UNDATED (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 24 points, James Harden had 23 points and 12 assists, and the Brooklyn Nets beat Dallas 102-99, handing the Mavericks their fifth consecutive home loss.
The Eastern Conference-leading Nets erased a 17-point third-quarter deficit to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time this season. Luka Doncic scored 28 points but had another rough night from 3-point range except for the 30-footer he banked in just before the first-half buzzer.
Elsewhere in the league:
— LeBron James scored 30 points and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics 117-102 in the latest chapter of the NBA’s most storied rivalry. Russell Westbrook had 24 points and 11 assists, and Anthony Davis had 17 points and 16 rebounds for the Lakers, who produced one of their best recent performances in their fourth victory in six games overall. Jayson Tatum scored 14 of his 34 points in an incredible first-quarter blitz for the Celtics, who dropped to 1-2 on their four-game West Coast trip. Boston and Los Angeles split their season series 1-1 for the fifth straight year.
— R.J. Barrett made a career-high seven 3-pointers and scored 32 points, and the New York Knicks snapped a three-game skid, beating the San Antonio Spurs 121-109. New York ended a seven-game losing streak at San Antonio. Alec Burks scored 18 points, Immanuel Quickley added 16 points and Julius Randle had 15 for the Knicks.
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Bulls’ DeRozan remains in NBA’s health and safety protocols
UNDATED (AP) — Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan remains in the NBA’s health and safety protocols and did not accompany the team to Cleveland.
The Bulls play the Cavaliers on the road Wednesday. DeRozan entered the health and safety protocols a few hours before Monday’s win over the Denver Nuggets. The absence of the four-time All-Star is a blow for a team that was virtually tied with Brooklyn for the Eastern Conference lead entering Tuesday. The health and safety protocols require players to be sidelined at least 10 days or record two negative COVID-19 tests in a 24-hour period before they can resume basketball activities.
In other NBA news:
— Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum has been diagnosed with a collapsed right lung and will be sidelined indefinitely. McCollum was injured in the final quarter of the Blazers’ 145-117 loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday. He was listed as probable with a rib contusion for Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers, but did not play in the 102-90 loss. The team says McCollum’s condition was revealed by a CT scan. He is averaging 20.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists this season.
