CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Damian Lillard had 29 points and 12 assists, Bobby Portis had 23 points and 17 rebounds in his first game since Jan. 23 and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Charlotte Hornets 112-102 on Wednesday night in their first game since trading longtime guard Khris Middleton. Brook Lopez added 14 points on four 3s as the Bucks snapped a four-game losing skid. Nick Smith Jr. had 23 points on four 3s for Charlotte, which has lost six straight.
The Milwaukee Bucks are trading NBA champion and Olympic gold medalist Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards and getting Kyle Kuzma back in the deal, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement. A.J. Johnson goes from the Bucks to the Wizards and Patrick Baldwin goes from the Wizards to the Bucks, along with a future pick swap and some second-round draft capital, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade had yet to receive league approval. The move first reported by ESPN, came one day before Thursday’s 3 p.m. Eastern trade deadline in the NBA.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 49 points, including 20 in the third quarter, as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the short-handed Chicago Bulls 127-108. Coby White had 20 points, and Nikola Vucevic had 10 points and 11 rebounds for Chicago. Edwards hit six 3-pointers and was 17 of 18 from the free-throw line. He added nine rebounds. He tied Kevin Garnett for the second-most 30-point games and tied Karl-Anthony Towns for the most 40-point games in team history. Naz Reid had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Rudy Gobert added 10 points and 15 rebounds for Minnesota.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle will be sidelined at least through the All-Star break with a strained right groin he suffered last week. The Timberwolves announced before their game against Chicago that Randle will be re-evaluated in two weeks. He had an MRI that revealed a strain of his right adductor muscle. That’s part of the groin. The diagnosis was confirmed by a second opinion from a specialist. Randle was hurt during Minnesota’s game at Utah last Thursday. This assessment means he’ll miss at least eight games.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that outfielder Harrison Bader and the Minnesota Twins have agreed to a one-year contract. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement, which includes a mutual option for 2026, had not been finalized. A Gold Glove winner for St. Louis in 2021, Bader will be playing for his fifth team in five seasons. He hit .236 with 12 homers, 51 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 25 attempts for the New York Mets last year. He was limited to just two postseason starts in 12 games.