NBA: Magic match franchise record with 25-point comeback in win over Heat

Cole Anthony scored 27 of his 35 points in the second half and the Orlando Magic matched their largest comeback in franchise history to beat the Miami Heat 121-114 after trailing by 25 points on Saturday night.

The Magic also trailed by 22 entering the fourth quarter before outscoring the Heat 37-8. Their 25-point comeback ties a mark set on Nov. 8, 1989, against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Anthony also had eight rebounds and nine assists. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 24 points and Goga Bitadze added 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Magic, who lost center Mo Wagner to a knee injury in the first quarter and center Wendell Carter Jr. to an ejection before halftime.

Bam Adebayo and Terry Rozier led Miami with 23 points each, and Tyler Herro added 22. The Heat played without Jimmy Butler, who sat with an illness.

Despite having to look to their bench, the Magic erased a 22-point deficit and took the lead on a short jumper by Caldwell-Pope with 2:41 remaining.

Miami made eight of its first 17 3-point shots before missing 14 of the next 15.

i am emotional https://t.co/3yA5jZRgCy pic.twitter.com/scUCOW28I8

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) December 22, 2024

Tatum’s big night powers Celtics

Jayson Tatum scored a season-high 43 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and dished out 10 assists for his third career triple-double and the Boston Celtics beat the Chicago Bulls 123-98.

Kristaps Porziņģis scored 22 points and Jaylen Brown added 19 to help the Celtics rebound from a 117-108 loss to the Bulls in Boston on Thursday night.

Tatum, the five-time All-Star, scored 18 points in the third quarter as Boston used a 19-8 run to open a 93-77 lead heading into the fourth.

Nikola Vucevic scored 19 points and 10 assists to lead the Bulls, whose season-high three-game winning streak ended.

The game was tied at 42 midway through the second quarter, then the Celtics and Tatum found offensive traction. Boston had a 61-54 lead at the half using an 8-0 run to open a 12-point lead at one point. Tatum and the Celtics got hot again and took charge in the third after the Bulls had closed to within five points.

And the game ball goes to...JAYSON. TATUM. pic.twitter.com/y2h5z0bSP9

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 22, 2024

Brunson pours in 39 to lead Knicks

Jalen Brunson scored 29 of his season-high 39 points in the second half to power the New York Knicks to a 104-93 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

All-NBA defensive player Herb Jones pressured Brunson in the first half, picking him up at quarter court. That pressure led to the Knicks’ 35.6% shooting in the first half, when New Orleans held a 49-45 lead.

But Brunson caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 16 points, including 13 straight, in a 22-6 run that erased a 65-52 deficit and gave New York a 74-71 lead. Brunson scored nine of the Knicks’ first 13 points of the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 95-81.

New Orleans, which lost for the 15th time in its last 16 games, was paced by Trey Murphy III with 26 points.

The Knicks, winners of three straight and eight of 10, also got 18 points from Mikal Bridges and 16 from OG Anunoby.

New York trailed 65-52 midway through the third quarter but buried the Pelicans with a 43-14 run over a 10:48 span in the third and fourth quarters to take a 95-81 lead.

certified bucket Jalen Brunson is now tied with Bob McAdoo for 7th most 30 point games in Knicks history with 62 pic.twitter.com/mFiPDe8TH9

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 22, 2024