DeMar DeRozan scored 35 points and Zach LaVine chipped in 29 as the visiting Chicago Bulls defeated Los Angeles 100-90 Sunday, snapping the Clippers’ seven-game winning streak.
The first game of a Southern California back-to-back belonged to the Bulls’ homecoming guards.
DeRozan, a Los Angeles-area native, shot 12-of-16 from the floor and 10-of-11 from the free-throw line, while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing five assists. LaVine, who played college basketball at nearby UCLA, shot 6-of-13 from 3-point range and grabbed eight rebounds.
LaVine’s hanging jumper over two defenders with 51.8 seconds remaining ended any hope of a Clippers comeback.
Los Angeles played from behind most of the night, falling behind 30-17 through one quarter in the second game of a weekend back-to-back. Behind Paul George (27 points), Los Angeles fought back in the fourth quarter. George banked in a floater to give the Clippers a 78-77 lead, but DeRozan’s layup on the subsequent Chicago possession sparked a 9-0 Bulls run.
Suns 115, Rockets 89
Devin Booker scored a game-high 26 points and JaVale McGee recorded a double-double as Phoenix extended its winning streak to eight games with a victory over host Houston.
Booker tallied 16 first-quarter points to get the Suns off to a solid start while McGee excelled filling the void for Deandre Ayton (leg). McGee added three blocked shots to his 19 points and 14 rebounds to anchor the Suns’ interior defense as Phoenix took advantage of another ragged display of ball handling from Houston.
The Rockets, last in the league with 18.9 turnovers per game, totaled 23 turnovers that Phoenix converted into 22 points. Those miscues, in addition to 7-for-32 3-point shooting, stalled any attempt for the Rockets to snap a skid that reached 11 consecutive games.
Lakers 114, Spurs 106
Anthony Davis scored 34 points, including 27 in the first half, and grabbed 15 rebounds as Los Angeles powered its way past visiting San Antonio.
Talen Horton-Tucker added 17 points in his season debut for Los Angeles, with Malik Monk scoring 16, Wayne Ellington and Carmelo Anthony 15 each, and Russell Westbrook recording 14 points and 11 rebounds. Los Angeles has won three of its past four games and is 4-4 this season in games in which LeBron James (abdominal strain) hasn’t played.
Keldon Johnson scored 24 points (on a career-best six 3-pointers) for San Antonio, which lost its second straight. Dejounte Murray added a triple-double (22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists), and Devin Vassell scored 19 points, Thaddeus Young 17, and Derrick White 10.
Hawks 120, Bucks 100
Trae Young scored a season-high 42 points to help Atlanta end its six-game losing streak with a win over visiting Milwaukee.
Young was 16-for-26 from the field and 8-for-13 on 3-pointers — matching his career high for successful threes — and had 10 assists and eight rebounds. John Collins scored 16 of his 19 points in the second half, and Clint Capela added 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Hawks.
Milwaukee was led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who returned from missing Friday’s game with a right-ankle sprain and recorded 26 points, six assists and five rebounds. Jrue Holiday added 19 points and eight assists and Grayson Allen scored 18. The Bucks lost their second straight game.
Hornets 106, Warriors 102
Miles Bridges scored 22 points and LaMelo Ball had 21 as Charlotte edged visiting Golden State on Sunday night.
The big contribution came from Terry Rozier, who scored all 20 of his points in the second half as the Hornets stretched their winning streak to three games.
The Warriors, who lost for just the second time in 13 games, had a seven-game winning streak snapped. They’re 3-1 in road games. Andrew Wiggins poured in 28 points and Stephen Curry, playing in his hometown, had 24 points for the Warriors. Jordan Poole added 13 points and Draymond Green 11. Curry was just 3-for-13 on 3-pointers.
Nets 120, Thunder 96
Kevin Durant scored 33 points to lead Brooklyn to a road win over Oklahoma City.
Patty Mills added 29 points, making a career-high nine 3-pointers. The Nets have won three consecutive games and eight of their last nine, finishing a season-long six-game road trip 5-1. They also snapped the Thunder’s four-game winning streak.
Luguentz Dort, the star of Oklahoma City’s last two wins, finished with 20 points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 23 points.
Nuggets 124, Trail Blazers 95
Nikola Jokic had 28 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, Bones Hyland scored 18 points, and host Denver beat short-handed Portland.
Monte Morris finished with 15 points, Facundo Campazzo 13, and P.J. Dozier and JaMychal Green 12 each for Denver, which has won five straight and spoiled the homecoming of Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, a former Nuggets player.
Portland guard Damian Lillard was out with what the team called an abdominal injury that he has dealt with in the past and that he aggravated Tuesday at the Los Angeles Clippers. CJ McCollum scored 21, Anfernee Simons had 16 points and Nassir Little and Norman Powell finished with 13 apiece for the Blazers.
–Field Level Media
