Jokic, Nuggets outlast Suns 128-125 in OT; Booker sidelined
DENVER — (AP) — Nikola Jokic had another monster triple-double, Aaron Gordon threw down a pivotal dunk that stood up after a review in overtime and the Denver Nuggets rallied for a 128-125 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. Jokic had 41 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists for his 83rd career triple-double. Phoenix star Devin Booker lasted only 4:20 in his return from a groin injury, scoring two points after getting 58 against New Orleans in his previous start. Shamet came off the bench to score 31 points — matching his career high — on a night the Suns lost Booker again to the groin injury. The Nuggets led by 15 points early in the game.
wftv.comNo Bones about it: Denver's Hyland, Jokic beat Embiid, 76ers
PHILADELPHIA — (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 22 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Denver Nuggets past Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers 114-110 on Monday night in the battle of MVP contenders. Green received a flagrant foul and Embiid went 1 of 2 from the free-throw line to cut Denver’s lead to 107-106. Jokic won the MVP last season and Embiid was runner-up, and the franchise stars are again considered the frontrunners this season. Embiid entered the game leading the league in scoring at 29.8 points and Jokic was second at 26.1. Jokic was a deserving winner, and played in 72 games and logged 2,488 minutes to Embiid’s 51 games and 1,585 minutes.
wftv.comJokic, Morris fracas mars Nuggets' 113-96 win over Heat
Heat Nuggets Basketball Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, left, guides center Nikola Jokic to the bench after Jokic was involved in an altercation with Miami Heat forward Markieff Morris in the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, in Denver. Jokic said he saw a replay of the altercation and recoiled when he saw how hard Morris’ head hit the floor. Jokic retaliated with a hard shove from behind with his upper arm/shoulder that knocked Morris to the floor. Spoelstra said Jokic’s actions were “absolutely uncalled for.” Jokic, on the other hand, said Morris’ hit went beyond a hard foul. “I felt I just needed to protect myself but on the other hand I’m not supposed to react that way, get thrown out of the game,” Jokic said.
wftv.comDurant's sensational performance sends Nets to 3-2 lead
Kevin Durant had 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in one of the best performances in postseason history, sending the Brooklyn Nets back into the lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 114-108 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5.
Bucks tie series with 107-96 Game 4 win as Nets lose Irving
Nets Bucks Basketball Milwaukee Bucks' P.J. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) (Morry Gash)MILWAUKEE — (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points and the Milwaukee Bucks rolled to a 107-96 Game 4 victory on Sunday to tie their second-round playoff series with the Brooklyn Nets, who lost Kyrie Irving to a sprained right ankle. That puts even more pressure on Kevin Durant, who has carried the Nets this series and provided 28 points and 13 rebounds Sunday. Bucks: Tucker's 13-point performance came after he scored a total of nine points in the first three games of this series. ... Guard Pat Connaughton left in the third quarter with a cut near his left eye but later returned to the game.
wftv.comNets' Harden out, Green questionable for Game 4 at Milwaukee
Bucks Nets Basketball Injured Brooklyn Nets player James Harden, center left, greets Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) at the end of the third quarter of Game 2 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, Monday, June 7, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) (Kathy Willens)MILWAUKEE — (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets again won’t have James Harden but could have forward Jeff Green back for Game 4 of their second-round playoff series with the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. Nets coach Steve Nash said Saturday that Harden is out and Green is questionable for Sunday’s game. Green hasn’t played at all in the series due to a plantar fascia strain. Green last played in Game 2 of the Nets’ first-round series against the Boston Celtics.
wftv.comBucks rally in 4th to beat Nets 124-118, clinch playoff spot
Nets Bucks Basketball Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, middle, drives to the basket between Brooklyn Nets' Jeff Green, left, and Kevin Durant, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, May 4, 2021, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash) (Aaron Gash)MILWAUKEE — (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 points and the Milwaukee Bucks used a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Brooklyn Nets for the second time in three days, winning 124-118 on Tuesday night. The Bucks' fourth-quarter comeback followed their 117-114 Sunday afternoon victory over the Nets, also in Milwaukee. Antetokounmpo scored 49 points in that one as the Bucks withstood Durant's 42-point performance. Bucks: Jim Paschke, who has called over 2,000 Bucks games as the team's play-by-play television broadcaster over the last 35 seasons, announced he will retire at the end of the season.
wftv.comHarden, Griffin help Nets hold off Pistons 113-111
Brooklyn Nets forward Blake Griffin (2) is defended by Detroit Pistons forward Sekou Doumbouya during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 26, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)DETROIT – James Harden scored 44 points and Blake Griffin added 17 in his return to Detroit, lifting the Brooklyn Nets to a 113-111 victory over the Pistons on Friday night. Brooklyn was still without Kevin Durant (left hamstring strain) and Kyrie Irving (personal reasons), but the Nets had enough to hold off the last-place Pistons. Griffin spent three-plus years with the Pistons, but he reached a buyout agreement with Detroit earlier this month and went to the contending Nets. The Pistons went 34 for 47 on free throws.
