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  • Seattle Seahawks lead New England Patriots at half time in Super Bowl LX

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    It’s almost time to crown an NFL champion.After two weeks of hype and anticipation, the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will face off in Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday.The Seattle Seahawks are leading the New England Patriots 9-0 at halftime of Super Bowl LX. Bad Bunny Half Time ShowBad Bunny started his half time show as he emerged in Puerto Rico’s sugar cane fields, surrounded by jibaros in pavas (rural farmers in traditional straw hats), viejitos playing dominos (an affectionate term for older men) and a piragua stand (shaved ice) — undeniable symbols of Puerto Rico.From a small Caribbean island with a complicated colonial history, to the world: The artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio brought Puerto Rican culture to the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, for his 2026 Super Bowl halftime show in what was always going to be a landmark moment for Latinos.He started with his huge reggaeton hits, “Tití Me Preguntó” moving into “Yo Perreo Sola,” as he remerged on top of the casita (“little house”) from his Puerto Rican residency — Cardi B was a guest at his pari de marquesina, a house party.Then he crashed through the roof — Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” played for a moment, clearly a celebration of the Puerto Rican artists who laid the path for his Latin trap to go global.“Mi nombre Antonio Martínez Ocasio,” he introduced himself to the crowd in Spanish. “Y si hoy estoy aquí en el Super Bowl 60, es porque nunca, nunca dejé de creer en mí y tú también deberías de creer en ti, vales más de lo que piensas.”The strings of his song “Monaco” played — then, a surprise Lady Gaga emerged at a wedding, singing her portion of “Die with a Smile,” her collaboration with Bruno Mars, joined by a salsa band.It gave Benito time for a fashion change — rocking a white suit like a classic salsero — for “Baile Inolvidable” and “NuevaYol,” with a block party set where he took a shot with Tonita, owner of one of the last Puerto Rican social clubs in New York City, Brooklyn’s Caribbean Social Club.Ricky Martin performed “Lo Que Pasó a Hawaii,” (“What Happened to Hawaii”), a rallying cry for Puerto Rico’s autonomy.Behind him, jibaros in pavas climbed power towers that exploded, symbolic of Puerto Rico’s frequent blackouts and failing power grid. It queued up a moving performance of 2022’s “El Apagón” (“The Blackout”), in reference to Hurricane Maria, its aftermath and the continued anger and frustration over persistent, chronic power outages.Bad Bunny performed entirely in Spanish — as all of his music is recorded in the language, though he has collaborated with English-language artists. The only English singing came from Gaga. That changed at the end of the set, when he said, “God Bless America,” and then named countries in the Caribbean, Central and South America. “And my mother land, Puerto Rico.”He ended with “DtMF” as he walked out of the stadium. Who needs offense? How ’bout those special teams?The game was expected to be a matchup of two stingy defenses.It was in the first half, and it was a very busy day for both special teams.The Patriots punted on five of their six drives. That counts a final possession that was just a one-play kneel down with 11 seconds left.Seattle got three field goals from Jason Myers.With JSN grounded, Seattle is clawing away on the groundThe Seahawks have settled for field goals but hold a two-score lead heading into halftime thanks to kicker Jason Myers’ third conversion. He made a 40-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining in the second quarter.It hasn’t been pretty for Seattle’s offense, which ranked fifth in scoring in the regular season. Sam Darnold, who is fresh off his second straight Pro Bowl season, was nearly picked off by cornerback Christian Gonzalez on third down. Instead, the pass fell harmlessly to the turf for Darnold’s 13th incompletion of the first half. Darnold is 9 of 22 for 88 yards.The Seahawks continue to run the ball well, though. Kenneth Walker III has 94 yards on 14 carries, but 59 of those came on two runs. Otherwise, New England has done a solid job of slowing him down.Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had the most yards receiving of any player in the NFL in the regular season, was targeted seven times and only caught one pass for 4 yards. Veteran Cooper Kupp has been Seattle’s best offensive player with four catches for 44 yards.New England has just 51 yards of offense in first halfNew England managed just four first downs, 51 total yards and converted only 2 of 7 third downs in the first half against the stingy Seahawks defense.The 51 yards are second-fewest in a first half over the last 35 Super Bowls — and the only team with fewer in that 35-year stretch was the Chiefs with 23 last season. The only time the Patriots had fewer was -19 against the Bears in Super Bowl 20.‘Backstreet’s back’ tonightTwo different advertisers have featured songs from the Backstreet Boys in their Super Bowl spots.T-Mobile showed the band singing a version of its 1999 hit “I Want It That Way.” And cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase used a karaoke scroll of “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).”“By using ‘Everybody,’ we were signaling that crypto has moved past that early adopter phase,” Coinbase chief marketing officer Cat Ferdon told the AP ahead of the game. “It’s mainstream, it’s accessible and it’s for everybody.”Vrabel: Pats need to protect MayeDrake Maye was sacked three times and hit five times in the first half. Asked about his QB’s protection at halftime, New England coach Mike Vrabel said he need better protection from the whole offensive line.“From all sides,” Vrabel said. “We have to do a much better job.”Score alert: Seattle boots another field goalJason Myers connects for his third field goal of the first half, this one from 41 yards.Seahawks 9, Patriots 0The Pats’ O-line isn’t giving Maye much timeIf the Patriots are going to get anything going on offense, they’ll need to keep Drake Maye upright.Maye is first QB to be sacked three times on the first four drives of a Super Bowl since Tom Brady in Super Bowl 42 vs the Giants.Maye is 5-of-7 passing for 39 yards.Kenneth Walker III is keeping Seattle movingWhile the Seahawks have struggled to throw the ball, Walker is finding holes and making the Pats pay.Walker ran for 55 of his 71 yards in the game on Seattle’s second scoring drive. It was the most in a single drive in the Super Bowl since Willie Parker had 75 — all on one run — for the Pittsburgh Steelers versus the Seahawks in Super Bowl 40.Since reserve running back Zach Charbonnet went down with a season-ending knee injury against the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round, Walker has taken on the role of bell cow and run with it. Including the Super Bowl, Walker has run the ball 47 times for 249 yards rushing and four touchdowns in the playoffs.Walker continuing to dominate on the ground would buoy the Seahawks’ chances of hanging onto their lead.Injury updates for Seahawks, PatriotsBoth the Seahawks and Patriots have a pair of players dealing with injuries early in the second quarter.Linebacker Jahlani Tavai is questionable with a shoulder injury for the Patriots. Safety Ty Okada is also questionable while being looked at for a calf issue.Score alert: Seattle adds another field goalJason Myers connects from 39 yards.Seahawks 6, Patriots 0Seattle has found the weakness in New England’s O-lineThe Seahawks have made a meal on opposing offenses this season, blitzing weak points in offensive lines.Through the Patriots’ first two drives, the target has been rookie left tackle Will Campbell.It resulted in Campbell yielding a pair of sacks and helped contribute to two Patriots’ punts.Seattle’s ‘12s’ are bringing the noiseFrom the first play of the Patriots’ opening drive, the Seahawks’ fan base made its presence felt. Seattle’s “12s”, as the Seahawks’ passionate fan base is known as, made all sorts of noise at Levi’s Stadium shortly after New England took over on offense.Typically, Seahawks fans create a difficult environment for foes at Lumen Field. Today, they’ve taken over the home of one the Seahawks’ fiercest rivals, the San Francisco 49ers.Former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp makes an early impactSeattle’s opening drive was aided in large part by a 23-yard, juggling reception by Kupp along the sideline. Replays showed Kupp may have been bobbling the ball as he went out of bounds, but the Seahawks rushed the next play to preempt a review.Regardless, quarterback Sam Darnold and the Seahawks’ offense showed it can move the ball against the Patriots’ defense. Darnold completed 2 of 4 passes for 38 yards, and Kenneth Walker III ran for 13 yards on three carries.Seattle’s offense slowed in the red zone, though, and failed to capitalize on a 1st and 10 at the New England 17-yard line.Score alert: Seahawks kick field goalJason Myers caps Seattle’s opening drive with a 33-yard field goal.Seahawks 3, Patriots 0Super Bowl 60 is underwaySeattle received the ball to start the game after New England won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half. The game opened under blue skies and 67-degree weather at Levi’s Stadium.The opening kick went for a touchback, giving the Seahawks the ball at the 35.There have been only two times in the past 25 Super Bowls that the team that received the opening kick scored a touchdown on that possession. The Philadelphia Eagles did it three years ago when Jalen Hurts scored on a 1-yard run in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Devin Hester also returned the opening kickoff for a score for Chicago against Indianapolis in Super Bowl 41.

    It’s almost time to crown an NFL champion.

    After two weeks of hype and anticipation, the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will face off in Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday.

    The Seattle Seahawks are leading the New England Patriots 9-0 at halftime of Super Bowl LX.

    Bad Bunny Half Time Show

    Bad Bunny started his half time show as he emerged in Puerto Rico’s sugar cane fields, surrounded by jibaros in pavas (rural farmers in traditional straw hats), viejitos playing dominos (an affectionate term for older men) and a piragua stand (shaved ice) — undeniable symbols of Puerto Rico.

    From a small Caribbean island with a complicated colonial history, to the world: The artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio brought Puerto Rican culture to the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, for his 2026 Super Bowl halftime show in what was always going to be a landmark moment for Latinos.

