Paul George hit a crucial 3-pointer with 9.9 seconds left to give the Los Angeles Clippers the lead, allowing them to come back from a 22-point deficit and narrowly defeat the Golden State Warriors 113-112 on Saturday.
Moses Moody extended Golden State Warriors’ lead to 111-106 with 1:22 left in the game by making two free throws after George committed a clear-path foul. James Harden responded with a layup, and Moody then made one of two free throws, making it a four-point game with 38.1 seconds remaining. Kawhi Leonard’s layup brought the game within one possession, and George then scored, giving Clippers its first and only lead of the game. Draymond Green missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer as time ran out.
George led the Clippers with 25 points, bouncing back from their previous loss to the Warriors. Stephen Curry led Golden State with 22 points and 11 assists. Moody started the third quarter with a 3-pointer, giving Golden State a 22-point lead, and they still held a comfortable 85-68 lead with 5:28 left in the period. However, Los Angeles rallied, scoring 17 of the next 19 points to make it a two-point game.
Thunder 126, Mavericks 120
Jalen Williams scored 23 points to lead Oklahoma City in a game where they faced a strong fourth-quarter rally from a short-handed Dallas team. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 17 points, while Davis Bertans and Cason Wallace each scored 15 for Oklahoma City, which has won eight of its last 10 games. Luka Doncic, who returned after missing a game for the birth of his daughter, achieved his third triple-double of the season with 36 points, 15 rebounds, and 18 assists for Dallas.
The Mavericks were down by 23 points at the start of the fourth quarter but managed an impressive 30-0 run to take the lead at 117-111 with 4:18 remaining. However, Oklahoma City responded by scoring six consecutive points to move ahead 122-120 with 40.1 seconds left. After a turnover by Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander scored on a layup, and Williams made two free throws to secure the win.
Nets 129, Magic 101
Mikal Bridges had a standout performance, scoring 26 of his 42 points in the first quarter, leading Brooklyn to end Orlando’s nine-game winning streak in a game held in New York. Orlando missed an opportunity to achieve their first 10-game winning streak in franchise history, in part due to their struggle to contain Bridges, particularly in the opening quarter. Franz Wagner and Cole Anthony each contributed 20 points for Orlando, which had not suffered a loss since November 14 when they were defeated by Brooklyn. Paolo Banchero also added 19 points as the Magic shot 40.2 percent from the field.
Cavaliers 110, Pistons 101
Darius Garland and Max Strus each scored 22 points to help Cleveland secure a win over Detroit, giving the Pistons their longest losing streak in franchise history with 17 consecutive losses. Donovan Mitchell added 20 points and four assists for the Cavaliers, who recovered from a previous home defeat to Portland. Jarrett Allen contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Georges Niang led the bench players with 12 points. Bojan Bogdanovic, in his first game of the season, scored 22 points as a substitute for the Pistons. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 23 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds.
Timberwolves 123, Hornets 117
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 28 points and Rudy Gobert contributed 26 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocked shots, leading Minnesota to a victory over Charlotte. The Timberwolves’ strong fourth quarter was fueled by Towns and Gobert. Naz Reid also made an impact off the bench with 23 points on 9-for-14 shooting, while Mike Conley provided 14 points and 10 assists, and Kyle Anderson added 11 points. This win marked the Timberwolves’ fourth consecutive victory. Charlotte’s Terry Rozier scored 23 points and Miles Bridges added 22, while P.J. Washington contributed 18 points, including four 3-pointers off the bench.
Bulls 124, Pelicans 118
Coby White had his best scoring performance of the season, putting up 31 points and leading Chicago in a strong showing of 3-point shooting against New Orleans. White equaled his personal record of making eight 3-pointers out of 13 attempts, while the Bulls made 17 out of 40 compared to the Pelicans’ 8 out of 25. DeMar DeRozan, who had missed the previous game due to a sprained left ankle, returned and contributed 24 points and 10 assists. Zion Williamson scored 27 points, Brandon Ingram had 23, and Herbert Jones added 17 for the Pelicans.
Pacers 144, Heat 129
Bruce Brown had his best scoring performance of the season with 30 points, contributing to Indiana’s victory over Miami. Obi Toppin also made a significant impact with 22 points for the Pacers, who split their two games in Miami following a loss to the Heat on Thursday. Aaron Nesmith and T.J. McConnell both scored 20 points, while Myles Turner added 17 and Bennedict Mathurin had 16. On the Miami side, Jimmy Butler led with 33 points, Caleb Martin scored 18, Duncan Robinson had 17, and Josh Richardson and Orlando Robinson each contributed 16 points.
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