Jalen Williams scored 27 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 121-109 home win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday.
While the Thunder’s All-Star duo of Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (25 points) led the way as they have for much of the season, the latest win was about the return of second-year big man Chet Holmgren.
Holmgren returned for his first action since sustaining a pelvic fracture Nov. 10 against Golden State, and he produced four points, five rebounds, four blocks and two steals in 22 minutes.
Scottie Barnes scored 21 points as the Raptors lost their third game in a row. Gradey Dick added 17.
Hornets 117, Spurs 116
Miles Bridges made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds to play and Charlotte eked out a victory against visiting San Antonio to halt a six-game losing streak.
Bridges finished with 25 points and LaMelo Ball pumped in 24 with 10 assists to spark the Hornets in his return from a five-game absence caused by an ankle injury.
Rookie Stephon Castle scored a career-high 33 points off the bench for the Spurs, while Fox rolled up 22 points. Victor Wembanyama provided 16 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.
Nets 102, Heat 86
Cameron Johnson scored 18 points as Brooklyn dominated the fourth quarter in New York and earned a victory over Miami, which was playing its first game since trading Jimmy Butler.
D’Angelo Russell added 17 for the Nets, who outscored Miami 31-9 in the final period by shooting 14 of 26 from the field. Nic Claxton collected 12 points, 10 rebounds and four of Brooklyn’s season-high 13 blocked shots. The Nets won for the fourth time in five games.
Terry Rozier led all scorers with 20 points, 12 in the second quarter, for Miami, which tied a season worst by shooting 35.6 percent. Bam Adebayo added points 18 points.
Pistons 125, 76ers 112
Malik Beasley scored a career-high 36 points and host Detroit rolled past Philadelphia.
Tobias Harris added 22 points and nine rebounds for the Pistons, who led by as much as 34 while ending a two-game skid. All-Star Cade Cunningham was a late scratch due to a right ankle sprain.
Tyrese Maxey’s 27 points and seven assists led the Sixers. Joel Embiid scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half, and he also logged seven rebounds and six assists.
Cavaliers 134, Wizards 124
Donovan Mitchell scored a team-high 33 points and Evan Mobley added 27 to help visiting Cleveland defeat Washington.
Darius Garland netted 23 points and Max Strus had 17 as the Cavaliers recorded their sixth victory in seven tries. Jarrett Allen collected 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Despite Jordan Poole’s career-high 45 points, the Wizards saw their season-best three-game winning streak come to an end. Kyshawn George scored 17.
Hawks 115, Bucks 110
Mouhamed Gueye had his first career double-double to lead short-handed Atlanta past visiting Milwaukee.
Gueye got a chance to play extended minutes since none of the four players Atlanta added at the trade deadline were available. Gueye scored a season-high 15 points to go with career highs in rebounds (12) and blocks (four) to help the Hawks overcome a 21-point second-half deficit.
Atlanta’s Trae Young added 24 points and seven assists and came up with a key steal with 34 seconds left. The Bucks played without Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) for the third straight game. They were led by Bobby Portis with 26 points and 15 rebounds, and Damian Lillard with 23 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
Grayson Allen, Suns shoot past Jazz in OT
Devin Booker scored a season-high 47 points and added 11 assists as the Phoenix Suns recorded a 135-127 overtime victory over the visiting Utah Jazz on Friday night.
Grayson Allen scored 21 points on seven treys, including two 3-pointers in the final 1.2 seconds of regulation to force the extra session and another to start the overtime and put the Suns ahead to stay.
Tyus Jones had 16 points, six rebounds and six assists as Phoenix ended a three-game losing streak. Kevin Durant (ankle) and Bradley Beal (toe) sat out for the Suns.
John Collins scored 21 points, Lauri Markkanen added 20 and Walker Kessler had 19 points and a career-best 22 rebounds for Utah, which lost for the 13th time in 16 games. Jordan Clarkson (foot) sat out for the Jazz.