On March 25, Devin Booker made a crucial 20-foot jump shot with just 1.7 seconds left, leading the Phoenix Suns to a 108-106 win against the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Monday night. Kevin Durant was outstanding, scoring 38 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and providing five assists, helping the Suns (35-37) secure their fourth win in a row. Booker added 19 points and 12 assists, while Ryan Dunn contributed 12 points and nine rebounds. Nick Richards also had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix.
This game was significant as it marked the first time Mike Budenholzer, the head coach of Phoenix, faced Milwaukee after the Bucks let him go following the 2022-23 season. Budenholzer previously led the Bucks to the NBA championship in 2020-21. For the Bucks (40-31), Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 31 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and handed out five assists, while the team fell to 2-2 during their five-game road trip. Brook Lopez added 23 points and 10 rebounds but missed a key 18-foot jumper as time expired.
Off the bench, Gary Trent Jr. scored 19 points and Kyle Kuzma chipped in with 15 points for Milwaukee, which played without Damian Lillard (right calf strain) for the third consecutive game.
In another matchup, the Bulls defeated the Nuggets 129-119. Coby White led the Bulls with 37 points, and Josh Giddey scored 26 points along with nine assists. Dalen Terry and Jalen Smith both added 14 points, Nikola Vucevic scored 13 points, and Matas Buzelis contributed 10 points. The Bulls wrapped up their longest road trip of the season with a record of 4-2.
Jamal Murray scored 28 points, while Peyton Watson contributed a career-high 24 points for the Nuggets, who played without Nikola Jokic (ankle) and Aaron Gordon (calf).
In the game between the Mavericks and Nets, Dallas won 120 to 101. Anthony Davis returned from a left adductor strain, scoring 12 points in 27 minutes. The Mavericks took control early and never fell behind. Davis, who played in short stretches, shot 6-of-9 and helped Dallas (35-37) win back-to-back games for the first time in over a month. Naji Marshall led the bench scoring with 22 points, and the Mavericks’ reserves totaled 55 points.
Nic Claxton led the Nets (23-49) with 19 points in their fourth consecutive loss and 15th defeat in 18 games. Cameron Johnson added 17 points, while Trendon Watford chipped in 12 points as the Nets shot 51.3 percent from the field.
In another matchup, the Magic defeated the Lakers 118 to 106, thanks to 32 points from Franz Wagner and 30 points from Paolo Banchero. This win ended a six-game losing streak at home for Orlando.
Luka Doncic scored 32 points, matching Wagner for the Lakers, while LeBron James contributed 24 points. However, the Lakers struggled defensively in the second half, allowing the Magic to take control of the game. Orlando outscored the Lakers 34-18 in the third quarter.
In another game, the Raptors defeated the Wizards 112-104. Jakob Poeltl had a strong performance, scoring 21 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, leading Toronto to victory in Washington. Poeltl made nine of his first ten shots and finished with 10 out of 13 shooting, helping Toronto end a four-game losing streak. Immanuel Quickley also scored 21 points, but he was less efficient, making only five of his 16 shots.
For the Wizards, Jordan Poole led the team with 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, but they suffered their fifth straight loss. Alex Sarr added 16 points, shooting 6-of-19, while rookie AJ Johnson scored a career-high 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting off the bench.
In the matchup between the Pelicans and the 76ers, New Orleans won 112-99. Rookie Karlo Matkovic tied his career high with 19 points, leading a well-rounded scoring effort. Kelly Olynyk contributed 14 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Antonio Reeves added 17 points, and Yves Missi scored 16 for the Pelicans, who have now won three out of their last 12 games.
For the 76ers, Justin Edwards and Jared Butler each scored 19 points, while Jeff Dowtin Jr., Guerschon Yabusele, and Chuma Okeke each added 12 points. The Sixers lost their fifth game in a row and their 20th out of the last 23 games.
In another game, the Pacers defeated the Timberwolves 119-103.
Tyrese Haliburton achieved a double-double with 24 points and 11 assists, leading Indiana to its fifth straight victory by beating Minnesota in Indianapolis. This marked Haliburton’s 11th double-double in a row, dating back to February 23, and he was a key player for Indiana. Obi Toppin contributed 20 points off the bench, making 6 of 9 three-point shots. Aaron Nesmith scored 17 points, hitting all three of his 3-pointers. Bennedict Mathurin added 11 points, keeping his streak of double-digit scoring games alive at five.
On the Timberwolves’ side, Anthony Edwards struggled, making only 1 of 11 shots from beyond the arc, similar to his performance during Indiana’s narrow 132-130 victory over Minnesota on March 17. He ended the game with 17 points. Julius Randle scored just nine points, which is less than half of his average for the season. Naz Reid led the Timberwolves with 20 points off the bench, while Rudy Gobert recorded a double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds despite the loss.
In another game, the Celtics defeated the Kings 113-95. Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 25 points before twisting his left ankle. Payton Pritchard came off the bench and added 22 points, helping Boston secure its sixth consecutive win. Tatum also grabbed seven rebounds and handed out eight assists in 26 minutes before he landed on Domantas Sabonis’ foot while attempting a three-pointer with 3:35 left in the third quarter. Tatum finished shooting 8-for-15, and Pritchard shot 8-for-18, as Boston sought revenge after losing 114-97 to the Kings at home in January.
For the Kings, DeMar DeRozan and Sabonis both recorded double-doubles, with DeRozan scoring a team-high 20 points and dishing out a game-high 10 assists, while Sabonis tallied 16 points and a game-high 17 rebounds.
