Victor Wembanyama sank the winning free throw with 24.2 seconds left for the last of his career-best 52 points, and he also grabbed a career-high 24 rebounds as the host San Antonio Spurs outlasted the Dallas Mavericks 112-111 on Wednesday for their sixth straight victory.
The Spurs led by 19 points early in the third quarter before Dallas pulled to within two with 8:17 to play and then took the lead at 103-100 on P.J. Washington’s 3-pointer with 5:38 left. The lead seesawed from there. Dallas’ Naji Marshall tied it at 111 with a jumper from beyond the arc with 1:41 remaining, and Wembanyama’s deciding free throw put the Spurs back on top.
The Mavericks called a timeout to set up a final shot, but Kyrie Irving missed a contested turnaround jumper in the lane with 2.5 seconds left, and time ran out. Irving led Dallas with 29 points while Marshall had 22 off the bench, Washington racked up 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Cooper Flagg contributed 19 points and 10 boards.
Wembanyama also had eight blocked shots and became the first player in the past 30 seasons to have at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots in one half of play.
Heat 117, Clippers 116 (OT)
Bam Adebayo scored a season-high 35 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Klay Thompson added 30 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer with one second left in overtime, as Miami rallied past Los Angeles in Inglewood, Calif.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Heat, who trailed by 17 in the third quarter. Miami won for the third time in four games following an 0-4 start.
Darius Garland scored 26 points, including all nine of the Clippers’ points in overtime. Rui Hachimura added 21 points and nine rebounds as Los Angeles lost its sixth game in a row.
76ers 112, Pistons 106
Led by Jaylen Brown’s 30 points and seven rebounds, visiting Philadelphia downed Detroit.
Joel Embiid supplied 26 points and 15 rebounds as the Sixers avenged their only loss this season, Detroit’s 106-93 road win on Oct. 25. Embiid missed that contest. Tyrese Maxey contributed 19 points and seven assists, while LeBron James racked up 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Duncan Robinson led the Pistons with 27 points, including seven 3-pointers. Cade Cunningham had 26 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, while Ausar Thompson had 11 points and 17 rebounds.
Nuggets 128, Raptors 109
Nikola Jokic amassed 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, rookie Bryce Hopkins scored a career-high 18 points and host Denver used a dominant third quarter to defeat Toronto.
Jokic secured his third triple-double of the season by the end of the third quarter and sat out the final 12 minutes. Denver outscored Toronto 41-15 in the third and 64-42 in the second half.
RJ Barrett scored 22 points and Scottie Barnes contributed 17 for the Raptors, who took their third loss in four games.
Celtics 109, Bucks 102
Paul George scored 25 points and Derrick White added 24 to lead Boston past visiting Milwaukee.
The game was tied at 97 with 4:04 remaining, but the Celtics scored the next seven points. The Bucks, who erased a 22-point second-half deficit, never got closer than five points the rest of the way.
Tyler Herro put up 25 points and Jaime Jaquez finished with 18 as Milwaukee took its fourth loss in a row.
Timberwolves 117, Rockets 107
LaMelo Ball and Ayo Dosunmu combined for 41 points and 12 assists, and Jonathan Kuminga came alive down the stretch as visiting Minnesota topped Houston.
Ball scored 20 points, dished six assists and finished 4-for-7 on 3-point attempts while Dosunmu added 21 points and six assists. Kuminga (16 points, eight rebounds, five assists) contributed two 3-pointers and a second-chance basket in the late going.
Kevin Durant put up 21 points for the Rockets, who committed 22 turnovers. Alperen Sengun posted 17 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a game that featured 15 ties and 26 lead changes.
Hawks 120, Wizards 105
Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 6-of-14 3-point shooting powered Atlanta to a 19-of-49 deluge from long range in a road win over Washington.
Seven Atlanta players sank at least one triple, and five hit two or more. Alexander-Walker did much of his work from beyond the arc on the way to a game-high-matching 26 points. Aaron Wiggins had 15 points off the bench, and Onyeka Okongwu posted 14 points and 16 rebounds.
