Damian Lillard sank a last-second three-point shot to secure a thrilling 143-142 NBA overtime win for the Bucks against the Kings on Sunday.
The Kings had a lead of up to six points in overtime, but Brook Lopez’s three-pointer brought the Bucks within one. After De’Aaron Fox missed one of two free throws, Damian Lillard made the game-winning shot from the top of the arc with 11.5 seconds left. Giannis Antetokounmpo achieved a triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists for the Bucks. Domantas Sabonis also achieved a triple-double with 21 points, 15 assists, and 13 rebounds, while Fox scored 32 points for the Kings.
Sacramento’s coach Mike Brown was ejected early in the fourth quarter after confronting an official over a non-call when he believed Fox had been fouled. Brown was still shouting as Kings guard Malik Monk escorted him from the court with Sacramento trailing 105-95. Sacramento fought back, and Fox tied the game at 128-128 with a layup with one second left in regulation. The Kings were ahead by four points with 33.9 seconds left in overtime.
In Denver, the reigning NBA champions defeated the Indiana Pacers 117-109, with Nikola Jokic being one of three Nuggets players to score 25 points. Jokic also contributed 12 rebounds and nine assists, while Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray each scored 25 points, and Aaron Gordon added 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Nuggets achieved a season-high shooting percentage of 64.8% and limited the NBA’s top-scoring offense to its fifth-lowest point total of the season.
Timberwolves 109, Clippers 105
The Minnesota Timberwolves pulled ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder by half a game after defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 109-105. The Timberwolves dominated the third quarter, extending their lead to 17 points and fending off a late comeback attempt by the Clippers. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 33 points, supported by Rudy Gobert’s 15 points and 18 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points for the Clippers, who narrowed the gap to three points with just over a minute left, but Gobert’s four free throws secured the Timberwolves’ victory.
In Miami, Bam Adebayo contributed 24 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists in the Heat’s dominant 104-87 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Despite playing without Jimmy Butler and Kevin Love due to injuries, the Heat led by as much as 24 points in the second quarter. The only setback of the night was the early departure of rookie guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. due to a groin injury.
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