    He started with his huge reggaeton hits, “Tití Me Preguntó” moving into “Yo Perreo Sola,” as he remerged on top of the casita (“little house”) from his Puerto Rican residency — Cardi B was a guest at his pari de marquesina, a house party.

    Then he crashed through the roof — Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” played for a moment, clearly a celebration of the Puerto Rican artists who laid the path for his Latin trap to go global.

    “Mi nombre Antonio Martínez Ocasio,” he introduced himself to the crowd in Spanish. “Y si hoy estoy aquí en el Super Bowl 60, es porque nunca, nunca dejé de creer en mí y tú también deberías de creer en ti, vales más de lo que piensas.”

    The strings of his song “Monaco” played — then, a surprise Lady Gaga emerged at a wedding, singing her portion of “Die with a Smile,” her collaboration with Bruno Mars, joined by a salsa band.

    It gave Benito time for a fashion change — rocking a white suit like a classic salsero — for “Baile Inolvidable” and “NuevaYol,” with a block party set where he took a shot with Tonita, owner of one of the last Puerto Rican social clubs in New York City, Brooklyn’s Caribbean Social Club.

    Ricky Martin performed “Lo Que Pasó a Hawaii,” (“What Happened to Hawaii”), a rallying cry for Puerto Rico’s autonomy.

    Behind him, jibaros in pavas climbed power towers that exploded, symbolic of Puerto Rico’s frequent blackouts and failing power grid. It queued up a moving performance of 2022’s “El Apagón” (“The Blackout”), in reference to Hurricane Maria, its aftermath and the continued anger and frustration over persistent, chronic power outages.

    Bad Bunny performed entirely in Spanish — as all of his music is recorded in the language, though he has collaborated with English-language artists. The only English singing came from Gaga. That changed at the end of the set, when he said, “God Bless America,” and then named countries in the Caribbean, Central and South America. “And my mother land, Puerto Rico.”

    He ended with “DtMF” as he walked out of the stadium.

    Who needs offense? How ’bout those special teams?

    The game was expected to be a matchup of two stingy defenses.

    It was in the first half, and it was a very busy day for both special teams.

    The Patriots punted on five of their six drives. That counts a final possession that was just a one-play kneel down with 11 seconds left.

    Seattle got three field goals from Jason Myers.

    With JSN grounded, Seattle is clawing away on the ground

    The Seahawks have settled for field goals but hold a two-score lead heading into halftime thanks to kicker Jason Myers’ third conversion. He made a 40-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

    It hasn’t been pretty for Seattle’s offense, which ranked fifth in scoring in the regular season. Sam Darnold, who is fresh off his second straight Pro Bowl season, was nearly picked off by cornerback Christian Gonzalez on third down. Instead, the pass fell harmlessly to the turf for Darnold’s 13th incompletion of the first half. Darnold is 9 of 22 for 88 yards.

    The Seahawks continue to run the ball well, though. Kenneth Walker III has 94 yards on 14 carries, but 59 of those came on two runs. Otherwise, New England has done a solid job of slowing him down.

    Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had the most yards receiving of any player in the NFL in the regular season, was targeted seven times and only caught one pass for 4 yards. Veteran Cooper Kupp has been Seattle’s best offensive player with four catches for 44 yards.

    New England has just 51 yards of offense in first half

    New England managed just four first downs, 51 total yards and converted only 2 of 7 third downs in the first half against the stingy Seahawks defense.

    The 51 yards are second-fewest in a first half over the last 35 Super Bowls — and the only team with fewer in that 35-year stretch was the Chiefs with 23 last season. The only time the Patriots had fewer was -19 against the Bears in Super Bowl 20.

    ‘Backstreet’s back’ tonight

    Two different advertisers have featured songs from the Backstreet Boys in their Super Bowl spots.

    T-Mobile showed the band singing a version of its 1999 hit “I Want It That Way.” And cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase used a karaoke scroll of “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).”

    “By using ‘Everybody,’ we were signaling that crypto has moved past that early adopter phase,” Coinbase chief marketing officer Cat Ferdon told the AP ahead of the game. “It’s mainstream, it’s accessible and it’s for everybody.”

    Vrabel: Pats need to protect Maye

    Drake Maye was sacked three times and hit five times in the first half. Asked about his QB’s protection at halftime, New England coach Mike Vrabel said he need better protection from the whole offensive line.

    “From all sides,” Vrabel said. “We have to do a much better job.”

    Score alert: Seattle boots another field goal

    Jason Myers connects for his third field goal of the first half, this one from 41 yards.

    Seahawks 9, Patriots 0

    The Pats’ O-line isn’t giving Maye much time

    If the Patriots are going to get anything going on offense, they’ll need to keep Drake Maye upright.

    Maye is first QB to be sacked three times on the first four drives of a Super Bowl since Tom Brady in Super Bowl 42 vs the Giants.

    Maye is 5-of-7 passing for 39 yards.

    Kenneth Walker III is keeping Seattle moving

    While the Seahawks have struggled to throw the ball, Walker is finding holes and making the Pats pay.

    Walker ran for 55 of his 71 yards in the game on Seattle’s second scoring drive. It was the most in a single drive in the Super Bowl since Willie Parker had 75 — all on one run — for the Pittsburgh Steelers versus the Seahawks in Super Bowl 40.

    Since reserve running back Zach Charbonnet went down with a season-ending knee injury against the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round, Walker has taken on the role of bell cow and run with it. Including the Super Bowl, Walker has run the ball 47 times for 249 yards rushing and four touchdowns in the playoffs.

    Walker continuing to dominate on the ground would buoy the Seahawks’ chances of hanging onto their lead.

    Injury updates for Seahawks, Patriots

    Both the Seahawks and Patriots have a pair of players dealing with injuries early in the second quarter.

    Linebacker Jahlani Tavai is questionable with a shoulder injury for the Patriots. Safety Ty Okada is also questionable while being looked at for a calf issue.

    Score alert: Seattle adds another field goal

    Jason Myers connects from 39 yards.

    Seahawks 6, Patriots 0

    Seattle has found the weakness in New England’s O-line

    The Seahawks have made a meal on opposing offenses this season, blitzing weak points in offensive lines.

    Through the Patriots’ first two drives, the target has been rookie left tackle Will Campbell.

    It resulted in Campbell yielding a pair of sacks and helped contribute to two Patriots’ punts.

    Seattle’s ‘12s’ are bringing the noise

    From the first play of the Patriots’ opening drive, the Seahawks’ fan base made its presence felt. Seattle’s “12s”, as the Seahawks’ passionate fan base is known as, made all sorts of noise at Levi’s Stadium shortly after New England took over on offense.

    Typically, Seahawks fans create a difficult environment for foes at Lumen Field. Today, they’ve taken over the home of one the Seahawks’ fiercest rivals, the San Francisco 49ers.

    Former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp makes an early impact

    Seattle’s opening drive was aided in large part by a 23-yard, juggling reception by Kupp along the sideline. Replays showed Kupp may have been bobbling the ball as he went out of bounds, but the Seahawks rushed the next play to preempt a review.

    Regardless, quarterback Sam Darnold and the Seahawks’ offense showed it can move the ball against the Patriots’ defense. Darnold completed 2 of 4 passes for 38 yards, and Kenneth Walker III ran for 13 yards on three carries.

    Seattle’s offense slowed in the red zone, though, and failed to capitalize on a 1st and 10 at the New England 17-yard line.

    Score alert: Seahawks kick field goal

    Jason Myers caps Seattle’s opening drive with a 33-yard field goal.

    Seahawks 3, Patriots 0

    Super Bowl 60 is underway

    Seattle received the ball to start the game after New England won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half. The game opened under blue skies and 67-degree weather at Levi’s Stadium.

    The opening kick went for a touchback, giving the Seahawks the ball at the 35.

    There have been only two times in the past 25 Super Bowls that the team that received the opening kick scored a touchdown on that possession. The Philadelphia Eagles did it three years ago when Jalen Hurts scored on a 1-yard run in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Devin Hester also returned the opening kickoff for a score for Chicago against Indianapolis in Super Bowl 41.

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  • Isaiah Hartenstein nabs first triple-double as Thunder blast Magic

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    (Photo credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images)

    Isaiah Hartenstein had his first career triple-double and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder blew out the Orlando Magic 128-92 at home Tuesday.

    Hartenstein had 12 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists, securing the triple-double when he picked up an assist on Isaiah Joe’s 3-pointer five minutes into the fourth quarter.

    Joe came off the bench for a game-high 22 points, tying a season high, while Luguentz Dort scored 18 and Chet Holmgren had 16 points and 10 rebounds.

    The Thunder jumped out to a big lead early and were never seriously threatened the rest of the way in their third win in four games.

    Jalen Suggs led Orlando with 20 points, going 7 of 11 from the field. Paolo Banchero had 17.

    After a quick start, Gilgeous-Alexander cooled considerably, but used a third-quarter burst to keep his streak of 20-plus games alive. Gilgeous-Alexander has now reached the mark in 121 consecutive games, moving him five games from tying Wilt Chamberlain for the NBA record.

    Whether Gilgeous-Alexander would continue the streak was about the only drama left in the second half, after the Thunder outscored the Magic 39-14 in the first quarter.

    The Magic’s 14 points were their lowest in the first quarter since scoring 11 in the first quarter against Golden State in March 2024.

    Orlando missed its first 10 3-point tries, not connecting until early in the second quarter.

