The Magic have lost 10 of their past 12 games, including five of six on their just-concluded road trip, which ended with a 112-90 defeat against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.

The Spurs haven't fared much better lately, losing eight of their past 11. They are coming off a 117-116 road loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, Fox's second game with the team.

Fox, who arrived from the Sacramento Kings via a three-team trade earlier in the week, put the Spurs ahead 116-114 by sinking a step-back jumper with 7.9 seconds remaining. Miles Bridges responding with a game-winning 3-pointer for the Hornets with 1.4 seconds to go.

Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson lamented his team allowing Charlotte to grab 16 offensive rebounds that led to 27 second-chance points.

"I put that under the physicality umbrella, and pretty, pretty disappointing," Johnson said.

Fox scored 22 points and dished out six assists against the Hornets after producing 24 and 13, respectively, in his debut with the Spurs on Wednesday, a 126-125 win over the host Atlanta Hawks.

"He makes tough shots, big shots. He doesn't shy away from the moment. That's definitely something that we expect from him and that's big time," Johnson said. "When there's players that have been in those situations numerous times, there's a certain level of calm and confidence that they play with, and I think it exudes to their teammates."

Orlando, meanwhile, saw Denver's Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. combine for 58 points on Thursday, outscoring the Magic's starting lineup by 10. Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. matched his season best with a team-high 19 points off the bench.

The Magic are starting a stretch of 10 home games in their next 11.

"It's a great opportunity for us to steal a couple games, get our mojo back, our swagger back," Carter said. "With us being back in the Kia Center, I know our fans are waiting for us back there, I think it'll be a good thing. Especially these next three going into the (All-Star) break, I think it'll set our tone for that back half of the season. I think there's going to be a lot of emphasis on these next three."

Wembanyama leads the Spurs in scoring (24.4 points per game) and rebounding (10.9), though his most impressive contribution has come on the defensive end. He is averaging 3.88 blocks per game. If he maintains that pace, it would be the most by an NBA player since Alonzo Mourning averaged 3.91 during the 1998-99 campaign.

Franz Wagner has been Orlando's engine this season, averaging team highs of 24.8 points and 5.1 assists per game, plus 5.4 rebounds. Paolo Banchero has been a heavy contributor in his 19 games, averaging 22.3 points and 7.2 boards.

Georgian center Goga Bitadze is in the midst of a breakout campaign and leads the team at 8.1 rebounds while adding 9.1 points per game. Both are career highs.

While the Thunder's All-Star duo of Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (25 points) led the way as they have for much of the season, the latest win was about the return of second-year big man Chet Holmgren.

Holmgren returned for his first action since sustaining a pelvic fracture Nov. 10 against Golden State, and he produced four points, five rebounds, four blocks and two steals in 22 minutes.

Scottie Barnes scored 21 points as the Raptors lost their third game in a row. Gradey Dick added 17.

Hornets 117, Spurs 116

Miles Bridges made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds to play and Charlotte eked out a victory against visiting San Antonio to halt a six-game losing streak.

Bridges finished with 25 points and LaMelo Ball pumped in 24 with 10 assists to spark the Hornets in his return from a five-game absence caused by an ankle injury.

Rookie Stephon Castle scored a career-high 33 points off the bench for the Spurs, while Fox rolled up 22 points. Victor Wembanyama provided 16 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.

Nets 102, Heat 86

Cameron Johnson scored 18 points as Brooklyn dominated the fourth quarter in New York and earned a victory over Miami, which was playing its first game since trading Jimmy Butler.

D'Angelo Russell added 17 for the Nets, who outscored Miami 31-9 in the final period by shooting 14 of 26 from the field. Nic Claxton collected 12 points, 10 rebounds and four of Brooklyn's season-high 13 blocked shots. The Nets won for the fourth time in five games.

Terry Rozier led all scorers with 20 points, 12 in the second quarter, for Miami, which tied a season worst by shooting 35.6 percent. Bam Adebayo added points 18 points.

Pistons 125, 76ers 112

Malik Beasley scored a career-high 36 points and host Detroit rolled past Philadelphia.

Tobias Harris added 22 points and nine rebounds for the Pistons, who led by as much as 34 while ending a two-game skid. All-Star Cade Cunningham was a late scratch due to a right ankle sprain.

Tyrese Maxey's 27 points and seven assists led the Sixers. Joel Embiid scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half, and he also logged seven rebounds and six assists.

Cavaliers 134, Wizards 124

Donovan Mitchell scored a team-high 33 points and Evan Mobley added 27 to help visiting Cleveland defeat Washington.

Darius Garland netted 23 points and Max Strus had 17 as the Cavaliers recorded their sixth victory in seven tries. Jarrett Allen collected 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Despite Jordan Poole's career-high 45 points, the Wizards saw their season-best three-game winning streak come to an end. Kyshawn George scored 17.

Hawks 115, Bucks 110

Mouhamed Gueye had his first career double-double to lead short-handed Atlanta past visiting Milwaukee.

Gueye got a chance to play extended minutes since none of the four players Atlanta added at the trade deadline were available. Gueye scored a season-high 15 points to go with career highs in rebounds (12) and blocks (four) to help the Hawks overcome a 21-point second-half deficit.

