NBA: Jazz overcome Cooper Flagg's historic outing for Mavs

Keyonte George scored a career-high 37 points and recorded six assists, leading the Utah Jazz to a thrilling 140-133 overtime victory against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night in Salt Lake City. This marked George’s second consecutive 30-plus-point performance, solidifying his emerging star status.

Despite George’s stellar play, the Jazz had to overcome a historic outing from Dallas’ Cooper Flagg, who made history as the first 18-year-old to score 40 points in a game. Flagg finished with 42 points, six assists, and seven rebounds, but it was not enough to propel the Mavericks to victory.

Lauri Markkanen also contributed significantly for the Jazz, adding 33 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Together with George, Markkanen scored nine of Utah’s 11 overtime points. Kyle Filipowski chipped in 25 points and nine rebounds as the Jazz won their fourth game in six outings.

P.J. Washington was a standout for the Mavericks, recording a double-double with 25 points and 13 rebounds. Naji Marshall and Ryan Nembhard added 15 and 14 points, respectively, but Dallas' recent momentum was halted as they fell short.

Nuggets Hold Off Rockets in Overtime Thriller

Jamal Murray delivered a clutch performance, scoring six of his 35 points in overtime, while Nikola Jokic tallied a near triple-double with 39 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 128-125 victory over the Houston Rockets.

The Nuggets overcame a valiant effort from Houston’s Alperen Sengun, who finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Kevin Durant also added 25 points and five blocks, but the Rockets could not close out the game in overtime.

Denver ended a four-game home losing streak, with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Cameron Johnson contributing 13 points each. The Nuggets, now winners of five straight, saw Peyton Watson exit early due to a right trunk injury.

Grizzlies Cruise Past Clippers with Strong Team Effort

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored a season-high 31 points and Cam Spencer added a career-best 27 points, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a 121-103 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in Inglewood, California.

The Grizzlies built a 90-76 lead by the end of the third quarter and never looked back, securing their third victory over the Clippers since Nov. 28. Ja Morant, in his second game back from a calf injury, was limited to 12 points in 21 minutes.

For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard led the way with 21 points, and Kris Dunn added 17. However, the Clippers have now lost eight straight home games, extending a difficult stretch where they have only won three of their last 15 games.

Cunningham Powers Pistons Past Celtics

Cade Cunningham scored 32 points and handed out 10 assists to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 112-105 victory over the Boston Celtics, extending Detroit’s winning streak to four games.

Cunningham was red-hot, shooting 11 of 21 from the floor, including 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. Caris LeVert and Tobias Harris each chipped in 13 points for the Pistons.

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 34 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, but Boston struggled from the free-throw line, with Brown missing seven of his 14 attempts. Derrick White added 31 points for Boston, who have now dropped two straight games.

Raptors Snap Skid, Defeat Heat

Brandon Ingram scored 28 points, and Scottie Barnes contributed a solid all-around performance with 17 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and three blocks, as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Miami Heat 106-96.

The Raptors dominated the fourth quarter 32-19 to secure the win, snapping a four-game losing streak. Ingram was efficient, hitting 5 of 7 three-pointers, while Immanuel Quickley added 15 points off the bench.

Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Norman Powell also added 20 points. However, Miami has now lost five straight, further compounded by injuries to Tyler Herro and Nikola Jovic. Herro was sidelined due to a right big toe contusion, and Jovic suffered a right elbow injury in the first quarter. -Field Level Media/Reuters