    The Magic fell behind big early for the second consecutive game. In Sunday’s loss in San Antonio, Orlando trailed by as many as 18 points in the first quarter.

    Hartenstein’s night was done shortly after his 10th assist as Oklahoma City’s starters were able to get rest late on the first night of a back-to-back.

    By the time Gilgeous-Alexander hit his first shot, he had three assists and three rebounds. Gilgeous-Alexander assisted on the first two made shots of the game — both Dort 3-pointers.

    Gilgeous-Alexander finished 8 of 22 from the field, and added nine assists, five rebounds and two steals. He had 10 points and six assists in the first quarter.

    Joe delivered the highlight of the first half, cutting down the lane through the basket, taking a bounce pass from Hartenstein and finishing with a thunderous dunk over Banchero and drawing the foul midway through the second quarter.

    After trailing by as many as 35, Orlando cut the deficit to 23 midway through the third quarter but Oklahoma City quickly widened the lead again and the Magic never got any closer.

    The Magic shot a season-low 38.2% from the field.

    –Field Level Media

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  • No rest, no problem for Victor Wembanyama, Spurs in win over Magic

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    (Photo credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images)

    Victor Wembanyama filled up the stat sheet with 25 points, eight rebounds, four steals and five blocks to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 112-103 win over the visiting Orlando Magic on Sunday.

    The game was originally scheduled to begin at 3:12 p.m. CST but was delayed twice, first to 6 p.m. and finally to 8:12 local time, because of delays on the Spurs’ charter flight out of snowbound Charlotte, N.C., on Saturday and then a mechanical issue on Sunday morning. The Spurs did not arrive in San Antonio until 3:25 p.m. Sunday.

    The Spurs were none the worse for the wear in the second part of a road-home back-to-back that opened with a loss Saturday to the host Hornets. San Antonio was up 86-79 after three quarters on Sunday and never let Orlando back into the game. The Spurs’ advantage was 100-87 after Devin Vassell’s jumper with 6:30 to play and then to 17 points, 110-93, on Wembanyama’s alley-oop dunk with 2:10 left.

    Vassell contributed 16 points for San Antonio while Dylan Harper added 15 off the bench, Keldon Johnson and De’Aaron Fox hit for 14 points each and Julian Champagnie tallied 11. Fox also had 10 assists for the Spurs, who continued a recent trend of alternating between losses and wins in their last seven games.

    Desmond Bane led Orlando with 25 points. Paolo Banchero added 19 points and 10 rebounds and Anthony Black hit for 11 points for the Magic.

    San Antonio played without Stephon Castle (adductor tightness) while Franz Wagner missed the game for the Magic to rest his sprained left ankle.

    Once the game did get underway, the Spurs rushed to the front, going up 33-15 when Harper canned a runner with 2 minutes to play in the first quarter. San Antonio led 37-21 after one period.

    The Magic responded in a big way, closing their deficit 40-38 when Tristan da Silva’s floater at the 8:22 mark of the second period capped a 17-3 run. Orlando took the lead when Black hit a 3-pointer with 6:03 to play until halftime and eventually carried a 61-60 advantage into the break.

    Fox’s 14 points before halftime led all scorers while Wembanyama and Harper had 10 points each for San Antonio. Banchero paced the Magic with 10 points in the half.

    The Spurs quickly swept back to the front early in the third quarter, with Wembanyama’s dunk at the 8:29 mark giving San Antonio a 70-63 lead.

    –Field Level Media

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  • NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic’s return sparks Nuggets past Clippers

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    (Photo credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)

    Nikola Jokic returned from a 16-game absence to produce 31 points and 12 rebounds, leading the host Denver Nuggets over the Los Angeles Clippers 122-109 on Friday night.

    Jokic, who had been sidelined since sustaining a left knee injury at Miami on Dec. 29, shot 13-for-17 from the foul line to help Denver win its second in a row. The Nuggets went 10-6 while he was out.

    Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 22 points, Peyton Watson contributed 21 and Jamal Murray finished with 20 points for Denver.

    The Clippers were led by James Harden, who recorded 25 points and nine assists. Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points as Los Angeles saw its three-game win streak end.

    Lakers 142, Wizards 111

    Luka Doncic punctuated his sixth triple-double of the season with 37 points as visiting Los Angeles rolled past Washington.

    Doncic showed no ill effects from the injury he sustained when falling off Cleveland’s elevated court on Wednesday, reaching a triple-double by halftime with 26 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. He finished with 13 assists and 11 boards.

    Los Angeles’ Deandre Ayton posted 28 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, while LeBron James chipped in 20 points and six assists. Malaki Branham scored 17 points as the Wizards failed in a bid for their first three-game winning streak of the season.

    Celtics 112, Kings 93

    Payton Pritchard tossed in a game-high 29 points and Neemias Queta had 10 points and 15 rebounds to lead Boston to a victory over visiting Sacramento.

    Pritchard made 12 of 16 shots from the field, including 5 of 6 3-point attempts. Anfernee Simons and Baylor Scheierman each added 16 points for the Celtics, who didn’t have leading scorer Jaylen Brown (hamstring/knee).

    Zach LaVine scored 17 points and Maxime Raynaud logged 14 points and 14 rebounds, but the Kings lost their eighth game in a row.

    Knicks 127, Trail Blazers 97

    Karl-Anthony Towns posted 14 points and 20 rebounds New York, which continued surging with a wire-to-wire win over visiting Portland.

    Jalen Brunson scored a team-high 26 points for the Knicks, who ended the month with five straight wins following a 2-9 skid that began Dec. 31. OG Anunoby (24 points) and Josh Hart (20) also contributed to New York’s offense.

    Shaedon Sharpe scored 26 points for the Trail Blazers, who concluded a winless three-game East Coast road trip as they lost their fourth straight overall.

    Pistons 131, Warriors 124

    Cade Cunningham scored 29 points and handed out 11 assists as Detroit withstood a fourth-quarter rally to beat Golden State in San Francisco.

    Jalen Duren added 21 points and 13 rebounds for the Pistons, who earned their third win four games. Duncan Robinson scored 15 points on five 3-pointers.

    Golden State star Stephen Curry exited the game late in the third quarter due to right knee soreness and did not return. He scored a team-high 23 points.

    Magic 130, Raptors 120

    Desmond Bane scored 16 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter and sank a season-best seven 3-pointers, lifting host Orlando to a victory over Toronto.

    Anthony Black scored 25 points and hit all 14 of his free-throw attempts for the Magic, who outscored the Raptors 44-21 in the fourth quarter. Wendell Carter Jr. chipped in with 23 points and seven rebounds.

    Brandon Ingram led all scorers with 35 points, while Scottie Barnes totaled 19 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four blocks, but Toronto’s road winning streak ended at four games.

    Suns 126, Cavaliers 113

    Dillon Brooks scored 17 of his 27 points in Phoenix’s 45-point third quarter as the host Suns handled Cleveland.

    Jordan Goodwin put up 17 points and made five 3-pointers while Collin Gillespie added 16 points for the Suns, who won their third straight. Phoenix sank a season-high 23 3-pointers in 48 attempts.

    De’Andre Hunter scored 17 points and Donovan Mitchell and Jaylon Tyson added 16 points each for the Cavaliers, who had won a season-high five straight. Mitchell committed eight turnovers.

    Pelicans 114, Grizzlies 106

    Rookie Derik Queen scored 22 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out seven assists as New Orleans turned a dominant third quarter into a victory over visiting Memphis.

    Saddiq Bey added 22 points and eight rebounds and Zion Williamson scored 21 as the Pelicans defeated the Grizzlies for the second time in eight days, marking their third win in four games overall.

    Jaren Jackson Jr. and Cam Spencer each scored 16 points for the Grizzlies, who have lost five in a row.

    Nets 109, Jazz 99

    Egor Demin scored 25 points and collected 10 rebounds to lead Brooklyn past Utah in Salt Lake City.

    Cam Thomas added 21 points to help the Nets end a seven-game losing streak. Day’Ron Sharpe chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds.

    Keyonte George posted 26 points and seven assists while Kyle Filipowski had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Jazz, who lost their fifth straight game and fell to 1-9 in their past 10.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Raptors hope to continue road excellence at Magic

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    (Photo credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images)

    The Toronto Raptors put their four-game road winning streak on the line Friday night when they visit the Orlando Magic.

    The Raptors have made themselves at home on the road, boasting an Eastern Conference-best 16 wins away from Toronto heading into play on Thursday.

    The Raptors, however, returned home and appeared to run out of gas in their 119-92 decision to the New York Knicks on Wednesday. A four-point lead at halftime went by the boards as the Knicks erupted for 72 points in the second half.

    ‘We let it slip away pretty much,’ Brandon Ingram said, per the Toronto Star. ‘We thought we were in control throughout that first half and some of that third quarter, but we’ll be more prepared. We’ll look at the film next time we do play those guys.’

    Ingram scored 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor, and Scottie Barnes added 17 points to go along with 10 rebounds and five assists.

    The pair fared well in the Raptors’ previous encounter with the Magic. Ingram scored 17 points and Barnes added 13 with 11 boards as Toronto overcame a 21-point deficit in a 107-106 home victory on Dec. 29.

    The Raptors, one victory away from matching last season’s win total, find themselves in a four-team battle for second place in the Eastern Conference — just don’t tell that to head coach Darko Rajakovic.

