Nikola Jokic scored a career-high 56 points and had little to celebrate afterward.

Jordan Poole scored 39 points, and the Washington Wizards overcame a career-high 56 by Nikola Jokic to beat the Denver Nuggets 122-113 and snap their 16-game losing streak.

Denver point guard Jamal Murray was placed in the concussion protocol after a third-quarter collision with Minnesota’s Julius Randle forced him out of the game.

The Denver Nuggets secured another one of their core players by agreeing with forward Aaron Gordon on a four-year, $133 million contract extension Monday night.

Denver coach Michael Malone first broached the subject with his team in training camp, reminding them no NBA champion had won back-to-back titles since the Golden State Warriors did it in 2018.

The Minnesota Timberwolves advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time in two decades Sunday night when they roared back from a 20-point deficit to defeat the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets 98-90.

Anthony Edwards scored 27 points to pull the Minnesota Timberwolves out of their mid-series slump and deliver a flawless 115-70 victory over the Denver Nuggets to force a Game 7 in this roller-coaster playoff matchup.

Nikola Jokic was presented with his third NBA MVP award before the game, then scored 40 points and dished out 13 assists in leading the Denver Nuggets past the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-97 Tuesday night.

Nikola Jokic scored 16 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter and Aaron Gordon had 27 points on 11-for-12 shooting to propel the Denver Nuggets to a series-tying 115-107 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals.

Another dominant performance by the Minnesota Timberwolves has the reigning but reeling NBA champion Denver Nuggets on the cusp of a stunning early exit from the playoffs.

The Denver Nuggets moved to the brink of the second round with a 112-105 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the first-round series.

Nikola Jokic had 35 points and 16 rebounds and Michael Porter Jr. scored 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter as the Denver Nuggets fended off the undermanned and undersized Minnesota Timberwolves 115-112.

Nikola Jokic had 32 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in leading the Denver Nuggets to a 115-109 win over Boston and a season sweep of the Celtics.

Nikola Jokic hit a 40-footer as time expired and the Denver Nuggets stunned the Golden State Warriors 130-127 on Thursday night after trailing by 18 points in the fourth quarter.

A person with knowledge of the situation says Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon needed 21 stitches after suffering lacerations to his face and right hand while being bitten by a family dog on Christmas.

Nikola Jokic had 32 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds, Michael Porter Jr. scored a season-high 30 points and the Denver Nuggets rolled past the Houston Rockets 134-124 on Wednesday night in Jamal Murray’s return from a hamstring injury.

An exhausted Nikola Jokic had 35 points and 13 rebounds in more than 36 minutes of action to help the Denver Nuggets hold off the Golden State Warriors 108-105 on Wednesday night.

This season's NBA All-Star Game is going back to its roots with an Eastern Conference-Western Conference format.

Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double and the Denver Nuggets began defense of their first NBA title with a 119-107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kevin Durant just got done with his summer vacation.

The Atlanta Hawks have cleared significant salary cap space by agreeing to trade forward John Collins to the Utah Jazz for veteran forward Rudy Gay and a future second-round draft pick, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

Aaron Gordon scored 27 points, Nikola Jokic added 23 and the Denver Nuggets moved one win away from their first NBA championship by beating the Miami Heat 108-95 on Friday night to take a 3-1 lead in the title series.

Denver rookie Christian Braun is in rarified air with the Nuggets two wins shy of winning the first NBA championship in franchise history.

Nikola Jokic got a triple-double in his NBA Finals debut, Jamal Murray scored 26 points and the Denver Nuggets had little trouble with the cold-shooting Miami Heat on the way to a 104-93 win in Game 1 of the title series on Thursday night.

The Denver Nuggets are glad they get to stay in Denver for the start of their first NBA Finals appearance but that doesn't mean they're taking the Miami Heat lightly.

It took 3,787 regular-season games and 29 trips to the playoffs, countless ripoffs of rainbow uniforms and even more ‘yeah, buts’ than any city should have to stomach.

The Denver Nuggets played with disruption on their minds in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

Devin Booker had 36 points and 12 assists, Kevin Durant also had 36 points and the Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 129-124 to even their Western Conference semifinal playoff series at two games apiece.

