Nuggets knock off Heat in rematch of NBA Finals

Michael Porter Jr. scored 25 points, Aaron Gordon added 16 and the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets took sole possession of first place in the Western Conference standings with a 100-88 win over the sliding host Miami Heat in a finals rematch on Wednesday night.

Nikola Jokic finished with 12 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for the Nuggets (46-20), who moved a half-game ahead of Okla- homa City (45-20) and a full game up on Minnesota (45-21) in the West race.

Denver is an NBA-best 10-1 since the All-Star break.

Bam Adebayo scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for Miami (35-30).

The Heat have lost four straight, playing again without Tyler Herro (foot) and Kevin Love (heel). CAVALIERS 116, PELICANS 95 >> Donovan Mitchell scored 14 points in his return from a seven-game absence and visiting Cleveland combined for 20 3-pointers in a victory over New Orleans.

Mitchell, who made four 3s, was one of four Cavs with at least that many, along with Darius Garland (six) and Sam Merrill (five) and Georges Niang (four). Cleveland finished 20 of 45 from deep, while the Pelicans made just 4 of 22 from long range in losing for the first time in five games.

Garland finished with 27 points and 11 assists. Jarrett Allen had 17 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks.

Zion Williamson had 33 points and nine rebounds for New Orleans.

BULLS 132, PACERS 129, OT >> DeMar DeRozan scored 46 points, including the goahead 3-pointer in overtime, to help Chicago outlast host Indiana.

The All-Star forward's only 3-pointer at the 2:17 mark of OT pushed the Bulls ahead 127-123.

The final 72 seconds of regulation were particularly entertaining as Pacers center Myles Turner hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions with 1:12 and 56.7 seconds remaining for a 3-point lead. But DeRozan sank a free throw and swished a baseline fadeaway jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining to force overtime.

Turner led the Pacers with 27 points and five 3-pointers. Pascal Siakam scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points and 14 assists.

MAGIC 114, NETS 106 >> Paolo Banchero had 21 points and nine assists to lead Orlando at home over Brooklyn.

Wendell Carter Jr. added 15 points and eight rebounds.

PISTONS 113, RAPTORS 104 >> Jalen Duren had a careerhigh 23 rebounds along with 24 points and five assists as host Detroit won three of four games for the first time in nearly two years, beating Toronto.

The Pistons, who trailed by 16 points in the second quarter, hadn't won three of four since late in the 2021-22 season — a stretch of 145 games.

Duren posted his second game this season with at least 20 points, 20 boards and five assists.