    ‘All I want to do is focus on the game … and do everything in our power to play a great game, to compete and, hopefully, win,’ he said.

    Toronto rookie Collin Murray-Boyles collected five rebounds to go along with four points and four assists against New York in his return from a four-game absence due to a left thumb contusion.

    As for Orlando, it snapped a four-game losing skid on Wednesday with a 133-124 victory over the host Miami Heat.

    ‘The best part about it is, the things that we’ve been working on and things we’ve been talking about, we executed for the most part,’ Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said. ‘That’s what you’re most proud of, not necessarily the pressure of getting a win.

    ‘It’s the things that you’ve been doing (that) are now being rewarded because of the way we chose to play.’

    Paolo Banchero scored 31 points, marking the second straight game in which he has reached 30 points and fifth this season. He also had 12 rebounds on Wednesday.

    Anthony Black added 26 points for a Magic team that played without Franz Wagner (left high ankle sprain) for a fourth consecutive game.

    ‘Having lost four in a row, that’s never a place you want to be,’ Black said, per the Orlando Sentinel. ‘But we did a good job of responding. We knew this was a must-win game and I think we just did a good job coming out ready to play.’

    Black and Banchero also excelled in the previous encounter with the Raptors, as the former scored 27 points and the latter collected 23 points, 15 boards and 10 assists.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Top 25 roundup: UCLA stuns No. 4 Purdue with late trey

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

    Tyler Bilodeau hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 8.4 seconds remaining and finished with 14 points as UCLA pulled off a signature victory by getting past No. 4 Purdue 69-67 on Tuesday at Los Angeles.

    Donovan Dent scored 23 points with 13 assists and Eric Dailey Jr. added 12 points with seven rebounds, as the Bruins (13-6, 5-3 Big Ten) improved to 1-3 against ranked teams this season.

    UCLA shot 56.9% from the floor in the game and 65.2% in the second half, closing on an 8-0 run over the final 1:32 to pull off the upset.

    C.J. Cox scored 16 points and Braden Smith added 12 with four assists for the Boilermakers (17-2, 7-1), who saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end. Trey Kaufmann-Renn scored 10 points with seven rebounds and five assists.

    No. 3 Michigan 86, Indiana 72

    Elliot Cadeau scored a game-high 19 points and Yaxel Lendeborg added 15 to boost the Wolverines to their third straight win with a victory over the Hoosiers in Ann Arbor, Mich.

    Aday Mara chipped in 13 points and Trey McKenney followed with 10, as Michigan (17-1, 7-1 Big Ten) controlled the game throughout and wasn’t in danger even when going 7:36 without a field goal down the stretch.

    Indiana (12-7, 3-5) lost a season-high fourth straight game as it struggled to find a shooting rhythm. The Hoosiers shot 40.4% compared to 50.9% for the Wolverines. Tucker DeVries had 15 points to lead the Hoosiers.

    No. 9 Iowa State 87, UCF 57

    Joshua Jefferson posted his second triple-double of the season to help the Cyclones snap a two-game skid with a blowout of the Knights in Ames, Iowa.

    Jefferson finished with 17 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds and four steals, as Iowa State (17-2, 4-2 Big 12) ended the first half on a 13-0 run for an 18-point halftime lead. Milan Momcilovic scored 20 points and made four of his team’s nine 3-pointers.

    Riley Kugel and Jordan Burks (seven rebounds) each had 15 points as UCF (14-4, 3-3) shot 36.8% from the floor (21 of 57) and turned over the ball 19 times.

    No. 10 Michigan State 68, Oregon 52

    Carson Cooper scored a career-high 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting to lead the Spartans to a victory over the short-handed Ducks in Big Ten play at Eugene, Ore.

    Coen Carr added 15 points and eight rebounds and Jeremy Fears Jr. had 14 points, as the Spartans (17-2, 7-1 Big Ten) recorded their fifth straight double-digit victory. Michigan State has won by an average of 18.6 points during the streak. Cooper also collected seven rebounds and had a career-best four blocked shots.

    Takai Simpkins had 15 points and seven rebounds as the Ducks (8-11, 1-7) lost their fifth straight game.

    No. 12 Texas Tech 92, Baylor 73

    Christian Anderson scored 26 points and poured in a career-high eight 3-pointers and the Red Raiders shot their way to a dominating win over the struggling Bears in a Big 12 clash in Waco, Texas.

    Texas Tech (15-4, 5-1 Big 12) used a blistering proficiency from beyond the arc to build a 19-point halftime lead and kept its collective foot on the accelerator throughout the second half, capturing its fourth straight win and eighth in its past nine outings. The Red Raiders tied a program record with 17 3-pointers.

    Cameron Carr had 18 points, Dan Skillings Jr. scored 12 and Isaac Williams hit for 11 points for Baylor (11-7, 1-5), which has dropped two straight and five of its past six games.

    No. 20 Arkansas 93, No. 15 Vanderbilt 68

    Darius Acuff Jr. scored 17 points and added five assists, Malique Ewin and Karter Knox scored 16 points apiece, and the Razorbacks overwhelmed the Commodores at Fayetteville, Ark.

    Trevon Brazile had 10 points and 14 rebounds, Meleek Thomas had 13 points and D.J. Wagner added 11 for Arkansas (14-5, 4-2 SEC), which had lost two of three.

    Tyler Nickel scored 17 points and made five 3-pointers, Tyler Tanner scored 11 points and Devin McGlockton added 10 for Vanderbilt (16-3, 3-3), which has lost three in a row after tying the school record with a 16-0 start.

    No. 16 Florida 79, LSU 61

    Rueben Chinyelu matched his career high with 21 rebounds and scored 15 points for his fourth consecutive double-double, and the Gators won for the ninth time in 10 games in Gainesville, Fla.

    Urban Klavzar contributed five triples and a game-high 18 points off the bench as Florida (14-5, 5-1 SEC) extended its current winning streak to five games. The Gators also made it 16 consecutive home victories at Exactech Arena — dating back to last January. Chinyelu, who on Monday was named SEC Player of the Week for the first time in his career, helped the Gators enjoy a 50-30 rebounding advantage over the Tigers (13-6, 1-5).

    Point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. returned to the lineup for LSU after missing the previous five games with a lower-leg injury. Thomas came off the bench early in the first half and finished 1-of-8 shooting for two points with three assists and two rebounds in 17 minutes.

    North Carolina State 80, No. 18 Clemson 76 (OT)

    Ven-Allen Lubin scored 22 points and the Wolfpack and North Carolina State got a needed resume-boosting road win while snapping the Tigers’ nine-game winning streak.

    Darrion Williams posted 17 points, Quadir Copeland added 16 and Paul McNeil Jr. provided 10 points as the Wolfpack topped a ranked team for the first time in four chances this season and made up for a dismal home loss to Georgia Tech three days earlier.

    NC State (13-6, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) gained its first road triumph against a ranked team since February of 2021 while knocking Clemson (16-4, 6-1) out of a chance to stay even atop the conference standings. RJ Godfrey collected 16 points and Carter Welling 14 points for the Tigers.

    No. 19 Kansas 75, Colorado 69

    Melvin Council Jr. had 18 points and seven rebounds as the Jayhawks beat host Colorado without coach Bill Self, who did not travel with his team to Boulder after an illness that required him to be hospitalized Monday.

    Self mentioned in a statement Tuesday that he was ‘feeling much better’ after receiving IV fluids. Kansas assistant Jacque Vaughn, a former Jayhawk standout who has experience coaching in the NBA, served as the acting head coach.

    Tre White finished with 17 points, 15 rebounds and four assists for Kansas (14-5, 4-2 Big 12). Darryn Peterson added 16 points and six rebounds. Isaiah Johnson led Colorado (12-7, 2-4) with 19 points and Barrington Hargress added 17 points.

    No. 21 Georgia 74, Missouri 72

    Marcus Millender converted a three-point play with 5.5 seconds left to lift the Bulldogs to a victory over the Tigers at Columbia, Mo.

    Millender led Georgia (16-3, 4-2 SEC) with 18 points, delivering the game-winning points after Missouri took a 72-71 lead with 18 seconds left on a Jacob Crews 3-pointer. Jeremiah Wilkinson scored 14 points and Kanon Catchings added 12 for the Bulldogs.

    Mark Mitchell scored 18 points and Jayden Stone added 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Tigers (13-6, 3-3), who took their first loss in 12 home games.

    No. 24 Saint Louis 81, Duquesne 77

    Trey Green had 14 points and four steals on Tuesday, helping the Billikens stave off the Dukes for a victory in their first game as a ranked team since January 2021 in Pittsburgh.

    Robbie Avila and Dion Brown added 14 points apiece for Saint Louis (18-1, 6-0), which won its 12th straight game. Brady Dunlap scored 11 and Kellen Thames 10 off the bench.

    Jimmie Williams led Duquesne (10-9, 2-4) with 28 points, while Tarence Guinyard scored 14. David Dixon chipped in nine points and 10 boards for the Dukes, who dropped their fourth game in five tries.

    No. 25 Miami (OH) 107, Kent State 101 (OT)

    Luke Skaljac forced overtime with a clutch bank shot and added five more points in the extra session to help keep the RedHawks unbeaten with a win over host Kent State.

    Peter Suder tallied 27 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for Miami (20-0, 8-0 Mid-American Conference), which became the first team in MAC history to start a season 20-0. Eian Elmer added 25 points while Skaljac had 18 points and eight assists.

