NBA roundup: Bucks first to notch 50 wins

The Bucks trailed by as many as 14 in the second quarter but exploded for 39
third-quarter points to take the lead before increasing their advantage to as
many as 18 in the fourth quarter.

The Bucks became the first team in the league to reach the 50-win plateau.
They are now 27-5 at home. They have won two straight and nine of their past
11.

Kemba Walker scored 25 points to lead the Hornets, who remain in 10th place in
the Eastern Conference playoff race. Frank Kaminsky scored 16, Miles Bridges
had 15, Nic Batum and Jeremy Lamb finished with 14 apiece, and Cody Zeller
scored 10.

Timberwolves 135, Wizards 130 (OT)

Karl-Anthony Towns collected 40 points and 16 rebounds before exiting with a
right knee injury, and host Minnesota outlasted Washington.

Towns, who left in the final minute of regulation and did not play in
overtime, reached the 40-point plateau for the third time in five games. The
two-time All-Star fell just shy of his season high of 42 points. He will
undergo further testing on his knee, but coach Ryan Saunders said he has not
heard reason for serious concern.

Derrick Rose scored 16 of his 29 points after the third quarter for the
Timberwolves, who have won two of three. Taj Gibson had 15 points and 13
rebounds.

Celtics 120, Lakers 107

Kyrie Irving scored 30 points, Marcus Smart and Marcus Morris added 16 each,
and visiting Boston extending its winning streak to three with a win over Los
Angeles.

Gordon Hayward added 15 points as the Celtics avenged a defeat to the Lakers
at home in February when former Boston point guard Rajon Rondo hit a
game-winning shot at the buzzer.

LeBron James finished with a triple-double (30 points, 12 assists, 10
rebounds) for the Lakers, who were playing without a number of key
contributors because of injuries. Los Angeles lost its fifth consecutive game
and fell for the seventh time in its last eight games.

Nets 114, Hawks 112

D'Angelo Russell hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:39 remaining, and Brooklyn
held off host Atlanta to complete a season-series sweep despite a
triple-double performance by rookie Trae Young.

Spencer Dinwiddie had 23 points and Jarrett Allen finished with 20 points and
12 rebounds for the Nets, who had beaten the Hawks twice in Brooklyn earlier
in the three-game season series.

Young's triple-double consisted of 23 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. John
Collins had 33 points and 20 rebounds for Atlanta, which dropped its second
straight.

Kings 102, Knicks 94

De'Aaron Fox scored a game-high 30 points and hit the go-ahead basket with
5:03 to play as visiting Sacramento beat New York.

The Kings overcame a 15-point first quarter deficit and survived squandering
an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter to win the opener of a pivotal
four-game Eastern Conference road trip. Sacramento, which hasn't made the
playoffs since 2006, entered Saturday four games behind the San Antonio Spurs
in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Buddy Hield scored 19 points, and Nemanja Bjelica had a double-double (13
points, 10 rebounds) for the Kings.

Blazers 127, Suns 120

CJ McCollum scored 26 points on 11-for-14 shooting as Portland pulled out a
victory over visiting Phoenix.

Seth Curry came off the bench to match his season high with 22 points for the
Trail Blazers, who ended their two-game losing streak. Damian Lillard added 18
points and nine assists, and Jusuf Nurkic contributed 14 points and nine
rebounds for Portland.

Devin Booker scored 23 points and DeAndre Ayton collected 21 points and eight
boards for the Suns, who had won three in a row. Kelly Oubre had 17 points and
seven rebounds for Phoenix.

--Field Level Media