Bridges also is a part of the recent past, and what the Brooklyn Nets hope is a productive future for a team that is approaching the two-year anniversary of pivoting away from a roster built around superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Bridges on Tuesday night will return to Brooklyn for the first time since being traded when the Knicks visit the Nets.

Bridges, 28, was acquired by the Knicks in July for five first-round picks after averaging 21.2 points in 109 games for the Nets. He was the centerpiece of their deal that sent Durant to the Phoenix Suns at the 2023 trade deadline. The Nets, in turn, were swept in the first round of the playoffs in 2023 before tumbling to a 32-50 record last season.

The deal was the first of two blockbuster trades for the Knicks, who reached the second round of the playoffs last season. They also acquired Karl Anthony-Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves for Julius Randle shortly before training camp opened.

Bridges scored 22 points in New York's 124-122 win over the Nets on Nov. 15 and finished with 21 in a 114-104 victory over Brooklyn two days later.

The Knicks are enjoying an eight-game winning streak against the Nets. New York, however, heads into Brooklyn with six losses in its past 10 games since a nine-game winning streak from Dec. 15-Jan 1.

The Knicks are coming off a 119-110 home win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. Jalen Brunson scored 34 points and Bridges added 26 while contributing to a defensive effort that held Trae Young to 1-of-8 shooting from the floor in the fourth quarter.

"It'll cool to be back to see my teammates, see the coaching staff that I was there with for some months before I got traded," Bridges said.

Bridges was dealt shortly after Jordi Fernandez was hired as head coach by the Nets, who are in a rebuilding phase that has resulted in a different roster than the November meetings.

Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Schroder started the previous meetings and were traded to the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, respectively.

Cam Thomas scored 43 points in the first meeting but will miss his 10th straight game with a strained left hamstring.

Brooklyn is 1-8 since Thomas re-injured his hamstring Jan. 2, and the Nets are 5-19 since winning three straight Nov. 24-27.

Brooklyn will play 10 of its next 12 at home after losing five contests on a six-game road trip. The Nets are attempting to stop a seven-game home losing streak after absorbing a 127-101 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

"We're looking forward to this home stretch," Brooklyn forward Cameron Johnson said. "I don't know what it is out of the next 15 games, but a lot of them are at home. So we'll look forward to playing in front of our fans again, and getting comfortable playing at home."

Dejounte Murray had 26 points and 11 assists, Trey Murphy III scored 24 points and Jordan Hawkins added 18 for the Pelicans, who had beaten the Jazz 136-123 on Friday night.

Keyonte George scored 23 points to lead Utah. Isaiah Collier added 20 points and 11 assists, Walker Kessler had 19 points and 13 rebounds and Svi Mykhailiuk also scored 19 points.

McCollum made a layup to start the scoring in overtime, and he scored four more points to help the Pelicans take a 118-113 lead. George made a layup and added two free throws to get Utah within one with 49.7 seconds left, but Murphy answered with a 3-pointer to put the game on ice.

Utah scored the first 14 points of the game, led 38-19 after one quarter, took its largest lead at 46-21 early in the second and led by 20 at halftime.

Celtics 125, Warriors 85

Jayson Tatum led six Boston scorers in double figures with a game-high 22 points as the Celtics steamrolled Golden State in San Francisco as part of the NBA's Martin Luther King Jr. Day slate.

Kristaps Porzingis chipped in 18 points and Jaylen Brown scored 17 for Boston. Golden State had not lost by 40 at home since Jan. 15, 1985. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 18 points but was just 4-for-12 from 3-point range.

The Warriors were held to 34.8 percent shooting overall and 26.4 percent shooting from deep, connecting on just 14 of 53 3-point tries. Andrew Wiggins really struggled for Golden State, missing all four of his 3-point attempts and finishing just 1-for-11 from the floor in a four-point effort.

Pistons 107, Rockets 96

Cade Cunningham scored 19 of his game-high 32 points in the third quarter and Jalen Duren added a double-double without missing a shot to help visiting Detroit beat Houston.

Cunningham added nine rebounds and seven assists to offset his 10-turnover performance. Duren posted 16 points on 8-of-8 shooting to go along with 14 rebounds plus four steals and two blocks for the Pistons, who snapped a two-game skid.

Fred VanVleet led the Rockets with 20 points and tied his season best with six steals. Jalen Green added 19 points as Houston lost for the second time in three games.

Hornets 110, Mavericks 105

LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges each scored 23 points and Charlotte defeated visiting Dallas to notch its first three-game winning streak of the season.

Nick Smith Jr. finished with 19 points and Mark Williams scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter for the Hornets, who hit 17 shots from 3-point range. Reserves Moussa Diabate and Cody Martin each added 10 points.

Kyrie Irving's 33 points and Daniel Gafford's season-high 31 points were tops for the Mavericks, who managed to score only five points in the last six minutes. Dallas was 6-for-32 (18.8 percent) from long range.

Grizzlies 108, Timberwolves 106

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 15 of his team-high 24 points in the fourth quarter to lead Memphis past visiting Minnesota, improving the Grizzlies' home record to 16-5.

Desmond Bane added 22 points and Ja Morant contributed 19 points and seven assists for Memphis, which won for the fourth time in five games. Jackson led the team with 11 rebounds.

Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 32 points and Naz Reid had 29 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Edwards missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Knicks 119, Hawks 110

Jalen Brunson scored 34 points and helped host New York continue its dominance on Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a victory over Atlanta.

Brunson made 12 of 18 shots from the field while recording six assists and one steal as the Knicks improved to 24-15 in MLK Day games, the most wins on the holiday in NBA history.

The win was New York's first in three games against Atlanta this season and ended the team's three-game losing streak against the Hawks. Atlanta was led by Trae Young, who had 27 points and six assists.

Cavaliers 118, Suns 92

Donovan Mitchell erupted for 33 points as Cleveland cooled off visiting Phoenix.

Mitchell also had five rebounds and five assists for Cleveland, which seemed unaffected by the absences of Evan Mobley (calf), Caris LeVert (wrist) and Isaac Okoro (shoulder). The Cavaliers led by as many as 32 and put on a clinic from 3-point range, hitting 19 of 46 attempts from distance (41.3 percent).

Kevin Durant netted a team-high 23 points as Phoenix fell for just the second time in seven games. Devin Booker added 15 points, Tyus Jones had 13 and Grayson Allen totaled 10.

Bulls 112, Clippers 99

Zach LaVine scored 35 points and Josh Giddey added 18 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as Chicago ended a season-worst five-game losing streak with a victory over Los Angeles in Inglewood, Calif.

Talen Horton-Tucker delivered 18 points and Nikola Vucevic had 14 as the Bulls pulled out the victory on the second night of a back-to-back after losing to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.

Norman Powell scored 27 points and James Harden added 17 for the short-handed Clippers, who were without Kawhi Leonard (right knee injury management) and Ivica Zubac (eye).

Talen Horton-Tucker delivered 18 points and Nikola Vucevic had 14 as the Bulls pulled out the victory on the second night of a back-to-back after losing at Portland. Chicago was without Coby White (ankle) and Ayo Dosunmu (calf).

Giddey's near-triple-double came after he was held scoreless Sunday for the first time this season.

Norman Powell scored 27 points and James Harden added 17 for the short-handed Clippers who were without Kawhi Leonard (rest) and Ivica Zubac (eye). Los Angeles also was playing for the second time in two nights after a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Terance Mann and Derrick Jones Jr. each scored 12 points and Mo Bamba had 10 in his first start for the Clippers, who saw their four-game winning streak come to an end.

After a back-and-forth first half, the Bulls outscored the Clippers 36-16 in the third quarter by using a 22-5 run in the period to take a 76-62 lead.

The Bulls led 84-66 through three quarters as Chicago shot 56.0 percent from the floor in the period while holding Los Angeles to 23.1 percent. Chicago won despite not making their first field goal of the fourth quarter until 5:58 remained in the game.

The Bulls shot 40.4 percent in the game, while the Clippers shot 39.4 percent.

The Bulls led by as many as 10 points in the first quarter before the Clippers rallied to take a seven-point lead in the second quarter before taking a 50-48 advantage into halftime.

The Clippers also were held under 20 points in the first quarter, scoring 18 on 28.6 percent shooting.

The Bulls were held to 35.4 percent shooting in the first half, while the Clippers were at 43.5 percent through two quarters.

Dejounte Murray had 26 points and 11 assists, Trey Murphy III scored 24 and Jordan Hawkins added 18 for the Pelicans, who had beaten the Jazz 136-123 on Friday night.

Keyonte George scored 23 points to lead Utah. Isaiah Collier added 20 points and 11 assists, Walker Kessler had 19 points and 13 rebounds, Svi Mykhailiuk also scored 19, Brice Sensabaugh scored 11, Kyle Filipowski had 10 points and 17 rebounds and Drew Eubanks scored 10.

McCollum made a layup to start the scoring in overtime and he scored four more points to help the Pelicans take a 118-113 lead. George made a layup and added two free throws to get Utah within one with 49 seconds left, but Murphy answered with a 3-pointer to put it on ice.

New Orleans scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter and Jose Alvarado's 3-pointer gave the Pelicans their first lead of the game, 90-89. The Jazz responded with a 10-2 run to take a seven-point lead.

The lead changed hands three times before Kessler rebounded an air ball and made a tiebreaking layup for a 110-108 lead with 33 seconds left. Murray's layup tied the score with 16 seconds left and sent the game to overtime.

Utah scored the first 14 points of the game, led 38-19 after one quarter, took its largest lead at 46-21 early in the second and led by 20 at halftime.

George made 4 of 4 free throws to start the third-quarter scoring and extend Utah's lead to 73-49. Murray scored seven points to help New Orleans get within 81-65 but the Jazz scored the next five points to push the lead to 21 points.

Murray scored four points during a 12-0 run that trimmed the lead to 86-77. The Pelicans closed within five points before Collier's layup left Utah with an 89-82 lead at the end of the third quarter.

But things could get better on Tuesday night when the Washington Wizards pay them a visit.

Washington has dropped 10 games in a row and has won an NBA-low six this season. The Wizards last won on Jan. 1.

Washington also is in the third contest of a six-game road trip. Back-to-back losses to start the trip made the Wizards fall to 1-17 away from home.

It seems like good timing for the Lakers, who are four games above .500 but are experiencing consistency issues.