Atlanta's Trae Young added 24 points and seven assists and came up with a key steal with 34 seconds left. The Bucks played without Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) for the third straight game. They were led by Bobby Portis with 26 points and 15 rebounds, and Damian Lillard with 23 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.

Grayson Allen scored 21 points on seven treys, including two 3-pointers in the final 1.2 seconds of regulation to force the extra session and another to start the overtime and put the Suns ahead to stay.

Tyus Jones had 16 points, six rebounds and six assists as Phoenix ended a three-game losing streak. Kevin Durant (ankle) and Bradley Beal (toe) sat out for the Suns.

John Collins scored 21 points, Lauri Markkanen added 20 and Walker Kessler had 19 points and a career-best 22 rebounds for Utah, which lost for the 13th time in 16 games. Keyonte George scored 18 points and rookie Isaiah Collier had 15 points and a career-high 13 assists for Utah.

Jordan Clarkson (foot) sat out for the Jazz.

The Suns held a 111-98 lead with 6:05 to play in regulation before the Jazz went on a 22-5 run to take a four-point lead. Kessler's dunk with 49 seconds left put Utah in the lead and Collier hit a jumper to make it 120-116 with 4.7 seconds left.

Allen then hit the first trey with 1.2 seconds left and the Suns quickly fouled Markkanen so very little time came off the clock. Markkanen made the two free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining.

On the ensuing inbounds play following a timeout, a wide-open Allen hit another one as time expired to tie it at 122.

The Suns scored the first eight points of overtime to pull away.

Nick Richards had 12 points and 14 rebounds and Bol Bol and Royce O'Neale each had 12 points for Phoenix, which shot 45.2 percent from the field and was 22 of 56 (39.3 percent) from behind the arc.

Utah made 41 percent of its shots and 13 of 48 (27.1 percent) from 3-point range. Kyle Filipowski added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Jazz.

Phoenix made seven 3-pointers during a 40-point third quarter.

The Jazz led 71-65 after Markkanen's basket with 7:35 left in the period before the Suns went on an 18-4 surge. Booker connected on a trey to cap it and give Phoenix an 83-75 lead with 4:36 remaining.

Utah moved within two later in the period, but the Suns eventually received a 3-pointer by Ryan Dunn with 31.9 seconds left to take a 95-90 lead into the final stanza.

Booker scored 22 points in the first half and Phoenix never led though the score was tied 55-55 at the break.

While the Thunder's All-Star duo of Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (25 points) led the way as they have for much of the season, Friday's win was about the return of second-year big man Chet Holmgren.

Holmgren returned for his first action since suffering a pelvic fracture Nov. 10 against Golden State.

It didn't take long for Holmgren to make his presence felt, with a steal on the game's third possession and a rebound shortly thereafter.

Holmgren and fellow 7-footer Isaiah Hartenstein were both in the lineup for the first time this season and Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault had both in the starting lineup.

Hartenstein was working his way back from a preseason injury when Holmgren went down.

Holmgren finished with four points, five rebounds, four blocks and two steals in 22 minutes.

He picked up a technical foul in the immediate aftermath of his third block, quickly drawing a whistle after swatting Ja'Kobe Walter's layup try into the hands of teammate Alex Caruso.

By the time the first quarter was done, Oklahoma City had gone ahead for good, using a 20-6 run late in the quarter to take a double-digit lead.

Holmgren's turnaround fadeaway started the run, and Gilgeous-Alexander had 11 points during the stretch.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished with six assists but was just 5 of 12 from the field and 1 of 6 from beyond the arc. He made all 14 of his free throws.

The Raptors didn't go away easily, though, cutting the deficit to two in the second quarter before Oklahoma City reeled off nine quick points to regain control.

Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 21 points while Gradey Dick added 17.

The Thunder finished off a sweep of a four-game homestand, improving their NBA-best record.

Toronto has dropped three consecutive games and four of its last five.

Oklahoma City was without Luguentz Dort, who missed the game with back spasms.

Tobias Harris added 22 points and nine rebounds for the Pistons, who led by as much as 34 points while ending a two-game skid.

Detroit's Ausar Thompson supplied 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists and Jalen Duren added 13 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

Tyrese Maxey's 27 points and seven assists led the Sixers. Joel Embiid scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half, and he also logged seven rebounds and six assists.

Detroit's All-Star point guard, Cade Cunningham, was a late scratch due to a right ankle sprain. Cunningham was absent from a game for the first time since Nov. 30 and the fifth time this season.

The Pistons went on a 17-3 run in the first quarter to take a 27-11 lead. Marcus Sasser tossed in a 3-pointer at the period-ending buzzer to give Detroit a 42-27 lead. That ranked as the team's highest-scoring quarter this season and tied for Philadelphia's season high by an opponent.

It didn't get any better for Philadelphia in the second. Beasley drained a 3-pointer with 8:50 left in the half for a 53-35 lead. Beasley soon stretched the advantage to 20 with another 3-pointer, and Tim Hardaway Jr. followed with a trey.

