Payton Pritchard scores 36 as the Celtics beat the Hawks 109-102

Boston played without All-Star guard Jaylen Brown, who was ruled out with Achilles tendinitis.

Behind Pritchard’s spark off the bench and a dramatic swing beyond the arc, the Celtics caught the Hawks after trailing 25-9 in the first quarter. Boston made seven straight 3-pointers during the second quarter, but Johnson and Atlanta went into halftime up 60-55.

Fresh off an overtime victory over Eastern Conference leader Detroit, Atlanta entered the final quarter within striking distance of Boston, which has the East’s second-best record. Tatum had a tough night from the field, missing 16 of 24 shots, yet his spinning drive to the rim gave Boston a 97-86 lead with 7:29 remaining.

After getting fouled on a 3-point attempt with time winding down on the shot clock, Tatum sealed it with three free throws that gave Boston a 107-99 lead with a minute left.

The surging Hawks entered Friday with 14 wins in their last 15 games. They had their three-game winning streak snapped after shooting 39% from the field.

CLIPPERS 114, PACERS 113

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kawhi Leonard made a jumper with 0.4 seconds remaining, and Los Angeles rallied from a 24-point deficit to beat Indiana.

Leonard finished with 28 points, reaching 20 for the 50th straight game. Darius Garland led the Clippers with 30.

Los Angeles was run off the floor early by the team with the NBA’s worst record. The Pacers were a sizzling 8 for 11 from 3-point range in the first quarter, opening a 42-21 lead.

It grew to 45-21 early in the second before the Clippers stormed back for their fourth straight victory, giving coach Tyronn Lue the 400th of his career.

Indiana had gone back ahead 113-108 on Obi Toppin’s jumper with a minute to play. Leonard answered with a jumper, Garland made two free throws and the Clippers got the ball back after Pascal Siakam missed a jumper. They inbounded along the left side to Leonard, who dribbled into the middle and pulled up for the winner.

Leonard become the 14th NBA player to score at least 20 in 50 straight games, a streak that began Nov. 28.

Bennedict Mathurin scored 17 points against his former team, going 12 for 15 on free throws.

CAVALIERS 149, HEAT 128

CLEVELAND (AP) — Max Strus scored 29 points, Evan Mobley had 23 and Jarrett Allen came back from injury to add 18, leading Cleveland to a win over Miami in the second matchup between the teams in three days.

Strus made six of his eight 3-pointers in a 22-point first half as the Cavs bolted to a 35-point lead. He made one just ahead of the halftime horn to put Cleveland ahead 81-46 and cap the team’s highest scoring half this season.

The Cavs bounced back from a 120-103 loss to the Heat on Wednesday with a strong performance and matched the team record for points in a regulation game.

Allen’s return provided a major spark. He missed 10 games with tendinitis in his knee. The 27-year-old’s absence especially hurt on defense and deprived him time to build chemistry with star guard James Harden, whose acquisition at the trade deadline has raised title hopes.

Harden finished with 17 points and 14 assists, his most with Cleveland. Donovan Mitchell scored just six on 1 of 10 shooting.

THUNDER 131, BULLS 113

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points, and Oklahoma City used a 22-0 second-half run to power a win over Chicago.

The usually efficient Gilgeous-Alexander made just 8 of 24 shots. His teammates picked up the slack and helped the Thunder shoot 46.5% from the field. Gilgeous-Alexander still scored at least 20 points for a record 134th consecutive game.

Cason Wallace added 21 points for the Thunder, who were coming off a loss at Boston that followed a 12-game win streak. Oklahoma City got back on track, despite All-Star forward Chet Holmgren sitting out with a bruised right hip.

It was an important win for Oklahoma City, which is trying to hold off San Antonio for home-court advantage in the playoffs. The Thunder opened the night two games ahead of the idle Spurs with nine games to play and San Antonio holding the tiebreaker.

It was Thunder forward Jalen Williams’ first home game since Jan. 13. He had missed most of the past two months with a bruised right hip. The 2025 All-Star had 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Collin Sexton scored 22 points, Tre Jones scored 21 and Isaac Okoro added 20 for the Bulls, who have lost four of five.

ROCKETS 119, GRIZZLIES 109

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 25 points and led a fourth-quarter rally as Houston pulled away from Memphis for a victory.

Jabari Smith Jr. added 21 points and 16 rebounds and Amen Thompson had 18 points as Houston ended a two-game slide. Durant also had 10 assists.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper led the Grizzlies with a career-high 31 points and had seven rebounds. GG Jackson and Javon Small each added 14 points as Memphis lost its fifth straight and 13th in its last 14.

The Grizzlies were trailing 96-93 near the 7-minute mark of the fourth when Durant returned and made a 3-pointer. That kickstarted a 14-3 run through the middle stages of the frame that grew the Rockets’ lead to 110-96.

The Rockets, who are in sixth place in the Western Conference, are closer to Minnesota in the fifth spot than they are in danger of falling into a play-in game. With the win, Houston pulled within a game of the idle Timberwolves and four games games ahead of Phoenix for seventh.

Memphis, which has dealt with several injuries, is limping to the end of the regular season, hoping to enhance its position in the draft lottery. Ten Grizzlies were on the injured list against Houston.

RAPTORS 119, PELICANS 106

TORONTO (AP) — Scottie Barnes had 23 points and 12 assists, Jakob Poeltl had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Toronto beat New Orleans.

RJ Barrett, Sandro Mamukelashvili and J’Kobe Walter also scored 18 points apiece for the Raptors, and Brandon Ingram added 13.

Zion Williamson scored 22 points for New Orleans on 9-for-13 shooting from the field and 4 for 4 from the foul line. Saddiq Bey added 19 points.

The Raptors won for the second time in three outings to remain in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, a full game ahead of the idle Philadelphia 76ers. The top six teams automatically make the playoffs in each conference.

The Pelicans lost their fourth in a row overall and fifth straight on the road. They were without top scorers Trey Murphy III (ankle) and Dejounte Murray (Achilles). Immanuel Quickley (Achilles) was absent from the Toronto lineup.