"Nothing is going to be easy for our team, and I figured that out very early in the season," Los Angeles first-year coach JJ Redick said. "And that's OK. We're going to keep fighting. ... We have 18 losses, so by the loss column, we're sixth. We would like to be higher.

"I think there's a couple games where we would all say we should have won. We haven't had any of those games where you're like, ‘Well, we kind of stole that one.' We're going to get a couple back at some point. We just got to continue to trust each other and we'll be fine."

Redick's comments came after Sunday night's 116-102 loss to the host Los Angeles Clippers. The Lakers trailed by as many as 26 points and scored fewer than 30 points in every quarter.

Lakers star forward LeBron James said afterward that the team has a thin margin of error due to its roster makeup. He said the team has to play at a high level to have a chance at winning.

"We don't have a choice," James said. "That's the way our team is constructed and we have to -- we have to play close-to-perfect basketball."

James had 25 points and 11 assists against the Clippers but also committed five turnovers.

Anthony Davis had 16 points and 10 rebounds but made just 5 of 14 shots against the Clippers. He missed the previous game due to a foot injury.

The Wizards were routed 123-100 by the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, allowing 120 points or more for the sixth consecutive game.

Washington also wasn't good on offense, as it shot 36 percent from the field and a wobbly 10 of 42 from 3-point range.

"We didn't play well at all," Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma said. "Offensively, felt like we were all over the place. ... Defensively, we weren't very good."

Kuzma's name is floating around in trade rumors with Washington struggling. Last season, he was nearly traded to the Dallas Mavericks before the trade deadline but told the organization that he preferred to stay put.

This time around, Kuzma is more open to being dealt.

"We'll see how it goes, I don't know," Kuzma said. "I think last year was the right time (to stay) after signing the deal. That was kind of more of a last year thing.

"We haven't had conversations, haven't even talked about the deadline, haven't talked about getting traded. This is really the first time I'm really talking about it."

Kuzma, 29, is in his fourth season with the Wizards after spending his first four with the Lakers.

Kuzma was stellar for Washington the past two seasons with averages of 21.2 points in 2022-23 and a career-best 22.2 last season. But this season, he is averaging just 14.4 points and is posting career shooting lows of 42.5 percent from the field and 25.7 percent from 3-point range.

This is the first of two meetings between the teams this season. Los Angeles has won the past four matchups.

Philadelphia had eight players listed on the injury report for Sunday's loss at Milwaukee, and the situation could be similar when the Sixers play at the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night.

The Sixers, who have lost six in a row, won't have Joel Embiid available as he deals with swelling in his left knee. Embiid, the 2022-23 MVP, isn't on the three-game road trip that wraps up Tuesday night. He is second on the team in scoring at 24.4 points per game but has only played in 13 games this season.

Paul George has missed the last two games with a groin injury, Guerschon Yabusele has also missed two straight games with a knee injury and Andre Drummond sat out the loss to the Bucks with a toe injury. George, Yabusele and Drummond are all questionable on the injury report for the Denver game.

It has made things difficult for coach Nick Nurse, who has had to patch together lineups on a nightly basis.

"We'll just figure it out day by day until we get some semblance of regular lineups," said Nurse, who doesn't have a player on the roster who has dressed for all 41 games.

Philadelphia does have its leading scorer playing well. Tyrese Maxey is averaging 26.4 points per game and also leads the team in assists (5.8) and steals (2.0). George is third in scoring at 17.2 ppg and Jared McCain is fourth with 15.3 ppg.

The Nuggets have surged after a slow start, winning six of their last seven and sweeping their trip through Miami and Orlando over the weekend.

Nikola Jokic continues to make a case for a fourth MVP award with arguably the best statistical season of his career. Jokic entered Monday ranked third in the NBA in scoring (30.1 points per game), third in rebounding (13.2) and second in assists (9.9). He also leads his team in steals with 1.8 per night.

He is the focal point of Denver's offense, but the recent upswing has come with more production from guard Jamal Murray, who is averaging 20.1 points per game, ranking second on the Nuggets.

Murray averaged 32.3 points across three games before scoring 19 in the 113-100 win in Orlando on Sunday. Murray has received a lot of criticism for his slow start after signing a max contract in the offseason

"I'm totally ready for it," Murray said. "That's why I literally signed up for it."

The team hasn't lost faith in Murray, and he has picked up his scoring after dealing with some injuries early in the season.

"Jamal didn't pay himself (52) million (per year)," coach Michael Malone said. "We did that as an organization because we believe in him."

Following Jokic and Murray, Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 18.2 ppg, Christian Braun is at 13.8 and Aaron Gordon is scoring 13.3 per contest.

The Nuggets and 76ers will meet again Jan. 31 in Philadelphia.

The teams first met on Jan. 3, when Orlando won 106-97 despite losing guard Jalen Suggs in the second quarter due to a back strain. Suggs has remained sidelined since that game and has already been ruled out for Tuesday.

Along with Suggs, the Magic were without Goga Bitadze (concussion protocol), Jett Howard (ankle sprain), Gary Harris (hamstring strain) and Moritz Wagner (torn left ACL) in their 113-100 home loss to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

Bitadze is out on Tuesday, while Howard and Harris are questionable.

