De’Aaron Fox scored 15 fourth-quarter points as part of his team-high 32 and sank the game-winning 3-pointer just before the buzzer, and the Sacramento Kings kicked off a four-game road swing with a 117-114 defeat of the host Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
Fox’s big closing stretch began at the 6:25 mark of the fourth when he hit a 3-pointer off a Domantas Sabonis assist. The pass gave Sabonis his second triple-double in as many games and 11th of the season, as he finished with 14 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists.
Beginning with that triple, Fox scored 12 points in the final 6:25, including a pull-up jumper with 41.1 seconds remaining that proved crucial down the stretch. Zach LaVine scored four points, part of his 25 for the contest, while DeMar DeRozan scored on a four-point play with 12.5 seconds remaining to tie the game at 114.
Fox’s fourth-quarter heroics overshadowed a big closing period for DeRozan, who made three of his four 3-pointers for the game in the period and finished with 16 of his game-high 33 points over the last 12 minutes.
Clippers 134, Warriors 126
Kawhi Leonard scored 30 points and Paul George added 24 as Los Angeles extended their resurgence with a victory over Golden State, as the Warriors’ road woes continued despite 50 points from Stephen Curry.
Terance Mann added 17 points, Eric Gordon had 16 and Russell Westbrook delivered 15 for the Clippers, who extended their winning streak to four games following a five-game losing streak. Ivica Zubac had 19 points and 16 rebounds for Los Angeles.
Curry shot 20 of 28 (71.4 percent) from the field and 8 of 14 (57.1 percent) from 3-point range for the Warriors during his ninth career 50-point game. He scored 21 points in the third quarter alone on the day after his 35th birthday. Jordan Poole added 19 for Golden State, which saw its road losing streak reach nine games.
76ers 118, Cavaliers 109
Joel Embiid had 36 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks to lift surging Philadelphia past host Cleveland.
Embiid appeared to foul out with 4:12 remaining, but the Sixers challenged the call and the offensive foul was overturned.James Harden added 28 points and 12 assists for his 32nd game this season with at least 10 points and 10 assists, setting a franchise record.
Tyrese Maxey scored 23 points for the Sixers, who won their sixth in a row. Caris LeVert led the Cavaliers with 24 points and Donovan Mitchell added 21.
Heat 138, Grizzlies 119
Bam Adebayo scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds, leading host Miami to a win over short-handed Memphis.
Tyler Herro added 24 points and six assists for the Heat, who have won five of their past seven games. Miami’s Jimmy Butler produced 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Butler sank 11 of 12 free throws.
Memphis fell to 13-22 on the road. Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 25 points and a game-high nine rebounds. The Grizzlies, whose three-game winning streak ended, already were playing without superstar guard Ja Morant (suspension), starting center Steven Adams (knee) and sixth man Brandon Clarke (Achilles).
Celtics 104, Timberwolves 102
Jaylen Brown tossed in a game-high 35 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as Boston extended Minnesota’s home losing streak to five games in Minneapolis.
Jayson Tatum (22 points) extended Boston’s lead to 104-99 by making three free throws with 1.7 seconds to play. Minnesota’s Mike Conley tossed in a 3-pointer as time expired, but the Celtics earned their third win in four games.
Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Minnesota received 15-point performances from Rudy Gobert, Kyle Anderson and Naz Reid.
Rockets 114, Lakers 110
Kevin Porter Jr. scored a game-high 27 points to pace seven in double figures as Houston defeated visiting short-handed Los Angeles.
Porter was 11-for-16 shooting from the floor and added nine rebounds and six assists to his ledger. All five Rockets starters scored in double figures while Jae’Sean Tate produced 13 points off the bench.
The Lakers, playing without LeBron James (foot) and Anthony Davis (rest), shot just 37.8 percent. Austin Reeves scored a team-high 24 points off the bench while D’Angelo Russell paired 18 points with seven assists and Jarred Vanderbilt had 13 points with 10 rebounds.
Mavericks 137, Spurs 128
Christian Wood racked up 28 points and 13 rebounds off the bench as visiting Dallas was at its best late in regulation and in overtime in a win over San Antonio.
The Mavericks took charge by opening the overtime with a 9-2 run that gave them a 130-123 lead with 2:18 remaining and they held on to snap a three-game losing streak.
Jaden Hardy and Dwight Powell had 22 points each for Dallas while Josh Green scored 21, Reggie Bullock had 20 points and 13 rebounds and McKinley Wright IV scored 11. The Mavericks played without Luka Doncic (left thigh sprain), Kyrie Irving (right foot soreness) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (left calf contusion). Keldon Johnson led San Antonio with 27 points.
–Field Level Media