Brandon Miller scored 28 points to help lift the Charlotte Hornets to a stunning 124-97 road victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The loss marked OKC’s first regular-season home defeat against an Eastern Conference opponent since March 2024, and the Thunder’s first loss versus an Eastern team since Jan. 8, 2025, against the Cleveland Cavaliers. It’s also the first time OKC has been held to under 101 points this season.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points on 7-of-21 shooting, while Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren managed 16 and 15 points, respectively. The Thunder shot 59.1% from the field in the first quarter before finishing at 37% for the game.
Charlotte’s surprise victory was its first against OKC since March 2023. Miller’s dominance was bolstered by Kon Knueppel’s 23 points and five 3-pointers, as well as Miles Bridges’ 17-point, 11-rebound double-double. Moussa Diabate also had a team-high 12 boards. In addition, the Hornets finished a season-high 51.4% from beyond the arc.
Pistons 121, Knicks 90
Cade Cunningham scored 29 points and handed out 13 assists as host Detroit dominated a matchup of Eastern Conference powers, thumping New York.
Javonte Green supplied 17 points, Jaden Ivey tossed in 16 and Daniss Jenkins added 12, as Detroit’s reserves notched 58 points. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 25 points but committed six turnovers and didn’t record an assist. Miles McBride had 17 points off the bench and Mikal Bridges chipped in 10.
This was the first game between the two leaders in the Eastern Conference since the Knicks eliminated the Pistons during the first round of last season’s playoffs. New York has now lost four straight games.
Rockets 100, Suns 97
Kevin Durant nailed a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining as Houston rallied for a win over visiting Phoenix to secure the four-game season series.
In addition to Durant’s 26 points, Jabari Smith Jr. provided 17 points and Amen Thompson contributed 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists to help the Rockets overcome a 9-for-37 performance from behind the arc (24.3%).
Devin Booker paced the Suns with 27 points, while Dillon Brooks and Royce O’Neale each scored 15. Phoenix used a 10-0 run late in the fourth quarter to take a 97-94 lead before Durant’s eventual heroics.
Celtics 115, Bulls 101
Anfernee Simons made eight 3-pointers and scored a game-high 27 points to help Boston extend its winning streak to four games with a victory over visiting Chicago.
Payton Pritchard added 21 points for the Celtics, who received 13 points and 13 rebounds from Neemias Queta. Boston shot 40% from the field but matched its season high with 20 offensive rebounds. Boston’s Jaylen Brown was 6 of 24 from the floor and finished the game with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Matas Buzelis led Chicago with 26 points. Nikola Vucevic added 15 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists. Chicago, which had won its previous four road games, played without point guard Josh Giddey (left hamstring strain) and center/forward Jalen Smith (concussion). Giddey is averaging a team-high 19.2 points per game.
Raptors 118, Hawks 100
Brandon Ingram scored 19 points to lead five starters in double figures, and Toronto defeated visiting Atlanta to complete a four-game season sweep.
Scottie Barnes added 18 points and 10 assists, RJ Barrett and Collin Murray-Boyles each scored 17 and Immanuel Quickley tallied 16 for the Raptors, who jumped ahead early and never trailed in their second win over the Hawks over the past three days.
Onyeka Okongwu had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Hawks, who have lost two of their last four. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 14 points, while Jalen Johnson totaled 13 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.
Nuggets 125, Sixers 124
Bruce Brown was credited with the decisive bucket with 5.3 seconds left in overtime as short-handed Denver topped Philadelphia.
The Nuggets were without seven of their top eight scorers and all five starters, but Jalen Pickett picked up the slack with a career-high 29 points. Brown also made a critical contribution when he drew a goaltending call on Joel Embiid on a transition layup attempt.
Embiid led the Sixers with 32 points and 10 rebounds, while Tyrese Maxey scored 28 and VJ Edgecombe dropped 17. Philadelphia had its three-game winning streak snapped with the loss.
Clippers 103, Warriors 102
Kawhi Leonard led the way with 24 points, Kobe Sanders chipped in with 20 and Los Angeles overcame the absence of James Harden to hold off visiting Golden State.
Leonard also had a game-high 12 rebounds, while Ivica Zubac had a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double. The Clippers managed to win their seventh game in their last eight contests despite missing James Harden with a stiff shoulder.
Stephen Curry led all scorers with 27 points, Jimmy Butler III notched 24 and Gary Payton II rounded out the Warriors’ double-digit scorers with 14. Butler had a chance to win the game for Golden State with his team down one in the final seconds, but he put up a fadeaway 16-foot airball, with the rebound being deflected toward midcourt as time expired.
Trail Blazers 137, Jazz 117
Deni Avdija recorded 33 points, nine assists and eight rebounds to lead Portland to a convincing victory over visiting Utah.
Shaedon Sharpe put up 29 points, seven assists, five rebounds and five 3-pointers, while Donovan Clingan secured the glass with 17 rebounds to go along with 12 points. Toumani Camara also scored 15 points, while reserves Sidy Cissoko and Caleb Love added 14 apiece.
Lauri Markkanen scored 22 points and Jusuf Nurkic added 21 points, 12 rebounds and five assists for the Jazz. Keyonte George also tallied 15 points, but that wasn’t enough to keep Utah from losing its fourth consecutive game and its eighth in its last 10 contests.
–Field Level Media
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