UNDATED (AP) — A pair of NBA streaks have ended in Boston.
Jerami Grant hit the winning basket and scored 24 points in leading the Detroit Pistons past the Celtics, 112-111. The Pistons ended an eight-game skid and halted the Celtics’ season-high winning streak at nine games.
Cade Cunningham scored 20 points and had a key lock in the final minute in the Pistons’ first victory since Jan. 30.
Jayson Tatum had a chance to send the Celtics into the All-Star break on a 10-game roll, but his jumper from the top of the key bounced high off the rim. Tatum scored nine of his 22 points in the fourth quarter.
Checking out Tuesday’s other NBA action:
— Devin Booker furnished 24 points and Deandre Ayton added 23 as the Suns squeezed out a 124-121 victory against the Rockets. Phoenix improved to a league-best 48-10 despite finishing the game without Chris Paul, who bumped an official after being ejected for arguing in the third quarter. Houston took a 95-89 lead into the final quarter before falling to 15-42.
— Monte Morris nailed a 3-pointer over Stephen Curry from the right wing as the final buzzer sounded to give the Nuggets a 117-116 win over the Warriors. Curry hit an off-balanced 20-foot jumper over Morris moments before and converted the three-point play with 5.9 seconds left to finish with 25 points. Nikola Jokic had 35 points and 17 rebounds in Denver’s third win in a row.
— LeBron James scored 15 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers rallied from a 12-point deficit in the period to defeat the Jazz, 106-101. James delivered 10 points during a 19-4 run that helped Los Angeles end a three-game skid. Lakers forward Anthony Davis had 17 points before going down late in the first half with a sprained right ankle.
— The Grizzlies’ six-game winning streak is over after a 123-119 loss to Portland. Jusuf Nurkic had 32 points and eight rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who have won four straight since dealing CJ McCollum before the trade deadline last week. Anfernee Simons finished with 31 points and six rebounds to help the Blazers overcome Ja Morant’s 44 points.
— DeMar DeRozan poured in 38 points and broke a league record set by Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain, guiding the Bulls to a 125-118 victory over the Kings. DeRozan, who made 16 of 27 field goals, became the first player in NBA history to score 35 or more and shoot 50% or better in seven consecutive games. Coby White set a season with 31 points and matched one with six 3-pointers.
— Rookie Cam Thomas provided 16 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter as the Nets beat the Knicks 111-106 after trailing by 28. Thomas sparked a 15-0 run in the fourth that gave Brooklyn its first lead of the game with just under four minutes remaining. Seth Curry added 20 points and Andre Drummond grabbed 19 rebounds, most by a Nets player this season.
— Gary Trent Jr. scored 30 points and Pascal Siakam flirted with a triple-double as the Raptors dumped the Timberwolves, 103-91. Siakam delivered 17 points, eight rebounds and nine assists to help Toronto win without All-Star Fred VanVleet. Trent went 5 for 12 from 3-point range and had 10 points in the fourth quarter of the Raptors’ ninth win in 11 games.
— All-Star starter Trae Young had 22 points and six assists in the Hawks’ 130-109 pounding of the Magic. Bogan Bogdanovic had a team-high 23 points for Atlanta, which led 72-53 after shooting 13-for-19 from behind the arc in the first half.
— Keldon Johnson scored 22 points and Jakob Poeltl had a double-double as the Spurs beat the Thunder, 114-106. Poeltl had 20 points and 17 rebounds, while All-Star Dejounte Murray had 18 points, eight assists and seven boards. Josh Giddey had his third straight triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Thunder.
— The Pacers’ seven-game losing streak is over after Tyrese Haliburton provided 21 points and 14 assists in a 113-108 decision over the Wizards. Terry Taylor added 18 point and nine rebounds, while Tristan Thompson had a season-high 17 points and six rebounds as the Pacers also ended a 16-game losing skid against Eastern Conference foes.
LaVine cleared to participate in ASG festivities
UNDATED (AP) — Zach LaVine has been cleared medically to participate in All-Star festivities this weekend in Cleveland and return to the Chicago Bulls’ lineup after the break.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan says LaVine got the OK after having his left knee drained and a lubricant injected in Los Angeles. He can resume activities after about 48 hours.
LaVine’s participation in Cleveland might be limited based on what team medical personnel and the doctors in Los Angeles decide.
In other NBA news:
— The Timberwolves have signed guard Patrick Beverley to a one-year, $13 million contract extension. The 33-year-old Beverley is averaging 9.2 points and a career-best 4.9 assists per game in his 10th season in the NBA. He has started 35 of 39 games for Minnesota.
— The Bucks have signed forward DeAndre’ Bembry less than a week after the Nets waived him. Bembry averaged 5.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1 steal and 19.8 minutes in 48 games with the Nets this season.
