NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving scored 22 points while playing with Kevin Durant and James Harden for the first time in three months, leading the Brooklyn Nets to a 105-91 victory over the Chicago Bulls. The eighth appearance of the season for Brooklyn’s Big Three wasn’t particularly pretty, with the Nets falling quickly into a 12-0 hole. But they had some sharp stretches and won their fourth straight, improving to 6-2 with their three All-Stars together again. Durant shot just 4 for 17 but finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Harden had seven assists, five points, and five rebounds.
Elsewhere in the NBA:
— Anthony Davis contributed 28 points and LeBron James returned after a six-game absence to score 24 as the Lakers downed the Pacers, 122-115. James shot 11 for 22 and finished with eight assists and seven rebounds in 28 minutes. Davis had 10 boards for the Lakers, who will avoid the play-in tournament if they beat the Pelicans on Sunday and the Trail Blazers lose to the Nuggets.
— The Bucks kept pace as Khris Middleton and Bryn Forbes scored 21 points each in a 122-108 victory over the Heat. Jrue Holiday added 20 points and 10 assists for the Bucks in what could be a first-round preview. Kendrick Nunn provided a season-high 31 points for the Heat, who were without leading scorer Jimmy Butler due to lower back tightness.
— The Knicks blew a 17-point, second-half lead before Julius Randle led them to a 118-109 overtime win against the Hornets. Randle put the Knicks ahead in OT with a pair of free throws and set up all of New York’s five baskets in the extra session, three coming during a 9-0 run. Randle finished with a triple-double of 33 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds to help the Knicks move into a fourth-place tie with Atlanta.
— Jayson Tatum had 26 points and 11 rebounds as the short-handed Celtics cruised to a 124-108 win over the Timberwolves. Evan Fournier added 18 points and was 5 of 8 from 3-point range. Six Celtics scored in double figures as Boston snapped its four-game losing streak.
