In a nail-biting encounter, the Los Angeles Clippers pulled off a shock 102-99 win over Western Conference-leading Golden State Warriors on Monday night. Norman Powell led the attack with 23 points for the Clippers, nailing five crucial three-pointers en route to improving to 8-7 on the season.
The Clippers led by as many as 15 with just over two minutes remaining in the second quarter, but the Warriors trimmed the lead to three by the end of the third. Golden State made a feverish comeback attempt in the fourth quarter, but the Clippers held tight. A missed three-point attempt at the buzzer by Gary Payton II sealed the win for Golden State.
Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 26 points, while Andrew Wiggins contributed 22. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue praised his team’s composure. “They’re the top team in the West for a reason, but we stayed composed and came away with the win,” Lue said.
Lillard Returns to Propel Bucks to Thrilling Win Over Rockets
In Milwaukee, Damian Lillard came back from a three-game concussion absence in triumphant fashion, making the winning layup with 3.9 seconds left to give Portland a 101-100 victory over the Houston Rockets.
The Rockets were on a five-game winning streak and started well with a 13-point first-quarter lead. However, the Bucks responded with a dominant second quarter to lead by 12 at halftime. Houston regained the lead in the fourth, but Lillard’s late-game heroics sealed Milwaukee’s fifth win of the season.
Lillard scored 18 points with 10 assists, while Brook Lopez paced the Bucks with 27 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo contributed 20 in a much-needed win.
Wagner’s Heroics Lead Magic Past Injury-Hit Suns
In Phoenix, Franz Wagner scored 32 points to lead the Orlando Magic to a 109-99 win over the shorthanded Suns. Orlando also got 20 points from Anthony Black and 17 points from Goga Bitadze.
Phoenix, without Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic, lost their season-worst fourth straight after an 8-1 start.
Butler Shines as Heat Topple Struggling 76ers
Jimmy Butler’s 30-point double-double led the Miami Heat to a dominant 106-89 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite an early 19-point lead, the Sixers collapsed, with Joel Embiid managing just 11 points. Miami improved their Eastern Conference standing while Philadelphia fell to 2-11.