"I'd be lying to you if I said it wasn't difficult, and it is," Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said of having so many key players injured. "These guys are giving everything they have in these moments for what they have."

Franz Wagner also missed Sunday's contest for the Magic, who have lost three straight games and five of their past six. Franz Wagner is working through reconditioning to return from a torn oblique suffered on Dec. 6. He reportedly could play again within the next week.

Wendell Carter Jr. led Orlando with 16 points and 13 rebounds on Sunday. He started at center in place of Bitadze, who had 11 points and 13 rebounds in the previous game against Toronto.

"Goga's one of a kind, man," Carter said. "He's definitely missed. His presence just being on that court, his intensity, his attention to detail. ... He gets it."

Paolo Banchero paces the Magic with 25.2 points per game, though he's played only 10 contests due to a torn oblique that sidelined him for over two months. He finished with 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting against Denver.

The Raptors have not played since Friday, when they lost 130-112 to the host Milwaukee Bucks. Toronto had won its two previous games after losing five in a row.

The Raptors' injury situation has improved, but Immanuel Quickley (hip) will miss his fourth straight game on Tuesday and Ochai Agbaji (hand) will sit out a second straight contest.

The Raptors also face the possibility of having to make trades, with guard/forward Bruce Brown considered to be among the prime candidates to be included in a deal. Brown, who is regaining form after returning from knee surgery, had 17 points off the bench on Friday.

"I've been in this situation the last two years, so if (getting traded) happens, it does," said Brown, who was moved to Toronto in a trade that sent Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers.

"If it doesn't, I'm happy to be here. It's a business, (rumors are) going to happen. I was completely shocked last year when I got traded, so this year it's whatever."

Kelly Olynyk, who scored 15 points as a reserve on Friday, could also be on the trading block.

"Now 12 years in this, I've been traded three times," Olynyk said after practice on Sunday. "If it happens, it happens. If not, your feet are where you are, and you're going to do your best to contribute to winning in that organization."

RJ Barrett had 21 points and 10 assists on Friday. He leads the Raptors with 22.4 points per game. Scottie Barnes had 10 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds against Milwaukee, and Jakob Poeltl had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Orlando has won four straight games against Toronto.

Kristaps Porzingis chipped in 18 points and Jaylen Brown scored 17 for Boston, which for the fourth straight season dropped the season-series opener to Golden State before getting even - and then some - in the rematch.

Golden State had not lost by 40 at home since Jan. 15, 1985.

The 40-point margin was similar to the 140-88 pounding the Celtics dealt the Warriors last March after Golden State had won 132-126 in overtime three months earlier. This time around, the Warriors surprised the defending champs on their home floor with a 118-112 win on Nov. 6.

Tatum also found time for a game-high nine rebounds to go along with seven assists and two steals. Payton Pritchard paired his game-high nine assists with 14 points.

Sam Hauser added 11 points and Jrue Holiday tallied 10 for the Celtics, who have alternated wins and losses in their last nine games. Derrick White had three of Boston's nine blocks to complement eight points, five rebounds and five assists.

Boston dominated the rematch on both ends of the court.

Led by Brown, who was 8-for-14 from the floor, and Holiday, who made two of his three 3-point attempts, the Celtics shot 53.3 percent overall and 41.7 percent from beyond the arc, making 20 of 48.

The Warriors, meanwhile, were held to 34.8 percent shooting overall and 26.4 percent from deep, connecting on just 14 of 53 tries. Andrew Wiggins especially struggled for Golden State, missing all four of his 3-point tries and finishing just 1-of-11 from the floor in a four-point effort.

Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 18 points but was just 4-of-12 from 3-point range.

Moses Moody added 13 points for Golden State, which was missing Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and Kyle Anderson due to injury.

Moody also posted six rebounds and a team-high five assists, while Kevon Looney snatched a team-high seven rebounds for the Warriors.

The Celtics led 54-39 at halftime before taking control in the third quarter. Tatum scored 12 points in the third as Boston hit 16 of 24 shots, including eight threes, to open up a 34-point lead entering the fourth.

Green will be re-evaluated in a week to see how the calf is healing. The Warriors were hosting the Boston Celtics on Monday afternoon.

Green, 34, sustained the injury just three minutes into Sunday's 122-114 home victory over the Washington Wizards.

"He's such a unique player," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Green before Monday's game. "He's one of the best playmaking bigs in the league playing with Steph (Curry). When he goes out, we become more traditional, spread the floor, put shooters out there.

"Steph and Dray have such a connection that when they're together out there, they're playing their game and we're playing our game. As soon as Draymond leaves the floor, it becomes a different game."

Green's brief appearance against Washington came after he missed three games due to a back issue and illness.

Green is averaging 8.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 34 games (32 starts). He is in his 13th season, all with the Warriors.

Mitchell also had five rebounds and five assists for Cleveland, which seemed unaffected by the absences of Evan Mobley (calf), Caris LeVert (wrist) and Isaac Okoro (shoulder). The Cavaliers led by as many as 32 and put on a clinic from 3-point range, hitting 19 of 46 attempts from distance (41.3 percent).

Cleveland's Darius Garland chipped in 16 points and seven assists, and Jarrett Allen recorded a double-double (12 points, 11 boards).

