WEDNESDAY AROUND THE NBA

Nets 135, Nuggets 130

NEW YORK

D’Angelo Russell had 27 points and 11 assists, and Brooklyn surpassed last season’s win total by beating Denver. Russell made six of the Nets’ 19 3-pointers. DeMarre Carroll added 18 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for Brooklyn (29-27), which got two key injured players back and led by 21 points in ending a three-game skid. Joe Harris scored 17 points and Treveon Graham had 16, with four 3-pointers. Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in his 10th triple-double of the season for the Nuggets, who have lost two straight games to fall out of a tie for the Western Conference lead. Mason Plumlee scored a season-high 24 points on 10-for-12 shooting against his former team, and Jamal Murray had 19 points and 11 assists after missing six games with a sprained left ankle.

Pelicans 125, Bulls 120

CHICAGO

Julius Randle scored 31 points, and New Orleans beat struggling Chicago with All-Star Anthony Davis watching from the bench. Davis was healthy enough to return from a sprained left index finger that has sidelined him since Jan. 18. But the Pelicans opted to hold him out with today’s trade deadline approaching. The six-time All-Star has made it known he wants out of New Orleans. He was even fined $50,000 by the NBA after his agent went public with that request. Randle scored 19 in a blistering fourth quarter and finished six points shy of his season high. He hit 4 of 6 3-pointers and shot 10 of 18 overall, helping the Pelicans pick up the win after losing six of seven. Jrue Holiday and Cheick Diallo each scored 18, and Chicago product Jahlil Okafor finished with 13 points. The Bulls agreed to trade Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis to Washington for Otto Porter Jr. shortly before tipoff. Then, they lost for the 16th time in 18 games. Lauri Markkanen led Chicago with 30 points and 10 rebounds. Zach LaVine scored 28, and Kris Dunn added 18 points and eight assists. Bucks 148, Wizards 129

MILWAUKEE

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 43 points, Eric Bledsoe had 22 points and 11 assists, and Milwaukee beat Washington for their fifth consecutive victory. The Bucks shot 60 percent (56 for 93) from the field and placed six players in double figures while becoming the first NBA team with 40 victories. Malcolm Brogdon had 18 points, and Khris Middleton finished with 16. Washington trailed by as many as 25 in the first half, but closed to 120-113 on Chasson Randle layup with 10:22 left. Bledsoe helped finish off the Wizards with 10 points in a quick scoring flurry, including a dunk off a missed free throw by Antetokounmpo. He made a 3-pointer with 7:07 remaining to make it 138-118. Bradley Beal led Washington with 30 points, and Thomas Bryant had 26. Jeff Green finished with 22 points for his fourth straight game with 20 or more.

Jazz 116, Suns 88

SALT LAKE CITY

Donovan Mitchell scored 21 points and Joe Ingles had a career-high 11 assists, leading Utah over Phoenix. Rudy Gobert added 16 points and 12 rebounds as Utah won for the fifth time in seven games. Ingles and reserve Royce O’Neale each finished with 15 points.

Mavericks 99, Hornets 93

DALLAS

Luka Doncic scored 19 points in his third triple-double, Dorian Finney-Smith had 15 points and 10 rebounds and new-look Dallas made another move by trading Harrison Barnes while beating Charlotte. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 12 points in his Dallas debut. Kemba Walker had 30 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets.

Associated Press