Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) slaps hands with his teammates, including DeAndre Jordan (6), during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks. | AP photo
NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving scored 21 points in 20 minutes of an easy return from a two-month absence with an injured right shoulder, leading the Brooklyn Nets to a 108-86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday (Monday morning, January 13, 2020, Philippine time).
Irving shot 10 for 11 from the field after missing 26 games with an impingement. The shoulder looked fine and his handle looked as good as ever while he dribbled his way around a hopeless Atlanta defense.
Energized by his return that still seemed a ways away just a week ago, the Nets led by 39 points and won their second straight after dropping seven in a row.
Cam Reddish scored 20 points for the Hawks. They played without star guard Trae Young because of a left hamstring injury and lost their fourth straight.
JAZZ 127, WIZARDS 116
Bojan Bogdonovic scored 31 points, Rudy Gobert added 21 points and 14 rebounds and Utah beat Washington for its ninth straight victory.
Utah overcame a 15-point deficit in the third quarter to win for the 14th time in 15 games. Jordan Clarkson had 17 of his 23 points in the second half. Utah scoring leader Donovan Mitchell sat out because of an illness.
Bradley Beal scored 25 points for Washington after missing give games with right leg soreness.
SPURS 105, RAPTORS 104
DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points, Rudy Gay had 15 and San Antonio overcame an 18-point deficit to beat Toronto.
San Antonio used a big fourth quarter to win for the third time in four games. Derrick White scored 13 points for the Spurs, and LaMarcus Aldridge had 11. DeRozan also had eight rebounds and four assists against his former team.
Serge Ibaka had 21 points and a season-high 15 rebounds for Toronto. Kyle Lowry had 16 points and a season-high 15 assists.
NUGGETS 114, CLIPPERS 104
Nikola Jokic had 20 points and 15 rebounds and Denver withstood a big rally to beat Los Angeles.
Trailing by as many 20 points in the second half, Los Angeles had pulled within six with 1:11 remaining when Patrick Beverley was called for a foul on Jokic. Clippers coach Doc Rivers was incensed over the call and was given two technical fouls and ejected from the game.
Kawhi Leonard scored 30 points for Los Angeles. Clippers star forward Paul George missed his second straight game because of a strained left hamstring.
SUNS 100, HORNETS 92
Kelly Oubre Jr had 25 points and 15 rebounds in Phoenix’s victory over Charlotte.
Oubre scored 15 points in the second half on a night when Suns star guard Devin Booker struggled from the floor, shooting 3 of 12. He had 12 points and nine assists.
Deandre Ayton added 18 points and nine rebounds for Phoenix.
Dwayne Bacon scored 24 points for the Hornets.
GRIZZLIES 122, WARRIORS 102
Jonas Valanciunas had 31 points and a season-high 19 rebounds and Memphis handed Golden State its eighth straight loss.
Valanciunas was 13 of 17 from the field, including a 3-pointer to help the Grizzlies win their fifth straight. Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 21 points, and Ja Morant had 11 points and 10 assists.
D’Angelo Russel led the Warriors with 34 points in his return from a right shoulder injury.
KNICKS 124, HEAT 121
Julius Randle scored 26 points, RJ Barrett chipped in 23 and New York rallied to beat Miami.
Kevin Knox had 17 points off the bench and Reggie Bullock added 16 to help the Knicks snap a five-game losing streak.
Jimmy Butler had 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat. They blew a lead down the stretch for the second time.
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