DENVER (AP) — Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 25 points, Aaron Gordon had 23 and the injury-ravaged Denver Nuggets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 108-104 on Sunday night.
Peyton Watson had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Nuggets. Over his team’s past seven games, the fourth-year guard has been averaging 23.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Zeke Nnaji added 14 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.
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Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr., right, passes the ball as Denver Nuggets center Zeke Nnaji defends in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo looks for direction from the bench in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson, front, fields a pass as Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr., right, tries to steal the ball form Denver Nuggets forward Hunter Tyson in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, left, looks to pass the ball as Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver was without five of its top eight scorers, including Nikola Jokic (bone bruise in left knee) and Jamal Murray (sprained left ankle). The five sidelined players are averaging a combined 84.6 points per game this season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for the Bucks. Myles Turner scored 16 points while Bobby Portis and AJ Green added 14 apiece. Ryan Rollins was held to two points, snapping a career-best streak of 37 consecutive games with at least 10 points.
Denver had lost five of eight after a 22-8 start, including a 3-4 mark since Jokic, the three-time NBA MVP, went down in a Dec. 29 loss at the Miami Heat.
The Bucks trailed by 15 in the first half and by 11 entering the fourth quarter before trimming their deficit to 105-102, but missed two game-tying 3-point attempts from Rollins and Green in the final 20 seconds. Gordon, the lone regular starter available for the Nuggets, made three free throws in the final 9 seconds to seal the victory.
Entering the night, Milwaukee had been 5-2 in its past seven games after starting the season 12-19.
Nuggets: At New Orleans on Tuesday night.
Bucks: Host Minnesota on Tuesday night.
AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/nba
Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr., right, passes the ball as Denver Nuggets center Zeke Nnaji defends in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo looks for direction from the bench in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson, front, fields a pass as Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr., right, tries to steal the ball form Denver Nuggets forward Hunter Tyson in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, left, looks to pass the ball as Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
PARIS (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka's diamonds sparkled in the sun when she won her first-round match at the heat-soakedFrench Open on Tuesday.
Top-ranked Sabalenka looked light on her feet on Court Philippe-Chatrier, despite wearing two thick necklaces in a 6-4, 6-2 win against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
“Diamonds, I don’t really feel the heaviness, but I can imagine how it looks from the outside,” said Sabalenka, the tournament runner-up last year to Coco Gauff. “So I feel pretty comfortable. For me, it’s important to look good.”
The four-time major winner was initially going to wear three necklaces but said she thought that might be too much.
“It probably sounds a bit crazy, but when I feel good about what I’m wearing, how I look on court, I tend to perform much better,” she said. "I like to bring a little bit of a fashion on the tennis court. I know the dress that I will wear on the Grand Slam, and I just try to come up with something to match the outfit."
Sabalenka said she wasn't worried over her jewelry away from Roland Garros.
“I have my fiancé. He’s kind of like my security,” she said, smiling. “My physio does jujitsu, so I feel pretty secure walking around. If I go somewhere, I don’t go alone.”
Gauff began her title defense with a 6-4, 6-0 victory over fellow American Taylor Townsend, while four-time major winner Naomi Osaka beat Laura Siegemund 6-3, 7-6 (3) on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
The fashion-conscious Osaka again caught the eye with a sequined gold playing dress.
Frenchwoman Lois Boisson, who made a surprise run to the semifinals last year when she was ranked 361st, lost 6-2, 6-2 to the 22nd-seeded Anna Kalinskaya.
For a third consecutive day, the temperature in Paris was forecast to rise to at least 32 degrees Celsius (90 Fahrenheit).
The unusually hot conditions made the courts faster than usual.
Daniil Medvedev usually thrives in such conditions but he struggled in a five-set loss to 97th-ranked Australian opponent Adam Walton.
Walton, who received a wild card invitation from tournament organizers, beat Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4. It was Medvedev's second straight first round exit here and third in four years.
“I know why I don’t really play my best in Roland Garros, but if I say it, it’s (making) excuses,” he said. “So I keep it to myself.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 2021 runner-up to Novak Djokovic, was leading 6-2, 3-0 against Alexandre Muller when his French opponent retired. Muller injured his right calf, three months after injuring his left calf.
Alexander Blockx withdrew from the tournament with a right ankle sprain, making Alex de Minaur — his scheduled second round opponent — the first player into the third round.
Later, top-ranked Jannik Sinner looks to extend his 29-match winning streak when he opens against French wild card Clement Tabur in the night session.
French teenager Moïse Kouamé made the perfect start to his French Open career with a 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-1 win over Marin Cilic.
The 17-year-old Kouamé won one day after 39-year-old Frenchman Gael Monfils made his last appearance at Roland Garros.
The teenager raised his arms in triumph after defeating the 37-year-old Cilic, who won the 2014 U.S. Open, finished runner-up at two other majors, and reached the French Open semifinals in 2022.
The ATP Tour said No. 318-ranked Kouamé became the first man born in 2008 or later to win a Grand Slam match.
In March, he became the youngest winner in Miami Masters history when he beat Zachary Svajda in the first round — earning a congratulatory message from Djokovic.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Spectators cover themselves from the sun with ab umbrella during the first round men's singles tennis match between Adam Walton of Australia and Daniil Medvedev of Russia at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Naomi Osaka of Japan returns to Laura Siegemund of Germany during their first round women's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Coco Gauff of the U.S. celebrates after winning against Taylor Townsend of the U.S. during their first round women's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Daniil Medvedev of Russia reacts as he plays against Adam Walton of Australia during their first round men's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus returns to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain during their first round women's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts as she plays against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain during their first round women's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates after winning against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain during their first round women's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Alexandra Eala of Philippines returns to Iva Jovic of the U.S. during their first round men's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Iva Jovic of the U.S. reacts as she plays against Alexandra Eala of Philippines during their first round men's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Daniil Medvedev of Russia serves to Adam Walton of Australia during their first round men's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts as she plays against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain during their first round women's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates after winning against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain during their first round women's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
