Basketball

Charlotte Hornets (10-36, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (33-15, second in the Western Conference) Oklahoma City; Friday, 8 p.m.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Anfernee Simons scored 24 points, including making a floater with 17.1 seconds left, and the Trail Blazers spoiled Damian Lillard’s return to Portland with a 119-116 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.

NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant was cheered before the game, then booed when it started. His return to Brooklyn was on track be a noisy one, until he and the Phoenix Suns took the crowd out of the game with some relentless offense.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points to help the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the short-handed Denver Nuggets 105-100 on Wednesday night in a matchup of teams near the top of the Western Conference standings.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had 29 points and nine rebounds for the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 121-87 victory over the depleted Dallas Mavericks , who played Wednesday night without stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 25 points, Franz Wagner added 20 and the Orlando Magic held on to beat the San Antonio Spurs 108-98 on Wednesday night.

MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy Butler scored 31 points and the Miami Heat snapped a seven-game skid with a 115-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.

HOUSTON (AP) — Jonas Valanciunas scored 25 points, Brandon Ingram added 24 and the duo combined for 24 rebounds to help the New Orleans Pelicans snap a three-game skid with a 110-99 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 20 of his 45 points in the fourth quarter, Darius Garland had 19 points in his return from a broken jaw and the Cleveland Cavaliers held off the NBA-worst Detroit Pistons 128-121 on Wednesday night.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points, James Harden added 25 and the Los Angeles Clippers pulled away with a big third quarter to beat the Washington Wizards 125-109 on Wednesday night .