JALEN Green scored 11 of his career-high 42 points in the fourth quarter and the Houston Rockets held on for a 119-114 home victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday (Tuesday in Manila), snapping a 13-game losing skid.
After missing 10 of 13 shots and committing six turnovers in a loss at Minnesota on Saturday, Green was electric down the stretch in the rematch. The Timberwolves trailed by 11 early in the fourth quarter, but Anthony Edwards pulled them within 100-99 on a 3-pointer with 5:06 left.
Green responded with a driving layup, a 3-pointer, an elbow jumper and a blocked shot in succession. He answered another Edwards trey with a 3-pointer of his own for a 112-103 lead with 41 seconds left. Green added a free throw with 10.7 seconds left.
Green shot 15 of 25 from the floor, including 6 of 12 from behind the arc. Alperen Sengun added 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists as Houston ended a 10-game homecourt skid.
In other games, it was the Bucks 150, Pistons 130; Blazers 147, Spurs 127; Kings 133, Grizzlies 100; Magic 113, Celtics 98; Bulls 111, Hawks 100; and Jazz 120, Hornets 102.
Bucks 150, Pistons 130
Milwaukee scored 49 points in the first quarter and reached a season high in points while overwhelming host Detroit.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, who missed the previous five games due to left knee soreness, scored 20 first-quarter points and finished with 29 points and 12 rebounds. Brook Lopez had 21 points, Bobby Portis logged 18 points and 10 rebounds and Jevon Carter also scored 18 points for the Bucks.
Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 33 points. Rookie Jalen Duren supplied a career-best 23 points and 15 rebounds, and Saddiq Bey had 21 points. Bogdanovic scored 20 points in the third quarter, but Milwaukee was still up 115-92 when the period ended. The Bucks have won 16 of the past 17 regular-season meetings with Detroit, dating back to the 2018-19 season. — Field Level Media
