Nick Smith Jr. shines in final minutes, seals Lakers' win over Portland
Deandre Ayton powered the win and scored 29 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and had three blocks against his former team.
Nick Smith Jr.
The Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a 123-115 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. Deandre Ayton powered the win and scored 29 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and had three blocks against his former team.
Rui Hachimura added 28 points for the Lakers, who played without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, both having played the previous night in a 130-120 win over Miami. While Nick Smith Jr., who is on a two-way contract, hit two three-pointers to help the Lakers take off in the final minutes and closed the game with 25 points.
Elsewhere, the New York Knicks earned their second win in consecutive nights with a 119-102 victory over the Washington Wizards on a memorable day for Dominican Karl-Anthony Towns, who surpassed 15,000 points in the NBA.
Knicks take advantage against Wizards
The Knicks were able to rally after a sluggish 22-point first quarter to prevail over a Wizards who came to Madison Square Garden in New York on a streak of four consecutive losses.
A layup basket in the second quarter allowed Karl-Anthony Towns to reach 15,000 points on a night of 33 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
The 29-year-old power forward has played 652 games in the NBA. He came into the game with 14,990 career points, adding his stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New York Knicks.
New York overcame a 10-point deficit and led by as many as 27 in the second half.
It is the fourth straight home win for the New York Knicks, who have a 4-3 record in the 2025-26 season.
Antetokounmpo's game-saving basket.
Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo silenced Indianapolis' Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a last-second basket that sealed the Milwaukee Bucks' 117-115 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Antetokounmpo, the 30-year-old and two-time MVP award winner, finished with a double-double of 33 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 67% (14/21) from the field.
The game marked the return of Myles Turner to what was his home for ten seasons. The reception from Pacers fans was a sea of boos throughout the night.
The Bucks are bouncing back after a weekend loss to Sacramento and sit in third place in the Eastern Conference, with five wins and two losses.
Jokic and the Nuggets no trouble against Sacramento
Serbian Nikola Jokic was the star of the game with 34 points, 14 assists, seven rebounds and four steals.
All five Denver starters scored in double figures.
"We love playing at home because of the support we get," noted forward Bruce Brown. "We've had some defensive issues, but we're working to get better."
For the Kings, Russell Westbrook recorded a double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds in his return to Denver.
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