Gordon’s 38 points lift Magic past Nets, 121-113
Aaron Gordon scored a season-best 38 points, Evan Fournier added 31 and the Magic held off a furious fourth-quarter rally to beat the Brooklyn Nets 121-113 on Friday night. On Friday, Fournier and the Magic did little wrong while shooting 51.2% and making a season-best 21 3-pointers. However, Brooklyn would get no closer than 104-100 after Gordon and Fournier revived the Magic offense. Harden snapped a streak of 14 straight games with at least 20 points when he finished with 19. Gordon made all five of his third-quarter shots and had 33 points by the start of the fourth.
How a stay-at-home year accelerated three trends in the advertising industry
The ad tech executive said in the early days of the pandemic, digital advertising was at a disadvantage. The Trade Desk saw firsthand how certain pieces of the ad industry were catapulted years forward as consumers stayed at home during the pandemic. And the way the ad industry may have also changed the way it works in the process. Experts and executives in the space spoke to CNBC about three areas where the ad industry saw leaps ahead during the pandemic. Green said on The Trade Desk's first-quarter 2020 call in May that he had been expecting a "revolution" in the area of streaming TV.
cnbc.comMavs end Nets' 8-game run as Porzingis returns, Irving sits
Dallas Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis (6) shoots against Brooklyn Nets forward Jeff Green (8) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)NEW YORK – Luka Doncic scored 27 points, Kristaps Porzingis added 18 in his return from injury and the Dallas Mavericks snapped the Brooklyn Nets' eight-game winning streak with a 115-98 victory Saturday night. James Harden had 29 points for the Nets, but only four after halftime while playing as Brooklyn's solo superstar. Kevin Durant missed his seventh straight game with a left hamstring strain and Kyrie Irving rested his surgically repaired right shoulder. Dallas put it away with 12 straight points early in the fourth, making it 106-84 and soon after Harden was removed for good.
Nets hold on to edge Clippers, win season-best 6th in a row
Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden, left, shoots as Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LOS ANGELES – James Harden scored 37 points and the Brooklyn Nets held off a furious fourth-quarter rally to edge the Los Angeles Clippers 112-108 on Sunday night for their season-best sixth victory in a row. The Nets wrapped up a 5-0 trip, beating Golden State, Sacramento, Phoenix, and both Los Angeles teams to complete their longest undefeated single trip in franchise history. “Winning six in a row, all it does is keep the world silent for a bit,” Kyrie Irving said. Irving scored 12 points — matching his total from the first half — to send the Nets into the fourth leading 89-79.
Harden scores 38, Nets rally from 24 down, stun Suns 128-124
Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden dishes around Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)PHOENIX – James Harden relished the chance to share the scoring load when he joined the star-filled Brooklyn Nets earlier this season. Harden scored 38 points, Joe Harris added 22 and the Nets overcame a 24-point deficit to stun the Phoenix Suns 128-124 on Tuesday night. While Harden was the undeniable star for the Nets, his teammates provided plenty of good moments, too. Suns: Phoenix had a full roster for a second game in a row.
Westbrook, Beal hit late 3s, Wizards stun Nets 149-146
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON – Wizards coach Scott Brooks envisioned something like this when Washington acquired Russell Westbrook from Houston for John Wall and a draft pick. Bradley Beal and Westbrook hit 3-pointers in a wild 3.8-second sequence in the final seconds to help the Wizards stun Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets 149-146 on Sunday night. Westbrook had 41 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and NBA scoring leader Beal had 37 points. In the fourth quarter, Beal had 22 points and Westbrook had 15. “Russell willed this game,” Brooks said about Westbrook, who has only played in 10 of 16 games due to a quad injury.
