Jalen Brunson scored 55 points – including nine in overtime – as the New York Knicks extended their winning streak to seven games with a 136-132 victory over the Washington Wizards.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 30 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks, who have now won 17 of their last 21 games, including 11 of 13 in December.
Washington, without injured leading scorer Jordan Poole, was led by Justin Champagnie with 31 points and 10 rebounds for his second career double-double.
Among the eight NBA games on Saturday night, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Sacramento Kings 132-122 despite the hosts being without LeBron James, who was missing due to illness.
Anthony Davis scored 36 points with 15 rebounds while Austin Reaves added 26 points and 16 assists for the Lakers.
Sacramento was playing one day after head coach Mike Brown was fired and interim coach Doug Christie was unable to prevent the Kings from suffering a sixth straight loss.
Elsewhere, the Western Conference is leading the Oklahoma City Thunder earned a 10th straight regular season victory by defeating the Charlotte Hornets 106-94.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander again led the visiting Thunder’s scorers with 22 points, while Jalen Williams added 20 points as Charlotte lost for a seventh straight game.
Reserve Jonathan Kuminga led with 34 points and Stephen Curry contributed another 22. Warriors of the Golden State won 109-105 against the Phoenix Suns in San Francisco to end a three-game losing streak.
Host the Denver Nuggets survived a fourth-quarter Detroit Pistons rally as Nikola Jokic scored 37 points and Jamal Murray added 34 in a 134-121 victory.
Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey each scored 32 points to help the Philadelphia 76ers earn a 114-111 victory over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City.
THE Portland Trail Blazers recorded a 126-122 home victory over the Dallas Mavericks, who were without star player Luka Doncic for another game due to a calf strain.
Jalen Johnson had 28 points and 13 rebounds while the Atlanta Falcons won a third straight game with a 120-110 home victory over the Miami Heat.
There was also a 116-111 victory for the Chicago Bulls against the Milwaukee Bucks as Josh Giddey returned from a four-game absence to record a triple-double of 23 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists to help end the Bulls’ three-game losing streak.
