Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said NBA fans are being treated to something "as rare as a Picasso" after Luka Doncic extended his run of 30-point triple-doubles to five games on Thursday.

Doncic had 35 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists as the Mavs rallied for a 114-108 win over the Miami Heat, fighting back from 15 points down to halt their three-game skid.

The NBA's scoring leader for 2023-24 shot 12 of 24 from the field and made seven of 13 3-pointers as he claimed a slice of league history with another dominant display.

He joined Russell Westbrook as the only players to record five straight 30-point triple-doubles, also becoming the first in league history to manage four straight 35-point triple-doubles.

The enormity of Doncic's achievement was not lost on Kidd, who managed 107 triple-doubles dring his own playing career but only had 35 points in two of them.

"I've always said this: We can't take that young man for granted," Kidd said of Doncic. "You're seeing something as rare as a Picasso."

Doncic's last two performances have come with the Slovenian walking a disciplinary tightrope. Having been pulled up for 13 technical fouls this season, Doncic is just three shy of the threshold for a one-game suspension, but he has avoided committing one in his last two outings.

Kidd joked that run was as important as Doncic's triple-double sequence, saying: "We're rolling. You talk about the triple-double streak. I think we've got the no-T streak going!

"That's something we have to talk about, too. I think he has a little bit more energy now and I think his composure is in a really good place, no matter whether we're winning or losing. 

"He loves to win. He wants to win, but I think you're starting to see him turn the corner here."

Doncic himself, however, was simply pleased to get back to winning ways as the Mavs improved to 35-28, saying of his form: "It's great, especially when it comes with the win. That's all that matters right now."

Dallas now face back-to-back road games against the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls, before returning to American Airlines Center to face the Golden State Warriors next Wednesday. 

Kristaps Porzingis bowed down to the "incredible" Luka Jokic after the Denver Nuggets star dismantled the Boston Celtics.

Eastern Conference leaders Boston lost back-to-back game for the first time since November as the Nuggets ran out 115-109 victors on Thursday.

Jokic had 32 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists – his 20th triple-double of the season and his 30th career 30-point triple-double as the Nuggets completed the series sweep against the Celtics.

Porzingis recorded 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 41 points and 14 rebounds, but ultimately Jokic's quality told for the reigning NBA champions.

"He's just an incredible basketball player," said Porzingis.

"Some things I learned from him today, actually. He's just so smart, so crafty, so many things you don't see that he does on the floor that helps that team win.

"It's incredible. Whenever you [slip up] just a little bit, he'll find [Aaron] Gordon, he'll find all these guys. It speaks to how valuable he is for them."

The Nuggets have won seven of their last eight games and sit third in the West.

"They're a really good team, and they have basically an answer for everything," Jokic said.

"Matchup-wise, defense-wise, offense-wise. They are a really well-built team, and they're playing really good.

"That's why they're the best team in the NBA right now. It's really hard to play against that team. They're long and tall. They defend really good. They have really smart players. It's a great thing."

Denver coach Michael Malone knows it is something of a statement win.

"That team never goes away," Malone said of the Celtics, before adding of his team: "I thought the bench was outstanding, they gave us really good contributions.

"We've got 19 to go, we've got to find a way to stay hungry, we can't just get up for the great teams, we've got to get up for everybody and play that brand of basketball every night."

Luka Doncic became the second player with five straight 30-point triple-doubles and the Dallas Mavericks rallied for a 114-108 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday.

Doncic had 35 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to join the exclusive group with Russell Westbrook, who had five consecutive 30-point triple-doubles in 2017 for Oklahoma City. Doncic also became the first in history with four straight 35-point triple-doubles.

Doncic was 12 of 24 from the field and 7 of 13 on 3-pointers and sank all four free throws. He is averaging 35.8 points, 11.8 assists and 11 rebounds during his five-game run.

Kyrie Irving added 23 points as Dallas snapped a three-game skid.

Terry Rozier had 27 points and 11 assists for Miami, which had won seven of eight.

The Mavericks trailed 101-100 with under four minutes remaining but 3s by Doncic, Dante Exum and Irving gave them the lead for good.

