PORTLAND (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 28 points and made two free throws with 2.1 seconds left to push the San Antonio Spurs over the Portland Trail Blazers, 118-116, on Friday night, Dec. 14.
Jerami Grant made a layup to tie the game at 116 with 6.1 seconds to go, but he fouled Wembanyama, who sealed the win at the charity stripe.
Pacers 121, 76ers 107
Cavaliers 115, Wizards 105
Grizzlies 135, Nets 119
Timberwolves 97, Lakers 87
Bulls 109, Hornets 95
Nuggets 120, Clippers 98
Suns 134, Jazz 126
Spurs 118, Trail Blazers 116
The Blazers led by as many as 17 points in the final period, but San Antonio tied the game at 109 on a Jeremy Sochan free throw before Julian Champagnie’s 3-pointer gave the Spurs the lead with 2:08 left.
The Spurs had only had 11 available players because of injuries and lost veteran guard Chris Paul in the first half after he picked up two technical fouls.
San Antonio led 52-42 at the half, but Grant pulled the Blazers even at 60 with a 3-pointer midway through the third quarter. The Blazers went into the fourth quarter ahead 88-80 and led 105-88 with 8:18 remaining.
Grant finished with 32 points, including 22 in the third quarter, and Anfernee Simons had 30 for the Blazers. Devin Vassell had 23 off the bench for the Spurs.
LEBRON-LESS LAKERS FALL
In Minneapolis, Anthony Edwards scored 23 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Lakers 97-87.
Julius Randle added 21 points and Jaden McDaniels scored 18 for Minnesota, which won for the fifth time in six games. Rudy Gobert had a game-high 13 rebounds to go with 12 points.
The Timberwolves are 14-2 against the Lakers at home since the 2015-16 season, including four straight wins.
Anthony Davis led Los Angeles with 23 points and 11 rebounds, but the Lakers lost for the eighth time in 11 games. Austin Reaves scored 18 points in his first game back after missing five games with a left pelvic contusion, and Max Christie added 15.
Los Angeles had 21 turnovers.
LeBron James missed his second straight game for the Lakers with left foot soreness and was also was away from the team this week due to “personal reasons.” Coach JJ Redick said pregame he has no sense of when James will return.
NUGGETS TRIUMPH
In Denver, Jamal Murray scored a game-high 20 points and the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 120-98 despite a quiet game from Nikola Jokic.
Jokic, who scored 56 and 48 points in the last two games, had a season-low two assists and tied season lows with 16 points and seven rebounds.
James Harden had 15 points and nine turnovers for Los Angeles, which has dropped two straight.
The Clippers scored 18 straight points in the second quarter to turn a 12-point deficit into a five-point lead. Denver missed eight shots and had 10 turnovers in nearly six minutes when Los Angeles went on its run.
The Nuggets answered that with a 23-5 run in the third quarter to take control of the game. Michael Porter Jr. scored 10 of his 17 points in the third quarter.
Denver held an opponent below 100 points for the first time since April 9.
In Philadelphia, Tyrese Haliburton had 32 points and 11 assists and the Indiana Pacers beat Philadelphia 121-107, with the 76ers playing the second half without Joel Embiid after he sustained a sinus fracture when he was struck in the face late in the first.
Embiid was battling Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin when he caught an errant forearm and elbow to the bridge of the nose. Embiid crumpled to the ground as play continued up floor and stayed down near the Philadelphia bench, holding his face.
Playing just his sixth game of the season, Embiid had 12 points, four rebounds and five assists in 17 1/2 minutes.
Pascal Siakam added 23 points for Indiana, and Obi Toppin had 20. They each had eight rebounds.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 22 points. Paul George added 15.
