Of Tuesday’s nine-game NBA slate, six contests were decided by four points or fewer, marking a wild and unpredictable day around the league.
Andrew Wiggins and Desmond Bane’s heroics, along with the Detroit Pistons’ rise to the top of the Eastern Conference, highlighted a series of cardiac finishes across the NBA.
MAGIC, HEAT LEAVE IT LATE; PISTONS CLAIM EAST LEAD
- Orlando Magic (5-6) def. Portland Trail Blazers (3-7), 115-112: Desmond Bane drills a game-winning triple as time expires, sealing a wild finish in a cardiac Magic home victory.
Paolo Banchero poured in 28 points to pace Orlando, while Bane finished with 22 points and seven assists.
- Miami Heat (7-4) def. Cleveland Cavaliers (7-4), 140-138: Not to be outdone, Andrew Wiggins connects on a clutch alley-oop slam with 0.4 seconds left in a dramatic Heat overtime escape over the Cavs.
With the win, the Heat are 5-0 at home for the third time in franchise history, joining 2012-13 and 2019-20 squads that either go on to win the title or reach the NBA Finals.
[ALSO READ: Andrew Wiggins’ alley-oop with 0.4 second left seals Miami's OT win over Cavs]
- Detroit Pistons (9-2) def. Washington Wizards (1-10), 137-135: Cade Cunningham scored 46 points on 45 shots, lifting the Pistons past the Wizards in another wild finish for a seventh-straight win.
Cunningham also finished with 12 rebounds and 11 for his first triple-double of the season for Detroit, who now holds a two-game lead over the Knicks for the East top spot.
- Atlanta Hawks (6-5) def. LA Clippers (3-7), 105-102: Vit Krejci goes off with 28 points and eight threes in 30 minutes, helping the Hawks send the Clippers reeling to a fifth-straight loss.
- Phoenix Suns (6-5) def. New Orleans Pelicans (2-8), 121-98: Grayson Allen torches the reeling Pelicans with a career-high 42 points off a Suns franchise record 10 threes in a 23-point blowout.
Phoenix has now won five of their last six games after a 1-4 start.
- San Antonio Spurs (8-2) def. Chicago Bulls (6-4), 121-117: Victor Wembanyama fires 18 of his 38 points in the final frame, helping the Spurs’ first win in Chicago in four years.
[ALSO READ: Clutch Victor Wembanyama takes over as Spurs hand Bulls first home loss in thriller[
Milwaukee Bucks (7-4) def. Dallas Mavericks (3-8), 116-114: Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks rallied from 13 points down for a quick return to the win column.
Antetokounmpo scored 15 of his 30 points in the final frame where Milwaukee outscored Dallas, 37-26.
- LA Lakers (8-3) def. Charlotte Hornets (3-7), 121-111: Luka Doncic delivers 38 points in 38 minutes in helping the Lakers bounce back, turning the LaMelo Ball-less Charlotte Hornets.
[ALSO READ: Luka Doncic fires 38, push Lakers back on winning track vs skidding Hornets]
- Minnesota Timberwolves (7-4) def. Utah Jazz (3-7), 120-113: Anthony Edwards lit up the Jazz with 36 points as the Timberwolves rolled to a third-straight win.
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.