had a quiet 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who were hit even harder by Covid-19 with six players in the protocols. Isaiah Thomas made his season debut with 19 points, Russell Westbrook had 14 points and Kent Bazemore matched his season high with 11 points. Anthony Davis departed the game twice for different injuries.

The Wolves, who beat the Lakers 107-83 in Los Angeles on November 12 without James in the line-up, had a 61-36 rebounding advantage.

Davis hurt his right ankle late in the first quarter, returned in the second quarter and then bruised his left knee in the third quarter. He did not return from that. Davis, who missed two games last week with left knee soreness, finished with nine points and one rebound in 20 minutes.

Curry leads Warriors to victory over Celtics

Stephen Curry scored 30 points, hitting five three-pointers and adding a one-handed scoop shot in the final minute, as Golden State beat Boston 111-107.

In his first game since breaking the NBA’s career three-pointer record at Madison Square Garden, Curry hit back-to-back threes on his first two shots of the game.

Andrew Wiggins added 27 points to help the Warriors win their third straight game to reclaim sole possession of the NBA lead at 24-5 – a half-game ahead of Phoenix. It was Steve Kerr’s 400th coaching victory.

Jayson Tatum scored 27 points for the Celtics. They placed five players in the Covid-19 protocol in the 24 hours leading up to the game.

Spurs victory ends eight-game streak for Jazz

Lonnie Walker IV banked in a jumper with 14.9 seconds left as San Antonio ended Utah’s winning streak at eight with a 128-126 victory.

Keldon Johnson scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead San Antonio. Derrick White added 22 points and Walker chipped in 19.

Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points for the Jazz. Jordan Clarkson added 21 points and Mike Conley had 18. Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 14 rebounds.

Mitchell scored back-to-back baskets to give the Jazz a 126-125 lead with 33 seconds left. Walker answered with the go-ahead jumper. Mitchell had two cracks at a go-ahead basket in the final seconds, but missed both shots.

Clutch Graham leads Pels past Bucks in OT

Devonte’ Graham hit eight three-pointers and added two clutch free throws late in overtime to finish with 26 points, and New Orleans outlasted short-handed Milwaukee, 116-112 after overtime.

Jonas Valanciunas scored 24 points and Brandon Ingram added 22 for New Orleans, who won their second straight game on the heels of Graham’s 60-foot winner at the horn in Oklahoma City on Wednesday night.

Former Pelicans star Jrue Holiday, who received a warm welcome during pre-game introductions, scored a career-high 40 points to help Milwaukee force overtime on the road despite being without top scorers Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Grayson Allen hit seven threes and tied a season high with 25 points for the defending champion Bucks.

Strus, Vincent star as depleted Heat beat Magic

Max Strus scored 23 of his career-best 32 points in the first half, Gabe Vincent added a career-best 27 and Miami beat Orlando 115-105.

The Heat made 19 three-pointers to give them 91 over their past five games. That is the most in team history, easily topping the 82 made over a five-game stretch from February 24, 2020, to March 4, 2020, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Still without stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo and key reserve Tyler Herro, the Heat had just 10 available players. The Magic signed four players from their G League franchise in nearby Lakeland with hardship exemptions to meet the NBA’s minimum eight-player rule.

Rookie Franz Wagner led the Magic with 27 points. Orlando have lost seven straight games and 13 of 14.

Nuggets consign Hawks to sixth straight home loss

Bones Hyland scored 24 points and Monte Morris added 21 as Denver beat Atlanta 133-115.

Nikola Jokic and Jeff Green each finished with 20 points for the Nuggets. The reigning MVP also had 10 rebounds, seven assists and three steals. They have won three of four.

The Hawks were coming off a fifth straight road victory, but they have dropped six in a row at home. Trae Young had 34 points and 10 assists in Atlanta’s fifth loss in seven games overall.

Grizzlies mount another double-digit comeback against Kings

Desmond Bane scored 24 points and Memphis overcame another double-digit deficit to win, beating Sacramento 124-105.

Dillon Brooks had 23 points and six rebounds, and Jaren Jackson Jr scored 21 points to help the Grizzlies to their sixth consecutive road win – their most since 2016.

Memphis trailed 50-35 early in the second quarter, then outscored Sacramento 68-27 over the next 20 minutes. It is the seventh time this season the Grizzlies have won after trailing by double digits.

Tyrese Haliburton had 21 points and 10 assists for the Kings.