Norman Powell scored 36 points and Bam Abdebayo added 15 points and 14 rebounds as the Miami Heat extended their NBA winning streak to four games with a 118-112 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
Cade Cunningham had 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons.
Detroit trailed by 22 in the second half on Thursday night and were still down 114-103 with two minutes left, but scored six straight points to make it a five-point game.
Powell missed and Javonte Green hit a three-pointer to get the Pistons within two points with 46.4 seconds to play.
Jaime Jaquez Jr hit a short jumper to make it a two-possession game, and Ausar Thompson’s turnover forced the Pistons to start fouling.
Powell hit a pair of free throws – his first points of the fourth quarter – to clinch it.
In Dallas, Tyrese Maxey had 34 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, and Joel Embiid scored 22 points as the Philadelphia 76ers scored a 123-108 win over the Mavericks.
Philadelphia rookie guard VJ Edgecombe scored 23 points two nights after hitting a three-pointer in the final seconds of a 139-136 overtime victory in Memphis.
Former Maverick Quentin Grimes had 19 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
Oft-injured Anthony Davis returned for the home side after missing two games with a sore adductor muscle. The 10-time All-Star finished with 13 points and eight rebounds as the Mavs matched their season worst with a fourth consecutive loss.
Rookie No.1 overall pick Cooper Flagg scored 12 points for the Mavericks, who were led by Max Christie’s 18 points.
In Inglewood, California, Kawhi Leonard scored 45 points and James Harden added 20 as the Los Angeles Clippers recovered from blowing a 21-point lead to beat the Utah Jazz 118-101, extending their winning streak to a season-best six games.
Leonard was the only Clippers starter on the floor for much of the fourth quarter. He single-handedly matched Utah’s points in the period (20), with blood on his nose from what appeared to be a scratch.
Los Angeles hit seven straight three-pointers, with Leonard making four, to pull away. Nicolas Batum finished with 14 points and went 4-of-6 from three-point range.
The Jazz were led by reserve Kyle Anderson with 22 points and Brice Sensabaugh with 20.
In New York, Kevin Durant had 22 points and a season-high 11 assists, and Amen Thompson scored 23 points as the Houston Rockets beat the Brooklyn Nets 120-96 for their fourth straight victory.
Alperen Sengun had 20 points, six rebounds and six assists after a two-game absence for the Rockets, who won in Brooklyn for the first time in seven years.
Cam Thomas scored 21 points for the Nets, who dropped their second straight game after winning three in a row.
In California, Jaylen Brown had 29 points and 10 rebounds as the Boston Celtics pulled away down the stretch to beat the Sacramento Kings 120-106.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/basketball/norman-conquest-helps-heat-power-past-pistons-c-21187076
