Published: March 21, 2026 at 12:15 pm
Nikola Jokic made a go-ahead jumper with 45 seconds left as Denver Nuggets held on for a 121-115 victory over the Toronto Raptors at home on Friday night.
Jamal Murray scored 31 points, Jokic finished with 22 points and nine rebounds, Tim Hardaway Jr. had 23 points and shot 7 of 10 from 3-point range and Aaron Gordon added 16 points for the Nuggets, who improved to 8-8 since the All-Star break.
Jakob Poeltl scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Raptors, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Brandon Ingram added 19 points and RJ Barrett had 18.
The Nuggets trailed 101-98 before Hardaway tied it with a 3-pointer with 7:27 remaining. Denver was up 115-110 with 1:43 left, but the Raptors got right back into it.
Scottie Barnes, who finished with 15 points, had a layup with 1:32 remaining. Poeltl three-point play on a layup and free throw after he was fouled by Jokic tied it at 115 with 60 seconds left.
But the Nuggets closed with a 6-0 run to seal the victory. Jokic had a turnaround jumper, Murray made three free throws and Gordon made one of his own to cap it.
Trail Blazers escape with a victory
In Minneapolis, Portland Trail Blazers escaped with a 108-104 win over Minnesota Timberwolves. Jerami Grant made a 3-pointer with 22.2 seconds left to notch up a victory.
After a timeout by the Trail Blazers, Grant took an inbound pass from Jrue Holiday and made his fourth 3 of the night from the right corner. Grant grabbed a defensive rebound at the other end and made two free throws to finish with 26 points in Portland’s third straight win.
Donovan Clingan scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for his sixth straight double double. Deni Avdija added 25 points and eight rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who moved into eighth place in the Western Conference. Holiday had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Rudy Gobert led Minnesota with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Ayo Dosunmu added 17 points and tied a career high with 10 rebounds.
Durant helps Rockets snap Hawks’ win streak
Kevin Durant helped Houston Rockets snap Atlanta Hawks’ 11-game win streak with a 117-95 win at home. Durant scored 25 points and Jabari Smith Jr added 23 to the total.
Alperen Sengun had 15 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds for Houston, who were just 4-6 in their previous 10 games and were coming off back-to-back losses to the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Nickeil Alexander-Walker led Atlanta with 21 points, but the Hawks shot just 42% from the field and 26% (9 for 35) from 3-point range. Houston shot 51% overall and 47% (14 of 30) from deep.
CJ McCollum had 17 points and Zaccharie Risacher had 16 for Atlanta, who were riding their longest winning streak in over a decade that had positioned the team for a play-in berth.
Celtics rally past Grizzlies
Jaylen Brown scored 30 points, and Luka Garza got a season-high 22 points as Boston Celtics used a fourth-quarter rally to defeat Memphis Grizzlies 117-112 in Memphis.
Payton Pritchard added 19 points for the Celtics, who have won four straight games. The win kept Boston in second place in the East Conference, 1-1/2 games ahead of the New York Knicks.
Tyler Burton led the Grizzlies with 23 points, a career high. Ty Jerome added 16 points and seven assists. Javon Small and DeJon Jarreau finished with 13 points each.
Memphis were able to stay close through three quarters as Boston struggled shooting, converting only 40% of their shots entering the fourth. Turnovers also plagued the Celtics. Memphis held a 103-102 lead with 5:33 left, but Boston went on a 10-point rally to end the Grizzlies hopes.
Knicks manage to outlast Nets by one point
New York Knicks outlasted Brookly Nets by just one point. The Knicks won 93-92 for their fifth consecutive win as Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 15 rebounds. Jalen Brunson scored 17 points and OG Anunoby finished with 16 for the Knicks, who trailed by 13 points in the first half, then blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Ben Saraf had a chance to win it for the Nets at the buzzer but missed a 45-footer. The Knicks beat the Nets for the 14th straight time, the longest winning streak for either team in the local rivalry. The Nets’ last victory over the Knicks was on January 28, 2023, shortly before trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
The final meeting this season had moments where it appeared a real rivalry, even if it has been a one-sided one. Knicks center Mitchell Robinson and Brooklyn’s Ziaire Williams were assessed technical fouls after several Nets players confronted Robinson, who stood over Nolan Traore after the Nets guard had a hard fall while fouling Robinson as he tried to block his shot with over three minutes left in the first half.
Pistons down Warriors
Detroit Pistons used the home advantage to their benefit as they defeated Golden State Warriors 115-101. Jalen Duren scored 23 points for the winners.
Daniss Jenkins, starting for Cunningham, had 22 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for Detroit, who have won six of their last seven games. Paul Reed added 15 points for the Pistons, who won despite shooting 23.8% (5 for 21) on 3-pointers.
Golden State, who have lost seven of eight games, turned the ball over 26 times, leading to 32 Pistons points. Brandin Podziemski had 15 points to lead Golden State.
