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  • Celtics sink free throws, keep Pistons from 14th straight win

    (Photo credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images)

    Jaylen Brown had 33 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to help the host Boston Celtics end the Detroit Pistons’ 13-game winning streak with a 117-114 victory on Wednesday in an NBA Cup game.

    After Anfernee Simons extended Boston’s lead to 115-112 by making two free throws with 6.3 seconds on the clock, Cade Cunningham was fouled attempting a 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds remaining, but he missed the third free-throw attempt after he made the first two.

    Boston’s Payton Pritchard made two free throws with 2.4 seconds left and then the Celtics came up with a steal on Detroit’s final possession.

    Detroit would have set a franchise record by winning its 14th straight game.

    The Pistons also won 13 straight games in 1989-1990 and 2003-04. Detroit won the NBA title both seasons.

    Derrick White added 27 points and seven rebounds for Boston. Pritchard made four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points.

    Cunningham scored a game-high 42 points and collected eight rebounds and five assists. He made 14 of 16 foul shots in the loss.

    Jalen Duren added 12 points and 16 rebounds for Detroit, which also received a 12-point performance from Tobias Harris.

    The loss dropped Detroit’s road record to 7-2.

    The Celtics played without center Neemias Queta, who exited Sunday’s game against Orlando in the first quarter with a left ankle sprain and did not return. Queta is averaging career-highs in points per game (9.3) and rebounds per game (7.9) this season.

    The Pistons led 30-24 after one quarter and 58-57 at halftime, but Boston had an 86-83 lead entering the final quarter.

    It was the second time Boston and Detroit have played this season. The Pistons defeated the Celtics 119-113 in Detroit on Oct. 26. Brown scored a game-high 41 points in the loss. Cunningham led the Pistons with 25.

    Detroit is 2-1 in East Group B. Boston is 2-2.

    –Field Level Media

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  • NBA roundup: Lakers win 5th straight, clinch West Group B

    (Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images)

    Luka Doncic scored 24 of his 43 points in the first quarter and finished with 13 assists and nine rebounds as the host Los Angeles Lakers notched a 135-118 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday to clinch West Group B of the NBA Cup.

    Austin Reaves scored 18 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and collected nine rebounds for the Lakers, who won their fifth consecutive game. LeBron James added 25 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Rui Hachimura had 13 points.

    The Lakers improved to 3-0 in NBA Cup play while the Clippers fell to 2-1. The Clippers are still in the running for a wild-card spot.

    James Harden recorded 29 points and nine assists and Kawhi Leonard and Kris Dunn scored 19 points apiece for the Clippers, who have lost 11 of their past 13 games. John Collins posted 18 points, and Ivica Zubac added 10 points and 10 rebounds.

    Wizards 132, Hawks 113

    CJ McCollum scored a season-high 46 points on 10 3-pointers, leading Washington to a rare victory over visiting Atlanta in NBA Cup group play.

    Alex Sarr had 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Corey Kispert totaled 19 points for the Wizards, who led by as many as 33 points and snapped a 14-game losing streak. Khris Middleton had 10 points and 12 assists and Bub Carrington scored 10 for Washington, which never trailed in the win.

    Kristaps Porzingis led Atlanta with 22 points, followed by Onyeka Okongwu’s 20 and Zaccharie Risacher’s 17. Dyson Daniels finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Hawks, who had their two-game winning streak snapped. Vit Krejci tallied 10 points in the loss.

    Magic 144, 76ers 103

    Anthony Black scored a career-high 31 points to highlight Orlando’s annihilation of host Philadelphia in an NBA Cup game.

    Black scored 27 points in the first half, including a 20-point second quarter as Orlando set a franchise record for points in any quarter with 51 in the stanza. The team also set a franchise mark with 86 points in the first half. Despite continuing to play without Paolo Banchero (groin), the Magic had nine players score in double figures, including Franz Wagner (21) and Desmond Bane (15). The team compiled 82 bench points — the top total in the NBA this season.

    Tyrese Maxey scored 20 points to pace Philadelphia, while Jared McCain pitched in with 15 points. The Sixers played without Joel Embiid, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe, among others.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Magic continue dominance over Wizards with decisive win

    (Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

    Paolo Banchero scored 28 points and added 11 rebounds and the visiting Orlando Magic thrashed the Washington Wizards 125-94 on Saturday.

    Orlando shot 51.1% from the field and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half. The Magic have won two straight following a four-game losing streak.

    Washington was unable to recover after being outscored 43-21 in the second quarter. The Wizards have lost four straight and five of their first six games.

    Franz Wagner added 25 points, while Wendell Carter Jr. recorded 16 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando, which outscored the Wizards 62-52 on points in the paint. Goga Bitadze chipped in 15 points and six rebounds in 20 minutes of action.

    The Magic won their 11th straight meeting against Washington, dating back to March 21, 2023. Orlando shot 33.3% from 3-point range and 86.4% (19-for-22) from the free throw line.

