Milwaukee Bucks' MarJon Beauchamp, center right, jumps on top of New York Knicks' Josh Hart, center left, while they scramble for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 25, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
NEW YORK (AP) – Jalen Brunson scored 38 points and the New York Knicks snapped Milwaukee’s seven-game winning streak, ending their lengthy skid against the Bucks with a 129-122 victory Monday.
The Knicks had dropped nine straight meetings, including a 130-111 loss on Saturday in the opener of this two-game series. The Bucks had handled New York easily twice while rolling through their December schedule, but they haven’t solved Brunson all season, and the point guard got plenty of help from his teammates this time.
Julius Randle added 24 points and nine rebounds, RJ Barrett bounced back from a poor game Saturday with 21 points and Immanuel Quickley came off the bench for 20.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard each scored 32 points for the Bucks, who fell to 9-2 this month. Khris Middleton added 24.
CELTICS 126, LAKERS 115
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Kristaps Porzingis had 28 points and 11 rebounds, Jayson Tatum added 25 points and Boston defeated Los Angeles for the first time in a Christmas Day meeting.
Jaylen Brown had 19 points and Derrick White chipped in with 18 points and 11 rebounds. All five starters had at least 18 points for the Celtics, who have won three straight and 12 of their past 14.
Anthony Davis scored a game-high 40 points with 13 rebounds, LeBron James had 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, but the Lakers have dropped six of eight since winning the inaugural In-Season Tournament.
Boston successfully kept Los Angeles at arm’s length in the final quarter, despite Davis hitting the 40-point mark for the 40th time in a regular season game.
HEAT 119, 76ERS 113
MIAMI (AP) – Rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 31 points and got his first double-double, Bam Adebayo finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds and Miami held on to beat Philadelphia.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra improved to 9-0 on Christmas, the best record in NBA history for head coaches on the holiday.
Tyler Herro scored 22 points, Duncan Robinson added 16 and Kyle Lowry had 12 for the Heat in what became his first Christmas win. Jaquez also grabbed 10 rebounds for Miami, which held a 56-36 edge on the boards.
Reigning MVP and two-time defending scoring champion Joel Embiid missed the game for Philadelphia because of an ankle sprain. Tobias Harris scored 27 points for the 76ers, and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 25. Mo Bamba scored 18, De’Anthony Melton had 15 and Tyrese Maxey – who shot 4 for 20 from the floor – finished with 12.
NUGGETS 120, WARRIORS 114
DENVER (AP) – Jamal Murray scored 28 points, Nikola Jokic overcame an off day from the field by going 18 of 18 from the free throw line and Denver extended its winning streak to five games by holding off Golden State.
Jokic finished with 26 points despite going 4 of 12 from the floor. He also had 14 rebounds and eight assists.
It was a back-and-forth game that featured nine lead changes in the second half.
Andrew Wiggins gave the Warriors a boost by scoring 22 points as he returned to the floor after missing two games with an illness. Stephen Curry took a bit to warm up, not scoring until midway through the second quarter, but heated up late to finish with 18 points. ___
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