Jamal Murray scored 34 points, hitting six of Denver’s 16 3-pointers, and the Nuggets sprinted past the Phoenix Suns 125-107 in Game 1 of their second-round series.

Anthony Edwards scored 34 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 114-108 in overtime in Game 4 to avoid elimination.

The Denver Nuggets are the league’s best shooting team with a clean bill of health and the two-time reigning NBA MVP in Nikola Jokic.

Mac McClung was not exactly an unknown.

Reserves Cole Anthony and Bol Bol each scored 17 points to lead the Orlando Magic to victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Nikola Jokic hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining, capping his 12th triple-double of the season, and the Denver Nuggets won their 13th in a row at home by beating the Orlando Magic 119-116.

The rim was bent, nobody seemed to know how to fix it and for 35 minutes Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets players struggled to stay warm in a bizarre scene that left Celtics star Jaylen Brown fuming.

Nikola Jokic had another monster triple-double, Aaron Gordon threw down a pivotal dunk that stood up after a review in overtime and the Denver Nuggets rallied for a 128-125 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night.

Nikola Jokic had 13 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists for his second straight triple-double to lead the Denver Nuggets over the Memphis Grizzlies 105-91 in a matchup between the top two teams in the Western Conference.

Nikola Jokic had 40 points and a career-high 27 rebounds in yet another triple-double to help the Denver Nuggets beat the Charlotte Hornets 119-115 on Sunday night.

Vlatko Cancar hit a buzzer-beater from near midcourt when the final 2 seconds of the first half were replayed after the break, and the outmanned Denver Nuggets went on to beat the Dallas Mavericks 98-97.

Anfernee Simons had 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, and the Portland Trail Blazers won their fourth straight game to start the season with a 135-110 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

The Orlando Magic won the NBA draft lottery and landed the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since they got Dwight Howard nearly two decades ago.

Stephen Curry scored 30 points in his return to Golden State’s starting lineup and the Warriors beat Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets 102-98 on Wednesday night to end the first-round series in five games.

The Denver Nuggets avoided a sweep at the hands of the Golden State Warriors with a 126-121 win Sunday to send the series back to San Francisco for Game 5.

Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole scored 27 points each, Klay Thompson made six 3-pointers on his way to 26 points and the Golden State Warriors muscled past the Denver Nuggets 118-113 on Thursday night to take a 3-0 lead in the playoff series.

Jordan Poole shined in his long-awaited playoff debut scoring 30 points, staying in the starting lineup as Stephen Curry returned from a foot injury by coming off the bench initially, and the Golden State Warriors’ defense smothered Nikola Jokic to beat the Denver Nuggets 123-107 in the opener of their first-round playoff series.

Chris Paul returned from a broken right wrist to help the Phoenix Suns wrap up the top seed in the NBA playoffs with a 140-130 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.

Stephen Curry scored 24 of his 34 points in the second half, and the Golden State Warriors closed the game with a 13-0 run to beat the Denver Nuggets 113-102.

Nikola Jokic had 38 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists, and the Denver Nuggets held on after blowing an 18-point lead and beat the Sacramento Kings 106-100.

Nikola Jokic scored 26 points to lead six Denver players in double figures, and the Nuggets beat the Orlando Magic 121-111.

Stephen Curry became the first player in NBA history to make 3,000 career 3-pointers on Tuesday night in a game where the Denver Nuggets barely held off the NBA-leading Golden State Warriors 89-86.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says there are no plans to pause the season, even as numbers of players entering the league’s health and safety protocols related to the coronavirus continues to rise.

The NBA has called off five games for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday because of coronavirus-related concerns.

Cole Anthony scored 24 points, Wendell Carter Jr. added 18 points and the Orlando Magic rallied from an early 16-point deficit to defeat the Denver Nuggets 108-103 and end their seven-game losing streak.

Cam Johnson scored a career-high 22 points, Deandre Ayton added 21 and the fast-starting Phoenix Suns ran their winning streak to 12, routing the short-handed Denver Nuggets 126-97 on Sunday night.