The onslaught continued and the Pistons led by 78-49 at the break. The score was also a Detroit season high for any half this season, led by Beasley's 20 points.

Beasley also opened up the second half with a 3-pointer. Harris followed with a midrange jumper to give the Pistons a 34-point advantage.

Embiid, who shot 1-for-9 from the field in the first half, scored Philadelphia's first nine points of the second half. He sparked a 27-7 run that cut the Pistons' lead to 92-78.

Embiid wound up with 20 third-quarter points, but Detroit managed to push the lead to 107-88 by the end of the period.

Duren's three-point play with 9:03 left made it 115-93. The Sixers scored the next 11 points, capped by a Maxey 3-pointer, to pull within 115-104. Beasley fired in two 3-pointers to keep Philadelphia at bay.

D'Angelo Russell added 17 for the Nets, who outscored Miami 31-9 in the final period by shooting 14-of-26 from the field. Nic Claxton collected 12 points, 10 rebounds and four of Brooklyn's season-high 13 blocked shots.

Trendon Watford contributed eight of his 12 points in the fourth and Keon Johnson finished with 11 as the Nets shot 41.9 percent for the night and won for the fourth time in five games.

The Heat, who sent Butler to the Golden State Warriors as part of a four-team trade on Thursday, built an 11-point lead in the opening minutes but never added on. and wound up shooting just 2-of-21 in the fourth quarter. Trade arrivals Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson were not with the team and are expected to debut Monday at home against the Boston Celtics.

Terry Rozier led all scorers with 20 points, 12 in the second quarter, for Miami, which tied a season worst by shooting 35.6 percent. Bam Adebayo added points 18 on 7-of-14 shooting, but Tyler Herro finished 6-of-22 from the floor, including 2-of-11 on 3-point attempts, and was held to 15 points. The Heat were 12-of-40 from behind the arc.

After taking a 51-43 lead on two free throws by Rozier, the Nets ended the second quarter on a 10-2 run and evened the game at 53-53 by halftime. The third quarter featured little flow, but the Heat took a 77-71 lead into the final period.

The Nets took an 87-81 lead on a basket by Watford with 7:36 remaining and converted consecutive hoops for a 95-84 lead with 3:56 left. The Nets finished it off when Russell blocked a 3-point try by Herro, and Keon Johnson had a breakaway dunk with 69 seconds left.

Gueye got a chance to play extended minutes since none of the four players Atlanta added at the trade deadline were available. Gueye scored a season-high 15 points along with career highs in rebounds (12) and blocks (four) to help the Hawks overcome a 21-point second-half deficit.

Gueye had two free throws and a dunk during a 6-0 stretch late in the fourth quarter that gave the Hawks a 112-105 lead with 1:49 left. Losing for the fifth time in six games, Milwaukee never got closer than four points.

Atlanta leads the season series 2-1. The teams play again in Atlanta on March 4.

Atlanta's Trae Young added 24 points and seven assists and came up with a key steal with 34 seconds left. Dyson Daniels added 15 points and 10 assists, Onyeka Okongwu had 14 points and 12 rebounds and Vit Krejci contributed 11 points and 10 boards.

The Bucks played without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (left calf tightness) for the third straight game. They were led by Bobby Portis with 26 points and 15 rebounds and Damian Lillard with 23 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. Gary Trent came off the bench to make five 3s and score 19. Kyle Kuzma had 12 points and seven rebounds in his Milwaukee debut.

The Hawks shot 52 percent from the field in the first quarter and took a 36-26 lead. Atlanta led 41-29 after Young's 3-pointer at 10:02, only to have the Bucks outscore them 44-14 to take a 73-55 halftime lead.

Milwaukee led 76-55 in the third when the Hawks rode a 33-12 run to tie the game at 88-all. Atlanta regained the lead on Gueye's turnaround at 1:09 and took a 92-90 lead into the fourth quarter.

Both teams complete a back-to-back on Saturday. Atlanta begins a three-game road trip at the Washington Wizards, while Milwaukee returns home to play the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Pelicans acquired the two veterans and two draft picks from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram at this week's trade deadline.

New Orleans has lost seven in a row, including both ends of a set in Denver on Monday and Wednesday. Ingram did not play in those games, and the trade was finalized Thursday.

Brown and Olynyk were both considered to be redirection candidates after being acquired by the Pelicans, but they made no such trade. Reports out of New Orleans on Friday also indicated the club is not considering a buyout on Brown, who is in the last year of his deal.

Brown and Olynyk can only hope to have the kind of impact Trey Murphy III has had in additional playing time created by Ingram's 27-game absence that dated back to Dec. 8. He's averaged 24.1 points over that stretch, making 50.1 percent of his shots and 40.6 percent of his 3-pointers.

Murphy went for 21 points when the Pelicans lost 111-109 at home to the Kings in the clubs' only previous meeting this season on Dec. 12.

Murphy's run, which likely made Ingram expendable, has impressed star teammate Zion Williamson.

"CJ (McCollum) told me two years ago: When you command a double-team, that means you command respect," Williamson said. "Trey has been showing why he commands a double-team. I'm excited to see his growth."