Kevin Durant netted a team-high 23 points as Phoenix fell for just the second time in seven games. Devin Booker added 15 points, Tyus Jones had 13 and Grayson Allen totaled 10.

The Suns got outrebounded 50-34, a disadvantage that was especially prominent on the offensive end, where the Cavaliers grabbed 15 boards to Phoenix's one.

Max Strus got Cleveland going in the second half, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers in the first 1:10 of the third quarter to ignite an 11-0 spurt that put the Cavaliers up 70-48.

Durant and Booker kept Phoenix within striking distance by combining for 13 points in a span of just over 5 1/2 minutes to help the Suns cut their deficit to 82-68 with 2:52 left in the third.

However, Cleveland dominated the rest of the period. Mitchell virtually put the game away with two triples in the final 36.8 seconds of the quarter to send the Cavaliers into the fourth with a 93-70 cushion.

After the teams finished the first quarter tied at 27, Cleveland put up the first nine points of the second, with six coming from Mitchell. The Suns didn't score until the 8:42 mark of the frame.

Phoenix was later within five thanks to a pair of Grayson Allen free throws with 4:50 to go before the Cavaliers closed the first half on a 15-7 run to take a 59-46 lead into the break.

Brunson made 12 of 18 shots from the field, including three 3-pointers, with six assists and one steal.

The Knicks improved to 24-15 in MLK Day games, the most wins on the holiday in NBA history. Atlanta fell to 23-11 on the holiday.

The win was New York's first in three tries against Atlanta this season and ended the team's three-game losing streak to the Hawks. They meet again Feb. 12 in New York.

New York's Mikal Bridges added 26 points (12-of-17 shooting), Josh Hart had 14 points and nine rebounds and Karl-Anthony Towns, who returned after missing the two previous games with a sprained right thumb, had 13 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

Atlanta was led by Trae Young with 27 points and six assists and De'Andre Hunter scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half. Onyeka Okongwu added 14 points, nine rebounds and two steals.

The Hawks led by 10 points early in the game after back-to-back 3s from Young and Vit Krejci and went ahead 27-26 after one quarter. New York used an 11-4 run to take a six-point lead, only to have the Hawks score the final seven points of the quarter for a 62-54 halftime lead.

The Knicks outscored the Hawks 40-27 in the third quarter and led by as many as eight after a jumper by Brunson made it 91-83. New York, led by Bridges' 14-point quarter, took a 94-89 lead.

The game was tied at 94-94 when the Knicks went on a 9-1 run that was punctuated by a four-point play by Cameron Payne with 8:39 left. Atlanta never got closer than five points the rest of the way.

New York completes a back-to-back on Tuesday at Brooklyn. The Hawks begin a three-game homestand on Wednesday against Detroit.

Desmond Bane added 22 and Ja Morant contributed 19 points and seven assists for Memphis, which won for the fourth time in five games. Jackson led the team with 11 rebounds.

Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 32 points and Naz Reid had 29 points and eight rebounds. Rob Dillingham poured in a career-high 15 points and Jaden McDaniels posted a double-double of 11 points and 12 boards. Edwards missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.

The Grizzlies trailed 95-86 midway through the fourth quarter, but rallied behind Jackson and a late 11-0 run that put Memphis ahead 106-100 with 2:20 to go. The Grizzlies made 9 of 9 free throws in the final 4:14.

The Grizzlies, who improved to 16-5 at home, trailed by 16 in the first half. For Minnesota, it was the largest blown lead of the season.

Morant returned to the lineup after missing Friday's lopsided win at San Antonio with right foot soreness. Morant has missed 18 games this season due to a variety of injuries.

Memphis jumped out to an 11-point lead in the opening quarter behind Jackson (six early points). But the Timberwolves responded with 8-0 and 13-0 runs in the final seven minutes and led 28-21 entering the second quarter.

The Timberwolves extended their advantage to as many as 16 points late in the second quarter and led 54-43 at halftime. Edwards had 10 in the second quarter and 22 at the break.

The Grizzlies struggled in the first half, shooting 18.2 percent (4-of-22) from beyond the arc and 34.1 percent overall. As a result, Memphis was held to its fewest first-half points of the season.

The Timberwolves played without starting point guard Donte DiVincenzo, who is out indefinitely with a left big toe sprain. He missed his third straight game.

Making his long-awaited season debut for the Grizzlies Monday was reserve GG Jackson. He broke a bone in his right foot during the offseason and missed the first half of 2024-25. As a rookie in 2023-24, Jackson averaged 14.6 points and 4.1 rebounds. He scored four points in 11 minutes off the bench Monday.

Cunningham added nine rebounds and seven assists to his ledger to offset his 10-turnover performance. Duren posted 16 points on 8-of-8 shooting with 14 rebounds plus four steals and two blocks for the Pistons, who seized control in the third quarter and fended off the Rockets, who closed to within five points before fading down the stretch in the fourth period.

Fred VanVleet led the Rockets with 20 points and tied his season best of six steals while Jalen Green added 19 points. Amen Thompson totaled 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals before fouling out for Houston, which surrendered 28 fast-break points and 50 points in the paint to the Pistons.

