Pistons snap Heat's four-game winning streak with 125-124 OT victory

DETROIT (AP) — Tim Hardaway Jr. hit three 3-pointers in overtime to help the Detroit Pistons end the Miami Heat’s four-game winning streak with a 125-124 victory on Monday night.

Cade Cunningham had 20 points, a career-high 18 assists and 11 rebounds for the Pistons, his sixth triple-double of the season. Jimmy Butler had 35 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists for Miami.

Malik Beasley led the Pistons with 28 points and went 7 of 13 on 3-pointers.

Miami trailed by 19 points in the second half, but finished regulation on an 18-2 run before scoring the first eight points of overtime.

Hardaway’s first two 3s pulled Detroit within 122-120 with 1:35 left in OT. After Tyler Herro missed an off-balance jumper, Hardaway hit another 3 to put the Pistons ahead 123-122.

Butler and Cunningham traded baskets before Herro missed again with 19 seconds to play. A turnover gave Miami one more chance, but Herro missed a 3 at the buzzer.

The Pistons, who had lost four of five, shot 50% (20 of 40) from 3-point range.

76ERS 121, HORNETS 108

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 40 points, Paul George added 33 points as Philadelphia spoiled LaMelo Ball’s return to the floor with a win over Charlotte.

Maxey and George were combined for 12 for 21 on 3-pointers.

Kelly Oubre Jr. had 19 points, while Andre Drummond, starting in place of the injured Joel Embiid, chipped in with 15 rebounds for the 76ers (8-16).

Miles Bridges had 24 points and Nick Richards added 19 points off the bench to lead the Hornets.

Ball returned to action after missing the last seven games with a strained calf, finishing with 15 points and 11 assists in nearly 26 minutes.

Ball’s return meant the Hornets finally had their preseason projected starting five on the floor together for the first time this season. But that lasted a little more than three quarters as Brandon Miller sprained his left ankle with 8:20 remaining in the game on a drive to the basket and did not return.

CAVALIERS 130, NETS 101

NEW YORK (AP) — Evan Mobley scored 21 points, Caris LeVert added 19 and Cleveland rolled to a win over Brooklyn.

Donovan Mitchell had 18 points and five assists, and Georges Niang had 17 points and nine rebounds for Cleveland (23-4), which won its second straight and for the sixth time in seven games.

Cameron Johnson led Brooklyn with 22 points and five assists, and Day’Ron Sharpe had 15 points and seven rebounds. The Nets (10-16) lost their third straight and fell for the sixth time in seven games.

Kenny Atkinson returned as a head coach to Brooklyn with the Cavaliers. The 57-year-old led the Nets for four seasons.

BULLS 122, RAPTORS 121

TORONTO (AP) — Nikola Vucevic scored 24 points, Coby White added 19 and Chicago held on to beat Toronto for their fourth win in six games.

Talen Horton-Tucker scored 15 points and Ayo Dosunmu had 12 as seven Bulls players reached double figures.

Chicago’s Lonzo Ball missed six of his first seven 3-point attempts before making a key shot from long distance late in the fourth.

Bulls guard Josh Giddey had to be helped off the court midway through the third quarter after rolling his right ankle while trying to defend a shot. He did not return. Giddey finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in 24 minutes.

RJ Barrett scored 32 points and Gradey Dick had 27 as Toronto almost erased a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but the short-handed Raptors lost their fifth straight.

NUGGETS 130, KINGS 129

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Jamal Murray made a 16-foot jumper with 8.6 seconds remaining and Denver held off Sacramento.

Nikola Jokic had his NBA-leading 10th triple-double with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists as the Nuggets ended Sacramento’s three-game winning streak. Murray scored 28 points, while Russell Westbrook had 18 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.

The teams exchanged leads seven times over the final 75 seconds, with Murray nailing the game-winner 10 seconds after DeMar DeRozan put the Kings (13-14) in front with a baseline dunk.

Domantas Sabonis had 28 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for the Kings. De’Aaron Fox added 29 points and seven assists. Malik Monk scored 25.

CLIPPERS 144, JAZZ 107

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — James Harden scored 24 of his 41 points in the first quarter and Los Angeles rolled to a victory over Utah while reaching a season-high scoring total.

Norman Powell had 29 points, Ivica Zubac added 19 points with 12 rebounds and Amir Coffey scored 16 points as the Clippers ended a three-game losing streak and a two-game home skid.

Harden had 34 points at halftime when the Clippers had an 81-47 lead. It was the most points in a first half as a team for the Clippers since scoring 82 in a December, 2019 game against Washington.

Jordan Clarkson scored 20 points, Lauri Markkanen added 17 and Collin Sexton had 15 for the Jazz, who lost their third consecutive game and fell for the eighth game in their last nine. Utah dropped to 3-10 on the road.

The Associated Press