Donovan Mitchell scored 20 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter and led a late surge that lifted the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 115-111 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

Cleveland overcame a 12-point deficit with eight minutes remaining to end the Celtics' seven-game winning streak and prevail in this clash of teams with the NBA's two best records this season.

The Cavaliers did so mainly behind Mitchell, who went 6 of 6 from the field while making all four of his 3-point attempts during the final period.

Darius Garland chipped in 22 points and eight assists to help Cleveland snap a two-game skid that followed a 17-1 start to the season. The Cavs had won their first 15 games before a 120-117 defeat to the Celtics in Boston on Nov. 19.

Playing without key starters Jaylen Brown (illness) and Derrick White (foot), Boston received 33 points and eight rebounds from Jayson Tatum and 24 points off the bench from Payton Pritchard. Kristaps Porziņģis added 21 points and eight rebounds in the Celtics' first loss since Nov. 12.

Boston appeared on the way to extending its run after taking a 93-81 lead on Pritchard's 3-pointer with 8:09 left to play. The Celtics then went nearly four minutes without a point, however, as Cleveland hit three consecutive 3-pointers to make it a one-possession game.

The Cavaliers kept charging, as Mitchell scored the first eight points of a 10-2 run that staked them to a 105-101 edge with 34 seconds to go. Cleveland remained in front the rest of the way, with Mitchell sealing the victory with two free throws with 4.3 seconds left.

VanVleet's big night helps Rockets gain ground on Thunder

The Western Conference's top two teams also went head-to-head on Sunday, with the Houston Rockets closing the gap on the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder by holding on for a 119-116 win.

Behind a season-high 38 points from Fred VanVleet, the Rockets moved within a half-game of the Thunder by posting their third consecutive victory and snapping Oklahoma City's four-game winning streak.

Houston also received a near-triple double from Alperen Sengun, who compiled 20 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists. Dillon Brooks added 16 points while delivering perhaps the biggest shot of the night, a contested short jumper with the shot clock winding down that snapped a 113-113 tie with 33.6 seconds left.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 32 points and Jalen Williams had 22 along with seven assists in the loss. Isaiah Hartenstein recorded 19 points and 13 rebounds, the Thunder center's fifth double-double in as many games since returning from a fractured hand he sustained in the preseason.

After chipping away at an eight-point deficit late in the third quarter, the Rockets went ahead for good on Brooks' clutch, off-balance shot in the lane in the final minute. Gilgeous-Alexander then misfired on the following possession before VanVleet extended Houston's lead to 117-113 with two free throws with 4.6 seconds remaining.

Williams answered with a quick 3-pointer to get the Thunder within one, but VanVleet hit two more free throws before Williams missed the mark on a 31-footer that would have forced overtime.

Houston led by as many as 11 points in the second quarter before Oklahoma City pulled within 62-60 at half-time. The Thunder then got some separation in the third quarter with a 7-0 run that gave them a 95-83 advantage with under two minutes left in the period.

Doncic returns to help Mavericks get past Blazers

Luka Dončić returned from a five-game absence to record 36 points and 13 assists and spark the Dallas Mavericks to a 137-131 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

After missing 11 days with a sprained right wrist, Doncic displayed little rust by making 15 of 24 field goal attempts and adding seven rebounds and three steals in 36 minutes.

The Mavericks also received big contributions from Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie in extending their winning streak to four games. Grimes put up a season-high 28 points on 9-of-13 shooting while filling in for an injured Klay Thompson, and Dinwiddie tallied 20 points off the bench on a night the Mavericks were also without star Kyrie Irving due to a sore shoulder.

Portland lost for the fifth time in seven games despite an outstanding night from Anfernee Simons, who went 6 of 8 from 3-point range and 9 of 11 overall from the field while registering 27 points.

Shaedon Sharpe added 22 points and Deni Avidja had 21 for the Blazers, who trailed by 11 points early in the fourth quarter before outscoring Dallas 26-15 over a stretch of seven-plus minutes to tie the game at 127-127 with 1:54 to go.

Dallas took over in the final minute, however, as P.J. Washington hit a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 54.5 seconds left to ignite a 9-2 spurt that gave the Mavs a 136-129 advantage with under 30 seconds remaining.