Cunningham put the Pistons in control with a dazzling flurry in the third, sparking a 13-0 run with back-to-back 3-pointers before adding a pull-up baseline jumper, another 3 and two free throws. The Pistons extended to a 79-64 lead during the blitz, and Cunningham capped the frame with another pullup jumper from the baseline that beat the buzzer and gave Detroit a 90-80 lead.

Cunningham shot 7 of 8 in the period. When Houston closed to within 90-85 in the fourth, Marcus Sasser replied with a floater and a 3-pointer that helped Detroit reclaim its 10-point lead.

Cunningham and Duren keyed a hot start for Detroit and, with help from Malik Beasley, led a 16-1 run that yielded a 40-29 lead entering the second period. Duren cashed in two offensive rebounds while Beasley (17 points) produced a transition dunk and a 3-pointer as Detroit took advantage of seven Houston turnovers in the first period. The Pistons shot 61.5 percent and recorded 13 fast-break points.

The Rockets fashioned a response in the second, using a 16-0 run to erase a 44-29 deficit. Cam Whitmore emerged from the bench and drilled a 3-pointer before adding an alley-oop dunk and an assist to ignite a rally that ended with a pair of Tari Eason free throws which supplied the Rockets a one-point lead. A stalemate ensued for the remainder of the half, concluded by a Tim Hardaway Jr. 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left, resulting in a 57-57 deadlock at the intermission.

Nick Smith Jr. finished with 19 points and Mark Williams scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter after missing stretches because of foul trouble for Charlotte, which hit 17 shots from 3-point range. Reserves Moussa Diabate and Cody Martin each added 10 points for the Hornets.

Kyrie Irving's 33 points and Daniel Gafford's season-high 31 points were tops for the Mavericks, who managed to score only five points in the last six minutes. Dallas was 6-for-32 (18.8 percent) on 3s.

A 10-0 run gave the Mavericks a 100-94 lead with less than 6 1/2 minutes remaining. Smith's 3-pointer put the Hornets in the lead at 105-102.

The Hornets were up 107-103 on Williams dunk at the 2:59 mark, and then the offenses hit rough patches.

Gafford scored off an offensive rebound with 1:31 remaining. That was the only field goal for Dallas in the last 5 1/2 minutes.

Ball went 1-for-2 on free throws with 13 seconds to play before Klay Thompson was off the mark on a potential tying 3-pointer for the Mavericks. Charlotte's Josh Green sealed the outcome with two free throws.

Williams grabbed 13 rebounds and Ball handed out nine assists. Seven of the Hornets' 11 victories have come in home games.

Irving scored 10 points in the third quarter, and the Dallas lead was 83-82 entering the fourth quarter.

Gafford entered the day averaging 11.7 points per game, but he went above 25 points for the second time this season -- both in a three-game stretch. His performance in the lane also put Williams in foul trouble.

The score was knotted at 55-55 at halftime, with Gafford at 21 points and Ball at 20. Ten of Charlotte's 19 first-half goals were 3-pointers, with Ball sinking five of those.

The team said Monday that an MRI revealed a Grade 3 left toe sprain. ESPN reported DiVincenzo has been placed in a walking boot.

DiVincenzo suffered the injury at the end of last Wednesday's game against Golden State.

DiVincenzo is averaging 11.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 40 games (eight starts) this season, including 17.5 points over his last six games. He scored 28 against the Warriors on 6-for-12 shooting from the 3-point line.

He's missed the past two games with the injury.

DiVincenzo, 27, is in his first season in Minnesota. The former first-round pick of the Milwaukee Bucks is averaging 10.6 points per game for his career.

Kel'el Ware, a 7-foot rookie center, figures to be a bigger part of the game plan when the Heat host the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.

On Sunday, Ware tied his career high with 25 points in Miami's 128-107 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Ware also blocked two shots, playing extended minutes alongside center Bam Adebayo for the first time all season.

The two big men combined to produce 31 points, 19 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.

"Defensively, that looked elite," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Offensively, they'll figure it out. If I have to lean on this (lineup), I will."

Heat guard Tyler Herro said playing those two centers simultaneously allows Adebayo to roam defensively.

Spoelstra said he has been working the Adebayo-Ware combination in practice for a while, and the conditions were right on Sunday against San Antonio's 7-3 center Victor Wembanyama.

However, Spoelstra cautioned fans and media members not to get ahead of themselves.

"(Ware) generates a lot of opinions," Spoelstra said. "Let us do our jobs. Let (Ware) do what he's been doing."

Prior to Sunday's game, Ware was averaging just 13.2 minutes and 6.6 points. He was the No. 15 overall pick in June's draft.

"Our initial thing was let (Ware) become comfortable in a role," Spoelstra said. "His second unit had become a bright spot. What he's done now is earn more minutes."

Spoelstra said his message to all backups is: "Make us have to play you."

Meanwhile, Portland on Sunday snapped a five-game losing streak, beating the visiting Chicago Bulls 113-102.

Blazers point guard Scoot Henderson filled up the box score, posting 25 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.

He also had a game-high-tying four turnovers.

"There were still things in the game that I can improve on," Henderson said. "But we're just trying to stack wins."

Henderson, the third pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, will turn 21 next month. His shooting has improved this season, but he still has strides to make, especially defensively.

"I'm always happy," Henderson said. "For the doubters, forget them. I don't really care about the people who are hopping on the wave now."