Curry limps off as Warriors fall to Bulls

Stephen Curry limped off late in the fourth quarter and DeMar DeRozan converted a three-point play with 26 seconds remaining to give the Chicago Bulls a 125-122 win over the Golden State Warriors.

Curry exited with 3:51 left after rolling his right ankle and went to the locker room. He scored 15 points in 29 minutes.

DeRozan, who also hit a key jumper with 43 seconds to play, finished with 33 points, while Nikola Vucevic had 33 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, including a tying 3-pointer with 2:49 to go.

Chicago won for the fourth time in five games and snapped an eight-game skid on Golden State's home court.

Jonathan Kuminga scored 19 points and Draymond Green notched a triple-double with 11 points, 12 assists and 10 boards.

Edwards stars in Wolves’ win

Anthony Edwards tied his season high with 44 points, hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer and came up with a stellar block at the buzzer to give the Timberwolves a 113-111 win over the Indiana Pacers.

Edwards soared to reject a last-second layup attempt by Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith, hitting his head on the rim as time expired.

He accounted for the team’s final eight points, shooting 18 of 35 from the field with three 3s and six rebounds.

Rudy Gobert had 18 points and 14 rebounds and Naz Reid contributed 13 points and eight boards as Minnesota won its second straight to move back into sole possession of the Western Conference lead.

Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 23 with 13 assists for the Pacers, who erased a 17-point deficit to lead 104-103 with two minutes remaining.

RT if that was the best block you’ve ever seen. pic.twitter.com/6UrBuoLFdR

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 8, 2024

Luka Dončić became the second player with five straight 30-point triple-doubles and the Dallas Mavericks rallied for a 114-108 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday.

Doncic had 35 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to join the exclusive group with Russell Westbrook, who had five consecutive 30-point triple-doubles in 2017 for Oklahoma City. Doncic also became the first in history with four straight 35-point triple doubles.

Doncic was 12 of 24 from the field and 7 of 13 on 3-pointers and sank all four free throws. He is averaging 35.8 points, 11.8 assists and 11 rebounds during his five-game run.

Kyrie Irving added 23 points as Dallas snapped a three-game skid.

Terry Rozier had 27 points and 11 assists for Miami, which had won seven of eight.

The Mavericks trailed 101-100 with under four minutes remaining but 3s by Doncic, Dante Exum and Irving gave them the lead for good.

Curry limps off as Warriors fall to Bulls

Stephen Curry limped off late in the fourth quarter and DeMar DeRozan converted a three-point play with 26 seconds remaining to give the Chicago Bulls a 125-122 win over the Golden State Warriors.

Curry exited with 3:51 left after rolling his right ankle and went to the locker room. He scored 15 points in 29 minutes.

DeRozan, who also hit a key jumper with 43 seconds to play, finished with 33 points, while Nikola Vucevic had 33 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, including a tying 3-pointer with 2:49 to go.

Chicago won for the fourth time in five games and snapped an eight-game skid on Golden State's home court.

Jonathan Kuminga scored 19 points and Draymond Green notched a triple-double with 11 points, 12 assists and 10 boards.

Edwards stars in Wolves’ win

Anthony Edwards tied his season high with 44 points, hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer and came up with a stellar block at the buzzer to give the Timberwolves a 113-111 win over the Indiana Pacers.

Edwards soared to reject a last-second layup attempt by Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith, hitting his head on the rim as time expired.

He accounted for the team’s final eight points, shooting 18 of 35 from the field with three 3s and six rebounds.

Rudy Gobert had 18 points and 14 rebounds and Naz Reid contributed 13 points and eight boards as Minnesota won its second straight to move back into sole possession of the Western Conference lead.

Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 23 with 13 assists for the Pacers, who erased a 17-point deficit to lead 104-103 with two minutes remaining.

The Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves will be without star forward Karl-Anthony Towns for at least four weeks after he undergoes surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee, the team announced Thursday night.

With Towns expected to miss at least four weeks, he would, at minimum, be sidelined for at least 13 more games – the majority of the Timberwolves’ remaining schedule.

