NBA capsules: Nuggets win 117-85, their biggest rout ever of Lakers
DENVER – Paul Millsap, Jamal Murray and Malik Beasley scored 20 points apiece, and the Denver Nuggets rolled to their biggest victory ever over the Los Angeles Lakers, a 117-85 rout on Tuesday night.
The 32-point margin surpassed a 29-point win in 1993.
Nikola Jokic added 14 points and Juancho Hernangomez had 12 for the Nuggets, who won their fourth in a row.
Kyle Kuzma scored 21 points for Los Angeles, while LeBron James and Brandon Ingram added 14 apiece. The Lakers, who handed the Nuggets their first loss of the season in late October in Los Angeles, struggled to find their shooting touch against Denver’s defensive pressure.
Raptors 122, Grizzlies 114
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Kyle Lowry had 24 points and six assists, Fred VanVleet added 18 points and Toronto used a 3-point shooting burst in the fourth quarter to beat Memphis.
VanVleet made all six shots on the night, including three from outside the arc in the fourth, when Toronto was 7 of 12 from 3-point range. Lowry was 5 of 8 on 3-pointers.
Kawhi Leonard finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Serge Ibaka scored 16 points as the Raptors won their sixth straight.
Marc Gasol led Memphis with 27 points, making 10 of his 14 shots. Mike Conley added 20 points and six assists.
Pistons 115, Knicks 108
DETROIT – Blake Griffin scored 30 points and Stanley Johnson added 21 to lift Detroit over New York.
Reggie Jackson contributed 21 points for Detroit. The Pistons held New York to 40 percent shooting from the field and led throughout the final three quarters.
Allonzo Trier scored 24 points for the Knicks, who had won a season-high three in a row.
The Pistons (11-7) are off to a solid start under new coach Dwane Casey, although nine of their victories have been against teams that currently have losing records.
Pacers 109, Suns 104
PHOENIX – Bojan Bogdanovic sank the go-ahead 3-pointer with 31 seconds to play and Indiana with a victory over Phoenix.
The Pacers, coming off a 33-point victory at Utah the previous night, had their hands full in a tight fourth quarter.
After Bogdanovic’s long-range basket, Devin Booker’s attempt at a game-tying 3 barely rimmed out. Darren Collison’s two free throws wrapped up the scoring.
Doug McDermott and Domantas Sabonis scored 21 points apiece for Indiana. Myles Turner added 16 and Bogdanovic 15.
T.J. Warren scored 25 for the Suns. Booker was just 7-of-21 shooting but scored 20 points and had eight assists. Deandre Ayton had 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Hawks 115, Heat 113
MIAMI – Taurean Prince scored 18 points, Trae Young finished with 17 points and 10 assists and the Atlanta Hawks held off the Miami Heat 115-113 on Tuesday night to snap a seven-game road slide.
John Collins scored 16 points, Omari Spellman had 14 and Kent Bazemore finished with 12 for the Hawks, who are 2-0 against Miami this season and 3-16 against everyone else.
Josh Richardson led Miami with 22 points, but his potential winning 3-pointer with 3 seconds left – a wide-open look – bounced off the rim. Dwyane Wade scored 18 and Wayne Ellington added 15 for the Heat, who have lost six straight at home. It’s only the 10th time in the 31 years of Heat basketball that Miami has lost so many consecutive games at home.
Bam Adebayo scored 12 for Miami, which got 11 apiece from Justise Winslow and Hassan Whiteside.