The Pelicans can only hope their new looks starts out better than what has transpired with the Kings in their first two games since picking up Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls.

LaVine improved from 13 points in his Kings home debut Wednesday against the Orlando Magic to 22 points the next night at Portland. But Sacramento, fighting to retain a play-in position in the Western Conference, lost both contests.

Those defeats just give more significance to games like the Pelicans' visit, LaVine noted.

"We're right there in the hunt," he insisted. "I think these next games are important for us. We have to buckle down and work through some grooves. But I think we'll be OK because it's a competitive group, an encouraging group."

Sacramento's current look features more new parts than just LaVine. Jonas Valanciunas, acquired from Washington at the deadline, debuted with the Kings in Portland with six points and five rebounds off the bench, while Jake LaRavia, picked up from Memphis, is expected to join the team in time for Saturday's game.

The Kings walked off the Portland court Thursday night tied for the final play-in spot in the West with 31 games remaining. They were just three losses out of the sixth position, which earns an automatic spot in the playoffs.

"I think everyone sees how open it is," Domantas Sabonis said. "We're all super tight with a couple games (separating teams). Everyone's trying to make moves to try and put themselves in the best position for the playoffs."

Evan Mobley had 27 points, Darius Garland added 23 and Max Strus scored 17 as the Cavaliers recorded their sixth victory in seven tries. Ty Jerome scored 13 off the bench, while Jarrett Allen collected 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Despite Jordan Poole's career-high 45 points, the Wizards saw their season-best three-game winning streak come to an end. Kyshawn George scored 17, Bilal Coulibaly chipped in 16, Bub Carrington added 13 and Richaun Holmes tallied 12 points and 12 boards in the loss.

After trailing 67-64 at halftime, Cleveland opened the third quarter with an 8-2 spurt, taking a four-point lead on Garland's 3-pointer.

With 7:16 left in the third, Poole's layup gave the Wizards a 77-76 lead, but Jerome's trey and Garland's floater put Cleveland up 81-77. Mitchell's floater with 3.1 seconds left in the third gave the Cavaliers a 94-93 edge entering the final quarter.

Mitchell scored the first five points of the fourth before Jerome's basket stamped a 7-0 run to give the Cavaliers a 101-93 advantage. Later in the fourth, Poole's four straight points pulled Washington within five, but Garland's 3-pointer began a 7-2 spurt as Cleveland pushed its edge to 122-112 with 5:13 to go.

Poole's free throws trimmed Washington's deficit to eight with 3:38 remaining, but Strus' 3-pointer started an 8-0 run that helped Cleveland ice the game.

The Cavaliers led 35-33 after the first quarter thanks to 52.4 percent shooting from the field, despite Coulibaly's 12 first-quarter points.

From there, the Wizards grabbed a 42-39 lead thanks to baskets from Carrington and Corey Kispert. Mitchell then scored seven of Cleveland's next 10 points as the Cavaliers took a 49-44 advantage with 7:05 remaining in the second quarter.

Allen's dunk later gave the Cavaliers a 56-52 lead before Poole went on a personal 6-0 run (a 3-pointer and a three-point play) to give the Wizards a two-point edge.

The Wizards led by six with 1:24 left and took a 67-64 advantage into halftime.

It appeared Charlotte had lost its seventh straight when De'Aaron Fox hit a 3-pointer for San Antonio at the other end, but officials correctly ruled that Fox's shot came after the buzzer and wiped away the basket.

Bridges finished with 25 points and LaMelo Ball pumped in 24 with 10 assists to spark the Hornets in his return from a five-game absence (ankle). Nick Smith Jr. poured in 19 points, reserves Seth Curry and KJ Simpson each finished with 12 points and Moussa Diabate grabbed 15 rebounds for Charlotte.

Rookie Stephon Castle scored a career-high 33 points off the bench for the Spurs, while Fox rolled up 22 points. Victor Wembanyama provided 16 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks, Devin Vassell had 15 points and Jeremy Sochan ended up with 11 points and 12 boards.

San Antonio trailed for most of the night but finally caught up on Fox's floater that tied the game at 114 with 42 seconds left. After Diabate missed a layup for the Hornets, Fox put the visitors ahead on a jumper with 8.4 seconds left prior to Bridges' last shot.

Charlotte went 2-7 on a nine-game homestand.

The Hornets broke out to a 26-10 lead during the first quarter, with Ball racking up nine quick points. The Spurs were 1-for-10 on first-quarter 3-point attempts and entered the second period down 34-22.

Charlotte carried a 62-50 lead into halftime, benefitting from 53.1 percent shooting from the field that included 9-for-18 on 3s. Ball had 17 points by the break.

The Hornets entered the fourth quarter up 92-81 and led by as many as 12 before the Spurs rallied.

Ball was back in action for the first time since departing a Jan. 27 game against the Los Angeles Lakers with a left ankle sprain.

Even with the high-scoring guard back, Charlotte had a makeshift lineup because center Mark Williams had been traded away to the Lakers, and newcomers Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish had not yet been activated.

Nine months later, the Knicks might get a chance to make a statement against the Celtics, even without Anunoby and Robinson.

