Donovan Mitchell scored 42 points and the Utah Jazz became the first team in the NBA to reach the 40-win mark with Saturday night’s 128-112 win over the Sacramento Kings in Salt Lake City.
Mike Conley added 26 points and Joe Ingles contributed 20 off the bench, with both players sinking five 3-pointers, to help the Jazz overcome a two-digit deficit on its way to the Kings junk.
It was Utah’s 24th straight win at home and the team’s 11th victory in 13 games.
Mitchell became the first Jazz player since Hall of Famer Karl Malone to score 35 points in three consecutive games.
De’Aaron Fox scored 30 and Richaun Holmes poured 25 points for Sacramento, but the Kings couldn’t hold on to the lead 11 points early.
Warriors 125, Rockets 109
Stephen Curry poured a game-high 38 points to move within 18 of Wilt Chamberlain’s career franchise record, lifting Golden State to victory over visiting Houston.
Andrew Wiggins broke in with 25 points and Jordan Poole 21 off the bench for the Warriors. Curry increased his career point total to 17,765, putting him in a position to catch and pass Chamberlain (17,783) as early as Golden State’s next game, which was Monday at home against Denver.
John Wall, who sat out Fri-day’s 126-109 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, returned to pace the Rockets with 30 points.
Sun 134, Wizards 106
Devin Booker’s 27 points, a double-double by Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton, and a thrilling third quarter powered Phoenix to a routine of visiting Washington.
Washington played without top NBA scorer Bradley Beal, who is sidelined by a sore back. Paul scored 13 points and dished out 10 assists, Ayton shot 7-of-10 from the floor for 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and all five Phoenix starters scored in double figures.
Only three Wizards scored in double figures. Russell Westbrook recorded his 22nd double-triple of the season with 17 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds, but shot 0-of-4 from long range and 6-of-17 from the floor overall.
Lakers 126, Nets 101
The energetic Lakers used ball pressure, sticky defense and good perimeter shooting to run past Brooklyn on the road. Los Angeles corralled one theft and posted four blocks, forcing Brooklyn’s 19 turnovers while converting those to 25 points.
In his second game back of a hamstring injury, Kevin Durant led the Nets with 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 24 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge added 12 points.
Point guard Dennis Schroder carried the Lakers shorthand early, scoring all 19 points in the first half. Even a tail bone injured while taking charge on a baseline drive by Blake Griffin of Brooklyn couldn’t slow down Schroder, who stayed in the game.
Birds of Prey 135, Cavaliers 115
Gary Trent Jr. scored 25 of his career-high 44 points in the first half to rise by visiting Toronto to a victory over Cleveland.
Trent made 17 of 19 shots from the floor – including 7 of 9 from 3-point range – to speed up the Birds of Prey. Malachi Flynn finished with 20 points for the Raptors, who exploded for 47 points in the opening quarter after making 17 of 20 shots from the floor (franchise-best 85.0 percent). Toronto didn’t take its foot off the gas and set a franchise record for points in half at 87.
Collin Sexton scored 29 points, Darius Garland had 19 and Kevin Love added 18 for the Cavaliers, who saw their modest two-game winning streak come to a stop.
Blazers 118, Pistons 103
Enes Kanter set a franchise record with 30 best NBA season rebounds and also scored 24 points to lead Portland to victory over visiting Detroit.
Damian Lillard recorded 27 points and 10 rebounds, while CJ McCollum scored 26 points for the Trail Blazers. Carmelo Anthony and Nassir Little added 11 points each.
Josh Jackson matched his career high of a 3-pointer by scoring 21 points for the Pistons, who played without top scorer Jerami Grant (knee) for the second straight game.
76ers 117, Thunder 93
Joel Embiid scored 27 points to lead Philadelphia to a road victory over Oklahoma City.
This was the first time Embiid has played two back-to-back goals since returning from a 10-game loss due to a knee injury. Three Philadelphia starters – Embiid, Ben Simmons and Furkan Korkmaz – scored 10 points each in the opening quarter as the 76ers jumped out to a 37-25 lead.
Philadelphia dominated the inside early, with 18 points in the paint while shooting 13 of 16 inside the 3-point line in the first quarter.
—Field Media Media