Griffin has career-best 50 points in Pistons’ win over 76ers
DETROIT (AP) — Blake Griffin scored a career-high 50 points and had the game-winner after he was fouled on a driving layup with 1.8 seconds left as Detroit topped Philadelphia 133-132 in a wild overtime thriller on Tuesday night.
JJ Redick's four-point play with 5.6 seconds left in overtime set up Griffin's dramatics, while Joel Embiid, who had 33 points and 11 rebounds, missed a potential game-winner at the buzzer.
Redick had 30 points and scored a 3-pointer while being fouled by Reggie Jackson after the Pistons point guard made two free throws to take a 130-128 lead.
The 76ers were without Ben Simmons, out because of back tightness.
Griffin faked a handoff on the final play and drove the lane for the basket, getting fouled by Robert Covington. He made the ensuing free throw for the win.
Griffin was 20 of 35 from the field, going 5 for 10 on 3-pointers, scoring his most points as a member of the PIstons for the second straight game.
Jackson had 23 points and Ish Smith scored 21 for the Pistons, who are 3-0 for the first time since 2015-16, the last time they made the playoffs.
PELICANS 116, CLIPPERS 109
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Anthony Davis highlighted a 34-point and 13-rebound performance with a clutch left-wing 3 with less than two minutes remaining, and the New Orleans Pelicans remained unbeaten through three games with a victory over the Clippers.
New Orleans won for the first time when Nikola Mirotic struggled from 3-point range. He was 0-for-6 from deep, but still managed to score 18 points and grab 12 rebounds.
Elfrid Payton scored 20, including a 3 that made it 113-103 with just less than a minute to go. Julius Randle added 18 points before fouling out with 2:17 to go.
Tobias Harris scored 26 points and Danilo Gallinari 24 for the Clippers, who were playing their first road game of the season after winning their previous two at home. Lou Williams added 17 points for Los Angeles, which narrowly outshot New Orleans but was done in by 17 turnovers.
DENVER (AP) — Jamal Murray scored 14 of his 19 points in the third quarter and Nikola Jokic had 14 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Nuggets to a win over the Kings.
Denver has won its first four games for the first time since starting 5-0 in 2009-10. The Nuggets swept their three-game homestand, including a win over Golden State on Sunday.
The Nuggets remained unbeaten despite allowing a team to break the century mark in points for the first time this season. The Nuggets held opponents to an NBA-best 95.7 points in the first three games but simply outscored Sacramento, which entered Tuesday second in the NBA in scoring at 125.7 points a game.
Gary Harris scored 18 points and Paul Millsap added 15 for Denver.