    Rob Whaley Jr. set career highs of 27 points and 14 rebounds to lead Kent State (14-5, 5-2), while Cian Medley added 23 points, Morgan Safford had 18 and Delrecco Gillespie netted 17 for the Golden Flashes.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Ja Morant dazzles in return, Grizzlies rout Magic in London

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    Ja Morant returned to the lineup after missing the previous six games with a right calf contusion and had 24 points and a season-high 13 assists to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 126-109 victory over the Orlando Magic on Sunday in London.

    Morant, the subject of trade discussions ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, made 7 of 13 shots, including 3 of 4 from long range. He was appearing in just his 19th game of the season.

    Jock Landale came off the bench to contribute 21 points and eight rebounds for the Grizzlies, while Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 17 points and five boards. Rookie Cedric Coward scored 13 points.

    Orlando, which beat Memphis 118-111 Thursday in Berlin, was led by Anthony Black with 19 points and six assists. Wendell Carter Jr. had 18 points and seven boards and Paolo Banchero finished with 16 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Franz Wagner had 14 points.

    Morant played at an All-Star level from the outset. He had six assists in the opening six minutes and finished the first half with 20 points and 10 assists in 15 minutes to pace the Grizzlies to a 72-53 lead at the break.

    While Memphis led by 19 at halftime, it had built a 33-point cushion midway through the second quarter with a 23-7 run. Orlando regrouped to finish the half on a 23-9 run.

    But in the second half the Grizzlies, who had squandered large leads in their previous three games, never allowed the Magic to close the gap. Although Orlando trimmed the Memphis advantage to 16 points to start the third quarter on a 3-pointer from Black, the Grizzlies consistently pushed their lead to 20 or more until the waning minutes.

    The London matchup had an All-Star Game feel. Commissioner Adam Silver was in attendance, as were former league All-Stars Isaiah Thomas, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Pau Gasol and Detlef Schrempf.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Coach tells Oklahoma St. to ‘look in the mirror’ before K-State clash

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    Oklahoma State coach Steve Lutz has been preaching defense all season, and the Cowboys finally seemed to have listened last week when they held UCF and Iowa State below their season averages.

    That all went out the window in a 94-79 loss to Baylor Tuesday.

    Oklahoma State (13-4, 1-3 Big 12) will try to get back on track Saturday when it hosts Kansas State (9-8, 0-4) in Stillwater, Okla.

    The loss to Baylor left the Cowboys, who had high hopes during nonconference play, behind the 8-ball in the Big 12 race.

    ‘At the end of the day, if you allow someone to come on your floor and score 94 points, you better look in the mirror,’ Lutz said.

    The Cowboys gave up 57 points in the first half and trailed by 18. They cut it to 10 in the second half, but could not get within striking distance of the Bears.

    ‘You can’t play the game of basketball, especially in the No. 1 league in the country, like it is an AAU game,’ Lutz said. ‘You have to play with intent. We did that a little better in the second half.

    ‘In college basketball, you can’t start winning until you stop losing. You can’t do things that make you lose. Not defending the 3 makes you lose. Turning the ball over eight times in the first half makes you lose. Getting offensive rebounds and not making them pay. Those are losing qualities. You have to flip that.’

    Anthony Roy continues to lead the Cowboys in scoring with 17.6 points, along with 4.2 rebounds per game. Parsa Fallah is scoring 15.1 and pulling down a team-high 6.5 rebounds.

    The Wildcats are coming off an 82-73 loss to UCF that kept them winless in the conference.

    ‘This calling of coaching is not for the faint of heart, especially in this league,’ Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said. ‘In the first eight minutes, we had eight turnovers and a couple of shots that might as well have been turnovers and they were able to get out in transition. When you dig yourself a hole, it is just hard.’

    P.J. Haggerty leads the Wildcats with 22.9 points and 4.6 assists per game.

    Abdi Bashir Jr., a 44.3% 3-point shooter, had 12 points against UCF on 4-of-13 shooting from distance. His aim has been hot and cold this month, following an 0-for-5 performance at No. 1 Arizona with a 6-for-12 day behind the arc when Kansas State faced Arizona State three days later.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Brandon Williams hits a late 3-pointer, gives Mavericks 100-98 win over Kings

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    Cooper Flagg scored 20 points, Brandon Williams hit the winning 3-pointer with 33.9 seconds to play, and the Dallas Mavericks held on for a 100-98 win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night to snap a seven-game road losing streak.Anthony Davis had 19 points and 16 rebounds for the Mavericks, who trailed 98-97 when Williams hit his 3-pointer for a 100-98 lead.The Kings had multiple chances to retake the lead, but Dennis Schroder, Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan all missed 3-point tries in the final seconds.Sacramento, which lost its sixth game in a row, was led by DeRozan with 21 points. Zach LaVine had 20 and Maxime Reynaud added 14. The Kings’ last win was Dec. 27 against Dallas. The Kings at 8-29 have the second-worst record in the Western Conference.Williams ended up with 18 for Dallas, and Naji Marshall had 15. Daniel Gafford had 13 rebounds for the Mavericks, who have won back-to-back games following a four-game losing streak. They beat the Rockets on Saturday, 110-104.The Mavericks trailed 58-46 at halftime, but cut the deficit to 78-76 after three. The Mavericks outscored the Kings by 14 points over the final two quarters.Even though LaVine returned to the lineup after a nine-game absence due to a left ankle sprain, the Kings played without forward Keegan Murray, who suffered a left ankle sprain in Sunday’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He will be reevaluated in three to four weeks. Murray missed the start of the season with a thumb injury.Up nextDallas plays at Utah on Thursday night.Sacramento is at Golden State on Friday night.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    Cooper Flagg scored 20 points, Brandon Williams hit the winning 3-pointer with 33.9 seconds to play, and the Dallas Mavericks held on for a 100-98 win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night to snap a seven-game road losing streak.

    Anthony Davis had 19 points and 16 rebounds for the Mavericks, who trailed 98-97 when Williams hit his 3-pointer for a 100-98 lead.

    The Kings had multiple chances to retake the lead, but Dennis Schroder, Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan all missed 3-point tries in the final seconds.

    Sacramento, which lost its sixth game in a row, was led by DeRozan with 21 points. Zach LaVine had 20 and Maxime Reynaud added 14. The Kings’ last win was Dec. 27 against Dallas. The Kings at 8-29 have the second-worst record in the Western Conference.

    Williams ended up with 18 for Dallas, and Naji Marshall had 15. Daniel Gafford had 13 rebounds for the Mavericks, who have won back-to-back games following a four-game losing streak. They beat the Rockets on Saturday, 110-104.

    The Mavericks trailed 58-46 at halftime, but cut the deficit to 78-76 after three. The Mavericks outscored the Kings by 14 points over the final two quarters.

    Even though LaVine returned to the lineup after a nine-game absence due to a left ankle sprain, the Kings played without forward Keegan Murray, who suffered a left ankle sprain in Sunday’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He will be reevaluated in three to four weeks. Murray missed the start of the season with a thumb injury.

    Up next

    Dallas plays at Utah on Thursday night.

    Sacramento is at Golden State on Friday night.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Desmond Bane, Magic send Pacers to 12th straight loss

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    (Photo credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images)

    Powered by a monstrous second quarter and 31 points from Desmond Bane, the Orlando Magic handed the visiting Indiana Pacers a record-tying 12th straight loss with a 135-127 win on Sunday afternoon.

    Indiana matched three previous 12-game losing streaks in franchise annals – the last one during the 1988-89 season. The Pacers can break the dubious record on Tuesday when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers.

    Paolo Banchero scored 28 points and Anthony Black added 27 for the Magic, who have alternated wins and losses in their last 10 games. Orlando hit 26 of 34 free-throw attempts while Indiana converted 16 of 21.

    Pascal Siakam posted a game-high 34 points for the Pacers and Aaron Nesmith had 25.

    Orlando trailed 41-29 one minute into the second quarter before all the momentum turned the Magic’s way. Bane kickstarted a 17-0 Orlando run with an elbow jumper and two free throws. Tyus Jones hit a 3-pointer to put the Magic ahead 43-41 and Bane closed the run with a 34-foot 3-pointer.

    Orlando, which outscored Indiana 41-22 in the second, pushed the lead to as much as 13 and led 69-58 at halftime.

    Indiana made its first nine shots in the second half — most of them layups — and pulled within 95-92 on Siakam’s 3-pointer with 3:59 left in the third. Siakam scored 20 points in the quarter, but Orlando got a late 3-point play from Bane and led 107-100 after three.

    The Pacers reclaimed a brief 116-115 lead on a pair of Nembhard free throws with 7:29 left, but Orlando answered with a 9-0 run that included threes by Banchero and Black.

    Indiana closed to 130-127, but Tristan Da Silva hit a three from the wing with 1:10 left to seal it. Indiana missed 3-point tries on its last three possessions.

    The first quarter was all Pacers. Indiana got good production from Nesmith, who had a pair of threes in the first four minutes, to take a 13-5 lead.

    Jay Huff flung a reverse layup with both hands with 1.5 seconds left in the first quarter and got a lucky bounce as Indiana led 36-28 after one.

    Indiana coach Rick Carlisle remains at 999 NBA victories in his career. The Pacers used their 20th different starting lineup Sunday, the most of any NBA team.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Buoyed by Nikola Jokic, Nuggets open 7-game trip at Orlando

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    The Denver Nuggets finished up a tough slate of games and now start a season-high seven-game road trip when they face the Orlando Magic on Saturday night.

