Irving’s runner at the buzzer lifts Mavericks
Kyrie Irving hit a running left-handed shot at the buzzer, capping a wild final 26 seconds and giving the host Dallas Mavericks a 107-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.
The Nuggets rallied from 13 points down midway through the fourth quarter and went ahead on Jamal Murray’s tiebreaking 3-pointer with 26 seconds remaining.
Luka Doncic answered almost immediately on the inbounds pass after a timeout, hitting from several feet behind the arc for a 105-105 tie.
After Murray missed an elbow jumper in the final seconds, Dallas called timeout. The right-handed Irving took the inbounds pass, dribbled with his left hand as Nikola Jokic pursued and hit the shot from about 20 feet.
Denver had a fivegame road winning streak stopped. The Nuggets had won all five by double digits, a first in franchise history.
Doncic scored 37 points and Irving had 24 as the Mavericks (39-29) won for the fifth time in six games, answering a 1-5 stretch.
Dallas pulled even with Phoenix as part of a virtual three-way tie with Sacramento for the sixth and final guaranteed playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Murray scored 23 points, while the Mavs frustrated Jokic into a 6-of-16 shooting day. Jokic had 16 points and 11 rebounds.
CELTICS 130, WIZARDS 104 »
Sam Hauser had career highs of 30 points and 10 3-pointers to help Boston beat host Washington. Jayson Tatum also scored 30 points with six 3-pointers as the NBA-leading Celtics hit 24 shots from beyond the arc.
Derrick White (left hand sprain) and Jaylen Brown (right ankle sprain) joined Kristaps Porzingis (right hamstring strain) among the ranks of injured Boston players.
Jordan Poole scored 31 points for the NBA-worst Wizards, who were without
four starters.
Damian Lillard had 31 points and 16 assists and Bobby Portis had 31 points and 10 rebounds to lead host Milwaukee past Phoenix as the Bucks hit 24 3-pointers to win without star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was out with left hamstring soreness.
Khris Middleton added 22 points for Milwaukee in his first game back after missing 16 games with a sprained left ankle. The Bucks finished 24 of 41 from 3-point range.
Bradley Beal had 28 points, Grayson Allen had 25 and Devin Booker scored 23 for Phoenix.
BUCKS 140, SUNS 129 »
HEAT 104, PISTONS 101 »
Bam Adebayo made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift visiting Miami to a win over Detroit.
Cade Cunningham missed a 3-pointer for the Pistons with nine seconds left and Terry Rozier sprinted up the court with the rebound. He couldn’t get to the basket, so he tossed the ball to Adebayo, who sank the 3-pointer.
Duncan Robinson scored 30 points for Miami, Adebayo had 20 points and 17 rebounds.
Evan Fournier scored a season-high 18 for the Pistons.
MAGIC 111, RAPTORS 96 »
Paolo Banchero scored 29 points and host Orlando pulled away from Toronto, which suffered its seventh straight loss. Franz Wagner had 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Magic.
Jordan Nwora led the Raptors with 18 points.
SPURS 122, NETS 115 (OT) »
Victor Wembanyama had 33 points and 16 rebounds as host San Antonio overcame 31 points by Brooklyn’s Cam Thomas and beat the Nets to snap a threegame skid.
Wembanyama added seven assists and seven blocks while collecting his 36th double-double in 60 games. The 7-foot-4 rookie center has five games of at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and five assists.