NBA: Celtics run winning streak to five games

Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and the Boston Celtics withstood a late charge from the Minnesota Timberwolves to hold on for a 107-105 win on Sunday.

Brown had seven of Boston's 21 makes from 3-point range to complement Jayson Tatum's 26 points and eight rebounds as the Celtics extended their winning streak to five games. Derrick White added 19 points and nine rebounds for the defending NBA champions, who at 14-3 trail only the 17-1 Cleveland Cavaliers for the league's best record.

Anthony Edwards compiled 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to nearly lead the Timberwolves back from an 84-73 deficit after three quarters. Minnesota could not get a shot off in the final seconds, however, and was dealt a second straight loss and fifth defeat in seven games.

Julius Randle chipped in 23 points for the Timberwolves, who also received 20 rebounds and 10 points from Rudy Gobert.

The Celtics hit four 3-pointers, including a pair from Tatum, during a 14-0 run that extended a one-point lead into a 69-54 advantage with 7:20 left in the third quarter. The margin was still double digits with eight minutes to go before Minnesota began cutting into its deficit.

A 9-3 spurt capped by Jaden McDaniels' dunk with 2:04 left pulled the Timberwolves within 104-102, and Minnesota had a chance at the victory after Brown's miss on a late 3-point try followed Randle's inside layup that trimmed Boston's lead to 107-105 with 33.6 seconds to play.

Brown cut off Edwards trying to drive to the basket, however, and Naz Reid's 3-point attempt came just after the final buzzer as the Celtics hung on.

SUNDAY'S FINAL SCORES Jaylen Brown leads the way for the @celtics as they secure the close win at home! Jayson Tatum: 26 PTS, 8 REB, 2 STL, 5 3PM Derrick White: 19 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST, 2 BLK, 4 3PM pic.twitter.com/xbWYTYoIt1

— NBA (@NBA) November 25, 2024

Butler comes up big as Heat outlast Mavericks in overtime

Jimmy Butler recorded a season-high 33 points and the Miami Heat closed out overtime on a 6-0 run to come away with a hard-fought 123-118 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

Miami also got 19 points and 11 rebounds from Bam Adebayo and 18 points and 10 rebounds from Tyler Herro to earn back-to-back wins for the first time since Oct. 26-28.

Butler added nine boards and six assists while finishing 11 of 17 from the field in his second game back from a sprained ankle. The six-time All-Star forced overtime with a dunk off a Duncan Robinson feed that tied the game at 114-114 with 4.3 seconds left in regulation.

Playing its second straight game without Luka Dončić, Dallas had a season-high four-game winning streak halted. Kyrie Irving paced the Mavericks with 27 points, but went 3 of 12 from 3-point range on a night Dallas shot just 25 per cent from beyond the arc.

P.J. Washington chipped in 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Mavericks, while Dereck Lively amassed 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Lively's dunk off Washington's missed shot gave Dallas a 118-117 lead with 3:21 remaining in overtime, but the Mavericks were held scoreless the rest of the way. Adebayo drained a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to put the Heat back in front, and Butler later drove the lane and scored to give Miami a 122-118 edge with 1:38 to go.

#HEATWin final (OT) - Miami 123, Dallas 118 Butler: 33pts, 9rebs & 6asts Adebayo: 19pts (3 3s), 11rebs & 5asts Herro: 18pts, 10rebs & 5asts Burks: 15pts (4 3s) & 3asts Larsson: 14pts & 5rebs pic.twitter.com/WDd6SVhp3g

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) November 25, 2024

The Heat owned an 87-77 advantage late in the third quarter, but Dallas finished out the period on a 7-2 run to get within five. Spencer Dinwiddie then scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to knot the score at 89-89, and neither team led by more than four points over the remainder of regulation.

Harden helps Clippers extend 76ers' woes

James Harden returned to Philadelphia to deliver 23 points and eight assists and help the Los Angeles Clippers continue the host 76ers' season-long struggles with Sunday's 125-99 rout.

The Clippers cruised to their fifth straight victory and dropped the injury-plagued 76ers to 3-13 by dominating from start to finish. Los Angeles shot 58 per cent from the field and built a lead as large as 33 points in the third quarter.

Los Angeles also received 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting from Derrick Jones and a 16-point, 12-rebound effort from Ivica Zubac, who missed just two of 10 field goal attempts.

The short-handed 76ers were again without former Clipper Paul George as well as 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid, both of whom continue to be sidelined with knee injuries.

Rookie Jared McCain led Philadelphia with 18 points but missed 12 of his 15 shot attempts. Backcourt mate Tyrese Maxey wasn't much more accurate, as he was held to 17 points on 5-of-13 shooting.

Harden, making his second appearance in Philadelphia since forcing a trade from the 76ers to the Clippers just over a year ago, tallied 12 first-quarter points as Los Angeles opened up a 39-27 advantage after 12 minutes.

that's a season sweeppic.twitter.com/BguhJ1cjaB

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 25, 2024

The Clippers never trailed thereafter, as they outscored the 76ers by a 33-12 margin over the first nine minutes of the third quarter to take a commanding 95-62 lead. Jones had nine points for the period and Harden eight to go along with four assists.