MILWAUKEE -- Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points and 17 rebounds, Khris Middleton scored 25 points and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 119-98 on Saturday night in a matchup of Eastern Conference rivals.
Antetokounmpo added eight assists to help Milwaukee win for the 16th time in its last 18 games to improve its NBA-best record to 48-8.
The Bucks led 56-50 at the half before Antetokounmpo scored the first seven points of the third quarter to give Milwaukee a quick 13-point lead. The Bucks would go on to outscore the 76ers 37-23 in the period to pull away.
Joel Embiid, coming off a 39-point performance Thursday night, had 17 points and 11 rebounds but shot just 5 for 18. Furkan Korkmaz also scored 17 points for the 76ers, who fell to 9-20 on the road.
Philadelphia lost All-Star point guard Ben Simmons early in the first quarter. Simmons, who missed the 76ers' previous game with lower back tightness, headed to the locker room after making consecutive driving layups, the second with a little more than 7 minutes left in the opening quarter. He didn't return after the injured flared up.
Hawks 111, Mavericks 107
ATLANTA -- John Collins had 35 points and 17 rebounds, Trae Young scored 13 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter and Atlanta Hawks rallied to beat Dallas.
Collins' follow shot, credited after a goaltending call was overturned, sealed it with 8.4 seconds remaining.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 20 of his season high-tying 33 points in the first half and Seth Curry added 22 for Dallas.
The game was billed as a showdown between Luka Doncic and Young, two second-year All-Stars linked together since a draft-night trade in 2018, but the matchup never materialized.
Doncic, who led Dallas to a win over Orlando the night before, was held out so he could rest his ankle, meaning that he and Young won't face each other again until next season. Doncic missed a 123-100 Mavericks victory against Atlanta earlier this month in Dallas with a similar injury.
The Mavericks also were without Kristaps Porzingis, sidelined to rest his knee, and Willie Cauley-Stein, who missed the game for personal reasons.
Heat 124, Cavaliers 105
MIAMI -- The Miami Heat were a worthy warmup act for Dwyane Wade's jersey retirement, breaking a 23-year-old franchise record for points in the first half en route to a ictory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Miami shot 77% in the first half and then turned the stage over to Wade, whose No. 3 jersey was hoisted to the rafters at halftime. The ceremony was part of a three-day celebration of Wade's career that included three NBA titles with Miami.
The Heat broke the franchise record of 75 points in the first half in November 1997 against the Los Angeles Clippers, a mark that predated Wade's 16-year NBA career. The game was so lopsided that Wade's close friend, Udonis Haslem, played for only the third time this season during garbage time.
Rookie Kendrick Nunn led Miami with 24 points. The Heat shot a season-best 57% and made 19 3-pointers.
Cedi Osman led Cleveland with 19 points.
Rockets 120, Jazz 110
SALT LAKE CITY -- James Harden scored 38 points and Russell Westbrook had 34 in Houston's victory over Utah.
Harden (13 for 23, 6 3-pointers) and Westbrook (14 for 26) were efficient all night and the Rockets rode a big third quarter to their third straight win.
Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points for the Jazz. Jordan Clarkson added 22.
Kings 112, Clippers 103
LOS ANGELES -- Kent Bazemore scored a season-high 23 points, Bogdan Bogdanovic added 20 and Sacramento beat Los Angeles on the road for the second time in less than a month.
De'Aaron Fox had 20 points and eight assists for the surging Kings. They have won two straight out of the All-Star break and eight of 12 overall.
Los Angeles' Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points in his return from his MVP performance in Chicago, but the Clippers returned from the All-Star break with their first three-game losing streak of the season.
Suns 112, Bulls 104
CHICAGO -- DeAndre Ayton dominated with 28 points and 19 rebounds, Devin Booker had 29 points and Phoenix beat Chicago.
Phoenix outscored Chicago by 13 in the third quarter to wipe out a 10-point halftime deficit and ended the game on a 17-4 run to come away with the win after losing seven of nine. The Bulls dropped their eighth in a row.
Ricky Rubio added 18 points and 11 assists, and Kelly Oubre Jr. had 14 points to help the Suns snap a five-game road losing streak.
Bulls rookie Coby White set a career high with 33 points and matched one by making seven 3-pointers. Zach LaVine scored 20 points.
Nets 115, Hornets 86
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot scored 21 points and Brooklyn ended Charlotte's three-game winning streak.
Caris LeVert added 17 points, and Garrett Temple had 15 points and 10 rebounds.
P.J. Washington had 16 points for the Hornets.
Sports on 02/23/2020