Basketball

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 .

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Coby White scored 35 points, Nikola Vucevic added 22 points and 12 rebounds and the Chicago Bulls outlasted Charlotte 117-110 on Wednesday night to send the Hornets to their fifth straight loss.

NEW YORK (AP) — Ben Simmons won't play Wednesday for the Brooklyn Nets because of a knee injury, one game after returning from a 38-game absence with a back injury.

CLEVELAND (AP) — For the first time in more than six weeks, the Cleveland Cavaliers are nearly complete. Point guard Darius Garland, who broke his jaw on Dec. 14 in Boston, returned Wednesday night against the Detroit Pistons. Coach J.B.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid will miss Thursday's game at Utah after the reigning MVP hurt his left knee Tuesday in a loss to the Golden State Warriors.