(The Sports Xchange) – Highlights of Tuesday’s National Basketball Association games.
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Pistons 107, Heat 97
The Detroit Pistons snapped Miami’s 10-game winning streak after clutch shots helped them withstand a fourth-quarter rally from the Heat.
The Pistons (8-10), who had their entire starting lineup and seven players overall score in double digits, let an early 18-point lead slip to just three in the final period.
Brandon Jennings nailed a three-pointer to stop a Miami run and finished with 15 points.
LeBron James had 23 for the Heat (14-4), who played without Dwyane Wade as he rested a sore knee.
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76ers 126, Magic 125 (Double overtime)
Philadelphia rookie Michael Carter-Williams fashioned a triple-double and had a hand in seven of the eight points his team scored in the second overtime as Philadelphia outlasted the Orlando Magic to end a four-game losing streak.
Carter-Williams had 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, the second triple-double of his brief career with the Sixers (7-12).
Arron Afflalo scored a career-high 43 points for the Magic (6-12), who have dropped three in a row.
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Mavericks 89, Bobcats 82
Dirk Nowitzki shook off a cold-shooting first half to carry the slumping Dallas Mavericks to a victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.
Charlotte (8-11) not only blew a 12-point lead with a 15-point fourth quarter, but suffered a big loss when forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist left the game in the third quarter with a broken left hand.
Nowitzki scored 25 points for Dallas (11-8), 21 in the second half and 14 in the fourth quarter after shooting 1-for-10 in the first half.
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Nuggets 111, Nets 87
On the strength of a dominant third quarter, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Brooklyn Nets to extend their winning streak to seven games.
Timofey Mozgov had 17 points and a career-high 20 rebounds for the Nuggets (11-6) who outscored the Nets 31-15 in the third quarter and cruised the rest of the way.
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Grizzlies 110, Suns 91
Memphis backup forwards Ed Davis and Jon Leuer combined for 44 points and 21 rebounds in a win over the Phoenix Suns.
With Grizzlies (9-8) ‘big men’ Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph both sidelined with injury, Leuer had a career-high 23 points with nine rebounds while Davis had a season-best 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Forward Marcus Morris led the Suns (9-9) with 18 points off the bench.
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Celtics 108, Bucks 100
The rebuilding Boston Celtics moved into first place in the woeful Atlantic Division with a victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Jordan Crawford led six Celtics in double figures with a season-high 25 points and Boston improved to 8-12.
The Bucks have lost 12 of their last 13 to fall to 3-14.
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Thunder 97, Kings 95
Kevin Durant scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder held off a furious fourth-quarter charge by the Sacramento Kings.
