Burks, Pistons spoil Ball's return to floor with victory in OT
CHARLOTTE, N.C. >> Alec Burks scored a season-high 27 points off the bench, Killian Hayes added 25 and the Detroit Pistons spoiled LaMelo Ball's return to the floor with a 141-134 overtime victory against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.
Burks had five points in overtime, including his fourth 3-pointer of the game with 1:47 left to put the Pistons up for good.
Bojan Bogdanovic had 24 points and Isaiah Stewart chipped in with 19 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit (8-22). Jalen Duren grabbed 18 rebounds as the Pistons snapped a three-game losing streak.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 28 points to lead the Hornets, while Terry Rozier added 25 despite shooting 2 of 13 from beyond the arc.
Ball finished with 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting and 11 assists in his first game since Nov. 16 because of a sprained left ankle. But he fouled out with 29.6 seconds left in regulation, and his presence was missed in overtime as the Hornets were outscored 14-7.
MAGIC 135, HAWKS 124 >> Franz Wagner scored 24 points, Orlando had a franchise-record 50 points in the first quarter and the Magic beat Atlanta for their fourth straight victory.
Cole Anthony finished the first period with two free throws to make it 5022, the most points the Magic have ever scored in any quarter.
Bol Bol added 21 points, Paolo Banchero had 20 points and six rebounds and Markelle Fultz finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and nine assists..
HEAT 110, THUNDER 108 >> Tyler Herro made a careerhigh nine 3-pointers, hit the go-ahead jumper and scored 33 points in Miami's victory over Oklahoma City.
Herro made a mid-range jumper to finish the scoring with 4.9 seconds left. Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed a mid-range jumper, and Josh Giddey's putback rimmed out at the buzzer.
KNICKS 128, BULLS 120, OT >> Julius Randle scored 31 points and Jalen Brunson added a season-high 30, including a 3-pointer with less than a minute left in overtime, and New York outlasted Chicago for its fifth straight victory.
KINGS 124, RAPTORS 123 >> De'Aaron Fox had 27 points and 10 assists, Domantas Sabonis added 21 points and 20 rebounds and Sacramento held on to beat Toronto.
Malik Monk scored 24 points and Terence Davis had 19 against his former team as the Kings overcame a 16-point secondquarter deficit to win for the second time in their past 11 games north of the border.
TRAIL BLAZERS 128, SPURS 112 >> Damian Lillard had 37 points and Portland beat San Antonio for itsr third straight victory and fifth in six games.
Anfernee Simons added 23 points for Portland.