Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points and 12 rebounds and the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks beat the Charlotte Hornets 116-103 on Friday night in the first NBA regular-season game in France.
Milwaukee improved to 40-6 with its eighth straight victory. The Bucks have the best 46-game start in franchise history. They were 39-7 in 1970-71 when they went on to win the NBA championship.
Eric Bledsoe added 20 points and five assists for the Bucks.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts, during an NBA basketball game against Charlotte Hornets, in Paris, Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. (AP PhotoThibault Camus)
Malik Monk led Charlotte with 31 points. The Hornets have lost eight in a row.
Milwaukee rallied to tie it at 78 going into the fourth quarter. Pat Connaughton put the Bucks in front with a dunk in the fourth. Then Antetokounmpo got going, drawing a foul as he slalomed through the defense.
ROCKETS 131, TIMBERWOLVES 124
Russell Westbrook scored a season-high 45 points and had 10 assists and Houston overcame another tough night from James Harden to rally past Minnesota.
Westbrook helped key a second-half comeback after Minnesota led by six points in the third quarter. He finished 16-of-27 shooting, was 13 of 13 from the free-throw line and added six rebounds. Eric Gordon scored a season-high 27 points off the bench for Houston, which won its second straight game following a four-game losing streak.
Harden, who went 1 for 17 from 3-point range in a home loss to Oklahoma City on Monday night, was 3 of 13 overall and 0 for 6 from beyond the arc against Minnesota. He finished with a season-low 12 points. Harden also left the game for part of the third quarter, limping badly to the bench before returning in the fourth.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 30 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota. The Timberwolves have lost eight straight.
NUGGETS 113, PELICANS 106
Nikola Jokic had 27 points and 12 rebounds in Denver's victory over New Orleans.
Zion Williamson scored 15 points in about 21 minutes for New Orleans. The Pelicans dropped to 0-2 since the NBA's top overall draft choice was activated for the first time this season Wednesday night.
Michael Porter Jr. and Torrey Craig each had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Denver. The Nuggets improved to 3-2 since guard Jamal Murray went out with a left ankle sprain.
RAPTORS 118, KNICKS 112
Kyle Lowry scored 26 points, Pascal Siakam had 23 and Toronto beat New York for its sixth straight victory.
A night after being voted to start the All-Star Game, Siakam had two big baskets down the stretch. He drove for a dunk with Toronto leading by only one, then nailed a 3-pointer with 21 seconds remaining after the Knicks had closed within three.
Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell each added 16 points for the Raptors. They beat the Knicks for the eighth straight time.
Marcus Morris and Damyean Dotson each scored 21 points for the Knicks. They've dropped five of six.
CELTICS 109, MAGIC 98
Kemba Walker scored 37 points, Gordon Hayward added 22 and Boston overcame a 16-point first-half deficit to beat Orlando.
Daniel Theis added 16 points to help the Celtics win their third straight game.
Evan Fournier led Orlando with 30 points. Nikola Vucevic had 17 points and 12 rebounds.
THUNDER 140, HAWKS 111
Danilo Gallinari scored 25 points and Oklahoma City beat Atlanta for its fourth straight win.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points and Dennis Schroder added 21 for the Thunder. They shot 58% from the field and posted a season-high point total.
Trae Young had 26 points and a season-high 16 assists for Atlanta, a day after the former University of Oklahoma star was named an All-Star starter. John Collins scored 28 points.
CLIPPERS 122, HEAT 117
Kawhi Leonard had his first career triple-double and scored 33 points, Landry Shamet added 22 and Los Angeles Clippers shrugged off an early 15-point deficit before hanging on to beat Miami.
Leonard finished with 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He was first credited with the triple-double in the third quarter — briefly, because one of his rebounds was taken away after a stat review. He then officially got it on a rebound with 3:55 left.
Lou Williams scored 16 points, Montrezl Harrell had 15 and JaMychal Green added 14 for the Clippers.
Jimmy Butler led Miami with 20 points. Butler left midway through the fourth after appearing to turn his right ankle for the second time in the game, capping a night when he also got inadvertently popped in the eye during the first half.
SUNS 103, SPURS 99
Devin Booker had 35 points and 10 assists before fouling out with 1:31 left and Phoenix held on to beat the Spurs, snapping an 11-game skid in San Antonio.
Booker has scored at least 30 points eight times in January and in 17 games this season. He's averaging 31.3 points in 12 games this month.
Dario Saric added 20 points, Kelly Oubre Jr. had 16 and Deandre Ayton had 10 points and 11 rebounds to help the Suns win in San Antonio for the first time since Feb. 27, 2013.
DeMar DeRozan had 30 points and eight rebounds for San Antonio.
GRIZZLIES 125, PISTONS 112
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 24 of his 29 points in the first half and hit a big 3-pointer in the fourth quarter in Memphis' victory over Detroit.
Dillon Brooks scored 22 of his 27 points in the second half for Memphis, and Ja Morant had 16 points and 12 assists.
Derrick Rose had 22 points for Detroit. Pistons center Andre Drummond sat out because of a lacerated lip.
KINGS 98, BULLS 81
Buddy Hield scored 21 points, Harrison Barnes added 19 and Sacramento beat Chicago to snap a six-game losing streak.
De'Aaron Fox added 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
Zach LaVine scored 21 points for Chicago.
PACERS 129, WARRIORS 118
T.J. Warren scored 21 of his 33 points in the first half, Doug McDermott made four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and Indiana held off Golden State.
McDermott matched his season high with 24 points as the Pacers (30-16) won their seventh in eight games. Domantas Sabonis added 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, while T.J. McConnell and Aaron Holiday scored 12 apiece.
D’Angelo Russell had 37 points for Golden State. The Warriors lost for the 13th time in 14 games and fell to an NBA-worst 10-37.
Golden State was working to complete a trade with Dallas that would send Willie Cauley-Stein to the Mavericks in exchange for a second-round draft pick. The deal will reportedly be finalized when Dallas makes room on its roster for the 7-foot Cauley-Stein.
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