    Kyshawn George led the Wizards with 17 points. CJ McCollum scored 13 points, and Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly added 10 apiece.

    George scored 10 of Washington’s first 18 points to help the Wizards take a 35-32 lead at the end of the first quarter.

    The Magic built a double-digit lead in the second quarter while scoring 43 points, including a 17-8 run to close the half. That gave them a 75-56 lead at intermission and marked the Magic’s most first-half points this season.

    Banchero scored 23 points in the first half and Wagner had 20 for Orlando, which shot 60.9% from the field for the half.

    Orlando’s 43 points during the second quarter tied the franchise record for most points ever scored in a second period.

    The Magic maintained their momentum and led 87-61 after opening the third quarter on a 12-5 run.

    Orlando outscored Washington 28-19 in the third quarter and took a 103-75 lead into the final period.

    Both teams rested their starters in the final minutes, and Orlando made three straight 3-pointers during an 11-2 run to close out the game.

    –Field Level Media

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  • NBA roundup: Spurs off to first 5-0 start in team history

    (Photo credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images)

    Victor Wembanyama posted 27 points, 18 rebounds, six assists and five blocks while leading the host San Antonio Spurs to a 107-101 victory over the Miami Heat on Thursday night.

    The Spurs, who have won five NBA titles, are off to a 5-0 start for the first time in franchise history. San Antonio also got 21 points, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals from Stephon Castle.

    Bam Adebayo scored a game-high 31 points and pulled down 10 rebounds while Andrew Wiggins added 24 points for the Heat, whose three-game winning streak ended.

    San Antonio, which entered the game with the best scoring defense in the NBA (104.5 points per game), won a battle against a Heat team that entered the day with the league’s No. 1 scoring offense (131.5).

    Bucks 120, Warriors 110

    Ryan Rollins scored a career-high 32 points and handed out eight assists, and seven other Bucks players reached double figures to lead Milwaukee to a victory over visiting Golden State without Giannis Antetokounmpo.

    Myles Turner delivered his best game as a Buck with 17 points and seven rebounds. Cole Anthony added 16 points despite fouling out with more than seven minutes remaining.

    Stephen Curry scored 27 points to lead the Warriors, with Jonathan Kuminga (24) and Jimmy Butler III (23) not far behind. Butler grabbed 11 boards.

    Thunder 127, Wizards 108

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 points, seven assists and no turnovers, leading Oklahoma City to a home win over Washington.

    The defending NBA champion Thunder are 6-0 for the second consecutive season after starting their championship season with seven straight victories. Oklahoma City turned up the heat defensively from the start, scoring 26 points off 23 Wizards’ turnovers while the Thunder turned the ball over just six times.

    After missing the first four games due to an offseason thumb injury, Bilal Coulibaly made his season debut for the Wizards. Coulibaly scored 16 points and added eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 24 minutes.

    Magic 123, Hornets 107

    Franz Wagner scored 21 points while Paolo Banchero and Anthony Black each added 20 points as Orlando defeated Charlotte for its first road win of the season.

    The Magic, who snapped a four-game overall losing streak, shot 51.7% from the field and made 16 3-pointers. Tristan da Silva added 19 points off the bench.

    Collin Sexton led the Hornets with 19 points off the bench, while Ryan Kalkbrenner and LaMelo Ball each scored 17 points. Charlotte was coming off a 1-2 road trip.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Late Lynx run leads to Game 1 win over Mercury

    (Photo credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images)

    Courtney Williams barely missed a triple-double, and the Minnesota Lynx used a late 12-0 run to take Game 1 of its WNBA semifinal series against the Phoenix Mercury, winning 82-69 in Minneapolis on Sunday.

    Williams scored a game-high 23 points while adding eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals. Kayla McBride added 21 points and Napheesa Collier hit for 18 to go along with a game-high nine rebounds.

    Kahleah Copper scored 22 points for Phoenix but went just 10-for-23 from the floor. Alyssa Thomas added 18 to go along with eight rebounds and seven assists. Satou Sabally tallied 10 points but made only 3 of 11 shots.

    The Mercury trailed 68-67 after Sami Whitcomb drained a 3-pointer with 5:13 left, but Williams started the game-breaking run with a floater on the next trip. McBride and Bridget Carleton pitched in 3-pointers to seal the outcome.

    ‘We’re in the playoffs, bro, you’ve got to feel the energy,’ Williams said after the game. ‘You’ve got to do your best for the team.’

    Game 2 of the best-of-5 series is Tuesday night in Minneapolis before the series shifts to Phoenix.

    Phoenix made its gameplan abundantly clear in the first quarter, attacking in the lane every chance it had. The Mercury erased an early 16-12 deficit by carving into it a bucket at a time, taking a 24-22 edge to the second quarter on Thomas’ tip-in with 25.4 seconds left.

