Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Darius Garland drilled a three-pointer from the half-court logo as time expired to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 118-115 NBA victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. Up by 12 with 9:03 remaining, Eastern Conference leaders Cleveland weathered a Pistons comeback keyed by Cade Cunningham, who scored 21 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter. Fouled on a three-point attempt, Cunningham hit all three free-throws to tie it at 115-115 with five seconds remaining, but Garland made sure the Cavs escaped with a win a day after falling to reigning champions Boston in a battle of the East’s top two teams. “That’s what great players do, they make big plays,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said of Garland. Evan Mobley scored 30 points for the Cavaliers, who were without Donovan Mitchell because of a sore shoulder. Garland finished with 25.
It came down to the wire in Atlanta, where Victor Wembanyama made the game-winning free throw as the San Antonio Spurs celebrated the arrival of star guard De’Aaron Fox with a 126-125 victory over the Hawks. A game that the Spurs led by 20 points early in the fourth quarter nearly got away, but French phenom Wembanyama came through. His tip-in dunk off a Fox miss gave the Spurs a 125-123 lead with 30.4 seconds left. Trae Young drove for a basket that tied it at 125-125 with 8.5 seconds left, but Onyeka Okongwu fouled Wembanyama at the rim, and the Spurs star calmly made the first free throw before intentionally missing the second — leaving the Hawks scrambling unsuccessfully to respond as time ran out. It was a frantic end to Fox’s first game with the Spurs, who acquired him in a trade from the Sacramento Kings on Sunday in a three-team trade. Fox and Wembanyama scored 24 points apiece. Fox added 13 assists and three steals, and Wembanyama pulled down 12 rebounds. “I think I was OK,” Fox said. “I think I was really good in the first half, not very good in the second half. Even as a team, I think we were excellent in the first half. In the third quarter, we gave up 43 (points),” Fox noted, saying consistency would be key as he and his new teammates try to make a late playoff push.
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Anthony Edwards exploded for 49 points to propel the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 127-108 home victory over the Chicago Bulls. Edwards drilled six of the Timberwolves’ 20 three-pointers and made 17 of his 18 free-throw attempts as Minnesota avoided a third straight defeat. Giannis Antetokounmpo was a late scratch for the Milwaukee Bucks with tightness in his left calf, but Damian Lillard stepped up with 29 points and 12 assists as the Bucks beat the Hornets 112-102 in Charlotte. Bobby Portis added 23 points and 17 rebounds for the Bucks, who snapped a four-game losing streak.
The Miami Heat, fueled by 30 points from Tyler Herro, beat the 76ers 108-101 in Philadelphia in a game played as news broke that the Heat had traded disgruntled star Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors. Bam Adebayo scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and Nikola Jovic added 23 points off the bench for the Heat. Tyrese Maxey scored 31 points to lead Philadelphia, who were without star big man Joel Embiid, who rested a day after he posted a triple-double in his return from a month-long injury absence.
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