Sunday night delivered another packed slate of NBA action, featuring milestone moments, clutch comebacks, and high-flying performances across the league. From DeMar DeRozan joining the 26,000-point club to Anthony Edwards leading a dramatic Timberwolves comeback, every game had its story. The night also saw the Suns and Hawks cruise past their opponents, while the Thunder, Kings, and Magic all found ways to squeak out a victory. Here’s a full roundup of all the highlights from the hardwood.
Magic Comeback and Wagner’s Long-Awaited Return
Paulo Banchero filled the stat sheet with 23 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, while Desmond Bane added 27 as the Orlando Magic defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 128-118.
Moritz Wagner returned after more than a year sidelined with a torn ACL, contributing eight points and two rebounds in 10 minutes. Anthony Black added 26 points, seven assists and three steals, while Goga Bitadze recorded a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds in his first start of the season, filling in for the injured Wendell Carter Jr.
Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 22 points, with Trey Murphy III and Jordan Poole scoring 21 each. The Pelicans have now lost 10 of 11, while the Magic have won seven straight games following losses since their NBA Cup semifinal exit in mid-December.
Next up: Pelicans at Denver on Tuesday; Magic at Memphis (Berlin on Thursday, London on Sunday).
Grizzlies Hold On in Thriller Despite Late Surge
Cedric Coward came up clutch with two late 3-pointers and 21 points, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a 103-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Jock Landale added 16 points and nine rebounds, Santi Aldama contributed 15 points and eight boards, and Cam Spencer posted a double-double with 12 points and 12 assists. Memphis rallied from a 21-point deficit earlier in the week against Oklahoma City, showing resilience once again.
Noah Clowney and Tyrese Martin led Brooklyn with 17 points each, while Danny Wolf and Jalen Wilson added 11 apiece. The Nets briefly led 98-90 with three minutes left, but the Grizzlies scored the final 13 points to close it out, with Coward’s second 3-pointer giving them a 101-98 lead with under a minute remaining.
Next up: Nets at Dallas on Monday; Grizzlies at Orlando (Berlin on Thursday, London on Sunday).
Raptors Edge 76ers in Overtime Drama
Scottie Barnes hit a clutch free throw with 0.8 seconds remaining in overtime as the Toronto Raptors topped the Philadelphia 76ers 116-115.
Barnes finished with 31 points, Jamal Shead added a career-high 22, and Immanuel Quickley had 20 points. Collin Murray-Boyles pulled down 15 rebounds to match a career best. Tyrese Maxey scored 38 points for the Sixers, while VJ Edgecombe added 17. Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid and Paul George were both out, and the Sixers committed 22 turnovers with just 11 assists.
Toronto rested RJ Barrett and still got strong performances from their bench, overcoming shooting struggles from beyond the arc (5 of 32) to secure their third straight home win.
Next up: Raptors vs. Sixers in Toronto on Monday.
Knicks Rally Past Trail Blazers
Jalen Brunson poured in 26 points as the New York Knicks snapped Portland’s five-game winning streak with a 123-114 victory.
OG Anunoby added 24 points, Karl-Anthony Towns posted 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Mikal Bridges contributed 18 points, six assists and six rebounds. Portland’s Deni Avdija led all scorers with 25 but exited late with a back injury.
New York led by 10 in the third, but Portland tied it at 92 early in the fourth. Miles McBride’s pullup 3-pointer and Brunson’s late trey put the Knicks ahead for good. Josh Hart returned from injury to score 18 points, while Jrue Holiday logged eight points in his return for Portland.
Next up: Knicks at Sacramento on Wednesday; Trail Blazers at Golden State on Tuesday.
Timberwolves Complete Stunning Comeback
Anthony Edwards banked in the go-ahead runner with 16.8 seconds left to lift the Minnesota Timberwolves over the San Antonio Spurs 104-103.
