UNDATED (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers remain deadlocked as they battle for the top of the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
The Nets had won five straight and 20 of 23 before Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Bulls to a 115-107 victory against Brooklyn. Zach LaVine added 25 points and Chicago ended a six-game losing streak while putting Brooklyn a half-game behind the Sixers.
Kyrie Irving had 24 points and 15 assists to lead the short-handed Nets, who played without James Harden and Kevin Durant.
The 76ers played without Joel Embiid again and absorbed a 116-100 loss to the Grizzlies. Grayson Allen delivered 11 of his 15 points during a 14-4 run over the first two minutes of the third quarter. Allen hit three 3-pointers during the spurt that pushed Memphis’ lead to 66-46 with 10 minutes left in the period.
Dillon Brooks provided 17 and Jonas Valanciunas had 16 with 12 rebounds for Memphis.
Tobias Harris scored 21 points for the 76ers, who have played 11 of their last 12 games without Embiid.
Embiid was given the night off after returning from a 10-game absence due to a knee injury.
Checking out Sunday’s other NBA action:
— Marcus Morris dropped in 22 points and Kawhi Leonard just missed a triple-double as the Clippers dumped the Lakers, 104-86. Leonard had 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Clippers, who led the entire game and improved to 33-18. The Clippers built a double-digit lead midway through the second that the Lakers never reduced to single digits the rest of the way.
— Aaron Gordon scored 24 points against his former team, rallying the Denver Nuggets past the Orlando Magic 119-109. Gordon scored Denver’s first dozen points, then helped the Nuggets erase an 18-point halftime deficit for their 14th win in 17 games and their 10th straight over the Magic. Jamal Murray added 22 points and Michael Porter Jr. 20 for Denver.
— The Celtics clobbered the Hornets, 116-86 as Jayson Tatum contributed 22 points and eight rebounds. Evan Fournier had four 3-pointers and 17 points, while Robert Williams finished with 16 points and eight rebounds to help Boston post its second straight victory. The Celts drained 21 3-pointers and led by 28 heading into the final period.
— The Hawks earned a 117-111 win over the Warriors behind Clint Capela’s 24 points and 18 rebounds. Danilo Gallinari scored 25 points in Atlanta’s third straight win. Stephen Curry finished with 37 points in his return from a tailbone injury, but Golden State lost for the seventh time in eight games.
— Lonzo Ball drained a career-high eight 3-pointers and finished with 27 points as the Pelicans beat the Rockets, 122-115 to stop a two-game skid. One of Ball’s treys came in a 10-2 spurt that put Memphis ahead, 107-104 with about four minutes remaining. Eric Bledsoe had 19 for the Grizzlies.
