With 1.1 seconds left, Kevin Durant hit a 3-pointer for the visiting Phoenix Suns, winning 100-97.
Before squandering the game-winner, Durant was 1-for-11 from behind the arc, capling his 26-point effort on Monday with a 1-for-11 performance.
Jabari Smith Jr., who contributed 17 points and seven rebounds to Houston’s 13-point deficit in the second half, made the Durant 3-pointer.
Amen Thompson recorded 17 points, seven rebounds, and six assists in addition to Durant’s ledger, which included 10 rebounds and four assists. The Rockets shot just 9-for-37 from behind the arc (24.3%).
A 94-87 deficit in the fourth quarter was erased by Devin Booker, who led the Suns with 27 points and led the team to a 10-0 run. The Suns had 15 points each from Royce O’Neale and Dillon Brooks.
After Booker fed Mark Williams for an alley-oop before Brooks followed a Houston backcourt turnover with a 3-pointer, Phoenix extended the lead to 69-56 with a pull-up jumper.
However, the Rockets were able to break the 78-78 deadlock with the help of two Smith 3-pointers.
Despite Curry’s late flurry, the Clippers prevailed.
The Los Angeles Clippers overcame James Harden’s absence to defeat the visiting Golden State Warriors, 103-102, while Kawhi Leonard led the way with 24 points and Kobe Sanders added 20.
For the Clippers, who had been aware that Harden would be unable to play due to a stiff shoulder, Leonard recorded a double-double with a game-high 12 rebounds, and Ivica Zubac recorded one of his own with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Jimmy Butler III and Stephen Curry combined for 27 points in the Warriors’ late-range scoring spree after Steve Kerr was ejected for vehemently contesting a non-call on a potential goaltending infraction by the Clippers.
Thunder in OKC shock by Hornets
The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Charlotte Hornets on a stunning 124-97 road victory with the help of Brandon Miller, who scored 28 points.
The loss was OKC’s first regular-season home defeat against an Eastern Conference opponent since March 2024, and it was their first loss against an Eastern team in a year. Additionally, this season’s OKC were the first to score less than 101.
On 7-of-21 shooting, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points, while Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren each managed 16 and 15 points, respectively. In the first quarter, the Thunder shot 59.1% from the field before posting a 37% overall lead.
Charlotte’s surprise victory against OKC was their first since March 2023. Miles Bridges’ 17-point, 11-rebound double-double and Kon Knueppel’s 23 points and five 3-pointers helped Miller’s dominance. Additionally, Mississa Diabate had a total of 12 boards for the team. The Hornets also recorded a season-high 51.4% from beyond the arc.
Brown assists Sixers in defeating Nuggets
With 5.3 seconds left in overtime, Denver defeated Philadelphia, and Bruce Brown was credited with the game-winning bucket.
Jalen Pickett did a career-high 29 points for the Nuggets despite missing seven of their top eight scorers and all five starters. On a transition layup attempt, Brown also made a significant contribution by drawing a call for Joel Embiid.
Source: Aljazeera
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