NBA Roundup: Jazz Win 2OT Thriller; Celtics Edge Clippers
Utah’s Lauri Markkanen delivered another dominant outing on Sunday night, dropping 47 points as the Jazz outlasted the Chicago Bulls 150–147 in double overtime in Salt Lake City. Keyonte George added 33 points, including the decisive 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left, helping Utah complete the comeback.
Markkanen, who has now recorded back-to-back 40-point performances, led a group of strong contributors that included Isaiah Collier with 16 points and nine assists off the bench. Jusuf Nurkic dominated the boards with a game-high 14 rebounds.
Chicago countered with a triple-double from Josh Giddey, who posted 26 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds. Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Matas Buzelis and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 18. Coby White also made an impact in his season debut, returning from an 11-game absence to finish with a team-high 27 points, eight assists, and a perfect 14-for-14 from the free-throw line.
De’Aaron Fox struck for 28 points and 11 assists against his former team, guiding San Antonio to a win over Sacramento even with Victor Wembanyama sidelined for the first time this season. Wembanyama sat out due to left calf tightness after opening the year with 12 straight starts.
The Spurs built an eight-point halftime lead and extended the margin to 19 by late in the third quarter. Harrison Barnes contributed 20 points, while Devin Vassell scored 16.
DeMar DeRozan paced the Kings with 27 points on efficient 12-of-15 shooting. Sacramento has now dropped six straight.
Dallas snapped a three-game slide behind a timely two-way performance from Daniel Gafford, who posted a season-high 20 points and delivered key plays late in overtime. Cooper Flagg and P.J. Washington led the Mavericks with 21 points each, while Brandon Williams and Max Christie chipped in 15 and 14.
Portland’s Shaedon Sharpe nearly matched his career high with 36 points and added six assists, but he was held scoreless in the final 90 seconds. The Blazers leaned heavily on him after Deni Avdija — their leading scorer this season — fouled out despite recording 29 points, seven assists, and six rebounds.
Houston earned an overtime win behind 35 points from Kevin Durant and a 30-point, 12-rebound performance from Alperen Sengun, who also added eight assists. Reed Sheppard scored 16 off the bench and Amen Thompson posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
The Rockets dominated the glass 60–38 thanks to double-digit rebounds from Sengun, Thompson, Steven Adams (13), and Jabari Smith Jr. (10).
Franz Wagner led Orlando with 29 points, while Desmond Bane added 26. The Magic were without Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, both sidelined by groin injuries.
Jaylen Brown scored 33 points and Payton Pritchard added 30, helping Boston build a 24-point cushion before holding off a late Clippers run. Pritchard also shot 8-of-13 from beyond the arc, while Derrick White contributed 22 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists.
Los Angeles, which has dropped seven of eight, nearly completed a comeback after James Harden cut the deficit to 119–118 with a 3-pointer in the closing seconds. After Pritchard sank two free throws, Harden missed a potential game-tying 3 at the buzzer.
Michael Porter Jr. recorded a season-best 34 points, connecting on 11 of 18 shots and 9 of 10 free throws, as Brooklyn snapped a four-game skid. Tyrese Martin added 20 points off the bench.
Nic Claxton provided an all-around boost with 17 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and four blocks.
Kyshawn George scored 29 points and hit five 3-pointers for Washington, while CJ McCollum added 17. The Wizards have now lost 11 straight.
Moses Moody tied a franchise record with seven 3-pointers in the first quarter and finished with a career-high 32 points, leading Golden State past New Orleans in James Borrego’s debut as interim coach. Moody went 8-of-12 from deep and 10-of-16 overall.
Stephen Curry struggled with just nine points on 2-of-11 shooting, but the Warriors still secured their third straight win during their six-game road stretch.
Trey Murphy III scored 20 for the Pelicans, while Jose Alvarado had 18 in their first game since Willie Green’s dismissal.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker exploded for 16 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter as Atlanta stormed back from a 22-point deficit to stun Phoenix. Jalen Johnson posted 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Onyeka Okongwu added 27 points.
Dyson Daniels contributed a double-double with 11 points and 12 assists. The win capped a perfect four-game Western road trip for Atlanta, extending its winning streak to five.
Dillon Brooks scored 34 and Devin Booker added 27 for the Suns, whose five-game winning streak was snapped.
Phoenix led by 21 with 8:33 left, but Atlanta responded with a 20–0 run to pull within 107–106. The Suns briefly regained control, but Alexander-Walker’s go-ahead layup in the final minute and steady free-throw shooting sealed the comeback.
