NBA roundup: Lakers defeat Bulls, Kings hold off Warriors, and Barnes shines

Fueled by a career-high 39 points from Harrison Barnes, the Sacramento Kings narrowly defeated the Golden State Warriors 134-133 on Thursday. The victory coincided with Lakers star LeBron James celebrating his record-setting 20th NBA All-Star nod.

The game took a dramatic turn when Domantas Sabonis’s dunk with 22.1 seconds left secured the win for Sacramento. This came after Jonathan Kuminga’s back-to-back dunks gave the Warriors their first lead of the second half at 133-132.

Despite having a chance to seal the game, Golden State fell short. Kuminga’s attempt was thwarted by Barnes and Stephen Curry, who, under intense pressure from De’Aaron Fox, lost possession of the ball in the final second.

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“It’s a satisfying feeling,” Barnes commented on the victory against his former team in San Francisco. “We aimed to kick off this road trip on a positive note.”

Following his 32-point display in the win against Atlanta on Tuesday, Barnes expressed his focus on “making the most of opportunities.”

“We believe in our team, and with the ball circulating well… I find myself in favorable positions,” he added

Sabonis recorded his 26th consecutive double-double with 18 points and 13 assists, while Fox contributed 29 points for the Kings.

Curry led the Warriors with 33 points in a game that marked their second appearance since the passing of assistant coach Dejan Milojevic due to a heart attack last week.

In Los Angeles, James contributed 25 points and distributed 12 assists in the Lakers’ 141-132 triumph against the Chicago Bulls. This win came shortly after James was selected as an All-Star Game starter for the 20th consecutive year, extending a streak that dates back to his second season in the league.

D’Angelo Russell showcased his three-point prowess by making eight shots beyond the arc, accumulating a total of 29 points. His performance was a key factor as seven Lakers players reached double figures in this commanding victory.

In another matchup, Pascal Siakam’s triple-double played a pivotal role in the Indiana Pacers securing a 134-122 win over Philadelphia, putting an end to the 76ers’ six-game winning streak.

The Boston Celtics dominated Miami with a convincing 143-110 victory in a rematch of the Eastern Conference final, while the New York Knicks delivered a commanding 122-84 triumph over the reigning champion Denver Nuggets. In Brooklyn, the Western Conference leaders, Minnesota, managed to secure a narrow 96-94 victory against the Nets.

In Indianapolis, the Pacers maintained control throughout the game, with Siakam registering 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists to spearhead the offense against the lethargic 76ers.

Commenting on Siakam’s performance, Pacers center Myles Turner remarked, “He displays a great deal of passion and energy. He seamlessly aligns with our team’s identity.”

In Philadelphia, despite the reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid scoring 31 points, coach Nick Nurse decided to rest Embiid and the other starters in the fourth quarter as the Pacers dominated the game, capitalizing on the continued absence of the injured Tyrese Haliburton.

In Miami, Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 26 points, and seven Celtics players reached double figures as they made 22 three-pointers against the team that ended their title hopes in the previous season.

Reflecting on the victory, Tatum expressed that the Celtics are motivated by a determination to overcome challenges. However, he remained grounded, stating, “If you win by 30 or two, it just counts as one win. We’ve still got a long way to go, but it’s a great way to close out the road trip.”

At Madison Square Garden, OG Anunoby contributed 26 points for the Knicks, who managed to withstand a 31-point, 11-rebound double-double from Nuggets star Nikola Jokic. Jokic faced some adversity after getting a hand in his left eye from Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo late in the first half, but he returned to start the second half. Despite Jokic’s impressive performance, he, along with Denver’s starters, sat out the fourth quarter as the game was already out of reach.

In Brooklyn, the game remained closely contested until the end, but Karl-Anthony Towns’ 27 points and Anthony Edwards’ 24 were sufficient for the Timberwolves. They had a 10-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, but the Nets narrowed the gap with an 8-0 run.

The score was tied at 94-94 with 1:11 left in the game, and the deciding moment came when Rudy Gobert executed an alley-oop dunk with 58.1 seconds remaining, securing the victory for the Timberwolves.