Durant, Irving help Nets hold off Adebayo, Heat 128-124
Miami Heat's Gabe Vincent (2) defends against Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant (7) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, in New York. Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Kyrie Irving took over late and had 28 and the Nets overcame Adebayo's career-high 41 points to beat the Miami Heat 128-124 on Saturday night. Irving helped pull the Nets through with 12 points in the final 5:48 after the Heat had erased nearly all of an 18-point deficit. Adebayo beat the buzzer with a jumper, than Miami opened the fourth with a 13-0 run to get within 96-95. Irving, Harden and Durant quickly combined for eight straight points but Adebayo kept coming, and the Nets needed a couple of clutch baskets from Irving and late free throws to pull it out.
Nets, without Irving and Durant, beat NBA-leading 76ers
(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)NEW YORK – Joe Harris scored a season-high 28 points and the Brooklyn Nets, playing without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, beat the NBA-leading Philadelphia 76ers 122-109 on Thursday night. Caris LeVert had 22 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, and Jarrett Allen added 15 points and 11 boards for the Nets. The Nets already knew they’d be without Durant for a second consecutive game because of the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Irving, who grew up in New Jersey, missed the chance to wear the Nets' uniforms they wore while playing there. Nets; Brooklyn was also without G Tyler Johnson because of the health and safety protocols.
The Trade Desk soars more than 27% as streaming TV ads rebound
The Trade Desk stock hit a new 52-week high Friday afternoon, surging more than 25% after reporting third-quarter earnings Thursday that showed evidence of a rebound of advertising spend on its platform and growth in its connected TV business. The company had seen a 13% revenue decline in the second quarter as the pandemic had impacted advertising spending. The pandemic-fueled boom in TV streaming has been paying off in a big way for The Trade Desk, which says it's seen advertisers becoming more deliberate and data-driven with their spending. With more people in their living rooms streaming shows and movies during the pandemic, The Trade Desk saw more opportunities to show them ads on platforms like Disney's Hulu and ESPN, Sling, Tubi, and Comcast's NBCUniversal, as well as third-party content on Amazon Fire TV. LiveRamp, Criteo and Nielsen have said in recent weeks they're working with the company on the effort, and the Trade Desk said it will also be announcing publishers and advertisers signing on "shortly."
cnbc.comWelcome back: Lakers, LeBron headed to the conference finals
James scored 29 points and the Lakers wrapped up their first trip to the Western Conference finals since 2010 by topping the Houston Rockets 119-96 on Saturday night in Game 5 at Walt Disney World. Kyle Kuzma scored 17 points, Markieff Morris had 16, Danny Green added 14 and Anthony Davis finished with 13 for the top-seeded Lakers. James is going to the conference finals for the 11th time overall — six with Cleveland, four with Miami and now with the Lakers. The Lakers scored the next 15 points, and the lead was 95-69 going into the final quarter. Lakers: Los Angeles went seven years without a conference-final appearance from 1991 through 1998, the team's longest drought before this 10-year run.
Schroder scores 30; Thunder top Rockets to even series
Eric Gordon scored 23 points and Danuel House added 21 for the Rockets, who won the first two games of the series. The Thunder shot 47.8% and the Rockets 47.7% before the break. The Rockets led 93-80 before Schroder made a 3-pointer and Houston's Austin Rivers was called for a foul away from the shot. Schroder hot a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer, and the Oklahoma City climbed within 93-92 at the end of the third. Thunder: Shot 61% in the first quarter.
Harden's 37 points lead Rockets past Thunder in Game 1
Houston All-Star Russell Westbrook, who played his previous 11 years with the Thunder, was out with a quad injury. Jeff Green scored 22 points and Eric Gordon added 21 for Houston, which isn't sure how long it will be without Westbrook. Chris Paul, who joined the Oklahoma City in the trade that sent Westbrook to Houston, finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Gordon scored 16 points and Harden had 15 in the first half to help the Rockets take a 68-52 lead. Oklahoma City cut its deficit to 10 at one point in the third quarter, but the Rockets pulled away and led 104-83 heading into the fourth.
Turner helps Indiana hold off Harden rally to beat Rockets
That's when Harden got Houston going, cutting it to 106-104 on with a driving basket with 27 seconds to go. But after Victor Olidipo missed a 3-pointer, Turner tipped out the rebound to Justin Holliday with six seconds left. ... Malcolm Brogdon, who had 12 points in Monday's loss to Miami, sat out against Houston with a sore neck. Rockets: Russell Westbrook was diagnosed with a strained quadriceps muscle in his right leg and will miss Friday's regular-season finale. Rockets: Play Philadelphia on Friday.