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Damian Lillard scored a season-high 60 points on nine 3-pointers, and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Utah Jazz 134-124 on Wednesday night.
Lillard was tied for second in the NBA this season. Donovan Mitchell scored 71 for Cleveland against Chicago on January 3.
Jerami Grant added 19 points to help Portland win its second straight game.
Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) fires a three-point shot over Utah’s Jarred Vanderbilt
Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 24 points. He had a layup followed by a tip jumper with 5:20 remaining that brought Utah within 115-108.
Grant and Anfernee Simons had back-to-back dunks to put Portland up 121-110 and the Blazers led comfortably the rest of the way.
When Lillard reached the free throw line at the end of the game, the home crowd rose to their feet and chanted ‘MVP! ‘MVP!’ Lillard missed a jump shot with 29.1 seconds remaining that would have surpassed his career best 61.
Lillard has four career games of 60 or more points. He has reached 61 twice.
After struggling for much of January, the Blazers were coming off a morale-boosting 147-127 win over San Antonio on Monday.
Lillard (0) shoots over Utah Jazz forward Jarred Vanderbilt (8) in the second half of basketball
Lillard had 26 points in the first half, hitting six 3-pointers.
Lillard finished 21 of 29 from the field, 9 of 15 on 3-pointers and 9 of 10 from the line. He also had eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals.
Rookie Walker Kessler has started for the Jazz in the absence of Kelly Olynyk due to a left ankle strain. The 7-foot-1 center ranks among the top leaders in blocks, at 1.9 per game.
Jazz coach Will Harvey said part of Walker’s development is knowing he belongs at the NBA level.
“I think he’s getting good feedback when he watches the movie with the coaches, but I really think he’s getting a lot of feedback from his teammates and it’s building him up,” Harvey said.
“The things that they tell him in the meeting, in the locker room, before the game, after the game and in practice, they make him feel like he’s a big part of what we’re doing and that he belongs and I think that’s where you’ I’m watching his confidence grow.
Lillard (0) huddles and celebrates with teammates after scoring 60 in a win against Utah
WARRIORS 122, GRIZZLES 120
The Golden State Warriors won a heads-up duel 122-120 after Jordan Poole hit a game-winning layup leaving just one second on the game clock.
Stephen Curry was ejected in the fourth quarter for throwing his mouthpiece into the stands after becoming frustrated following a missed shot.
Before the ejection, Curry had 34 points and was shooting 10-of-11 from the free throw line.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, shoots against the Memphis Grizzlies
76ERS 137, NETS 133
James Harden hit two 3-pointers and hit a layup in the final four minutes against his former Brooklyn teammates and the Philadelphia 76ers extended their winning streak to six games, beating the Nets 137-133 on Wednesday night.
Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 27 points and Joel Embiid had 26. Harden added 23 and Philadelphia was 35 of 36 from the free throw line.
Seth Curry had a season-high 32 points for Brooklyn. Kyrie Irving had 30 for the Nets, who have lost five of the last seven games without Kevin Durant.
The game was the first regular season matchup between Embiid and former teammate Ben Simmons since a February 2022 trade that sent Simmons to Brooklyn for Harden. Simmons missed the remainder of the 2022 season with various injuries, then Embiid was injured and missed the Sixers’ victory in Simmons’ return to Philadelphia on November 22.
Tyrese Maxey #0 of the 76ers shoots a three point basket during the game against Brooklyn
DOLLARS 107, NUGGETS 99
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 33 points and 14 rebounds to help Milwaukee beat Denver.
The Western Conference-leading Nuggets were missing four regular starters: reigning two-time MVP Nikola Jokic (left hamstring strain), Jamal Murray (left knee/injury management), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ( right wrist sprain) and Michael Porter Jr. (personal reasons).
Jokic returned Tuesday night after missing two games and posted his fourth straight triple-double in a 99-98 win at New Orleans. But he rested his hamstring Wednesday instead of playing back-to-back nights.
Aaron Gordon had 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Nuggets.
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is fouled by Denver Nuggets forward Jeff Green
TIMBER WOLVES 111, PELICANS 102
Anthony Edwards scored 37 points, Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 12 rebounds in his return from a groin injury, and Minnesota botched the return of New Orleans star Brandon Ingram after a two-month absence.
Ingram, who had not played since Nov. 25 and had missed 29 games with a sprained left toe, scored 13 points but struggled with his shooting, missing 14 of 18, including all six attempts from deep.
CJ McCollum scored 25 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Pelicans. They lost their sixth straight game and dropped their ninth in 12 games lost by star power forward Zion Williamson (right hamstring).
Timberwolves Anthony Edwards shoots at New Orleans center Jonas Valanciunas (17)
WIZARDS 108, ROCKETS 103
Kyle Kuzma scored 20 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter to help Washington move past Houston.
The Wizards trailed by 19 points and trailed by 10 to open the fourth quarter.
Houston’s Alperen Sengun had 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for the second triple-double of his career.
Kyle Kuzma (33) of the Washington Wizards shoots while Jabari Smith Jr. (1) of the Houston Rockets
HAWKS 137, THUNDER 132
Trae Young had 33 points and 11 assists in Atlanta’s win over Oklahoma City.
Dejounte Murray scored 21 points and Bogdan Bogdanovic added 20.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 36 points for Oklahoma City.
Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks shoots the ball during the game against the Thunder
MAGIC 126, PACERS 120
Paolo Banchero scored 23 points, Garry Harris hit all six of his 3-pointers and added 22 points and Orlando controlled Indiana.
Orlando made 15 of 28 attempts from 3-point range and shot 56 percent overall.
Bennedict Mathurin had 26 points for Indiana for the second straight game. Myles Turner added 22 points and 13 rebounds.
Magic forward Paolo Banchero passes the ball while being defended by Pacers Aaron Nesmith
RAPTORS 113, REYES 95
Pascal Siakam had 26 points and 11 rebounds as the Toronto Raptors beat the Pacific Division-leading Sacramento Kings 113-95 on Wednesday night.
Fred VanVleet scored 17 points and OG Anunoby added 11 for the Raptors, who had lost four of their last six games entering the contest. Precious Achiuwa added 19 points and Chris Boucher came off the bench to score 16.
Kevin Huerter scored 21 points to lead the Kings (27-20), who entered the game with seven wins in their last eight games. Keegan Murray hit four 3-pointers and added 16 points, while De’Aaron Fox finished with 16 points and eight assists.
Sacramento Kings forward Chimezie Metu, left, and Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell, Toronto Raptors guard Pascal Siakam during the first quarter
LAKERS 113, SPURS 104
Anthony Davis scored 21 points in his return from a sprained right foot, LeBron James added 20 and the Los Angeles Lakers bounced back from a tough loss to beat the San Antonio Spurs 113-104 on Wednesday night.
Davis, who missed 20 games due to a stress injury sustained during the first half of a Dec. 16 game at Denver, entered with 4:22 remaining in the first quarter. He was 7 of 15 from the field and also grabbed 12 rebounds in 26 minutes for his 19th double-double in 26 games this season.
Patrick Beverley scored a season-high 18, and Rui Hachimura added 12 in his Lakers debut.
Keldon Johnson had 25 points and Zach Collins scored 16 for San Antonio, which has won just five times in 22 road games.
Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis of LA Lakers high five during game against Spurs