    Denver played the Houston Rockets twice, went on the road against the Dallas Mavericks and won a thriller over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night to wrap up a six-game stretch over 11 days. The Nuggets won four of those six contests.

    The Nuggets won’t have three starters for Saturday night after Cameron Johnson went down with a hyperextended right knee in a loss at Dallas on Tuesday.

    Johnson joins Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) on the sideline, but the team’s depth is paying off. Tim Hardaway Jr. moved into the starting lineup against the Timberwolves, and Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones continue to fill in for Gordon and Braun.

    ‘We’ll just reinvent ourselves as we go here,’ Denver coach David Adelman said. ‘I’m looking at this as just another chapter in the season. It’s what it is.’

    Denver has kept winning — eight of the past 10 — and has thrived on the road. The loss to the Mavericks snapped the Nuggets’ 11-game road winning streak.

    A big reason is the play of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Jokic had 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists against Minnesota, making him the first player in NBA history to have a 55-15-15 triple-double. He is leading the NBA in rebounds (12.1 per game) and assists (11.0) and is fifth in scoring (29.8).

    ‘We can’t just continue to dismiss what this guy does on a night-to-night basis,’ Watson said. ‘Bro, it’s unbelievable. There’s no way that we can take for granted or it should go over people’s heads what Jok did (Thursday). And every night honestly.’

    Murray is averaging career highs in points (25.4 ppg) and assists (7.0 per game).

    Orlando is also dealing with significant injuries and is playing the second game of a back-to-back. Jalen Suggs (hip) has not played since Dec. 13, and Franz Wagner (ankle) missed his seventh straight game on Friday as the Magic fell 120-105 to the visiting Charlotte Hornets.

    Wagner, the team’s leading scorer at 22.7 points over 24 games, is starting to increase his activity while working his way back to action.

    ‘He’s just able to do spot shooting right now,’ Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said Friday. ‘Not a lot of pressure on the foot, but being able to walk around again is very important for us.’

    The Magic sit sixth in the Eastern Conference after losing six of their past 10.

    Paolo Banchero, who is second for Orlando in scoring at 20.1 points a game and leads in rebounding (8.3), and Desmond Bane, third on the team at 19.1 points per game, both had rough shooting nights on Friday. Banchero hit 4 of 13 from the floor and scored 13 points while Bane went 7 of 19 en route to 15 points.

    Bane and Banchero combined to finish 0-for-8 from 3-point range.

    The teams met Dec. 18 in Denver, a 126-115 win for the Nuggets. Jokic set the all-time assists record for centers in the win and had one of his 15 triple-doubles this season.

    Jokic has 179 career regular-season triple-doubles, two behind Oscar Robertson for the second-best total in NBA history. Russell Westbrook is the all-time leader with 207.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Kings fall to Trail Blazers 134-133 in nail-biting overtime following last-second free throws

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    Deni Avdija made two free throws with 1.5 seconds left in overtime for the last of his 35 points, and the Portland Trail Blazers outlasted the Sacramento Kings 134-133 on Thursday night to open a home-and-home set.The teams will meet again Saturday night in Sacramento.DeMar DeRozan hit a jumper with four seconds left to give the Kings a 133-132 lead. With no timeouts, Portland raced down the court and Avdija was fouled by Russell Westbrook. DeRozan’s 3-pointer with eight seconds left forced overtime, completing a 17-2 run in the final 2:28 of regulation.DeRozan led Sacramento with 33 points, with 22 of the points coming in the fourth quarter and overtime. He was 3 of 4 from 3-point range, 10 of 16 overall from the field and made all 10 of his free throws.Avdija was 12 for 19 from the field and made 10 of 12 free throws. The shooting guard also had five assists and five turnovers.Shaedon Sharpe added 26 points for Portland, hitting 4 of 6 3-pointers. Jerami Grant scored 20 points, Donovan Clingan had 19 and Toumani Camara 17.Maxime Raynaud added a career-high 29 points for Sacramento. Westbrook had 20 points and 10 assists. He was 8 of 11 from the field.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    PORTLAND, Ore. —

    Deni Avdija made two free throws with 1.5 seconds left in overtime for the last of his 35 points, and the Portland Trail Blazers outlasted the Sacramento Kings 134-133 on Thursday night to open a home-and-home set.

    The teams will meet again Saturday night in Sacramento.

    DeMar DeRozan hit a jumper with four seconds left to give the Kings a 133-132 lead. With no timeouts, Portland raced down the court and Avdija was fouled by Russell Westbrook. DeRozan’s 3-pointer with eight seconds left forced overtime, completing a 17-2 run in the final 2:28 of regulation.

    DeRozan led Sacramento with 33 points, with 22 of the points coming in the fourth quarter and overtime. He was 3 of 4 from 3-point range, 10 of 16 overall from the field and made all 10 of his free throws.

    Avdija was 12 for 19 from the field and made 10 of 12 free throws. The shooting guard also had five assists and five turnovers.

    Shaedon Sharpe added 26 points for Portland, hitting 4 of 6 3-pointers. Jerami Grant scored 20 points, Donovan Clingan had 19 and Toumani Camara 17.

    Maxime Raynaud added a career-high 29 points for Sacramento. Westbrook had 20 points and 10 assists. He was 8 of 11 from the field.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • NBA roundup: Luka Doncic burns Mavs, Lakers sweep NBA Cup group

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

    Luka Doncic scored 35 points and dished out 11 assists against his former team and the Los Angeles Lakers finished perfect in NBA Cup group play with a 129-119 victory over the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Friday.

    Austin Reaves scored 38 points and grabbed eight rebounds, Deandre Ayton paired 17 points with eight rebounds, and LeBron James had 13 points and seven assists in his fourth game of the season after returning from sciatica.

    Doncic improved to 3-0 against Dallas after his surprising trade from the Mavericks in February. Los Angeles, which had already advanced to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup, finished 4-0 in West Group B.

    P.J. Washington amassed 22 points and nine rebounds and Anthony Davis added 12 points for the Mavericks in his first game on his former home court after he was traded to Dallas in the Doncic deal. He was making his return after missing the previous 14 games with a calf injury.

    Thunder 123, Suns 119

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points to help Oklahoma City record its 11th consecutive win, a home victory over Phoenix in an NBA Cup game that saw both teams advance.

    The win sends the Thunder to the knockout round of the NBA Cup after they went 4-0 in West Group A. The Suns, who lost for just the third time in 12 games overall, fell to 3-1 in NBA Cup action. However, they still earned a wild-card spot as the Western Conference’s best second-place team, so they will join the Thunder in the knockout round.

    Oklahoma City also improved to 19-1, becoming the fifth team in NBA history to win at least 19 games in the season’s first 20. After capturing the first nine games of the winning streak by 13 or more points, Oklahoma City has now won back-to-back tight games after beating Minnesota by eight on Wednesday.

    Spurs 139, Nuggets 136

    Devin Vassell scored 18 of his season-high 35 points in the fourth quarter and visiting San Antonio beat Denver to win West Group C and advance to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup.

    Julian Champagnie scored 25 points — also a season high — and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Spurs. San Antonio sealed the win my making 7 of 8 free throws in the last minute.

    Jamal Murray put up 37 points for Denver, which went 2-2 in NBA Cup play. Nikola Jokic had 21 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists, and Cameron Johnson contributed a season-high 28 points.

    Hawks 130, Cavaliers 123

    Jalen Johnson produced his second triple-double of the season and Atlanta held off visiting Cleveland as both teams failed to advance in the NBA Cup.

    Johnson finished with 29 points, shooting 9-for-18 from the floor, to go with 12 rebounds and 12 assists. Atlanta has won three of its last four, while Cleveland has lost two in a row. Both teams finished 2-2 in East Group A and were eliminated from the NBA Cup. Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished with 30 points and Zaccharie Risacher had 14 points.

    Cleveland was led by Donovan Mitchell with 42 points, his 21st career game with 40-plus points. The Cavaliers got 20 points and 14 rebounds from Evan Mobley and 15 points and 10 assists from Darius Garland. Former Hawk De’Andre Hunter scored 16 in his return to Atlanta.

    Knicks 118, Bucks 109

    Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 37 points, helping New York earn a victory over visiting Milwaukee and advance to the NBA Cup knockout stage.

    Josh Hart finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists and Miles McBride scored 19 for the Knicks, who won their third straight and finished atop East Group C with a 3-1 record. Mikal Bridges added 14 for New York, while Karl-Anthony Towns totaled nine points and 10 rebounds.

    Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 30 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists in his return from a four-game absence caused by a thigh injury. Kyle Kuzma scored 20, AJ Green added 18, Ryan Rollins put up 13 and Myles Turner had 10 for Milwaukee, which dropped its seventh straight game.

    76ers 115, Nets 103

    Tyrese Maxey totaled 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as the short-handed Philadelphia never trailed in a victory over Brooklyn in New York. The Sixers were without Joel Embiid (knee), VJ Edgecombe (calf), Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) and Trendon Watford (groin).

    Jared McCain added 20 off Philadelphia’s bench. Rookie Egor Demin posted career bests of 23 points and nine rebounds for Brooklyn.

    Both teams entered the game having already been eliminated from advancing in the NBA Cup. They finished tied at the bottom of East Group B at 1-3.