The Knicks will try to inch closer to the Celtics in the race for the second seed in the Eastern Conference Saturday night, when New York hosts Boston in the second clash of the season between the longtime rivals.

The Knicks have been off since Tuesday night, when they held off a furious rally by the host Toronto Raptors in a 121-115 win. The Celtics' four-game winning streak ended when they fell to the visiting Dallas Mavericks 127-120 on Thursday.

That Boston loss allowed New York to pull within 1 1/2 games of the Celtics for second place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks earned the second seed in the East last season but were depleted by injuries in their second-round series against the Indiana Pacers, who earned a seven-game series win before falling to the Celtics in the conference finals.

Robinson missed the final six games of the series with a left ankle injury that required surgery, while Anunoby was sidelined for Games 3 through 6 and played just four-plus minutes in Game 7 due to a left hamstring injury.

The Knicks won't be at full strength Saturday, but they've won both games without Anunoby since he suffered a sprained right ankle in a 128-112 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 1. Robinson still has no timetable for his return from left ankle surgery, though the center was cleared for contact this week.

Fortunately for the Knicks, they'll have star point guard Jalen Brunson Saturday night. Brunson scored five of his 28 points in the final 52 seconds Tuesday to help hold off the Raptors, who cut a 23-point deficit to one in the fourth.

A night earlier, Brunson scored 11 of the Knicks' final 13 points as they completed a comeback from an 11-point deficit to edge the Houston Rockets 124-118.

"That's what he does, man," Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns said. "Get to watch his show on the court. That's the best seat in the house. When you get to see ‘Cap' do what he does, it's a special thing."

Boston opened this season with 16 wins in its first 19 games but is just 20-13 since then, a span in which it has won more than two straight games only three times.

The Mavericks led by as many as 27 points in the fourth quarter Thursday at Boston. The loss continued some atypical home woes for the Celtics, who are 5-7 at TD Garden since Dec. 19. Boston went 37-4 at home in the regular season last year before going 8-2 in the playoffs.

"There's no compass as to what (the season) is supposed to look like," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. "So at the end of the day, the regular season gives us a ton of information on the things we need to build towards."

The loss to Dallas also marked the fourth straight time the Celtics have lost their first home game following a multi-game road trip. Overall this season, Boston is 2-5 in its first home game following a trek of two or more games.

"We've been struggling this year coming off long road trips, coming back home," said Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, who tallied 21 points, six rebounds and six assists. "That's something we've got to fix. I don't know if it's just the effort side of things or something."

Jaylen Brown had 25 points to lead the Celtics.

Traded this week from the Miami Heat after a string of suspensions, including for conduct detrimental to the team, Butler hopes to suit up against the organization that drafted him, the host Chicago Bulls.

Golden State is eager for his services. The Warriors have lost three of four and are on the fringe of the Western Conference play-in race. Scoring support for veterans Steph Curry and Draymond Green could go a long way toward a surge in the stretch run.

"I know that I have my joy back now," Butler said. "I'm in a different situation, a different group of guys. Can't wait to be out there and compete."

Butler spent his first six NBA seasons in Chicago, but the Warriors will mark his fourth franchise since he joined the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017-18.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr said the front office is confident about Butler's commitment and motivation amid previous drama with the Heat.

"Players sometimes need a fresh start. So do teams," Kerr said. "That's the whole idea behind this. I know he's excited and ready to go just from talking with him. I think we're going to get the very best version of him. That's why we made the deal."

Chicago was active before the trade deadline, too, shipping leading scorer Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings as part of a three-team trade that also included the San Antonio Spurs.

That seemed to signify a move toward a long-term organizational rebuild. Still, the Bulls stood pat and didn't move other veterans, such as big man Nikola Vucevic, as was rumored.

Despite 10 losses in the past 14 games, Chicago entered Friday one game ahead of Philadelphia for 10th place and the final slot in the East play-in tournament.

"I know us as players in this locker room, we are going to go out and try to win every game," Chicago's Coby White said. "I like the group of guys we've got. We've got guys who want to compete and win.

"We're not perfect; we're still figuring things out. I feel like we're going to compete. We play hard every night, so we've got to continue to climb this mountain."

Rookie Matas Buzelis has accelerated his development while getting increased minutes. Buzelis scored a career-best 24 points on 10-for-10 shooting to key Tuesday's come-from-behind 133-124 win against the Butler-less Heat.

Buzelis contributed 14 points during a 19-point loss at Minnesota on Wednesday in his first career start and has finished in double figures in five straight games.

"Now we move onto the next game and maybe I start and maybe I don't," Buzelis said. "But it doesn't matter to me. I'm always going to be ready to play."

Golden State has won eight of the past 10 meetings with Chicago, although the teams have split the last two season series.

The Bulls need a win Saturday to accomplish that feat for a third straight time. Host Golden State thumped Chicago 131-106 on Jan. 23 behind Curry's 21 points.

The 5-foot-9 guard who played 11 NBA seasons has been dealing with renal failure for the past seven years.

Robinson, 40, went public with his kidney issues in 2022. He has been regularly on dialysis during the battle, often experience painful vomiting and occasionally being hospitalized.

