Victor Wembanyama records triple-double as Giannis Antetokounmpo leads Bucks to NBA win over Jokic's Nuggets

Victor Wembanyama had 27 points, 14 rebounds and a career-high 10 blocks in his second triple-double as the San Antonio Spurs snapped a seven-game losing streak by routing the Toronto Raptors 122-99.

Wembanyama made 10 of 14 attempts and had five assists and a pair of steals in 29 minutes as the Spurs won for the first time since January 27 against Minnesota.

“I felt great today,” Wembanyama said. “Great rhythm, started the game strong. I guess it’s just the NBA, you know. We’ve got ups and downs in terms of shape, and today was an up day.”

The first triple double including blocks since 2021 came as Giannis Antetokounmpo had 36 points, 18 rebounds and five assists as Milwaukee showcased their improved defence by trouncing Denver 112-95. Damian Lillard scored 18 points.

After losing five of their first six games under new coach Doc Rivers, the Bucks have won two straight by a combined margin of 53 points.

The blowout of the reigning NBA champions followed Milwaukee’s most lopsided victory of the season, a 120-84 rout of the Charlotte Hornets. This marks the first time this season the Bucks (35-19) have allowed fewer than 100 points in back-to-back games.

Nikola Jokic had 29 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists for the Nuggets (36-18), but he didn’t get nearly enough help on a night when teammates Jamal Murray (shin splints) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (right hamstring) left with injuries.

Damian Lillard scored 18 points for Milwaukee and Bobby Portis added 13 points before getting ejected with 4:54 remaining. Antetokounmpo’s 18 rebounds matched his season high.

The hot hand of Australia’s Josh Green continued in Dallas as the Mavericks stormed home in the final quarter to beat Washington 112-104.

The Mavs won the final term 34-16 and the Boomers star finished with 13 points, four rebounds and two assists from his 29 minutes of court time.

Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic led Dallas (31-23) with 26 points apiece, with the Slovenian also pulling down 11 boards and dishing out 15 assists.

In Cleveland, second in the East hosted fifth and it was Philadelphia who came out on top, 123-121.

The Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 36 points, while recent trade acquisition Buddy Hield and Kelly Oubre Jr. both had 24 for the 76ers.

Philadelphia (32-21), who are trying to stay afloat while waiting for reigning MVP Joel Embiid to return from knee surgery, halted Cleveland’s nine-game winning streak.

The Cavs (35-17) nearly rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final 85 seconds. They had a chance to win at the buzzer, but Darius Garland missed a three-pointer from the right corner.

Elsewhere, New Orleans held off Memphis 96-87, New York suffered a shock 105-103 loss to Houston and Charlotte beat Indiana 111-102.

Chicago had a 136-126 win at Atlanta and San Antonio stunned Toronto 122-99 with Victor Wembanyama’s second NBA triple-double consisting of 27 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks.

Meanwhile, New Orleans Pelicans guard Dyson Daniels has been diagnosed with a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee.

The Pelicans said on Tuesday they are evaluating treatment options for the Australian and did not immediately provide a timeline for the Australian’s returnto basketball.

The 6-foot-8 Daniels was New Orleans’ first-round choice in the 2022 NBA Draft, selected eighth overall.

This season, Daniels has appeared in 52 games with 15 starts and has played nearly 22 minutes per game, averaging 5.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals.

The Pelicans were in Memphis on Monday for a game against the Grizzlies.

In early September, a couple of weeks before NBA training camps opened, Pelicans wing player Trey Murphy III was diagnosed with a similar meniscus injury. He had it repaired with arthroscopic surgery and his recovery took nearly three months before he returned to the Pelicans’ line-up on November 29.

Entering Monday night’s NBA slate, the Pelicans had 29 regular season games left.