NBA: Brunson, Towns combine for 70 to keep Knicks hot

Jalen Brunson scored 36 points, Karl-Anthony Towns added 34 and the New York Knicks rolled over the Phoenix Suns 138-122 on Wednesday night for their fourth straight win.

All five Knicks starters scored in double figures. Josh Hart had 19 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

Devin Booker scored 33 points on 12-for-23 shooting and Jusuf Nurkic had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the injury-depleted Suns, who have lost five straight.

New York never trailed, hitting its first eight shots, including four 3-pointers. The Knicks carried that momentum to a 44-28 advantage after one quarter and a 76-58 lead at halftime. Brunson had 23 points before the break on 8-for-9 shooting, including hitting all four 3s.

The Suns cut the deficit to 88-77 midway through the third quarter, but the Knicks responded with an 11-2 run.

Phoenix star Kevin Durant missed his seventh straight game with a left calf strain. Teammate and three-time All-Star Bradley Beal was out for the fifth straight game, also because of a strained left calf.

The Knicks shot 18 for 23 (78.3%) in the first quarter, including 8 for 11 (72.7%) from 3-point range.

reminder.@jalenbrunson1 pic.twitter.com/SejTzO9zT8

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 21, 2024

Sengun stars as Rockets win again

Alperen Sengun had a season-high 31 points with 12 rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets to a 130-113 win over the Indiana Pacers.

The Rockets used a big run in the third quarter to push the lead to 21 entering the fourth and cruised to their sixth victory in seven games.

Jabari Smith Jr. added 23 points for the Rockets for his second 20-point game in the last four, and Fred VanVleet had 18 points and six assists.

Quenton Jackson had a career-high 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting for the Pacers, who lost for the fourth time in five games. Pascal Siakam had 19 points at halftime but only scored two more points the rest of the way.

A dunk by Myles Turner got the Pacers within three with about eight minutes left in the third quarter before the Rockets used a 12-3 run, with 3s from VanVleet and Sengun, to make it 82-70 less than three minutes later.

The Pacers made just 5 of 22 3-pointers, while Houston made 12 of 36 attempts.

Season-high in scoring for Alperen Sengun & another double-double added to the tally! 31 PTS | 12 REB @MemorialHermann | #Liftoff pic.twitter.com/A5u6p3v5XJ

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) November 21, 2024

Antetokounmpo powers resurgent Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 41 points, nine rebounds and eight assists as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Chicago Bulls 122-106.

Brook Lopez scored 21 points, Damian Lillard had 20 points and 10 assists, and AJ Green added 18 points to help the Bucks win for the fourth time in five games following a 2-8 start.

Zach Lavine scored 27 points and Torrey Craig added 15 for Chicago, which dropped to 3-8 this month.

The Bucks led by 18 and seemed to be in control after a 16-0 run from the end of the first quarter and into the second, but the Bulls chipped away and pulled within one in the third. The score remained close until midway through the fourth when the Bucks once again pulled away with Antetokounmpo dominating inside.

After being held to 13 points in the first half, Antetokounmpo scored 25 of Milwaukee’s 29 points in the third quarter. Lopez scored 20 or more points for the third time in four games.

Green swished a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer, his fifth of the game, from the corner with 6:49 left in the game to push the Bucks' lead to seven. Lillard and Lopez followed with 3s of their own to extend the lead to 13.

Goodnight. pic.twitter.com/BoKRspRhuy

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 21, 2024