Chris Paul eventually came good as he inspired the LA Clippers to a 100-93 NBA win over the Miami Heat.
Paul, who endured his worst ever single-quarter shooting record after going 0 for seven in the opening 12 minutes, ended up being the hero as he threw in three consecutive three-pointers late on to kill any hopes of a Heat comeback.
The Boston Celtics produced their most prolific display of the season in a 128-119 success over the Sacramento Kings.
Avery Bradley scored 25 and Isiah Thomas added 22 as the Celtics racked up the points and made it an impressive nine wins from 10 games.
The Denver Nuggets poured the misery on the New York Knicks with a 101-96 win.
Danilo Gallinari and Will Barton scored 19 points, with rookie Emmanuel Mudiay adding 15 for the Nuggets, as the Knicks were beaten for a fifth straight time.
Nik Vucevic’s three-pointer on the buzzer earned the Orlando Magic a 96-94 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Vucevic, who top-scored with 22 points, threw in from the corner to regain the lead after the Hawks had produced an impressive comeback.