Jamahl Mosley has agreed to become the new coach of the Orlando Magic.

Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns spoiled Nikola Jokic’s MVP celebration with a 116-102 victory over Denver on Friday night in Game 3 that put “The Joker” and the rest of the reeling Nuggets on the brink of a quick second-round exit.

Chris Paul had 17 points and 15 assists without a turnover, Devin Booker added 18 points and 10 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns routed the Denver Nuggets 123-98 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

Chris Paul and his rejuvenated right shoulder scored 21 points and dished 11 assists, Mikal Bridges added 23 points and the Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 122-105 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Nikola Jokic had 36 points and the Denver Nuggets eliminated the Portland Trail Blazers in six games with a 126-115 victory Thursday night.

Norman Powell matched his career playoff high with 29 points and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets 115-95 on Saturday in Game 4 to even the first-round series.

Nikola Jokic scored 38 points to overcome a 3-point shooting barrage from Damian Lillard and the Denver Nuggets evened the first-round series by beating the Portland Trail Blazers 128-109 in a chippy Game 2.

Damian Lillard scored 34 points and led Portland’s 3-point barrage that sparked the Trail Blazers’ 123-109 win over the Denver Nuggets in the opener of their first-round playoff series Saturday night.

The Denver Nuggets will be without Jamal Murray indefinitely after the dynamic point guard suffered a torn ACL in his left knee.

Khris Middleton scored 21 points, Bobby Portis added 16 points, 10 rebounds and four 3-pointers off the bench and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Orlando Magic 124-87 to end a three-game losing streak.

Nikola Jokic had 26 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets held off the San Antonio Spurs for a 121-119 win when DeMar DeRozan’s shot attempt at the buzzer rolled out.

Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points and the Utah Jazz set an NBA record for 3-pointers in a half in a 137-91 win over the short-handed Orlando Magic, extending their franchise-best home winning streak to 22.

FILE - In this Feb 5, 2021, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers' Andre Drummond drives the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)LOS ANGELES – Andre Drummond is joining the Los Angeles Lakers for the playoff push. The Lakers announced the signing of the two-time All-Star center less than an hour before Sunday night's game against the Orlando Magic. AdThe Lakers currently rank ninth in the NBA in rebounds per game (45.1), but just 17th in offensive rebounds (9.6). Ad___AP Sports Writer Joe Reedy in Los Angeles contributed to this report___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Newly acquired guard Norman Powell scored 22 points and hit five 3-pointers in his Portland debut, and C.J. Portland won for a second night in a row and improved to 14-6 this season in back-to-back sets of games. Orlando rookie Chuma Okeke scored a career-best 22 points by making 9 of 15 shots and 4 of 6 3-pointers. Coincidentally, his father, Gary Trent, was also dealt from Portland to Toronto halfway through his third NBA season in 1998. Magic: Guard Michael Carter-Williams (illness) was scratched from the starting lineup, but entered the midway through the first period, while Terrence Ross (sore knee) missed his sixth straight game.

Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon, center, dunks as Los Angeles Lakers center JaVale McGee, left, and forward Kyle Kuzma, right, stand by during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)ORLANDO, Fla. – A person with direct knowledge of the matter says Aaron Gordon is being traded by the Orlando Magic to the Denver Nuggets for veteran shooting guard Gary Harris, rookie R.J. Hampton and a first-round draft pick. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was still pending NBA approval. Gordon averaged 14.6 points and 6.6 rebounds for the Magic this season. Earlier in the day, the Nuggets acquired backup center JaVale McGee from the Cleveland Cavaliers for Isaiah Hartenstein and two second-round picks.

Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) celebrates a three-point basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Wednesday, March 24, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)Kyle Lowry wound up staying with Toronto after all. The trade deadline has come and gone. “Anytime you trade a player like Nikola, it is a tough decision to make," Magic President Jeff Weltman said. But Lowry — a free-agent-to-be and considered perhaps the biggest prize on this year's trade market — did not get traded, the Raptors apparently unable to find enough assets to their liking. Questions swirled around Lowry all the way to the 3 p.m. EST deadline, and there were signs that the Raptors were positioning themselves to make the move.

Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier shoots as he gets past Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne (15) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 24, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)ORLANDO, Fla. – Evan Fournier scored the last of his 21 points on a driving layup over Phoenix center Deandre Ayton with 6.4 seconds left and the Orlando Magic beat the Suns 112-111 on Wednesday night. AdChris Paul scored eight of his 23 points in the fourth quarter for the Suns. Booker finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Ad“As of right now, I’m an Orlando Magic,” Gordon said. … Down as much as 13 in the early going, the Magic took its first lead at 47-46 on a Vucevic 3-pointer.

But the Nuggets won their sixth consecutive road game to tie a franchise record set twice previously, most recently in 2018. The Nuggets also won their ninth straight against the Magic and for the 16th time in 18 meetings dating to the 2003-04 season. Malone named each of the 10 victims of a massacre that took place approximately 28 miles from downtown Denver. He seemed aware that Wednesday’s game against Phoenix could be the last of his seven-season stint with the Magic. Magic: Orlando extended its streak of games with at least one 3-pointer to 1,100.

Aaron Gordon scored a season-best 38 points, Evan Fournier added 31 and the Magic held off a furious fourth-quarter rally to beat the Brooklyn Nets 121-113 on Friday night. On Friday, Fournier and the Magic did little wrong while shooting 51.2% and making a season-best 21 3-pointers. However, Brooklyn would get no closer than 104-100 after Gordon and Fournier revived the Magic offense. Harden snapped a streak of 14 straight games with at least 20 points when he finished with 19. Gordon made all five of his third-quarter shots and had 33 points by the start of the fourth.

New York Knicks forward Julius Randle shoots over Orlando Magic center Khem Birch (24) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 18, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, Pool)NEW YORK – Julius Randle recorded his third triple-double of the season with 18 points, 17 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the New York Knicks to a 94-93 victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday night. Evan Fournier scored 23 points but Reggie Bullock stole his pass on Orlando's final possession as the Magic dropped their ninth straight. ...Instead of reading the play, I starting the play (thinking) ahead and I was anticipating (the Knicks double-teaming on a pick-and-roll). “I was going to find my teammates.”The Knicks held Orlando to 42.7% shooting from the field and 29.4% from 3.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Jimmy Butler started Sunday night’s game against Orlando by winning the opening tip and ended it with a steal and win-sealing layup as the Miami Heat topped the Magic 102-97. In between, the standout guard was pretty good, too, helping the Heat win their fourth straight and for a 10th time in 11 games. Butler’s defense led to 23 Orlando turnovers and 26 points off those mistakes for the Heat. The Magic, who are 1-2 this season against the rival Heat, haven’t won since Feb. 21. … GM Anthony Parker and head coach Stan Heath of the G League champion Lakeland Magic attended Sunday’s game.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio played its first home game with fans and welcomed back four players who sat almost a month due to COVID-19 protocols. San Antonio held an opponent under 80 points for the first time since beating Golden State 89-75 on March 19, 2018. While that quartet returned fully, San Antonio was without veterans DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge. San Antonio is attempting to trade Aldridge after agreeing to part ways with the veteran forward after his role was lessened. … San Antonio is 16-2 when leading by 10 points at any time in the game.