    Hornets 123, Bulls 116

    Brandon Miller’s season-high 27 points and Miles Bridges’ 22 points carried Charlotte to an NBA Cup victory over visiting Chicago, a result that snapped the Hornets’ seven-game losing streak.

    Reserve Collin Sexton poured in 21 points, LaMelo Ball had 16 points and eight assists and Kon Knueppel added 12 points for the Hornets, who finished 1-3 in East Group C of the NBA Cup.

    Coby White and Josh Giddey each scored 25 points to lead the Bulls. Chicago also went 1-3 in NBA Cup play and has lost three of its past four games overall.

    Magic 112, Pistons 109

    Desmond Bane poured in 37 points and grabbed eight rebounds as visiting Orlando edged Detroit to advance to the knockout round of the NBA Cup.

    Orlando finished 4-0 in the East Group B of the event and won for the fifth time in its past six games. The Pistons, who went 2-2 in NBA Cup action, lost for the second time in a row following their 13-game winning streak.

    Franz Wagner had 21 points and seven rebounds for the Magic. Cade Cunningham carried the Pistons with 39 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Cunningham was fouled with 4.7 seconds left but missed the first free throw and then intentionally missed the second. The Pistons got the rebound, but Duncan Robinson’s last-ditch 3-point try was blocked by Black.

    Pacers 119, Wizards 86

    Pascal Siakam amassed 24 points and 11 rebounds as Indiana cruised to a win over Washington in Indianapolis. Both teams finished 1-3 in East Group A of the NBA Cup.

    Bennedict Mathurin scored 20 points and matched his season high with four assists for the Pacers, who led by as many as 33 and won for the third time in their first 19 games.

    Alex Sarr led Washington with 24 points. The Wizards were unable to carry the momentum from Tuesday, when they snapped a 14-game losing streak with a home win over the Atlanta Hawks.

    Jazz 128, Kings 119

    Keyonte George scored 31 points, Lauri Markkanen added 28 and Utah avoided a winless round of pool play in the NBA Cup with a victory over Sacramento in Salt Lake City.

    Utah, which finished 1-3 in West Group A, snapped a four-game skid. The Jazz used a 12-2 run early in the second quarter to take a lead they never relinquished.

    Zach LaVine hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, part of a 6-of-9 period on his way to a game-high 34 points for the Kings. Sacramento ended up 0-4 in NBA Cup action.

    Grizzlies 112, Clippers 107

    Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 24 points and Zach Edey grabbed 19 rebounds to help Memphis rally to a win in Inglewood, Calif., in the NBA Cup finale for both teams.

    Vince Williams Jr. added 16 points and Jaylen Wells and backup Santi Aldama scored 13 points apiece as Memphis recovered from a 16-point third-quarter deficit. The Grizzlies went 3-1 in West Group B play but didn’t advance to the knockout round. Los Angeles went 2-2.

    Kawhi Leonard scored 39 points on 15-of-24 shooting but couldn’t prevent the Clippers from losing for the 12th time in the past 14 games. James Harden had 23 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds for Los Angeles. Kris Dunn added 11 points, seven rebounds and five steals, and John Collins logged 10 points and seven rebounds.

    –Field Level Media

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  • UCF explores newfound depth with slumping VMI on deck

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    (Photo credit: Nadia Zomorodian/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

    UCF coach Johnny Dawkins might have found something in Tuesday’s comeback win over Quinnipiac — a go-to big man.

    Dawkins and his Knights will search for their sixth straight win when they host VMI on Saturday afternoon in Orlando, Fla.

    The Knights (6-1) trailed Quinnipiac 60-50 in the second half before reserve Jeremy Foumena lit a fire, sending the home side on an extended 34-10 scoring tear through the Bobcats’ defense that put the game away.

    On a career night, the 6-foot-11 Foumena, a Montreal native who had just 17 points all season, stood out.

    He poured in a career-high 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting by dominating around the rim with his teammates feeding him while UCF committed a season-low 10 turnovers.

    A junior center, Foumena played sparingly in his lone season at his most recent stop at Mississippi State when he saw action in just nine games. He started his career at Rhode Island.

    ‘I’m a kid that stayed the course,’ said Foumena, who grabbed seven rebounds. ‘In the second half, we knew we had to go deep. … We just came out strong.’

    Point guard Themus Fulks handed out a career-high 13 assists, nearly double his average of 7.7 per game, while John Bol notched a career-high 13 points with six rebounds.

    A UCF win Saturday would equal the best start under Dawkins with the 2016-17 team that went 24-12 and advanced to the NIT semifinals.

    The Keydets (3-6) will finish a four-game road swing through Florida and will be looking for better play.

    VMI has dropped five straight games since notching its last win in a 106-54 pounding of Virginia-Lynchburg on Nov. 12.

    ‘I told the guys there’s usually a game every season that you have to wash away,’ Keydets coach Andrew Wilson said after an 87-54 loss to Richmond last week before leaving on the current road trip. ‘… We’ve got a tough journey ahead of us.’

    He was right.

    The Southern Conference school fell 81-48 to Bowling Green at the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Wednesday, making just 10 of 50 shots (20%). Only one player, Linus Holmstrom, hit double figures with 11 points, as VMI lost for the third time in the Sunshine State after losses to Stetson and Buffalo.

    TJ Johnson leads the squad at 20.1 points per game, while Walker Andrews scores 11.3 and Mario Tatum Jr. adds 10.8.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Jaylen Brown (35 points), hot-shooting Celtics top depleted Magic

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    (Photo credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)

    Jaylen Brown collected 35 points and the Boston Celtics avoided back-to-back home losses by beating the short-handed Orlando Magic 138-129 on Sunday night.Boston, which lost to Brooklyn at home on Friday, received 23 points off the bench from Anfernee Simons and 19 from Payton Pritchard. Simons was 4 of 7 from 3-point territory. Brown and Pritchard each had eight assists.Winners of three of their last four games, the Celtics shot 60% from the field (53 of 88).Jett Howard led the Magic with 30 points, seven rebounds and three assists off the bench. He scored 28 points in the second half, including 22 in the fourth quarter. Orlando received 18 points from both Jase Richardson and Desmond Bane. Franz Wagner added 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists.The loss ended Orlando’s three-game winning streak.The Magic played without guard Jalen Suggs (left knee injury management), forward Paolo Banchero (left groin strain), center Wendell Carter Jr. (left ankle sprain) and center Goga Bitadze (sore left ankle).Boston center Neemias Queta sustained an ankle injury in the first quarter, went to the locker room and did not return.The Magic led 15-13, but the Celtics led 32-27 after one quarter and then scored 48 points in the second quarter to take an 80-57 halftime lead.Boston shot 64.6% from the field in the first half (31 of 48), and 52.9% from 3-point territory (9 of 17). Ten players scored for the Celtics in the first 24 minutes.Boston was up 89-63 following two Brown free throws with 9:16 left in the third quarter, and had a 110-89 advantage entering the fourth.The Magic used a 9-0 run to slice Boston’s lead to 121-110 with 6:25 to play, and trailed 129-121 after Howard’s three-point play with 3:23 remaining. It was 133-127 after two Howard free throws with 1:11 left, but the Magic never got any closer.–Field Level Media

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  • US star Rose Lavelle scores late to give Gotham FC another NWSL title

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    (Photo credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images)

    SAN JOSE, Calif. — Rose Lavelle already was a queen of international football.

    Now she is finally an NWSL champion after leading Gotham FC to the title, scoring the lone goal in a 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit on Saturday.

    The 30-year-old U.S. women’s national team star fired home an 18-yard left-footed shot in the 80th minute. Bruninha, who came off the bench in the second half, dribbled the ball down the left flank and rolled the ball across the top of the box. Lavelle ran onto it from the right side and blasted a shot into the left side of the net.

    Washington had a chance to equalize in the third minute of second-half stoppage time when Gotham goalie Ann-Katrin Berger spilled an attempted catch outside the 6-yard box. The Spirit’s Paige Metayer was first to the ball, but her right-footed shot went wide to the left.

    Gotham FC completed a surprise run through the playoffs after sneaking in as the eighth and final seed. They upset the top-seeded Kansas City Current in quarterfinals 2-1 with a goal in the 121st minute before edging the fourth-seeded Orlando Pride 1-0 in the semifinals on a goal in second-half stoppage time.

    Lavelle starred for the U.S. women’s national team when it won the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, scoring a goal in the final, and she added a gold medal to her trophy case at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her only previous appearance in an NWSL final came with OL Reign in 2023, when they lost 2-1 to Gotham in the final despite a goal from Lavelle.

    The Cincinnati, Ohio native was named Most Valuable Player of the finals.

    On Saturday, Lavelle knocked the opening kickoff a few yards forward, and teammate Jaedyn Shaw ran onto it and immediately booted a shot toward the Washington goal, with Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury far off her line. Had the attempt been on target, Gotham would have been ahead within five seconds, but the ball sailed harmlessly wide of the left goalpost.

    Then in the fifth minute, Gotham striker Esther Gonzalez put another scare into the Spirit when she appeared to score, but the play was called back for an offside call.

    Neither team had another significant chance until the 45th minute, when Shaw chested down the ball to Gonzalez near the penalty spot. Gonzalez nearly had an open look at the net, but Washington defender Tara McKeown made a last-ditch block.

    Washington got its first corner kick of the night in the 67th minute, then had two more in quick succession but didn’t generate a scoring opportunity from any of them.

