BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and the Boston Celtics ended Detroit’s winning streak at a franchise record-tying 13, outlasting Cade Cunningham and the Pistons 117-114 on Wednesday night.
The Eastern Conference-leading Pistons squandered a chance to break the record they share with the 1989-90 and 2003-04 championship teams. They are 15-3 two seasons after losing 28 in a row to break the NBA season record.
Brown had 33 points and 10 rebounds, and White scored 11 of his 27 points in the final 4 1/2 minutes to help the Celtics overcome Cunningham’s 42-point night.
With Detroit down 3, Cunningham was fouled near mid-court just as he was about to go up for a 3-pointer. After a review, the officials ruled he was indeed in the act of shooting. Cunningham hit the first two, but missed the third. Payton Pritchard grabbed the rebound for Boston, was fouled and hit two free throws with 2.4 seconds left.
Boston stole a pass before Detroit could attempt a potential tying 3.
Pritchard added 16 points to help the Celtics win for the fifth time in six games.
KNICKS 129, HORNETS 101
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 33 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points and 10 rebounds and New York handed Charlotte its seventh straight loss.
Josh Hart added 22 points for the Knicks, who made 13 of 26 shots from 3-point range to improve to 3-1 in NBA Cup group play.
Brandon Miller had 18 points in his second game back from a shoulder injury for the Hornets, who’ve lost 10 straight Cup games over the past three seasons and were eliminated from this year’s competition.
The Knicks played like a team eager to advance in the NBA Cup midseason tournament and improve their point differential, which was at minus-2 entering the night.
New York coach Mike Brown didn’t take out his starters until 2:17 remained in the game and his team up by 24.
HEAT 106, BUCKS 103
MIAMI (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 29 points, Bam Adebayo finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds and Miami beat Milwaukee in an NBA Cup.
The win was the 800th for Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.
Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins and Kel’el Ware each scored 11 for Miami, which improved to 3-1 in Cup games and 9-1 at home this season. Miami would win Group C if Milwaukee beats New York on Friday; if the Knicks win that game the Heat would need some help to reach the quarterfinals.
Ryan Rollins scored 26 for Milwaukee, which got 24 from Myles Turner and 15 from Gary Trent Jr. The Bucks have dropped six straight, the last four of those without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Spoelstra is the 17th coach in NBA history with 800 wins and only the third to reach that total with one franchise in regular-season play, joining Gregg Popovich (1,390 with San Antonio) and Jerry Sloan (1,127 with Utah).
RAPTORS 97, PACERS 95
TORONTO (AP) — Brandon Ingram made a 15-foot jumper with 0.6 seconds left to give Toronto its ninth straight victory, beating Indiana.
Toronto wrapped up a top-two seed and homecourt in the NBA Cup quarterfinals with the victory and Milwaukee’s loss to Miami on Wednesday.
Ingram had 26 points and eight rebounds to help Toronto finish the Cup group stage 4-0 and improve to 14-5 overall. Scottie Barnes had 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Immanuel Quickley added 15 points.
TJ McConnell led Indiana with 16 points. The injury-ravaged Pacers have lost three straight to fall to 2-16. They are 0-3 in Cup play.
THUNDER 113, TIMBERWOLVES 105
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points despite being ill and Oklahoma City beat Minnesota in an NBA Cup Game.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who was listed as questionable on the injury report, made 12 of 19 field goals and 15 of 17 free throws.
Oklahoma City won its 10th straight and became just the fifth team in NBA history to start a season 18-1. The Thunder improved to 4-0 in West Group A and are well-positioned to reach the knockout round.
Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in 91 consecutive games, the third-longest streak in NBA history behind two streaks by Wilt Chamberlain. Gilgeous-Alexander can match Chamberlain’s second-place run of 92 straight on Friday against Phoenix.
Anthony Edwards had 31 points and eight rebounds and kept the Timberwolves in the game by making several difficult shots, but couldn’t stop Minnesota from losing its third straight. Minnesota made just 22 of 37 free throws.
GRIZZLIES 133, PELICANS 128, OT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 27 points, Jaylen Wells added 25 and Memphis outlasted New Orleans Pelicans in overtime in NBA Cup play.
Zach Edey had 21 points, 15 rebounds and two blocked shots for the Memphis, which improved to 2-1 in West Group B, while the Pelicans completed in-season tournament play at 0-4. The Grizzlies outscored New Orleans by 39 points during the 35 minutes Edey was on the court.
Jose Alvarado scored 24 for the Pelicans, who dominated when Edey was on the bench. They went up by 17 in the first half and led for most of regulation. Saddiq Bey had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Zion Williamson scored 17 for New Orleans, which snapped a nine-game skid on Monday night.
After Alvarado’s sixth 3-pointer tied the score at 128 late in overtime, Jackson found Wells behind the New Orleans defense for a dunk that gave the Grizzlies the lead for good.
The Associated Press