Edwards finished with 23 points, Julius Randle had 15 and came up with a game-saving defensive play against Victor Wembanyama, who scored 29 points in 27 minutes. Donte DiVincenzo’s 19 points sparked the 19-point comeback for Minnesota, while Naz Reid added a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
The Wolves played without head coach Chris Finch, with assistant Micah Nori running the bench. Wembanyama, restricted in minutes after a knee injury, was unable to overcome Randle’s late resistance, and De’Aaron Fox missed a potential game-winning 3 at the buzzer.
Next up: Spurs at Oklahoma City on Tuesday; Timberwolves at Milwaukee on Tuesday.
Thunder Snap Heat’s Winning Streak
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points after a slow start to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder past the Miami Heat 124-112.
Jalen Williams added 19 points, Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell contributed 16 each, and Gilgeous-Alexander maintained his streak of 20+ points in 110 consecutive games. Andrew Wiggins led the Heat with 23 points, including seven 3-pointers, while Tyler Herro added 19.
Oklahoma City used a 15-0 run in the third quarter to take control. Despite Miami shooting over 50 percent, the Thunder scored 39 points off 23 Heat turnovers. Jaylin Williams returned from injury to score nine points, and Oklahoma City rested its starters in the fourth with the game well in hand.
Next up: Heat host Phoenix on Tuesday; Thunder host San Antonio on Tuesday.
Nuggets Overcome Short-Handed Challenge
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 25 points and Aaron Gordon added 23 as the Denver Nuggets held off the Milwaukee Bucks 108-104.
Peyton Watson contributed 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Zeke Nnaji recorded his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Denver was without five of its top eight scorers, including Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, who combine for 84.6 points per game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds, while Myles Turner scored 16 points. The Bucks cut the deficit to three late but missed two potential game-tying 3-pointers, and Gordon’s free throws in the final seconds sealed the win.
Next up: Nuggets at New Orleans on Tuesday; Bucks at Chicago on Tuesday.
Kings Celebrate Milestone Win
DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points and became the 23rd player in NBA history to reach 26,000 points as the Sacramento Kings defeated the Houston Rockets 111-98.
Zach LaVine scored 18, Russell Westbrook posted 15 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, and Malik Monk added 15. Dennis Schroder served the first game of a three-game suspension, but Sacramento still earned its first win of the year (9-30).
Amen Thompson led Houston with 31 points and 13 rebounds, Kevin Durant had 23 points, and Alperen Sengun added 19 points and nine rebounds. The game remained tight through three quarters until Monk’s back-to-back 3s and Precious Achiuwa’s layup in the fourth helped seal the win.
Next up: Rockets at Chicago on Tuesday; Kings host Los Angeles Lakers on Monday.
Suns Cruise Past Wizards
Royce O’Neale scored 19 points and Devin Booker added 17 as the Phoenix Suns dominated the Washington Wizards 112-93.
Dillon Brooks scored 11 points in the third quarter, hitting three 3-pointers to help push the Suns to a 96-65 lead entering the fourth. Booker added eight assists, and the Suns’ bench — including Grayson Allen (12 points), Oso Ighodaro (10) and Ryan Dunn (9) — contributed significantly.
Alex Sarr and rookie Tre Johnson each scored 19 for Washington, but the Wizards struggled with 23 turnovers and shot just 39.5 percent overall (23.3% from 3). Phoenix rested its starters in the fourth and improved to 14-5 at home.
Next up: Wizards at Clippers on Wednesday; Suns at Miami on Tuesday.
Hawks Stun Warriors With Balanced Attack
Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 24 points and Jalen Johnson posted 23 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to lead the Atlanta Hawks past the Golden State Warriors 124-111.
Luke Kennard added a season-high 22 points off the bench, including six 3-pointers. Stephen Curry scored 31 points and Jimmy Butler added 30, but the Warriors’ three-game home winning streak came to an end.
Alexander-Walker’s late first-half surge helped Atlanta take a 59-53 lead into halftime, and the Hawks built a double-digit lead in the third quarter that Golden State could not overcome. Curry also reached a milestone with his father, Dell, moving into second place on the NBA’s father-son scoring list, passing Joe and Kobe Bryant.
Next up: Hawks at Lakers on Tuesday; Warriors host Portland on Tuesday