"I'm here to celebrate and thank the LORD for all he has done in my life, today is the day I get my new kidney, thank you to all the people that sent prayers and texted my phone giving me encouragement & love !!!" Robinson said on Instagram.

Though small in stature, Robinson was an outstanding leaper and won the slam dunk titles in 2006, 2009 and 2010 when he was a member of the New York Knicks.

Robinson played 4 1/2 seasons with the Knicks and excelled as a sixth man. He averaged a career-high 17.2 points per game in 2008-09 when he played in 74 games (11 starts).

Overall, Robinson averaged 11.0 points, 3.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 618 games (107 starts) with eight teams from 2005-16.

Robinson was a college star for three seasons at Washington -- located in his hometown of Seattle -- before being selected in the first round (21st overall) of the 2005 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns and immediately traded to the Knicks.

He played cornerback and returned punts for the Washington football team in 2002 -- picking off two passes in 13 games -- before deciding to concentrate on basketball.

On paper, the Trail Blazers are six games under .500 entering Saturday night's tipoff against the Timberwolves in Minneapolis. But the overall standings disguise the fact that Portland has been one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the past few weeks.

The Trail Blazers will go for their seventh win in a row when they open a three-game road trip in Minnesota. Since Jan. 19, they have won 10 of 11 games, including a 3-0 mark on the road and a 7-1 record at home.

"It feels amazing," Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons said. "(We're) going out there competing at a high level and beating some pretty good teams. I'm just proud of the way we've showed up each and every night."

The Timberwolves also are feeling better after posting back-to-back wins over the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets this week. They improved to 2-2 on their five-game homestand, which will conclude Saturday.

Anthony Edwards has been a huge reason for Minnesota's recent upswing. Edwards is averaging 45 points in his past two games, and he leads the team with 27.2 points per game this season.

Injuries to key players such as Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo also have created opportunities for younger players to contribute. Rookie Jaylen Clark has taken full advantage of increased playing time, and the defensive standout is coming off a career-best 17-point performance against Houston.

"A lot of rookie players go in there and they make mistakes, and they might make two mistakes and one or two good plays if they're lucky," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. "But he just hasn't made mistakes. ... The first key to being a young player when you're earning your first minutes is to not hurt the team, so he's been above the norm there."

Minus Randle and DiVincenzo, who both will remain out against Portland, the Timberwolves' next two leading scorers are Naz Reid (14.0 points per game) and Jaden McDaniels (11.0).

Portland is led in scoring by Simons, who is averaging 18.4 points per game. Shaedon Sharpe (17.4 points per game), Deandre Ayton (14.7) and Jerami Grant (14.7) round out the top four scorers.

Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups wants his players to maintain their energy level on both ends of the court when they take on the Timberwolves. If they can do that, Billups said, there is a chance for Portland to keep finding success.

"The one thing that's been consistent is just our defense," Billups said. "And we know that that's the way that we're going to be able to compete with all of these teams. We've got to be flying around. We've got to be playing a lot of people. Next person that comes in has to play (with) the same intensity."

This will be the fourth and final meeting between the teams during the regular season. The Timberwolves won the first matchup 127-102 on their home court Nov. 8, and Portland responded by winning both of its home games.

The Trail Blazers won 122-108 on Nov. 12 in Portland. One night later, they prevailed again with a 106-98 victory in the rematch on their home court.

Along with Powell and Lillard, the New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson, the Detroit Pistons' Cade Cunningham, the Cleveland Cavaliers' Darius Garland, the Miami Heat's Tyler Herro, the Golden State Warriors' Buddy Hield and the Brooklyn Nets' Cam Johnson all will compete.

Herro leads the group with 3.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, while Powell is next among participants with 3.4, while leading the group by going 43.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Powell leads the Clippers with a career-high 23.9 points per game.

Brunson was named an All-Star Game starter, while Cunningham, Garland, Herro and Lillard all were named reserves.

Hield also is a past winner of the event, taking the title in 2020 in Chicago as a member of the Sacramento Kings.

Just a week after acquiring the superstar from the Dallas Mavericks, in a trade that cost 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and fellow starter Max Christie, the Lakers enter Saturday winners of four straight games and eight of the past nine.

It was reported Thursday that the Doncic era in Los Angeles will begin Monday against the Utah Jazz.

The Lakers still have plenty to focus on against the Pacers, who have won five of six.

Los Angeles began its current three-game homestand on Thursday with a 120-112 win over the Golden State Warriors. Los Angeles' 40-year-old wonder LeBron James finished with a season-high 42 points and 17 rebounds to go along with eight assists.

James joined Michael Jordan as the only players to score 40 points in a game after their 40th birthday.

"The biggest thing is that we got the win, obviously," James said. "But throughout my journey, any time I've been in a category or crossed paths with the greats, it's always humbling. I love the game so much, so it's pretty cool."

Doncic isn't the only newcomer that eventually will be paired with James, as the team acquired center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets in a deal that included trading away rookie Dalton Knecht.

As the Lakers continue to make their push in the final two months of the regular season, Williams adds another threat to a surging club.