    The game might have been the NWSL farewell for Washington striker Trinity Rodman.

    Rodman entered to a roar from the crowd in the 57th minute. She was out for a month due to a knee injury before returning to the field for the final few minutes of the Spirit’s 2-0 win over the Portland Thorns in the semifinals last weekend.

    On Saturday, Rodman wore a wrap around her right knee and did not appear to be running at full strength.

    The 23-year-old U.S. women’s national team forward is weighing offers from teams in other leagues, even as NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman vowed Thursday that her league will ‘fight’ to retain her.

    Gotham FC won the title for the second time, adding to its 2023 crown. The Spirit, who won their lone championship in 2021, fell in the final for the second year in a row.

    –Rick Kaplan, Field Level Media

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  • Magic ride balanced scoring to win over road-weary Warriors

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    (Photo credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images)

    Desmond Bane had a team-high 23 points, Anthony Black led a strong bench performance with a season-best 21 and the Orlando Magic took advantage of a road-weary Golden State Warriors team to claim a 121-113 home win on Tuesday night.

    Franz Wagner chipped in with 18 points and Wendell Carter Jr. logged a double-double with 17 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for the Magic, who won for the fourth time in their last five games.

    Stephen Curry poured in a game-high 34 points and Jimmy Butler III scored 33 for the Warriors, who were playing their fifth road game in eight days, with a trip-ending sixth contest looming Wednesday night at Miami.

    Using 18-for-18 success at the free-throw line in the second quarter, Orlando built as much as a 15-point lead before settling into a 67-60 advantage at the break. The Warriors never got closer than five in the second half.

    Attempting to extend a three-game winning streak, Golden State got within 99-94 with 9:09 remaining on a layup by Butler. But Black converted a driving layup and then a dunk into four consecutive points, extending the margin to nine while keeping the visitors at arm’s length.

    Black hit eight of his 13 shots on a night in which the Magic shot 51% (43 of 85) from the field and enjoyed a 35-22 scoring advantage off the bench.

    Bane shot 7-for-7 at the line, Carter made all six of his attempts, Jalen Suggs buried five straight and Wagner went 4-for-4, helping the hosts enjoy a 27-for-29 night at the stripe. Orlando outscored Golden State 27-22 at the line despite getting just one more attempt (29-28).

    Bane also found time for five of Orlando’s 14 steals.

    Suggs (13 points), who had a team-high eight assists, and Tristan da Silva (15 points) made it six Magic players in double figures as the team played a third straight game without injured star Paolo Banchero.

    Curry’s 34 points came mostly from beyond the 3-point arc, where he went 7-for-15. His teammates, however, combined to go just 6-for-21 from deep.

    Butler used 13-for-15 success at the foul line as the foundation for his season-high point total, but no other Warrior scored more than 12 and no reserve reached double figures. Butler complemented his big scoring night with a team-high seven rebounds, while Curry also found time for a game-high nine assists.

    Butler and Curry also had three steals apiece.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Jamichael Stillwell stuffs statsheet as UCF holds off Oakland

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    (Photo credit: Sophia Scheller-Imagn Images)

    Jamichael Stillwell notched his first career UCF double-double and made two key free throws with 38 seconds to go, lifting the Knights to their third straight win by edging the feisty Oakland Golden Grizzlies 87-83 on Monday night in Orlando, Fla.

    The Knights (4-1) led by four at halftime then raced out to a 15-point advantage in the second half, but the Golden Grizzlies (1-4) rallied and tied the game with eight minutes to play.

    Stillwell, Themus Fulks and Riley Kugel made all six of their free throws in the final minute for the victory.

    Stillwell totaled 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Kugel had 18. Jordan Burks scored 13 with seven rebounds. Fulks had 11 points, six rebounds and 10 assists.

    Oakland’s Isaac Garrett had 23 points and seven rebounds. Brett White II had 21 points on 6-of 11-shooting from deep. Brody Robinson scored 20, and Tuburu Navailurua had 11 points, six rebounds and five assists.

    After a big road win over Texas A&M their last time out, the Knights created a 10-4 lead over the Horizon League school behind two buckets from Stillwell and three points from Fulks, but the visitors knotted it 10-all on twin 3-pointers by White.

    White, a 27-year-old senior guard, helped shoot Oakland back into it. His long shot and Robinson’s at 8:06 cut it to 17-16 as the Michigan school made 4 of 8 from long range, but Kugel soon hit a pair from the stripe to reach 1,000 career points.

    White’s shooting helped keep the Golden Grizzlies within striking distance in the first half, which UCF led just 44-40.

    He sank 5 of 7 treys — his only shots from the floor — for his 16 points.

    The Knights’ answer was Stillwell, who scored 12 first-half points on 5-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds.

    Stillwell sparked a 9-0 second-half run that pushed the edge to 53-42 and continued to dominate on the glass, especially at the offensive end.

    Kugel’s 3-point play at 11:20 increased the gap to 70-55, but Oakland stormed back and evened it 70-all on a 15-0 run behind Robinson’s three-point play at 8:17.

    The Knights regained the lead on a 3-pointer from Kugel, then mostly held a tenuous lead from there, closing out the win at the line.

    –Field Level Media

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  • UCF escapes pesky Hofstra for four-point win

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    (Photo credit: Sophia Scheller-Imagn Images)

    Riley Kugel scored 19 points for host UCF, which held off upset-minded Hofstra to earn an 82-78 win in the season opener for both schools Monday night in Orlando, Fla.

    Jordan Burks had 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds for UCF, which didn’t return anyone who scored for the team last season. Kugel transferred to the Knights from Mississippi State while Burks arrived from Georgetown.

    Themus Fulks, a transfer from Milwaukee, added 16 points with eight assists and hit the tiebreaking long 2-pointer that gave the Knights the lead for good at 66-64 with 7:38 left.

    Another Milwaukee transfer, Jamichael Stillwell, finished with 10 points.

    The Knights were 22 of 36 from the foul line, including 17 of 23 in the second half.

    Cruz Davis scored 17 points while true freshman Preston Edmead had 16 points and a team-high six assists for Hofstra, a member of the Coastal Athletic Association.

    German Plotnikov finished with 13 points for the Pride. Silas Sunday added 10 points and six rebounds.

    Hofstra took a 16-7 lead to open the game before UCF went on a 29-11 run to take its biggest lead at 36-27.

    The Pride scored the final five points of the first half to begin a 30-18 run that ended with Joshua DeCady’s layup and Edmead’s free throw to put the visitors ahead 57-54 with 10:47 to go.

    UCF scored 10 of the next 14 points before Edmead tied the game for the final time with a 3-pointer with 8:10 left. The Knights expanded their lead to eight points twice, the last at 79-71, before Hofstra got within three points twice in the final minute.

    UCF’s Devan Cambridge missed a pair of free throws with 16 seconds left, but Burks pulled down the rebound and Fulks iced the win by sinking his second free throw six seconds later.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Trae Young, Hawks rally in fourth quarter to down Magic

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    (Photo credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images)

    Trae Young drained a pair of go-ahead free throws with 21 seconds left on Friday, helping the visiting Atlanta Hawks rally for a 111-107 victory over the Orlando Magic.

    Young had 25 points and six assists for Atlanta, which trailed by as many as 14 points before outscoring Orlando 33-21 in the fourth quarter. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 19 points, while Onyeka Okongwu chipped in 17 for the Hawks, who won despite shooting 27.6% (8-for-29) on 3-pointers. Mouhamed Gueye scored 13 points and Jalen Johnson totaled 12 in the comeback win.

    Franz Wagner led Orlando with 27 points, followed by Tristan da Silva’s and Desmond Bane’s 15 points apiece. Jalen Suggs and Paolo Banchero each chipped in 11 points, while Wendell Carter Jr. scored 10 for the Magic.

    After Young’s foul shots broke a 107-107 tie, Banchero missed a 3-pointer, which was rebounded by Gueye. Young then drilled two more free throws with a second left to seal the win.

    Trailing by 10 at halftime, Atlanta cut its deficit to four with 1:01 left in third following a 7-0 spurt. Gueye hit a 3-pointer and a mid-range jumper followed by Young’s layup, cutting the Hawks’ deficit to 82-78.

    The Magic finished the quarter with four straight points, taking an eight-point edge into the fourth.

    Wagner’s layup pushed the Orlando lead to 12 with 9:13 remaining in the fourth. Atlanta answered with a 12-0 run — including rookie Asa Newell’s 3-pointer and game-tying dunk — to knot the score at 93 and force a Magic timeout with 6:33 left.

    The Hawks’ run was pushed to 15 straight, as Young’s triple gave the Hawks their first lead since the beginning of the second quarter.

    Okongwu’s personal 5-0 run gave the Hawks a 103-98 lead with 3:20 left. Orlando tied the game at 105 with Carter’s three free throws and Banchero’s dunk. Young’s floater with 46 seconds left was followed by Suggs’ layup eight seconds later.

    Orlando took a 51-37 lead on Bane’s transition 3-pointer with 4:31 left in the second quarter. It wasn’t until the 3:47 mark of the quarter that the Hawks made their second triple, as Alexander-Walker sank a 3-pointer to cut the deficit 11.

    Young’s reverse layup trimmed Orlando’s lead to eight, before Wagner made a putback to give the Magic a 61-51 halftime lead.

    –Field Level Media

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