Nets forward Kevin Durant, left, forward Nic Claxton and Raptors forward Christian Koloko jump for a rebound during their game Friday in New York. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Associated Press
NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving scored 27 points and the Brooklyn Nets built a huge lead before beating the Toronto Raptors 114-105 on Friday night.
Kevin Durant had 17 points and Nic Claxton chipped in 15 for the Nets, who have won four consecutive games.
Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and O.G. Anunoby added 21 for the Raptors, losers of two straight games.
Brooklyn led by 36 points midway through the second quarter and held a 93-72 advantage at the start of the fourth.
The Raptors rattled off 11 straight points to pull within 110-103 after Scottie Barnes’ dunk with 37 seconds left.
Durant was then fouled on the next possession and hit a pair of free throws. Anunoby missed a 3-pointer and Seth Curry knocked down a pair of free throws to seal the victory.
LAKERS 133, BUCKS 129: Anthony Davis scored a season-high 44 points, LeBron James overtook Magic Johnson on the NBA’s career assists list and Los Angeles beat the Bucks in Milwaukee.
Davis and James helped give Lakers Coach Darvin Ham a triumphant return to Milwaukee. Ham worked on Bucks Coach Mike Budenholzer’s staff from 2018-22, and the two former colleagues shared a big hug before the game.
Ham, an assistant coach on Milwaukee’s 2021 championship team, also played for the Bucks from 1999-2002.
The Lakers withstood a 40-point night from Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, who also had seven rebounds and five assists. The Lakers also spoiled the 2022-23 debut of Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton, who had 17 points and seven assists in his return from offseason wrist surgery.
HAWKS 117, NUGGETS 109: Dejounte Murray scored 34 points, rookie A.J. Griffin tied a career high with 24 subbing for injured Trae Young and short-handed Atlanta won at home.
Denver star Nikola Jokic, the two-time defending NBA MVP, had just four points in the first half on 2-of-5 shooting, but he and the Nuggets got hot in the third, cutting a 16-point deficit with a 14-1 run to make it 64-62 on Aaron Gordon’s layup. Jokic had 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Denver tied it at 75 on Jamal Murray’s free throw with 3:34 to go in the third and took its first lead when Jokic’s straightaway 3 beat the shot-clock buzzer to make it 79-78 late in the period.
HORNETS 117, WIZARDS 116: Terry Rozier scored 25 points, Kelly Oubre Jr. added 22 and Charlotte held off a second-half rally by Bradley Beal and the Wizards to hand Washington its fifth loss in the last six games, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
P.J. Washington had 21 points and Mason Plumlee added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets, who have won three of their last four.
Beal scored 33 points, but turned the ball over twice and missed an open jumper in the final minute with Washington trailing by one. The Wizards came up empty on their final four possessions, costing them the game.
CAVALIERS 107, MAGIC 96: Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points and Evan Mobley had 19 points and 13 rebounds, lifting Cleveland to a victory over Orlando in Cleveland.
Mitchell poured in 16 points in the first nine minutes, outscoring Orlando himself by one, and the Cavaliers never relinquished control. Cleveland eventually led by 20 in winning for the 10th time in 11 home games this season.
Darius Garland had 18 points and six assists, and Kevin Love added 11 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for the Cavs. Love returned after missing six games with a broken right thumb.
PELICANS 117, SPURS 99: SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Zion Williamson scored 30 points and matched a career high with 15 rebounds, and New Orleans rolled to a over host San Antonio, who were without coach Gregg Popovich.
Jonas Valanciunas added 21 points and 11 rebounds for New Orleans, which has won three straight and eight of 10 to remain atop the Southwest Division ahead of Memphis.
San Antonio has lost 10 straight, matching the franchise’s longest losing streak set in 1987.
Popovich was at the AT&T Center but missed the game due to a minor medical procedure, according to the Spurs. He will also miss Sunday’s home game against Phoenix.
GRIZZLIES 117, 76ERS 109: Ja Morant had 28 points and eight rebounds, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 22 points and four blocks – one in the closing minute – and host Memphis beat Philadelphia.
Dillon Brooks finished with 17 points to help Memphis win for third time in four games.
Joel Embiid had 35 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for Philadelpia. Tobias Harris added 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Shake Milton had 17 points and six assists.
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