Jaren Jackson Jr. nailed two free throws with 8.6 seconds left to lift the Memphis Grizzlies to a thrilling 120-119 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on Thursday.
The game, a battle between two of the Western Conference’s top three teams, featured 14 ties and 13 lead changes. Houston had a final shot at victory, but Fred VanVleet’s three-point attempt at the buzzer missed the mark.
Desmond Bane led Memphis with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists, while Luke Kennard contributed 22 points. Jackson added 21 as the Grizzlies closed the game on a 13-4 run, securing their seventh win in eight games.
Cavaliers Dominate Hawks 137-115
Darius Garland scored 26 points, and Donovan Mitchell added 24 to power Cleveland past Atlanta at home.
Ty Jerome provided a spark off the bench with 20 points, while Evan Mobley celebrated his first NBA All-Star selection with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Jarrett Allen controlled the boards with 15 rebounds alongside nine points. A dominant 39-21 third-quarter surge, 58.2 percent shooting, and a 53-43 rebounding edge propelled the Cavaliers to their third consecutive win.
Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher had a standout performance with 30 points on 11-of-14 shooting. Sixth man De’Andre Hunter added 25, while Trae Young recorded 15 points and 10 assists.
Timberwolves Blow Past Jazz 138-113
Anthony Edwards erupted for 36 points and 11 assists as Minnesota extended its winning streak to five games with a convincing road win over Utah.
Edwards shot 12-of-18 from the field, including 6-of-9 from three-point range, while also contributing three blocked shots. Rookie Rob Dillingham, the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft, had a career-high 19 points and eight assists. Luka Garza scored a season-high 16 points.
Former Jazz center Rudy Gobert impressed with 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and four blocks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, another former Utah player, added 15 points and five assists. Minnesota’s Julius Randle exited early due to right groin soreness.
Keyonte George led Utah with 23 points, while Collin Sexton scored 19. John Collins and Jordan Clarkson each added 16 points.
Lakers Rout Wizards 134-96
LeBron James tallied 24 points and 11 assists as Los Angeles cruised past Washington.
Bronny James, LeBron’s 20-year-old son, entered at the start of the fourth quarter and played the final 12 minutes, finishing with a career-high five points. Rui Hachimura scored 22 points, and Shake Milton contributed 21 off the bench as the Lakers won for the fifth time in six games.
Washington, suffering its 16th consecutive loss, was led by Jordan Poole’s 19 points. Kyle Kuzma added 13.
Trail Blazers Crush Magic 119-90
Shaedon Sharpe scored 23 points off the bench as Portland cruised past Orlando at home.
Sharpe shot 9-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Scoot Henderson also scored 23 points and added seven assists as the Trail Blazers improved to 6-1 in their last seven games.
Franz Wagner paced the Magic with 24 points, while Paolo Banchero added 21 points and six rebounds. Orlando has now dropped seven of its last eight games.
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