Timberwolves roll over Lakers

MINNEAPOLIS — One by one, the records, much like the Minnesota Timberwolves jumpers all night, fell. Shooting percentage, points, efficiency. Friday night at Target Center, everything went the Timberwolves’ way as they beat up on a banged-up Lakers team 143-107. Leading the assault was center Nikola Pekovic, playing for the first time since missing six […]

Jeff Hawkins  •  15 Oct 2021
Durant scores 29 in Thunder win

OKLAHOMA CITY — With less than a month left in the NBA season, most teams know where they will be when the season ends. While Oklahoma City will be in the hunt for a championship, Sacramento will be at home watching. So when the two teams met, the game went as expected. The Thunder rolled […]

Jeff Hawkins  •  15 Oct 2021
Davis injured in Pelicans’ fifth straight win

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans coach Monty Williams could barely force a smile, even after the Pelicans posted their season-high fifth consecutive win. While his words spoke of the Pelicans’ 102-95 victory over the Utah Jazz on Friday night, his focus was several feet away in the locker room, wondering about the health of All-Star […]

Jeff Hawkins  •  15 Oct 2021
Magic overcome Hornets in overtime

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic have not had trouble starting games this season, but finishing has been a problem. They reversed things against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, rallying from nine down in the fourth quarter and controlling overtime to post a 110-105 victory over the Bobcats. It was only the second Magic […]

Jeff Hawkins  •  15 Oct 2021
Spurs 133, Nuggets 102

DENVER — Guard Marco Belinelli scored 27 points, forward Tim Duncan had 20 and the San Antonio Spurs extended their winning streak to 16 with a 133-102 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. The Spurs’ streak is the second longest in franchise history during the regular season. They won 17 straight in 1995-96. […]

Jeff Hawkins  •  15 Oct 2021
Raptors clinch playoff berth with win over Celtics

TORONTO — Raptors coach Dwane Casey called it fitting that guard DeMar DeRozan and center Amir Johnson combined for the final four points in Toronto’s 105-103 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday night. DeRozan and Johnson have been with the Raptors since the 2009-10 season, seeing the organizational rebuild from its early stages. With […]

Jeff Hawkins  •  15 Oct 2021
Wizards clamp down on Pacers

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, All-Star forward Paul George and the Eastern Conference-leading Indiana Pacers won the NBA’s latest Battle of the Universe with a victory over two-time defending champion Miami Heat. On Friday, the Washington Wizards’ gritty defensive effort sent George and company crashing back to Earth. Guard John Wall scored 20 points and center […]

Jeff Hawkins  •  15 Oct 2021
Nets defeat Cavaliers for 12th straight home win

NEW YORK — Two consecutive away losses made for plenty of mistakes to be corrected for Brooklyn Nets head coach Jason Kidd. Returning to the impenetrable arena that is the Barclays Center, the Nets took the opportunity to right their wrongs in a 108-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. “We know we […]

Jeff Hawkins  •  15 Oct 2021
James’ triple-double leads Heat over Pistons

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Forward LeBron James was running out of time to get his first triple-double of the season. With the Miami Heat comfortably ahead late in the third quarter, coach Erik Spoelstra did not want to leave his superstar on the court much longer. Fortunately for James, Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Jennings obliged […]

Jeff Hawkins  •  15 Oct 2021