Jazz surprise Knicks; Bucks spoil Ball’s 50

(UPDATE) SALT LAKE CITY — Lauri Markkanen had 34 points, Collin Sexton had four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and the Utah Jazz ran past the New York Knicks 121-106 on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) to snap a four-game skid.

Sexton finished 25 points and John Collins had 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Jazz.

OG Anunoby scored a season-high 27 points, Jalen Brunson scored 23 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 16 points and 16 rebounds for the Knicks, who shot 39% from the field and lost for the first time in five games.

New York cut the lead to eight in the fourth quarter, but the Jazz responded with 10 consecutive points, capped by Johnny Juzang’s 3-pointer to make it 104-86 with 6:16 remaining.

Bucks 125, Hornets 119

In Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 11 rebounds and Damian Lillard added 31 points to lead Milwaukee past Charlotte for their fourth consecutive victory.

Milwaukee opened the fourth quarter with a 14-5 spurt for a 110-90 lead, but the Hornets got it to 121-119 on Brandon Miller’s 3-pointer with 15 seconds left.

Taurean Prince answered with a pair of free throws for the Bucks to make it a two-possession game, and Charlotte missed a pair of 3-pointers on the ensuing possession. Antetokounmpo hit two free throws with 4.5 seconds left to make it 125-119.

LaMelo Ball had a career-high 50 points for the Hornets, and Brandon Miller added 32. Ball hit 17 of 38 shots, including 6 of 17 beyond the arc, and 10 of 13 free throws.

Milwaukee, which completed a 4-0 homestand, has won six of its last seven. The only loss in that span was a 115-114 loss to the Hornets on Nov. 16 following a controversial foul call.

Magic 111, Pistons 100

In Orlando, Franz Wagner had 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Orlando beat Detroit for their eighth win in nine games.

Wagner, who has scored 30 or more points in five of his last seven games, sat out the fourth quarter while the Magic’s bench stretched Orlando’s lead to 22 with 7:19 remaining.

Mo Wagner had 18 points and seven rebounds off the Magic bench, and Jonathan Isaac added five points, 12 rebounds and three blocks.

Damian Lillard #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on November 23, 2024 at the Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. PHOTO BY GARY DINEEN / NBAE / GETTY IMAGES / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

Jaden Ivey led the Pistons with 19 points and seven rebounds. Malik Beasley, starting in place of the injured Cade Cunningham, added 18 points.

Grizzlies 142, Bulls 131

In Chicago, Scotty Pippen Jr. had a career-best 30 points with 10 assists to lead Memphis past Chicago.

Jaylen Wells added 26 points as Memphis won its second straight.

Pippen, playing in the arena where his Hall of Fame father’s retired number hangs, had 26 points in the first three quarters for Memphis, which has won three of its last four.

Memphis led 109-98 after three quarters and broke the game open with an 8-3 run in the opening minutes of the final period.

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 23 points, and Santi Aldama added 10 points and 10 rebounds for Memphis, which led 64-60 at halftime and outrebounded the Bulls 49-35.

Blazers 104, Rockets 98

In Houston, Anfernee Simons scored 25 points and Shaedon Sharpe added 24 as Portland bounced back from a tough loss with a win over Houston.

The victory came after Portland was blown out 116-88 by the Rockets in an NBA Cup game Friday night.

The Trail Blazers led by three late before Alperen Sengun cut the lead to 99-98 on a shot in the paint with 21 seconds left.