Giannis Antetokounmpo marked his return from injury with a game-high 29 points as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Chicago Bulls 112-103.
The Bucks star had been sidelined for eight games due to a right calf strain, a period during which Milwaukee lost six times.
Chicago’s loss brought an end to their five-match winning run, although they remain ninth in the Eastern Conference, two spots above the Bucks.
In another fixture, Victor Wembanyama also returned from injury, but his San Antonio Spurs were beaten 127-114 by the Utah Jazz.
Wembanyama scored 32 points in his first start since 14 November, but strong performances from Lauri Markkanen, who had 29 points, and Keyonte George, who added 28, helped Utah snap the Spurs’ eight-game winning streak.
Anthony Black produced a career-best 38 points as the Orlando Magic edged the Denver Nuggets 127-126, despite Nikola Jokic recording yet another triple-double.
Jokic finished with 21 rebounds and 12 assists to claim the 180th triple-double of his career, leaving him just one behind Oscar Robertson for second place on the all-time list.
Elsewhere, the New York Knicks claimed a 128-125 win over the Atlanta Hawks, while the Sacramento Kings picked up only their second victory in eight games by beating the Dallas Mavericks 113-107.