Blazers shooting guard Anfernee Simons, who is second on the team in scoring (18.0) and assists (4.9), missed Sunday's game due to a strained right elbow.

The Blazers were also without 7-2 rookie center Donovan Clingan, who has a sprained left ankle, for the third straight game. He is averaging 5.6 points and 6.5 rebounds in 16.6 minutes.

Clingan, who also turns 21 next month, won a national title with Connecticut last season.

The other players Portland is trying to rebuild around are veteran center Deandre Ayton, 26; forward Deni Avdija, 24; and shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe, 21.

Forward Jerami Grant is a solid starter, but, at age 30, there have been rumors that the Blazers are looking to trade him away.

Kawhi Leonard scored 19 points Sunday in a 116-102 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers while matching a season high with 24 minutes in his fifth game of the season after missing the first three months with knee soreness.

"I'm happy with the progress," said Leonard, who surpassed 14,000 career points. "For me, it's just about how I'm feeling and I'm coming out of the games feeling great but I still have work to do and we're going to keep taking each step."

Against the Bulls, though, the Clippers will revert to their previous look as Leonard takes a maintenance day Monday for his knee. It is a busy week for the team with four games in five days.

With Leonard missing time early in the season, Norman Powell has become the focus of the offense and leads the Clippers with 23.6 points per game after scoring 22 against the Lakers. Ivica Zubac added 21 points with 19 rebounds in his fourth game this season with at least 20 points and 18 rebounds.

"I'm just so proud of our guys for sticking with it and just executing, no matter who's touching the ball, who's getting shots," Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said. "We just have to keep building and keep stacking days."

Another Los Angeles player whose status might be in question for a second game in two nights is veteran James Harden, who had 21 points and 12 assists Sunday but played 40 minutes, one off his season high. Harden had been questionable Sunday with an illness.

Harden passed Oscar Robertson for 14th on the all-time scoring list Sunday and now is at 26,721 career points.

The Bulls also played Sunday, falling 113-102 on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers as their losing streak reached five games.

Zach LaVine scored 27 points for Chicago, while Nikola Vucevic had 17 points with 11 rebounds and seven assists. Coby White (nine points, no assists) departed in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.

The Bulls gave up 19 points on 16 turnovers. Josh Giddey did not have a point in 29 minutes while going scoreless in a game for the first time this season.

A potential trade piece before next month's deadline, LaVine has averaged 23.7 points with 4.6 assists after dipping to 19.5 points and 3.9 assists last season when he was limited to 25 games by a foot injury that required surgery.

"Whatever he did to evaluate the situation and what happened last year, the surgery and all those things, I'm not privy to, but he kind of took the approach of, ‘I've had a lot of time to reflect,'" Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "And whatever he digested or reflected, he's been great in the locker room, he's been great off the court, he's been great with our guys."

Chicago was without guard Lonzo Ball because of a right quad contusion and left knee injury management. Ball, a Los Angeles-area native drafted No. 2 overall by the Lakers in 2017, hasn't played an NBA game in his hometown since November 2021.

Norman Powell scored 22 points and Kawhi Leonard had 19 in his fifth game of the season as the Clippers won their fourth consecutive game overall and improved to 15-6 in their new $2 billion arena. Zubac added three blocks against his former team.

LeBron James scored 25 points and dished out 11 assists and Anthony Davis had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who lost their third consecutive road game and fell for the fourth time in their past six games overall.

Rui Hachimura scored 19 points and Austin Reaves added 14 before leaving late in the game due to a knee injury for the Lakers, who previously played at Great Western Forum in Inglewood from 1967-99.

Bucks 123, 76ers 109

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points and grabbed 15 boards to lead host Milwaukee to a win over short-handed Philadelphia.

It marked the fourth win in a row for Milwaukee. Damian Lillard added 25 points thanks to a 16-point fourth quarter, while Khris Middleton chipped in 13 points to go along with eight assists off the bench.

Tyrese Maxey had 37 points on 14-of-28 shooting to lead Philadelphia, which was without Joel Embiid (left knee injury management) and Paul George (groin), among others. Four other Sixers scored in double figures, including Kelly Oubre Jr., who finished with 19 points. The 76ers have dropped six straight games.

Nuggets 113, Magic 100

Nikola Jokic notched his 18th triple-double of the season by posting 20 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, Christian Braun added 20 points and 11 boards and Denver beat host Orlando.

Jokic, who leads the NBA in triple-doubles, went 7-for-9 from the field and didn't play in the fourth quarter. Peyton Watson had three blocks but left the game in the second quarter after taking a hit to the head. Denver has won six straight road games.

Wendell Carter Jr. had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Anthony Black scored 14 points for the Magic, who have dropped three straight games. They were playing without Jalen Suggs (back), Gary Harris (hamstring), Franz Wagner (reconditioning) and Goga Bitadze (concussion protocol).

Thunder 127, Nets 101

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander collected 27 points and 10 assists to lead Oklahoma City to a win over visiting Brooklyn.

The Thunder have won 20 of their past 23 games overall and 12 straight at home. Oklahoma City shot 55.2 percent from the floor, its third-best field-goal percentage in a game this season.

Tyrese Martin and Johnson led Brooklyn with 15 points apiece. The Nets lost their third straight game and fell for the 19th time in 24 games.