"(Mark) is a young, athletic big who's going to give us another lob threat along with Jaxson (Hayes)," James said. "I was surprised that we were able to get him, honestly."

Williams, who averages 15.6 points and 9.6 rebounds, could make his Lakers debut Saturday. James leads the team with 24.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

The Pacers, who were relatively quiet during Thursday's trade deadline, rallied from a 22-point first-half deficit that night to earn a 119-112 road win against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Indiana's Pascal Siakam went for 33 points and 11 rebounds as the Pacers continued their ascent through the Eastern Conference standings. At 13-3 since the start of January, Indiana has climbed to the fourth seed in the East.

"We're a team that's going to use our depth and wear down the other team," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. "That's a big part of who we have to be. As long as we're aggressive and helping each other out defensively, we give ourselves a chance to win."

In Thursday's victory, Myles Turner was inadvertently hit in the head by teammate Bennedict Mathurin and had to leave the game in the first quarter with a possible concussion. The Pacers' center is currently listed as a game-time decision for Saturday.

Siakam paces Indiana with 20.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, while Tyrese Haliburton adds 17.8 points and 8.5 assists per contest.

It will be the Mavs' first home game since their league-shaking trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers a week ago.

Fans upset about losing their 25-year-old, five-time All-NBA guard, have threatened to show their displeasure with the front office. Their outpouring of emotion has already included spontaneous memorials of Doncic jerseys, posters -- even a coffin -- along with profane graffiti outside of the arena since news of the trade broke late Feb. 1.

The team announced extra security will be deployed inside and outside the arena.

"I don't know what to expect. I know Luka was so dear to every Mavs fan's heart," guard Klay Thompson told reporters before the revamped Mavs surprised the Boston Celtics with a 127-120 road win on Thursday.

"We've just got to win, and do it on a consistent basis, and give ourselves a chance to win the whole thing, and I think that will ease all of the fans' pain and anger. It's going to be weird, but that's what we sign up for."

Thompson led Dallas with 25 points and Spencer Dinwiddie and Naji Marshall combined for 42 off the bench.

The fan reaction isn't the only lingering unknown for the Mavericks.

All-NBA center Anthony Davis is expected to make his Dallas debut since arriving in the trade, which also sent guard Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick to the Mavs. Forwards Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris went to the Los Angeles Lakers, in addition to Doncic.

Davis has been unavailable since Jan. 28 with an abdominal strain. Center P.J. Washington missed his second consecutive game for personal reasons and it's unclear whether he'll return to action on Saturday.

The Rockets have lost five straight, including a 127-114 road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. Guard Fred VanVleet (ankle) and forward Jabari Smith Jr. (hand) did not play.

Houston, which is 17-10 on the road, is trying to salvage the finale of its four-game road trip before returning home for three games ahead of the All-Star break.

"The identity we've kind of formed was being a tougher team, an aggressive team and now we look like one of the softest teams in the league," Rockets coach Ime Udoka said after the Timberwolves outscored the Rockets 35-16 in the fourth quarter. "(We need to) guard like we're capable."

Seven Rockets scored in double figures in Minneapolis, led by Jalen Green's 28 points.

Dallas coach Jason Kidd, amid the fan turmoil swirling around his team, is tasked with finding some roster cohesion with his latest additions.

"Our sympathy goes to the fans, and understanding they can be upset," Kidd said. "But at the same time, as a coach, the guys that I have, we have to put them in position to be successful against Houston, and that's all I'm focused on."

The Lakers host the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, but coach JJ Redick said he wasn't counting on playing Doncic, who is making his way back from a calf injury.

"Probably more likely Monday," Redick said Thursday night. "No commitment made on anything, but probably trending more toward Monday."

Doncic took part in 5-on-5 drills at practice on Wednesday without setbacks.

"All is well. All is positive," Redick said. "Hopefully we get the word at some point in the next few days that he is going to play. We all want to see him in a Laker uniform."

Doncic was acquired from the Mavericks in a blockbuster deal late Saturday that sent star forward Anthony Davis to Dallas.

Doncic, who turns 26 this month, has been working himself back to health after sustaining a left calf strain in the Mavericks' game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Christmas Day.

He has averages of 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 22 games (all starts) this season. He has played only for Dallas in his seven-year NBA career after being selected third overall by the Hawks in the 2018 draft. Atlanta sent his draft rights to the Mavericks in exchange for the draft rights to Trae Young.

In addition to Doncic, the Lakers also picked up Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris in the trade. The Mavericks, in turn, received Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick.

The Utah Jazz helped to facilitate the trade and received Jalen Hood-Schifino and a 2025 second-round draft pick via the Los Angeles Clippers from the Lakers. Dallas also sent a 2025 second-round selection to Utah.

James also grabbed a season-best 17 rebounds to go with eight assists and six 3-pointers in an epic performance as the Lakers won their fourth straight game and 10th in their past 12.

Austin Reaves added 23 points and Gabe Vincent scored 15 on five 3-pointers for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes had 11 points apiece and Jarred Vanderbilt collected 14 rebounds.

