LeBron James experienced a loss on his 39th birthday when the Los Angeles Lakers were defeated 108-106 by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Lebron James played for 39 minutes and scored 26 points on 10 of 21 field goal shooting. Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 33 points, 17 rebounds, and eight assists. In the final seconds, James attempted a three-point shot that he thought would tie the game at 107-107, but the referee ruled it as a two-point shot, causing frustration for James. Anthony Edwards, the leading scorer for Minnesota with 31 points, made a free-throw before Lebron James missed a buzzer-beater attempt.
Detroit Pistons 129, Toronto Raptors 127
The Detroit Pistons broke their 28-game losing streak with a 129-127 victory over the Toronto Raptors, preventing themselves from setting an unwanted record. Their previous loss to the Boston Celtics had tied them with the Philadelphia 76ers for the longest losing streak in NBA history, which spanned the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. However, the Pistons’ win, led by Cade Cunningham’s 30 points and 12 assists, ended their dismal run and avoided another historic milestone. Despite a late three-pointer from Gary Trent, the Raptors were unable to mount a comeback.
Utah Jazz 117, Miami Heat 109
The Miami Heat’s winning streak of four games ended when they were defeated 117-109 by the Utah Jazz, and their star player Jimmy Butler suffered another injury setback. Butler, who had missed all four of Miami’s recent wins due to a calf injury, returned to action but was unable to finish the game, leaving in the third quarter with a foot injury after scoring eight points. Collin Sexton was the top scorer for the Jazz with 22 points, and Keyonte George contributed 21 points as the Jazz (14-19) secured the victory against the 19-13 Heat.
Despite a strong finish from Utah, who outscored Miami 29-21 in the fourth quarter, the game had been closely contested with 25 lead changes and 12 ties. Although Bam Adebayo performed well for the Heat, scoring 28 points and grabbing 16 rebounds, Miami’s other players did not step up when Butler left the game, resulting in only one field goal in the last 5:57. Miami did manage to narrow Utah’s lead to two points with 2:41 remaining, but the Jazz finished strongly to secure the win.
Chicago Bulls 105, Philadelphia 76ers 92
Despite the absence of MVP candidate Joel Embiid due to an ankle injury, the Philadelphia team, currently ranked third in the Eastern Conference, experienced a 105-92 defeat against the Chicago Bulls, bringing their season record to 22-10. DeMar DeRozan contributed 24 points and Coby White added 20 for the Bulls in the game.
Dallas Mavericks 132, Golden State Warriors 122
Luka Doncic made a comeback for the Dallas Mavericks after sitting out a game and scored 39 points, with 25 of them coming in the second half, in their 132-122 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Doncic also contributed ten assists and eight rebounds as Dallas improved to 19-14 for the season and handed the Warriors their third consecutive loss, dropping their record to 15-17.
Indiana Pacers 140, New York Knicks 126
The Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks with a score of 140-126, led by Tyrese Haliburton who scored 22 points and tied the franchise record with 23 assists.
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