Kings 123, Wizards 100

Domantas Sabonis had a double-double by halftime, De'Aaron Fox finished with one of his own and host Sacramento rolled over Washington, which has lost 10 games in a row.

Sabonis recorded his league-leading 37th double-double with game highs of 29 points and 18 rebounds as the Kings won for the ninth time in their last 10 games. Fox chipped in with 12 points and a game-high 13 assists in his seventh double-double of the year.

Backup Jonas Valanciunas topped the Wizards in points (23) and rebounds (12), hitting nine of his 11 shots off the bench. Coming off a 38-point explosion Saturday night at Golden State, Jordan Poole connected on just 4 of 11 shots and 3 of 9 3-point attempts en route to 11 points.

Trail Blazers 113, Bulls 102

Scoot Henderson recorded 25 points, eight assists and seven rebounds to help Portland deliver a victory over visiting Chicago.

Shaedon Sharpe added 23 points as the Trail Blazers snapped a five-game losing streak. Deni Avdija had 20 points, 12 rebounds and three steals, Jerami Grant scored 18 points and Deandre Ayton contributed 15 points and 13 rebounds for Portland.

Zach LaVine scored 27 points and Nikola Vucevic added 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Bulls, who dropped their fifth consecutive game.

Heat 128, Spurs 107

Lightly-used reserve Kel'el Ware, a 7-foot rookie, tied his career high with 25 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked two shots as host Miami defeated San Antonio.

Ware played 34 minutes as he was needed to guard 7-foot-3 Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama, who finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and one block.

Duncan Robinson scored 21 points, Terry Rozier had 20 off the bench and Tyler Herro overcame a slow start to post 18 points for the Heat. Devin Vassell topped the Spurs with 23 points.

Sabonis recorded his league-leading 37th double-double with a game-high 29 points and a game-high 18 rebounds for the Kings, who won for the ninth time in their last 10 games.

Fox chipped in with 12 points and a game-high 13 assists in his seventh double-double of the year.

Sabonis had 18 of his points and 11 of his rebounds in the first half, during which Sacramento got the jump on a Wizards team playing for the second time in two nights. The Kings led by as many as 11 in the first quarter and 14 in the second en route to a 62-48 halftime advantage.

In losing for the 10th straight time, the Wizards never got closer than 10 in the third period, yet hung within 102-91 with 7:11 remaining in the game before Sabonis dropped in a five-footer, DeMar DeRozan and Keegan Murray threw down dunks, and DeRozan added a 20-footer in an 8-0 burst that broke the game open for good.

Sabonis went 12-for-16 from the field, helping Sacramento outshoot Washington 48.4 percent to 36 percent.

DeRozan finished with 24 points, Malik Monk 23 and Keon Ellis 18 for the Kings, who entered the game fresh, having been off the previous two days. Ellis did all his scoring on 6-for-8 accuracy from beyond the 3-point arc.

Backup Jonas Valanciunas topped the Wizards in both points with 23 and rebounds with 12, hitting nine of his 11 shots off the bench.

Coming off a 38-point explosion Saturday night at Golden State, Jordan Poole connected on just four of his 11 shots and three of his nine 3-point attempts en route to 11 points.

Bilal Coulibaly also had 11 points for Washington, while Kyle Kuzma put up 13 to go with seven rebounds and Corey Kispert 14 off the bench.

Rookie Alex Sarr had six points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes.

Shaedon Sharpe added 23 points as the Trail Blazers snapped a five-game losing streak. Deni Avdija had 20 points, 12 rebounds and three steals, Jerami Grant scored 18 points and Deandre Ayton contributed 15 points and 13 rebounds for Portland.

Zach LaVine scored 27 points and Nikola Vucevic added 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Bulls, who dropped their fifth consecutive game. Patrick Williams had 15 points and Ayo Dosunmu added 12 for Chicago.

The Trail Blazers had a 50-36 rebounding edge one night after they were outrebounded 61-40 in a loss to the visiting Houston Rockets. Avdija and Ayton missed the Houston game due to injuries.

Portland shot 47.2 percent from the field, including 9 of 31 from 3-point range.

The Bulls made 44.4 percent of their attempts and were 8 of 29 from behind the arc.

Chicago trailed by 15 points in the fourth quarter but moved within 111-102 on Williams' basket with 1:26 left.

But Avidja's basket pushed the lead back to 11 with 1:10 left. When LaVine missed a trey 12 seconds later, the Bulls' comeback bid was effectively over.

The score was tied at halftime before Portland scored the first seven points of the third quarter for a 60-53 lead. Grant had five of the points.

The Trail Blazers led by eight after a 3-pointer by Avdija with 8:11 left in the quarter. However, Chicago battled back to knot the score at 75 on a 3-pointer by Dosunmu with 3:37 remaining.

Henderson then scored six straight points as part of a quarter-ending 12-2 surge that gave Portland an 87-77 lead entering the final stanza.

The Trail Blazers later scored eight straight points, capped by a 3-pointer from Sharpe, to take a 97-82 lead with 7:36 remaining.

The score was tied at 53 at the break. LaVine had 13 for the Bulls and Henderson had 13 for Portland.

Chicago had a 15-point lead late in the first quarter before things began to unravel.