    Ahead 39-38 after Williams drove and scored with 3:39 left in the half, Phoenix rattled off eight straight points – all on layups – to take a 47-40 lead to intermission. It scored a whopping 42 points in the lane in the half, making just one 3-pointer and two foul shots.

    Minnesota tightened up defensively in the third quarter, not allowing a point for the first 2:57 and permitting just 12 points in the period. When McBride sank a technical free throw, it led to a 59-59 tie going to the fourth quarter.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Furious late Storm rally stuns Aces, forces decider in opening series

    (Photo credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images)

    Dominique Malonga converted the go-ahead three-point play with 31 seconds left and the Seattle Storm closed the game with a 16-4 spurt to post an 86-83 victory over the visiting Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday night to even the first round series at one game apiece.

    Skylar Diggins had 26 points and seven assists and Nneka Ogwumike added 24 points and 10 rebounds for the seventh-seeded Storm, who recovered from a 14-point third-quarter deficit to force a deciding Game 3 on Thursday night at Las Vegas.

    Malonga had 11 points and 10 rebounds and Erica Wheeler scored all 11 of her points in the final quarter for Seattle. Diggins also had 11 fourth-quarter points.

    Jackie Young scored 25 points and A’ja Wilson added 21 points, 13 rebounds and five assists for second-seeded Las Vegas. Jewell Loyd added 13 points but the former Storm star missed a tying 3-point attempt in the final seconds.

    Diggins buried a 3-pointer with 4:03 remaining to start the game-ending run and bring Seattle within 79-73. Wheeler added a trey exactly one minute later to make it a three-point margin.

    The Storm crept within two before Young converted a three-point play to give Las Vegas an 82-77 lead with 1:47 remaining.

    A Wheeler jumper brought Seattle within three with 1:24 left. After Loyd split two free throws, Diggins sank a 19-foot pull-up jumper as the Storm pulled within 83-81 with 53.4 seconds to play.

    Malonga then made the three-point play to put the Storm ahead for the first time since a 37-36 lead in the second quarter. Diggins followed with a jumper in the lane with 4.2 seconds left.

    The loss was the first for the Aces since being pounded 111-58 by the Minnesota Lynx on Aug. 2. Las Vegas finished the regular season with 16 consecutive wins and then routed Seattle, 102-77, in Game 1 of this series.

    Young had 14 points in the third quarter, including 12 during a 16-5 burst that saw Las Vegas increase a one-point to 63-51 with 3:12 left.

    Young nailed another floater with 1.1 seconds left as Las Vegas took a 69-61 lead into the final quarter.

    Wilson scored four straight points early in the fourth to give the Aces a 75-63 advantage with 7:06 left.

    Wilson had 16 first-half points as the Aces led 45-44 at the break. Diggins had 15 and Ogwumike added 13 in the half for Seattle.

    The Storm scored nearly as many points (21) in the first quarter than they did in the first half (25) of their Game 1 loss.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Explosive Lynx hand loss to injury-plagued Fever

    (Photo credit: Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

    Jessica Shepard had a triple-double, Kayla McBride tied her season-high with 29 points and the visiting Minnesota Lynx rode a strong third quarter to a 95-90 victory over the Indiana Fever on Friday night.

    Shepard finished with season highs of 22 points and 11 assists and added 11 rebounds, and Natisha Hiedeman scored 17 for the Lynx (29-7), who trailed by as many as 12 points in the first half before McBride helped them get within two points at halftime and outscore the Fever (19-17) by 15 points in the third quarter (32-17).

    WNBA-leading Minnesota, playing its seventh consecutive game without star forward Napheesa Collier (ankle), had lost consecutive games for the first time this season and was completing a back-to-back after a 75-73 loss at Atlanta on Thursday.

    Kelsey Mitchell scored 27, Lexie Hull had 23, Aliyah Boston had 15 and Shey Peddy added 10 in her debut for the Fever, who played their 14th consecutive game without All-Star guard Caitlin Clark (groin) and their first since losing guard Sophie Cunningham, the team’s most accurate 3-point shooter, to a season-ending knee injury.

    McBride made a jumper to start the third-quarter scoring and added two more during a 9-0 run that gave Minnesota a 65-56 lead. Mitchell made a 3-pointer to end the run, but Hiedeman scored the final four points to give the Lynx an 82-69 lead at the end of the third quarter.

    Indiana got within five points four times in the final 2:02, but got no closer.

    Hull scored 11 points and the Fever made 5 of 6 3-pointers while taking their largest lead of the first quarter, 22-13. Shepherd had the last four of her 10 first-quarter points and two assists to help the Lynx close within 27-22 at the end of the first quarter.

    Minnesota’s DiJonai Carrington’s basket started the second quarter, but Damiris Dantas, Hull and Peddy made consecutive 3-pointers and Indiana expanded the lead to 36-24. McBride responded with consecutive 3-pointers and added nine more points and an assist to help the Lynx pull even at 50 before Mitchell’s jumper gave Indiana a 52-50 halftime lead.

    –Field Level Media

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