Detroit’s latest win over San Antonio kept the Pistons afloat in a heated East no. 4 battle with Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks.
Houston padded its lead to two games over the Denver Nuggets for second place in the West. Meanwhile, Memphis leapfrogged the LA Lakers to claim solo fourth.
THUNDER FIRST TO 60 WINS, HEAT GIVE RUDE HOMECOMING TO BUTLER
- OKC Thunder (60-12) def. Sacramento Kings (35-37), 121-105: The Thunder won their 60th game of the season after toppling the hot-shooting Kings in Sac-Town. OKC also became just the 11th team in league history to claim 60 dubs in their first 72 games.
[ALSO READ: Red-hot OKC first to 60 wins as Thunder rout Kings for 11th straight road dub]
- Miami Heat (31-41) def. Golden State Warriors (41-31), 112-86: Thanks to Bam Adebayo’s 27 points, the Heat gave a rude welcome to former superstar Jimmy Butler’s first game back in Miami since being traded.
[ALSO READ: Bam Adebayo, Heat dominate Warriors to spoil Jimmy Butler’s Miami homecoming]
- Orlando Magic (35-38) def. Charlotte Hornets (41-32), 111-104: Paolo Banchero fired 32 markers, becoming the first Magic player to score 30 points or more in four straight games since Dwight Howard, to lift Orlando to a third consecutive dub on the road.
- Detroit Pistons (41-32) def. San Antonio Spurs (31-40), 122-96: Marcus Sasser came off the bench to fire a career-high 27 points built on five treys, spearheading the Pistons’ fourth win in their last five games.
KAT, HART NOTCH TRIPLE-DOUBLES; GRIZZLIES WREST SOLO FOURTH IN WEST
- New York Knicks (45-26) def. Dallas Mavericks (35-58), 128-113: Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart made Knicks history together by becoming the first pair of teammates to record a triple-double in the same game against the Mavericks.
- Memphis Grizzlies (44-28) def. Utah Jazz (16-57), 140-103: Scottie Pippen Jr. stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists as the Grizzlies snapped a three-game skid and overtook the LA Lakers for the fourth spot in the West.
- Houston Rockets (47-26) def. Atlanta Hawks (35-37), 121-114: Jalen Green uncorked 32 points, tying Yao Ming with the most 30-point games in franchise history with 49, and helped the Rockets regain their winning ways.
- Cleveland Cavaliers (58-14) def. Portland Trail Blazers (16-57), 122-111: The East-leading Cavaliers have gone streaking after losing four straight with Darius Garland’s 27 propelling Cleveland over the Trail Blazers.
