Brandon Ingram scored 33 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 34.4 seconds left in overtime, as the host New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 24-point deficit to defeat the Boston Celtics 120-115 on Sunday.
Zion Williamson had 28 points and 10 rebounds to help lead the largest comeback in New Orleans history, while Josh Hart had 17 points with 10 rebounds and Lonzo Ball scored 16 for the Pelicans.
Jayson Tatum scored 32 for the Celtics, Jaylen Brown had 25, Tristan Thomson and Kemba Walker added 14 each and Aaron Nesmith had 10.
Brown made a layup to give Boston a 112-111 lead with 1:12 left in overtime and Ingram tied it with a free throw and added a 3-pointer to give the Pelicans a 115-112 lead. Walker missed a 3-pointer and Hart hit two free throws for a five-point lead with 18.6 seconds left as New Orleans closed it out.
Brooklyn Nets 112 – Los Angeles Clippers 108
James Harden had 37 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists as Brooklyn won its sixth consecutive contest, knocking off over host Los Angeles to complete a five-game road trip.
Kyrie Irving scored 28 points with eight assists as the Nets improved to 7-0 against the Pacific Division this season. Joe Harris, DeAndre Jordan and Bruce Brown scored 13 each for the Nets. Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant (hamstring) missed his fourth straight game. The Nets lost forward Jeff Green with an apparent shoulder injury with 2:50 remaining.
Paul George had 34 points and seven rebounds but sat out the game’s crucial minutes down the stretch while on a minutes restriction. Kawhi Leonard had 29 points with five 3-pointers and 13 rebounds, while Ivica Zubac finished with 13 points and eight rebounds.
Milwaukee Bucks 128 – Sacramento Kings 115
Giannis Antetokounmpo had a double-double by halftime and he combined with Khris Middleton for 70 of host Milwaukee’s points in the victory over Sacramento.
Antetokounmpo finished with a game-high 38 points and 18 rebounds, while adding four assists. Middleton finished with 32 points, while shooting 13 of 22 from the field and adding eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. The Bucks won their second consecutive game after snapping a five-game losing streak.
Sacramento dropped its seventh consecutive game and played without leading scorer Harrison Barnes (left foot strain) for the third consecutive game. Rookie Tyrese Haliburton led the Kings with 23 points, while adding eight assists and five rebounds and was one of six Sacramento players to score in double figures.
Orlando Magic 105 – Detroit Pistons 96
Nikola Vucevic poured in 37 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as host Orlando topped Detroit for its third consecutive win.
Vucevic, who was coming off a 30-point triple-double Friday against the Golden State Warriors, was 14 of 27 from the field. Evan Fournier supplied 29 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and Terrence Ross added 17 points off the bench.
Jerami Grant led Detroit with 24 points and five rebounds. Josh Jackson had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Pistons, while Saben Lee contributed 12 points, five assists and three steals. Saddiq Bey chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds.
Oklahoma City Thunder 117 – Cleveland Cavaliers 101
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points to lift Oklahoma City over host Cleveland, while the Thunder’s bench played a big role, as Hamidou Diallo scored 15 points and Mike Muscala added 13.
It was just the second victory in the last eight games for the Thunder and snapped a three-game losing streak, saving them from a second consecutive winless three-game road trip.
Collin Sexton led Cleveland with 27 points, Jarrett Allen added 26 and 17 rebounds, while Darius Garland scored 21. The Cavaliers have now lost 10 consecutive games.
New York Knicks 103 – Minnesota Timberwolves 99
Julius Randle hit the tying and go-ahead free throws with 32 seconds remaining as host New York squandered a 21-point third-quarter lead before coming back to defeat Minnesota.
The Knicks were outscored 33-11 over a nearly 13-minute span beginning late in the third quarter before Randle’s free throws. He finished with a team-high 25 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks, who have won four of five. RJ Barrett scored 21 points while Burks added 13.
The Timberwolves announced after the game that coach Ryan Saunders had been fired. He had a 43-94 record in parts of three seasons as head coach. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with a game-high 27 points and 15 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
Toronto Raptors 110 – Philadelphia 76ers 103
Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam each scored 23 points as Toronto defeated visiting Philadelphia at Tampa.
Chris Boucher scored 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter off the bench for the Raptors, who have won four straight. Norman Powell added 11 points and OG Anunoby had 10.
Ben Simmons scored 28 points for the 76ers, who have lost 16 straight regular-season road games against Toronto. Joel Embiid added 25 points and 17 rebounds for Philadelphia.
Atlanta Hawks 123 – Denver Nuggets 115
Trae Young scored 35 points and Clint Capela added 22 as Atlanta defeated visiting Denver, giving the Hawks two victories in their last three games, while the Nuggets have lost three of their last four.
Young was 10 of 19 from the floor, including four 3-pointers, and 15 assists. It was the 11th time Young has scored 30-plus points. Capela was 8 of 9 from the field and had 10 rebounds for his team-leading 20th double-double.
Denver’s Jamal Murray followed his 50-point game on Friday by scoring 30 points on 11-of-20 shooting. Nikola Jokic, effectively guarded all night by Capela, scored only three points in the first half and finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
–Field Level Media
