Kyrie Irving, James Harden lead Nets to 8th straight victory

Kyrie Irving had 27 points and nine assists, James Harden scored 20 points and the Nets extended their longest winning streak since moving to Brooklyn to eight games with a 129-92 rout of the Orlando Magic on Thursday night. The Nets have the longest current winning streak in the NBA and their longest since a franchise record-tying 14-game run late in the 2005-06 season. They moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn in 2012.

This roll has come almost entirely without Kevin Durant. He missed his sixth straight game with a strained left hamstring. They’re explosive enough with their other two All-Stars, improving to 7-2 when Irving and Harden play but Durant doesn’t. Landry Shamet added 19 points and nine rebounds for the Nets, who blew open the game with a 26-4 run spanning halftime. The NBA’s highest-scoring team reached 120 points for the 20th time, already tying a franchise record in only 34 games. Nikola Vucevic had 28 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic.

GRIZZLIES 122, CLIPPERS 94

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tyus Jones scored a career-high 20 points, the Memphis defense held Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to sub-standard nights and the Grizzlies beat Los Angeles. Dillon Brooks added 19 points for Memphis, and Jonas Valanciunas and Ja Morant had 16 each, with Valanciunas adding 15 rebounds. Jones was 9 of 11 from the floor, including 2 of 3 from outside the arc. Leonard scored 17 points, and George and Serge Ibaka had 13 points each, although George was stymied by a 3-for-12 shooting night, part of the Clippers shooting 41%. The teams will complete the two-game set Friday night at FedExForum 76ERS 111, MAVERICKS 97

PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid had 23 points and nine rebounds, Ben Simmons scored 15 points and Philadelphia beat Dallas,

Simmons and Embiid wrecked the Mavericks in the second quarter, and with each steal, dunk and drive showed why they were again selected as All-Stars and have led the Sixers to the best record in the Eastern Conference at 22-11. Luka Doncic scored 19 points for Dallas.

KNICKS 140, KINGS 121

NEW YORK — Immanuel Quickley scored 18 of his 25 points in the first half and Julius Randle had 21 points and 14 rebounds to help New York beat Sacramento. Alec Burks had 24 off the bench, Derrick Rose finished with 18, RJ Barrett had 12 and Reggie Bullock chipped in with 10 as the Knicks had a season high for points.

While the Knicks cruised to their fifth win in their last seven games, Sacramento’s freefall continued. The Kings (12-20) dropped their ninth straight, a stretch in which they have allowed 126.3 points per game. De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points for the Kings. They have lost nine in a row.

WIZARDS 112, NUGGETS 110

DENVER — Bradley Beal scored 33 points and Washington escaped Denver with a victory when Facundo Campazzo missed a hurried 3-pointer at the buzzer. Rui Hachimura added 20 points for the Wizards. Jamal Murray led Denver with 34 points, and Nikola Jokic had 24.

(Image Credit: AP)