MIAMI – For the first time this season, the Miami Heat have a winning record. Miami opened the season with a loss to Orlando, and had gone 0-6 in opportunities this season to move over .500 — until Thursday. Tyler Herro scored 17 points, Kendrick Nunn had 13 and Goran Dragic added 11 for the Heat. All-Star Nikola Vucevic finished with 24 points and a game-high 17 rebounds for the Magic, who have dropped six straight. MAGIC CHAMPSOrlando’s G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, won that league’s championship Thursday by topping the Philadelphia-affiliated Delaware Blue Coats.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Luka Doncic had 33 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, Kristaps Porzingis played a nearly flawless second half and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Orlando Magic 130-124 on Monday night. Jalen Brunson scored 17 of his 24 points in the second half as the Mavericks broke open a close game. Nikola Vucevic had 29 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists for the Magic, who dropped their fourth straight. “I just thought we’d be better defensively, and that was the difference in the game,” Magic coach Steve Clifford said. AdTIP INSMavericks: Doncic led Dallas in points, rebounds and assists for the 11th time this season.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Nikola Vucevic had 37 points and 11 rebounds, Evan Fournier added a season-high 29 points and the Orlando Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 105-96 on Sunday night. Vucevic had his seventh 30-point game of the season, two days after his third career triple-double. Fournier, who scored 28 points in Orlando’s victory over Golden State on Friday night, had 16 first-half points. Jerami Grant bounced back from his poorest shooting game of the season in Memphis on Friday by scoring 24 points for the Pistons. AdHEROES HONOREDThe Magic honored 500 frontline workers from AdventHealth and the Orlando community on Sunday as part of their “Healthcare Heroes Night.”

PORTLAND, Ore. – Damian Lillard scored 36 points and the Portland Trail Blazers extended their winning streak over the Orlando Magic to eight games with a 106-97 victory on Tuesday night. The Magic were also without Michael Carter-Williams, who has a sprained foot, and Aaron Gordon because of a sprained left ankle. Aminu played for four years in Portland before signing with Orlando as a free agent in 2019. AdTrail Blazers: Portland was without Nassir Little because of a left knee sprain. Trail Blazers: Host the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, the same time that the forecast calls for snow in the Portland area.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Zach LaVine bounced back from a poor performance a night earlier and scored 39 points Saturday as the Chicago Bulls routed the injury-plagued Orlando Magic 118-92. He scored 22 points in the first half and chipped in seven rebounds and four assists as the Bulls snapped a two-game losing streak. Orlando's Nikola Vucevic, who scored a career-best 43 points in Friday’s win, had 17 points and eight rebounds. The guard, who entered the night 10th in the NBA with 26.5 points per game, had another 12 points before exiting for good. Rookie Patrick Williams chipped in 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Coby White added 13 points.

Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, left, drives around Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)ORLANDO, Fla. – Fred VanVleet set a franchise record with 54 points and hit a career-best 11 3-pointers as the Toronto Raptors beat the short-handed Orlando Magic 123-108 on Tuesday night. AdNorman Powell had 23 points for Toronto, and Kyle Lowry posted a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Orlando, which has lost 12 of 14, tried almost every guard on its roster against the 6-foot-1 VanVleet with little to no success. AdMagic: Orlando was without Gordon, who severely sprained his left ankle later in Sunday’s game against Toronto. Magic: Orlando hosts Chicago on Friday and Saturday in a two-game set.

Terence Davis #0 of the Toronto Raptors steals the ball from Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic. Siakam had 30 points and 10 rebound, leading the Raptors to a 115-102 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday night. Siakam had his second straight 30-point game and the Raptors snapped a three-game losing streak. Uta Watanabe came off the bench and hit all three of his 3-pointers on the way to 11 points. Davis scored 12 points in his second start of the season.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Paul George had 26 points, nine rebounds and five assists, Kawhi Leonard added 24 points and the Los Angeles Clippers routed the Orlando Magic 116-90 on Friday night in the two All-Stars’ returns following two-game absences because of COVID-19 protocols. The first NBA team to reach 15 victories, the Clippers beat the Magic for the 14th straight time — a streak that dates to Nov. 6, 2013. Leonard and George both played 28 minutes and were rested early after the lead ballooned to as much as 27 points in the fourth quarter. AdThe Clippers were a plus-27 with George on the floor and a plus-23 with Leonard. Serge Ibaka chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds for a Clippers team that is 13-2 this season when leading at halftime.