Anthony Davis scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Wizards, and Kyshawn George added 25 points. Trae Young, facing his ex-team for the first time since a January trade, scored 18 points.
Nets 114, Hornets 104
Michael Porter Jr. had 26 points and 10 rebounds as Brooklyn took control in the fourth quarter and earned a victory over visiting Charlotte.
Julius Randle contributed 22 points for Brooklyn, and rookie Mikel Brown Jr. finished with a season-high 18. In their first home win, the Nets shot 50.6% from the floor and made 14 3-pointers.
Naz Reid had team highs of 28 points and nine rebounds for the Hornets, who dropped their fifth consecutive game. Kon Knueppel made his season debut but played just 5:51 before exiting with soreness in his left leg — the same leg that had kept him out of action.
Knicks 135, Bulls 105
Jalen Brunson scored 22 of his 33 points in the first quarter as host New York got to .500 for the first time this season by routing Chicago.
The Knicks led 84-52 at halftime as they tied the franchise record for points in a first half. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 17 points and 12 rebounds for the defending NBA champions, who have won four of five following an 0-3 start.
Reserves Tre Jones and Jaylin Sellers scored 14 points apiece for the Bulls, who have lost seven of their first eight and the past six in a row.
Trail Blazers 132, Suns 119
Damian Lillard tied a season high with 25 points, Deni Avdija had 21 points and 12 assists, and Portland beat Phoenix to improve to 5-0 on the road.
Donovan Clingan notched 24 points and 11 rebounds for Portland. At 6-1 overall, the Trail Blazers are off to their best start since opening 10-1 in 1999-2000.
Devin Booker scored 33 points for the Suns before fouling out for the second straight game. Jalen Green added 22 points as Phoenix took its fourth straight loss.
Pacers 107, Grizzlies 103
Andrew Nembhard scored 22 points, Pascal Siakam had 20 and Aaron Nesmith contributed 16 as Indiana snapped a five-game losing streak with a victory at Memphis.
Nesmith dropped in a corner 3-pointer in the final minute to preserve the win, the Pacers’ first in Memphis following five consecutive losses.
The Grizzlies, who opened the season by winning their first six games before losing in overtime Monday to the New Orleans Pelicans, were led by Cedric Coward and Ty Jerome, each of whom scored 23 points. Zach Edey added 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Pelicans 120, Jazz 113 (OT)
Zion Williamson scored 23 and Saddiq Bey logged eight of his 22 points in overtime to lead New Orleans to a victory over visiting Utah.
Derik Queen added 20 points and nine rebounds for the Pelicans, who picked up their fourth consecutive win after beginning the season 0-4. Dejounte Murray chipped in 20 points and eight rebounds.
Utah’s Keyonte George led all scorers with 39 points on 14-of-26 shooting. He also dished out nine assists and had four steals, but the Jazz still dropped their sixth game in a row since a home victory over New Orleans on Oct. 23.
Thunder 124, Cavaliers 116
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 16 of his 42 points in each of the final two quarters as Oklahoma City beat visiting Cleveland.
The Thunder completed a home-and-home sweep against the Cavaliers, having won by five in Cleveland on Monday. Ajay Mitchell tossed in 23 points, while rookie Bennett Stirtz wound up with a career-high 16.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting, and James Harden added 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Evan Mobley totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Lakers 116, Kings 103
Luka Doncic continued his season-opening scoring spree with 40 points, Austin Reaves added 21 and Los Angeles kept Sacramento winless at home.
Doncic logged his third straight 40-point game, his fifth of the season, and he also posted team highs in rebounds (nine) and assists (seven). Walker Kessler finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, four blocks and three steals.
Darius Acuff Jr. shot just 8-for-24 but managed a team-high 22 points and a game-high 12 assists for the Kings, who were coming off their first win. Domantas Sabonis added 16 points and a game-high 17 rebounds.