Stephen Curry had 37 points and seven rebounds for the Warriors. Curry scored 19 points in the fourth quarter, when he made four 3-pointers (he finished 6 of 20 for the game). Buddy Hield and Moses Moody scored 14 points each, while Pat Spencer and Draymond Green added 13 apiece for Golden State.

Pacers 119, Clippers 112

Pascal Siakam collected 33 points and 11 rebounds and Bennedict Mathurin added 25 points as Indiana overcame a 22-point first-half deficit to win in Inglewood, Calif.

A 14-0 run in the last three-plus minutes completed the Pacers' comeback. Thomas Bryant amassed 12 points and 10 rebounds, Tyrese Haliburton had 14 points and eight assists and Ben Sheppard finished with 12 points as the Pacers won for the 12th time in their past 14 road games. Indiana lost Myles Turner in the first quarter after he took a blow to the face from Mathurin.

Norman Powell and James Harden each scored 22 points for the Clippers, who saw their losing streak extend to three games. Kawhi Leonard scored 19 points for Los Angeles in a season-best 33 minutes; he had missed the opening 34 games of the season due to knee soreness.

Trail Blazers 108, Kings 102

Anfernee Simons scored 30 points and Portland made it six straight wins with a home victory over Sacramento.

Simons hit 8 of 12 3-point attempts and added six assists. He was aided by Shaedon Sharpe, who contributed 24 points off the bench, and Deandre Ayton, who posted 18 points and eight rebounds.

Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points each for the Kings, who lost for the fourth time in five games. Malik Monk contributed 21 points, and Domantas Sabonis amassed 10 points and 14 rebounds before fouling out.

Mavericks 127, Celtics 120

Klay Thompson scored 25 points and Spencer Dinwiddie added 22 off the bench as undermanned Dallas earned a road victory over Boston in a matchup of teams that met in last year's NBA Finals.

Daniel Gafford had eight points and 15 rebounds for the Mavericks, who shot 55.7 percent from the floor (49 of 88) and ended a three-game losing streak. Anthony Davis (abdominal strain) missed his third straight game since he was acquired by the Mavericks.

Jaylen Brown tossed in a team-high 25 points for the Celtics, who received 21 points from Payton Pritchard and 17 points apiece from Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis.

Timberwolves 127, Rockets 114

Anthony Edwards scored 41 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished six assists, and Minnesota rallied for a win over Houston in Minneapolis.

Edwards was coming off a 49-point night on Wednesday, and Minnesota has won back-to-back contests. Rookie Jaylen Clark scored a career-high 17 points off the bench, and Naz Reid (15 points, 11 rebounds) and Rudy Gobert (13 points, 10 rebounds) each finished with a double-double.

Jalen Green scored 28 points to lead the Rockets, who lost their season-worst fifth straight game. Alperen Sengun collected 16 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore also tallied 16 points apiece.

Nuggets 112, Magic 90

Nikola Jokic contributed 28 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds and Michael Porter Jr. finished with 30 points as host Denver beat Orlando.

Jokic's triple-double was his NBA-leading 24th of the season, while Porter has hit 30 points in three straight games. Christian Braun scored 16 points and Aaron Gordon contributed 11 for Denver, which improved to 10-1 on the second night of back-to-back games. The Nuggets have won five straight games.

Wendall Carter Jr. scored 19 points, Paolo Banchero added 18 and Franz Wagner had 14 points for the Magic, who finished 1-5 on their road trip.

A 14-0 run in the last three-plus minutes completed the Pacers' comeback.

Thomas Bryant amassed 12 points and 10 rebounds, Tyrese Haliburton had 14 points and eight assists and Ben Sheppard finished with 12 points as the Pacers won for the 12 time in their past 14 road games.

Indiana lost Myles Turner in the first quarter after he took a blow to the face from Mathurin and was evaluated for a concussion.

Norman Powell and James Harden each scored 22 points for the Clippers, who saw their losing streak extend to three games. Kawhi Leonard scored 19 points for Los Angeles in a season-best 33 minutes after he missed the opening 34 games of the season due to knee soreness.

The Clippers led 105-100 with 3:31 remaining before the Pacers took charge. Siakam and Haliburton hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put Indiana up 106-105 with 2:44 remaining, and Indiana pushed the advantage to 108-105 on a Haliburton layup with 2:17 left.

Two Mathurin free throws gave the Pacers a 110-105 lead with 1:41 remaining, and Haliburton made it 112-105 on a dunk 11 seconds later following a Harden turnover. Mathurin finished off the late surge with a pair of free throws for a nine-point edge with 52.6 seconds remaining.

In a wild first half, the Clippers led 44-22 early in the second quarter before the Pacers rallied to take a 61-58 lead on a 3-pointer by Siakam with 50.3 seconds left in the half. Indiana was up 64-61 at halftime behind 20 points from Siakam.

The Clippers were 10 of 15 (66.7 percent) from 3-point range in the first quarter but went just 7 of 25 (28 percent) the rest of the way.

Both teams made trades earlier Thursday, with the Clippers sending Terance Mann and Bones Hyland to the Atlanta Hawks while also shipping Kevin Porter Jr. to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Pacers traded James Wiseman to the Toronto Raptors.