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NBA rivalries heat up as LeBron sits out

AAPAP
James Harden led all scorers in the Brooklyn Nets' NBA win over the New York Knicks.
Camera IconJames Harden led all scorers in the Brooklyn Nets' NBA win over the New York Knicks. Credit: AP

The Los Angeles Lakers have won despite the absence of LeBron James while Kevin Durant and James Harden led Brooklyn to victory over the New York Knicks and the Phoenix Suns won again in their western conference showdown with the high-flying Golden State Warriors.

The Lakers sent James home after he was placed in the NBA's health and safety protocol with Anthony Davis scoring 25 points and Russell Westbrook adding 23 in a 117-92 victory at the Sacramento Kings.

Durant and Harden took turns putting on a show in front of the largest crowd ever to see a Nets game in Brooklyn, one that was split between NBA fans of New York's two teams.

In the end, the Nets were celebrating a 112-110 home victory and the Knicks.

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Phoenix outgunned the Warriors 104-96 to make it a franchise record equalling 17th win in a row.

Deandre Ayton (24 points, 11 rebounds) and Chris Paul (15 points, 11 assists) recorded double-doubles for the Suns, who won despite losing Devin Booker to a strained left hamstring in the second quarter.

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Jordan Poole had a game-high 28 points and Otto Porter 16 for the Warriors, but Stephen Curry was limited to 12 points on 4-for-21 shooting.

Phoenix and Golden State are both 18-3 this season with a rematch on Friday night in San Francisco.

In its 10th season, the match-up between the Nets and the knicks looked like a real rivalry.

"Being here two years now, it doesn't matter who's on that team or who's on this team, I think the energy's always going to be there," Harden said.

"Whether it's here or at MSG, the fans are going to be cheering for their respective teams and it's going to be a good game every time, and tonight we're just happy to come out with the win."

They got it after James Johnson made two free throws with 2.2 seconds left.

Harden had 34 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, Durant heated up after a slow start to finish with 27 points and nine assists while Australian guard Patty Mills struggled from deep with just 2-of-10 three pointers in his 10 points.

Alec Burks scored a season-high 25 points in his new role as the Knicks' starting point guard - with former All-Star Kemba Walker axed altogether after a worrying form slump.

In Sacramento, Davis said James told him he felt good and was asymptomatic, but the Lakers will have to play at least a few more games without him - with the superstar already missing 12 of their 23 outings this season for various reasons.

Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies won back-to-back games without leading scorer Ja Morant by beating the struggling Toronto Raptors 98-91 and the Portland Trail Blazers dominated the Detroit Pistons 110-92.

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