PHOENIX — Devin Booker scored 35 points, Chris Paul added 29 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Utah Jazz 117-113 in overtime Wednesday night in an entertaining matchup between the top two teams in the NBA.
The Suns scored the first five points in overtime and never trailed again to pull within 1 1/2 games of league-leading Utah.
Booker had a couple of clutch mid-range jumpers to keep the Jazz behind and Paul made a 3-pointer with a minute left that pushed Phoenix ahead 114-108.
Utah pulled to 114-112 on Mike Conley’s layup with 21 seconds left, but could never tie it. Paul hit two free throws with 7.8 seconds left to finally seal it and wrap up the season series with a game left. Phoenix has won seven in a row.
Mitchell led Utah with 41 points. Bojan Bogdanovic added 20 points, and Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 18 rebounds.
Phoenix’s Deandre Ayton added 18 points and 12 rebounds.
NETS 139, PELICANS 111
NEW YORK — Kevin Durant returned from a 23-game absence to spark Brooklyn’s most explosive half of the season, finishing with 17 points and perfect shooting in the Nets’ blowout victory over New Orleans.
Durant came off the bench with about 7 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter and by the time the period ended the Nets had 79 points and a 20-point halftime lead. Brooklyn was a sizzling 14 for 18 (78%) in its 43-point quarter.
Durant went 5 for 5 and added seven rebounds and five assists in 19 minutes in his return from a strained left hamstring.
Kyrie Irving scored 24 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 in the Nets’ ninth straight home win.
Eric Bledsoe had 26 points for the Pelicans before being ejected in the third quarter.
WIZARDS 131, MAGIC 111
ORLANDO, Fla. — Bradley Beal returned from a five-game absence to score 26 points, Russell Westbrook had his 20th triple-double of the season to beat Orlando.
Washington snapped a four-game losing streak, but not before it blew most of a 21-point third-quarter lead. The Wizards also had a second-half meltdown Monday night, when they coughed up a 19-point lead in a loss to Toronto.
Westbrook had with 23 points, 15 assists and 14 rebounds in 26 minutes.
Terrence Ross scored 24 points for Orlando.
NUGGETS 106, SPURS 96
DENVER — Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds to help the surging Denver beat San Antonio.
Michael Porter Jr. added 18 points and 10 rebounds in the opener of the two-game set in Denver.
Denver has won seven in a row and has yet to lose since Aaron Gordon and JaVale McGee came over in trade-deadline deals.
Derrick White and Dejounte Murray scored 18 points each for San Antonio.
PACERS 141, TIMBERWOLVES 137
INDIANAPOLIS — Aaron Holiday scored 22 points, brother Justin Holiday had 21 and short-handed Indiana beat Minnesota.
The Pacers were without All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis and three other injured starters, and had lost nine of 10 home games.
Karl Anthony-Towns led NBA-worst Minnesota with 32 points.
ROCKETS 102, MAVERICKS 93
HOUSTON — John Wall had 31 points and seven assists in his return from injury and Houston beat Dallas to snap a five-game skid.
Wall missed the previous four games with swelling in his right knee.
Kristaps Porzingis had 23 points and 12 rebounds in his return for Dallas after missing a game with a sprained right wrist.
CELTICS 101, KNICKS 99
BOSTON — Jaylen Brown had 32 points and 10 rebounds and Boston rallied in the fourth quarter to beat New York.
Jayson Tatum finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Marcus Smart added 17 points, 14 in the fourth quarter, and nine assists for the Celtics.
Tristan Thompson had seven points, eight rebounds and three blocks in his return after missing 12 games.
GRIZZLIES 131, HAWKS 113
ATLANTA — Grayson Allen scored 17 of his season-high 30 points in a dominant third quarter, leading Memphis past short-handed Atlanta.
Ja Morant added 14 of his 19 points in the Grizzlies’ decisive third quarter. Memphis outscored Atlanta 43-23 in the period to break open a close game.
Jonas Valanciunas had 19 points and 11 rebounds in the Grizzlies’ fourth consecutive win. Bogdan Bogdanovic led Atlanta with 24 points.
HORNETS 113, THUNDER 102
OKLAHOMA CITY — Jalen McDaniels had a career-high 21 points in his second career start to help Charlotte beat Oklahoma City.
McDaniels also had six rebounds and three assists. Terry Rozier scored 17 points, Miles Bridges had 16 and Devonte’ Garaham and Cody Zeller added 15 each, and Zeller had 14 rebounds.