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• LeBron rues missing 'big pieces' after Lakers beaten by Hawks

  LeBron James said that the Los Angeles Lakers are still trying to figure out ways to cope with the absence of key players after a 134-132 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks. 

  James led the Lakers with 39 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, but that didn't stop his side from falling to their seventh defeat in nine games. 

  Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes were among the players who were unavailable for the Lakers in their narrow defeat to the Hawks. 

  "Mismatching with line-ups, we're trying to figure out ways, obviously," James said. 

  "So it's very challenging. We don't have much room for error. It's big, big, big, big pieces.

  "I don't know as far as what will get us over the hump. We just got to just not drown. Don't drown and we'll be all right."

  Anthony Davis scored 38 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers, while Dalton Knecht bagged 14 points. 

  Gabe Vincent's three-pointer had given the Lakers a 130-127 lead with 1:44 left in overtime, but Dyson Daniels and Davis then scored baskets for their sides before Jalen Johnson cut the gap to one for the Hawks.

  It was Trae Young who then hit the three-pointer with 7.4 seconds left in overtime that gave the Hawks the last-gasp victory. 

  Young ended the game as the Hawks' top scorer with 31 points and 20 assists, while De'Andre Hunter bagged 26 off the bench as Atlanta won their sixth game in a row. 

  "There's no cavalry. No one feels sorry for us. We can't feel sorry for ourselves," said Davis of the Lakers after the game. 

  "We just got to continue to put our head down and grind and work. Try to get back in the win column on Sunday against Portland [Trail Blazers]. No game's going to be easy for us, so we got to go take the win."

• NBA: Tatum helps Celtics hold off Bucks to spoil Middleton's debut

  Jayson Tatum had 34 points and 10 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics held on to beat the Bucks 111-105 on Friday night in Khris Middleton's season debut for Milwaukee.

  Jaylen Brown added 25 points as the Celtics made 17 3-pointers to earn their 10th victory in 11 games overall and third in as many meetings this season against the Bucks.

  Damian Lillard finished with 31 points for Milwaukee, which has lost two straight since winning a season-best seven in a row. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 30 points and 11 rebounds on his 30th birthday.

  Middleton had 11 points and five assists in 23 minutes after missing the Bucks’ first 21 games while recovering from offseason ankle surgeries.

  Boston led 107-102 after a floater by Jrue Holiday when Brown was whistled for a foul on a 3-point attempt by Middleton, who hit all three free throws.

  Two free throws by Holiday put Boston ahead 109-105. Antetokounmpo then turned it over, leading to a layup by Al Horford.

  Young’s late 3 in OT keeps Hawks hot

  Trae Young drilled a 3-pointer with 7.4 seconds left in overtime and the Atlanta Hawks held on for their sixth straight win, beating the slumping Los Angeles Lakers 134-132.

  Young scored 31 points to offset a huge night by the Lakers' Big Two. LeBron James had 39 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds and Anthony Davis added 38 points, 10 boards and eight assists, but it wasn't enough to prevent Los Angeles from taking its third straight loss and seventh in nine games.

  James had a chance to win it for the Lakers, but his long 3-pointer wasn’t close.  

  With the score tied at 119, the Hawks had the final possession of regulation. Young’s 3-pointer was blocked by Max Christie and James collided with Davis going for the loose ball, sending the 39-year-old to a knee in pain.

  After hobbling to the bench, James was back on the court for overtime.

  Led by De’Andre Hunter with 26 points and Bogdan Bogdanović with 20, Atlanta's reserves outscored their Lakers' counterparts 65-17.

  Edwards lifts Wolves over Warriors

  Anthony Edwards had 30 points and nine assists and the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Golden State Warriors 107-90 the first of two games between the teams this weekend.

  Stephen Curry returned for Golden State after sitting out a victory over Houston a night earlier resting his sore knees. He scored 23 points.

  Curry's 3-pointer with 10:38 remaining cut it to 80-77, but the Warriors again struggled to take care of the ball and make key stops.

  Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the T-Wolves, who stay in town to play again Sunday at Chase Center.

  Draymond Green also played after missing Thursday because of tightness in his left calf. Green had 10 points, nine rebounds and six assists and picked up his seventh technical this season.

  Minnesota has won the last five in the series and four straight at Chase Center since ending a 12-game losing streak on the Warriors' home floor.

   

• Nuggets coach Malone concerned despite Jokic's best efforts

  Michael Malone conceded he is worried by the Denver Nuggets' form after Thursday's 126-114 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

  Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double, but could not propel Denver to victory, with the Nuggets now 11-9 for the season, having lost five of their last six games in the league.

  Jokic's haul of 27 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists saw him move onto 139 career triple-doubles; he is now third on the all-time list, behind Oscar Robertson (181) and teammate Russell Westbrook (200), having surpassed Magic Johnson.

  While Malone credited Jokic, he is concerned by his team's performances.

  "We just got our butts kicked," Malone said.

  "Obviously, I love Nikola, and I feel very fortunate to coach a player with his talent and he'll go down as one of the best to ever do it.

  "I'm happy to hear that [he is third for triple-doubles], I really am. But I'm so much more concerned about our team right now and where we're at.

  "It's not so much that we lost tonight. I knew coming in here would be a tall order. I just don't like how we lost and there is a big difference."

  Malone is also wary of putting too much pressure on Jokic.

  "We've all got to make sure we don't run him into the ground," he added.

  Jokic said the achievement was not something he is too focused on right now.

  He said: "It's something that you're probably going to look at after you finish your career.

  "Right now, you don't even think about it. But it's a great thing. It's really nice."

  Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with 28 points, as Cleveland improved to 13-1 at home for the season.

  "That's a hard team to slow down," said Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson, who was particularly impressed with how his team dealt with Jokic despite the Serbian's high-scoring game.

  "We made [Jokic] work, get his efficiency down.

  "When Jokic kills you is when he has those 15, 17 assist games. Not that we wanted him to score whatever he scored, but you have to pick your poison.

  "A lot of those points [Jokic scored] were in transition, and that's one of their elite attributes. We didn't do a great job there but we were better in the second half."