NBA roundup: Amen Thompson, Rockets sink Celtics late
Amen Thompson made a game-winning floater with 1.3 seconds remaining to polish off a career night, lifting the visiting Houston Rockets to a 114-112 victory over the short-handed Boston Celtics on Monday night.
The bucket in the lane gave Thompson a career-high 33 points. He also finished with nine rebounds and four assists to help Houston get a win in coach Ime Udoka’s return to Boston, where he was at the helm during the 2021-22 season.
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Payton Pritchard had one last chance to win the game for the Celtics, but his full-court heave at the buzzer only found the top of the backboard.
Dillon Brooks drilled a career-high 10 3-pointers en route to a game-high 36 points for the Rockets, who won despite once trailing by 12 points in the fourth quarter. Jaylen Brown put up 28 points for the Celtics, who were without Derrick White (shin), Sam Hauser (hip) and Al Horford (toe).
Lakers 112, Hornets 107
Anthony Davis set season highs with 42 points and 23 rebounds to help Los Angeles win against host Charlotte.
LeBron James racked up 22 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers, who have won four straight games and six of their past seven.
Miles Bridges tallied 26 points and eight rebounds to lead the Hornets, who have lost three of their past four games. Charlotte played most of the game without LaMelo Ball, who exited in the second quarter due to a left ankle sprain. He scored seven points in nine minutes.
Heat 125, Magic 119 (2OT)
Tyler Herro scored 30 points and had a season-high 12 assists, leading host Miami to a double-overtime win over Orlando.
Miami’s Bam Adebayo added 26 points — including six in the second OT — plus 10 rebounds and nine assists. Prior to the game, the Heat suspended Jimmy Butler for the third time this season — all for conduct detrimental to the team. Butler’s latest ban has him out indefinitely.
Franz Wagner led the Magic with 29 points. With 33.5 seconds to go in regulation, Nikola Jovic lobbed a pass for Kel’el Ware to dunk, putting Miami on top 108-106. Five seconds later, Wagner beat a double team by banking in a shot, tying the score and forcing overtime.
Cavaliers 110, Pistons 91
Darius Garland scored 22 points and Donovan Mitchell added 21 as Cleveland snapped a season-worst three-game losing streak with a win over visiting Detroit.
Jarrett Allen recorded his 25th double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers, who never trailed and improved to 22-3 at home.
Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 22 points on 9-of-26 shooting. Malik Beasley scored 19 points off the bench, Jalen Duren had 12 points and 16 rebounds and Marcus Sasser chipped in 11 points.
Kings 110, Nets 96
De’Aaron Fox scored 16 of his 30 points in the third quarter as Sacramento erased a nine-point deficit and pulled away down the stretch for a victory over Brooklyn in New York.
The Nets took their seventh consecutive defeat overall and saw their home losing streak reach 11 games. Domantas Sabonis logged 21 points, 22 rebounds and 10 assists for the Kings, his seventh triple-double of the season.