WEDNESDAY AROUND THE NBA

Magic 112, Knicks 99

ORLANDO, FLA.

Nikola Vucevic scored 24 points and Evan Fournier added 23 to help the Orlando Magic beat the New York Knicks. Jonathon Simmons scored 15 of his 16 points in the second half. He had 11 straight points early in the fourth quarter to push the Magic’s lead back to double figures. With Porzingis out, Tim Hardaway, Jr. was the Knicks’ only consistent scoring threat, and had 26 points. The Knicks entered the game having won six of their last seven games, but they seemed out of synch offensively without Porzingis. The Magic shot 54 percent from the field and 46 from 3-point range mainly on the strength of spacing with Payton on the floor. Payton was a stabilizer in his return from a hamstring injury that forced him to miss eight straight games, but he finished with 11 points, 11 assists and six rebounds in 29 minutes. Aaron Gordon also came through for the Magic with 21 points. He was 4 for 6 from 3-point range and 8 for 11 from field after a few signature alley-oop passes from Payton.

Pistons 114, Pacers 97

DETROIT

Tobias Harris scored 23 points and the first-place Detroit Pistons won for the sixth time in seven games, beating the Indiana Pacers. Andre Drummond added 14 points and 21 rebounds for the Pistons, who lead Cleveland by three games in the Central Division. Victor Oladipo led the Pacers with 21 points, but Indiana has allowed at least 100 points in 10 of 12 games this season. Detroit led 59-52 at halftime, and after the Pacers fought back to tie the game at 65, the Pistons went on a 13-0 run to take control. Harris made a 3-pointer to put Detroit ahead by 11, and Drummond capped that streak with a putback that he made despite being hit in the face by Indiana’s Thaddeus Young. Drummond was momentarily shaken up but played on. It was 82-75 after three quarters, then the Pistons scored eight straight points to start the fourth, including 3-pointers by Reggie Bullock and Anthony Tolliver.

Celtics 107, Lakers 96

BOSTON

Aron Baynes matched his career high with 21 points, Kyrie Irving scored 19 and the Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers for their 10th straight victory. Baynes also had eight rebounds and three assists, and Boston improved to 10-2 even as Al Horford sat out after being placed in concussion protocol earlier in the day. The Celtics also lost rookie forward Jayson Tatum late in the second quarter, when he went to the locker room with a sore right ankle. Brandon Ingram and Jordan Clarkson led the Lakers with 18 points apiece. Julius Randle had 16 points and 12 rebounds. Lonzo Ball finished with nine points, six assists and five rebounds, making just 4 of 15 from the field.

Associated Press