Darius Garland scored 29 points in his return after missing five games with an ugly eye injury, Donovan Mitchell added 25 and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Boston Celtics 114-113 in overtime on Wednesday night for their sixth straight victory.
Garland added 12 assists, including an alley-oop to Mitchell in OT that put the Cavs up 112-109 in their second victory over the Celtics in less than a week.
Jayson Tatum’s basket with 1:04 left pulled Boston within a point, and thanks to some poor possessions by Cleveland, the Celtics had a chance to win it at the buzzer before Jaylen Brown’s 18-footer went off the back of the rim.
Brown scored 30 and Tatum 26 for the Celtics, who were looking to avenge an OT loss at home last week to the Cavs, who overcame a 15-point deficit.
Tatum forced this overtime with two sensational plays in the final 6.7 seconds.
RAPTORS 143, SPURS 100
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Pascal Siakam had 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in just 28 minutes, and the Raptors beat the depleted Spurs for their largest victory of the season.
San Antonio was without starters Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell, and reserves Isaiah Roby and Blake Wesley. The Spurs also sat rookie forward Jeremy Sochan early in the second quarter due to restricted minutes after a one-game absence with flulike symptoms.
Gary Trent Jr. scored 24 points for the Raptors, who were without All-Star guard Fred VanVleet but had plenty left to score a season high in points and force a season-high 23 turnovers.
CLIPPERS 109, ROCKETS 101
HOUSTON (AP) — Paul George scored 28 points, Marcus Morris added 21 and the Clippers beat the Rockets.
t’s the Clippers’ second win in a row over Houston following a 95-93 victory on Monday that snapped a four-game skid.
Los Angeles was without Kawhi Leonard, who did not make the road trip because of stiffness in his surgically repaired right knee. It’s the fifth straight game he’s missed, and his time off will stretch to six games Friday when the team visits San Antonio.
Alperen Sengun had 26 points and 13 rebounds and Jalen Green scored 22 points for the Rockets, who have dropped five straight since their only win this season.
BULLS 106, HORNETS 88
CHICAGO (AP) — Javonte Green scored 17 points on 7-for-7 shooting, leading a strong performance by Chicago’s reserves and helping the Bulls beat the Hornets.
Patrick Williams had 16 points and Nikola Vucevic added 14 points and 13 rebounds as Chicago cruised to its second straight win despite an off night for stars DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
Led by Green and Goran Dragic, who had 16 points, Chicago’s reserves outscored Charlotte’s bench 49-28.
Kelly Oubre Jr. led Charlotte with five 3-pointers and 24 points. Mason Plumlee had 11 points and 13 boards.
HAWKS 112, KNICKS 99
NEW YORK (AP) — Dejounte Murray scored a career-high 36 points and the Hawks overcame a 23-point deficit to beat the Knicks.
Trae Young added 17 points despite missing time in the second half because of a left eye contusion, before returning wearing protective glasses with 7:04 left in the game.
De’Andre Hunter finished with 21 points and John Collins added 12 points and 13 rebounds for Atlanta.
Jalen Brunson scored 20 points for the Knicks. RJ Barrett had 19 and Julius Randle finished with 14.