Paolo Banchero scored 31 points and Desmond Bane added 25 as the Orlando Magic withstood a fourth-quarter rally and closed on a 14-2 run to beat the visiting Detroit Pistons 123-107 on Monday.
Anthony Black contributed 14 points off the bench for Orlando, which won for the fourth time in the past five games. Wendell Carter Jr., Jalen Suggs and Tristan da Silva each scored 12 points, and Suggs added a career-high 12 assists. The Magic (43-36), Charlotte Hornets (43-36) and Philadelphia 76ers (43-36) are tied for seventh in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind the Toronto Raptors (43-35).
Jalen Duren and Daniss Jenkins led Detroit (57-22) with 18 points apiece. The Pistons clinched the top seed in the East for the first time since 2006-07 with a 116-93 win at Philadelphia on Saturday.
Kevin Huerter and Javonte Green scored 17 points apiece for Detroit, which trailed by as many as 26 in the third quarter before opening the fourth on a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to 12 before ultimately getting as close as 109-105.
Spurs 115, 76ers 102
Stephon Castle produced his fifth career triple-double with 19 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds to lead a balanced San Antonio attack as the host Spurs defeated Philadelphia.
The Spurs played the second half without star center Victor Wembanyama, who sat out with a left rib contusion suffered in a second-quarter collision with the 76ers’ Paul George. He scored 17 before leaving.
San Antonio (60-19) is still alive for the top seed in the West and in the league but would have to win its remaining three games (all at home) and have top-ranked Oklahoma City lose three of its final four contests to attain that goal. Joel Embiid’s 34 points and 12 rebounds paced the 76ers (43-36).
Nuggets 137, Trail Blazers 132 (OT)
Aaron Gordon’s clutch outside shooting helped Denver rally from being down by as many as 18 points to top visiting Portland.
Denver (51-28) trailed for nearly all of regulation before taking a 125-123 lead with 27 seconds remaining when Gordon connected on a deep 2-point jumper in the right corner. Less than a minute earlier, Gordon sank a game-tying 3-pointer on the opposite side of the floor, part of his 23-point performance.
The Nuggets’ lead was fleeting, as Deni Avdija answered with a basket in the paint on the other end to force overtime. But in the extra frame, Gordon set the tone with another crucial jumper, knocking down his fourth made 3-pointer of the night as the Nuggets opened OT on a 10-3 run. Nikola Jokic had his 33rd triple-double of the season with 35 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists.
Knicks 108, Hawks 105
Jalen Brunson hit the tiebreaking basket with 29.8 seconds remaining and prevented CJ McCollum from getting off a tying 3-point attempt at the buzzer as visiting New York outlasted Atlanta in a possible playoff preview.
Brunson scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth and had 14 of New York’s final 16 points. After Nickeil Alexander-Walker missed a 3-point try with 55.1 seconds left, Brunson attempted to get by McCollum, went to his right and saw a 19-footer bounce twice before going in.
OG Anunoby had 22 points while Karl-Anthony Towns collected 21 and 12 rebounds and helped the Knicks (51-28) overcome a 10-point deficit in the third. Alexander-Walker led the Hawks (45-34) with 36 points and hit seven 3s, including a corner 3 that gave Atlanta a 100-95 lead with 3:15 left. Jalen Johnson added 21 and 11 boards as Atlanta lost for just the fourth time in 23 games since the All-Star break.
Cavaliers 142, Grizzlies 126
Cleveland overcame a 17-point first-half deficit to defeat host Memphis and secure the 14th 50-win season in franchise history — despite the Grizzlies tying the NBA record for most made 3-pointers in a game.
Evan Mobley led the Cavs (50-29) with 24 points while Dennis Schroder added 22 points and 11 assists, and Sam Merrill scored 21. Keon Ellis contributed 19 points and eight assists and Jarrett Allen had 13 points and nine boards for Cleveland, which won for the ninth time in 11 games.
Plagued by injuries throughout the season, Memphis (25-54) lost its fifth straight and fell for the 18th time in 20 games. Nonetheless, the club tied the 3-point mark when Adama Bal’s 3-pointer with 1:41 remaining in the game gave the Grizzlies their 29th trey, tying Boston (2024) and Milwaukee (2020) for the record. Memphis finished 29 of 59 (49.2%) from long range.
