Amen Thompson’s last-second drive with 1.3 seconds left gave the Houston Rockets a thrilling 114-112 victory over the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics on Monday.
Thompson posted a career-high 33 points, 10 rebounds, and a key late block, while Dillon Brooks led the Rockets with 36 points.
The win marked Houston’s second consecutive upset of an Eastern Conference powerhouse after defeating Cleveland twice last week.
Boston’s Jaylen Brown scored 28 points, and Jayson Tatum added 19, all in the second half but the Celtics couldn’t complete their comeback after Thompson’s decisive basket broke a 112-112 tie.
In other games, the Los Angeles Lakers, powered by Anthony Davis’ monstrous 42-point, 23-rebound performance, beat the Charlotte Hornets 112-107 for their fourth straight win. LeBron James contributed 22 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists.
The Miami Heat defeated the Orlando Magic 125-119 in double overtime despite suspending Jimmy Butler earlier in the day. Tyler Herro scored 30 points with 12 assists, and Bam Adebayo added 26 points.
The New York Knicks ended Memphis’ six-game win streak with an emphatic 143-106 victory. Mikal Bridges led the way with 28 points, while the Knicks held Ja Morant to just 10 points.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls survived a 33-point triple-double from Denver’s MVP Nikola Jokic to beat the Nuggets 129-121, thanks to a 13-0 fourth-quarter run.
Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic combined for 41 points, with the Bulls hitting 24 three-pointers in the win.
The Cavaliers also bounced back with a 110-91 victory over Detroit, snapping their three-game losing streak.