Hield scored a season-best 29 points by making 10 of 17 shots and 7 of 12 3-pointers as the well-rested Kings beat the Magic 121-107. “I thought it was his most consistent game this year, for sure, and maybe since I’ve been (with the Kings),” Walton said. The Kings proved themselves to be rested and ready in taking apart the Magic for their second road victory of the season. His 29 points points topped the 26 he had on Jan. 13 in Portland — a game where he made eight 3s. Rookie guard Cole Anthony, who scored a career-best 21 points in Monday’s defeat of Charlotte, made just 2 of 9 shots and scored seven points on Wednesday.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando Magic rookie point guard Cole Anthony is getting more comfortable the more he plays in the NBA. Anthony’s comfort level showed Monday night when he posted a career-best scoring performance and outplayed fellow rookie guard LaMelo Ball. Anthony scored a career-best 21 points and got plenty of help from center Nikola Vucevic’s 13th double-double of the season as the Magic defeated the Charlotte Hornets 117-108 to snap a two-game slide. Devonte Graham had 21 for Charlotte, which lost to the Magic for the fifth time in six meetings. “We had good momentum going into halftime and for whatever reason we came out flat in the third quarter,” Charlotte coach James Borrego said.

New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) holds onto the ball before driving down court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, Pool)NEW YORK – R.J. Barrett scored 22 points and had 10 rebounds, and Julius Randle added 21 points and 17 rebounds to lead the New York Knicks to a 91-84 win over the Orlando Magic on Monday. Aaron Gordon had 18 points and 17 rebounds while Terrence Ross added 19 points for the Magic. The lead lasted for all of eight seconds, as Randle tied the game with a free throw. On New York’s ensuing possession, Randle hit a floater during a run in which the Knicks scored nine straight points.

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)BOSTON – Jaylen Brown had 21 points and eight assists, Semi Ojeleye added 18 points and the Boston Celtics rolled to an 124-97 win over the Orlando Magic on Friday night in their return to action following a virus-related week-long hiatus. “It’s hectic, A whirlwind tornado you might call it," Celtics guard Marcus Smart said. But the Celtics didn’t seem to be affected by the layoff, sharing the ball and turning stops into opportunities to run the floor against an Orlando team that struggled to find a rhythm at both ends. Orlando had 13 turnovers that led to 16 Celtics' points. For the game, Boston held a 66-33 edge in bench scoring.

Antetokounmpo, the reigning two-time NBA MVP, started slowly and battled through second-half foul trouble before coming alive in the fourth quarter. Milwaukee won a second straight and beat Orlando for a fifth consecutive time in the regular season. Khris Middleton finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Bucks, while reserve Bobby Portis played well for a second straight game, scoring 20 points. The Bucks forced eight turnovers in the second quarter and 11 in the first half and turned those Magic mistakes into 17 points. 15 pick, the Magic informed Augustin that they wouldn’t be pursuing him in free agency.

DALLAS – Tim Hardaway Jr. scored a season-high 36 points, Trey Burke did the same with 29 and Luka Doncic had another triple-double as the short-handed Dallas Mavericks beat the Orlando Magic 112-98 on Saturday night. There were some times that it was just chaotic.”TIP-INSMagic: F Evan Fournier missed his fifth straight game with back spasms. ROLLER-COASTER QUARTERDoncic capped a roller-coaster third quarter by beating the buzzer with a long 3-pointer for an 85-75 lead. Mavericks: Dallas finishes a two-game homestand against New Orleans on Monday. The Mavericks swept the four-game season series in 2019-20, the first time they've done that in six years.

(AP Photo/Michael Wyke)HOUSTON – Christian Wood scored 22 points and tied a career high with 15 rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets to a 132-90 rout of the short-handed Orlando Magic on Friday night. Tucker with about five minutes left in the third. Houston’s starters didn’t play in the fourth quarter and coach Stephen Silas cleared the bench with about five minutes left and his team up 117-78. Harden had 15 points and 13 assists, and Tucker added 15 points. Rockets: McLemore made his season debut on Friday after missing the beginning of the season in quarantine for COVID-19 reasons.

Gordon broke out of a shooting slump Monday night, hitting six of nine 3-pointers on the way to a season-high 24 points as the Magic beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-83. Gordon scored 13 points in the third as the Magic broke open a close game. Khem Birch added 12 points and 12 rebounds, while rookie guard Cole Anthony added nine points, five rebounds and four assists. Cedi Osman scored 13 of his 18 points in the first half and added seven rebounds and seven assists. Magic: Orlando hosts Cleveland again on Wednesday.

Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) and guard Michael Carter-Williams (7) react to a call during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)OKLAHOMA CITY – Nikola Vucevic had a season-high 28 points and 10 rebounds, and the Orlando Magic beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-107 Tuesday night. Oklahoma City made only 4 of 13 free throws in the fourth, thwarting the Thunder’s hopes to rally. The Magic again pushed its lead out, this time to 53-43, but Oklahoma City pulled within 60-56 by halftime. The Thunder briefly pulled even at 80-80 on a 3-pointer by Gilgeous-Alexander but Orlando led 87-85 entering the fourth quarter.

Oddly, the two rivals have started their seasons in Orlando four times in the past five years. Bam Adebayo led Miami with 25 points and 11 rebounds, Goran Dragic added 20 points, and Jimmy Butler had 19 points and seven assists. The Heat turned the ball over 22 times, leading to 24 Magic points. Gordon is confident that the Magic can open some eyes with their play this season. ``I don’t think they think that we’re going to become potential contenders or even have a playoff slot and I don’t think that’s true.

Deni Avdija, the ninth overall pick in the 2020 draft, scored 15 points for the Wizards. Danilo Gallinari scored 17 points and De’Andre Hunter added 15 for Atlanta, which made 17 3-pointers. Aaron Gordon scored 15 points and Nikola Vucevic had 14 for Orlando. Alec Burks finished with 15 points for New York, which defeated the Pistons on Friday. Gary Trent Jr. scored 17 points, Derrick Jones Jr. scored 15 and CJ McCollum added 13 for the Trail Blazers.

Orlando Magic coach Steve Clifford talks to players during a timeout in the first half of the team's NBA preseason basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, in Atlanta. The NBA preseason — a truncated 49-game, nine-day sprint — opened Friday with a five-game slate, action returning to NBA arenas for the first time in exactly nine months. 8 pick Obi Toppin of the Knicks, got their first NBA minutes. Paul George had 10 for the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard managed three in 14 minutes. Both teams shot exactly 30 for 84 from the field, and none of the Clippers' starters logged even 15 minutes.

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)It was only a week ago when the sky was falling on the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. The Bucks lead the Orlando Magic 3-1; the Lakers lead the Portland Trail Blazers 3-1. The bottom line is weve come out and competed so much harder.The wake-up call helped the Lakers as well. James teams went 5-5 in his first 10 series-clinching opportunities; theyre 30-5 in those situations since. NEED TO KNOW: If the Bucks win, the Eastern Conference first round would be completed in just 17 games.

Middleton scored 18 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 10 rebounds after being held to one field goal in the first three quarters on 1-of-9 shooting. Wesley Matthews added 12 points for the Bucks, who can close out the Magic on Wednesday. ... We had to pick up our intensity.Nikola Vucevic continued his strong play for the Magic, finishing with 31 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Terrence Ross had 19 points and seven rebounds off the bench. The top-seeded Bucks led by three entering the fourth quarter before Middleton came alive.

But right now it's more hurting the teams that should be playing in front of rowdy fans, not virtual ones. With Domantas Sabonis lost to injury, the Pacers need Turner to do even more on the inside to pick up the slack. Game 2, 9 p.m. ESPN NEED TO KNOW: These teams are seeded No. 8 based on what they did over the entire season, but there is no such difference in the bubble. Vogel said he believes in adjusting when necessary and may decide the Lakers need more speed on the floor and go smaller.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Jeremiah Martin and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot each scored 24 points, and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Orlando Magic 108-96 on Tuesday as both teams looked ahead to the playoffs. Dzanan Musa added 17 points and Tyler Johnson had 14 for the Nets, who improved to 5-2 in the restart with their third straight victory. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference and the Magic eighth, the teams went with limited rosters while getting players extra rest. Starters Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Joe Harris and Garrett Temple all sat for the Nets, who kept rolling even without them. The Magic beat the Nets in the restart opener for both teams in a game they led by 30.