The team revealed after Thursday’s 113-111 win over Indiana that an MRI exam, performed Wednesday, showed the tear.

He will undergo surgery early next week.

“It’s not a plug-in one person to fill Karl’s role kind of situation,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said. “What I love about our team is that we have a multitude of options. We can go a lot of different ways based on matchups on any given night. We’ve started different guys through the season anyway.”

An All-Star for the fourth time, Towns is averaging 22.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game while sinking a career-best 42.3 percent from 3-point range. He is one five players in the league averaging at least 20 points, shooting 50 percent from the field and 40 percent on 3-pointers.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns has been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee that could sideline the former NBA Rookie of the Year for the rest of the regular season.

Towns was originally ruled out for Thursday’s game at the Indiana Pacers due to left knee soreness.

The four-time All-Star hasn't put up his usual solid numbers lately, averaging 16.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in his last four games.

Coming into Thursday, Towns had missed just two games all season and was averaging 22.1 points and 8.4 rebounds in 60 contests.

Minnesota (43-19) is tied with Northwest Division foe Oklahoma City for the best record in the Western Conference.

The Timberwolves haven’t advanced past the first round of the playoffs since losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the West finals in 2004.

For the third time in as many years with the Brooklyn Nets, Ben Simmons will miss the rest of the season with a back injury.

The Nets announced on Thursday that the former All-Star won't play again this season as he attempts to treat his ailing back.

"Ben Simmons will remain out for the remainder of the season while he consults with specialists and explores treatment options for the nerve impingement in his lower back," the team said in a statement. "Simmons, along with his representatives and Nets medical personnel, are currently in discussions with numerous experts to determine the course of action that will provide him with the best opportunity for long-term sustainable health."

Simmons has missed Brooklyn's last five games because of the injured back, as well as a 38-game stretch earlier this season for the same injury.

In all, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 NBA draft appeared in just 15 games this season, with averages of 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

Acquired by the Nets from the Philadelphia 76ers at the trade deadline in 2022, Simmons has yet to finish a season with Brooklyn.

He missed the entire 2021-22 season, and then sat out 40 games last season.

A foot injury also forced him to miss his entire rookie season, but he was able to recover and quickly showed why the Sixers drafted him first overall.

Over the next four seasons, he averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists while playing in an average of 68.75 games per season.

He was the Rookie of the Year in 2017-18, a three-time All-Star and a two-time All-Defensive team selection before injuries derailed his career.

Under his contract, which expires after next season, he made $37.9million this season and is due to make $40.3million in 2024-25.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns has been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee that could sideline the former NBA Rookie of the Year for the rest of the regular season.

Towns was originally ruled out for Thursday’s game at the Indiana Pacers due to left knee soreness.

The four-time All-Star hasn't put up his usual solid numbers lately, averaging 16.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in his last four games.

Coming into Thursday, Towns had missed just two games all season and was averaging 22.1 points and 8.4 rebounds in 60 contests.

Minnesota (43-19) is tied with Northwest Division foe Oklahoma City for the best record in the Western Conference.

The Timberwolves haven’t advanced past the first round of the playoffs since losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the West finals in 2004.

Steve Kerr pointed to the chemistry within the Golden State Warriors' roster after his team won for a seventh time in 10 games.

Stephen Curry inspired the Warriors on Wednesday, finishing with 29 points, eight rebounds and five assists as Golden State saw off the Milwaukee Bucks in style, winning 125-90.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 23 points on his return to the Bucks' fold, but it was not enough to extend Milwaukee's winning streak to seven.

Kerr has looked to rotate his roster this season, and he believes the competition for places, is helping to drive his team's push for the playoffs, as Golden State moved to a 34-30 record.

"I'm really so impressed with this group, and I have been all year," Kerr told the San Francisco Chronicle.

"Chemistry and commitment to each other, the professionalism, staying with it when it's not their turn."

Draymond Green added: "I can't take plays off, there's no reason.

"I think that's one of the beautiful things about this. Everybody should be flying around, you're not playing a million minutes, so give everything you've got."

Despite losing by 35 points, Bucks coach Doc Rivers pointed fingers at Milwaukee's offense, not their defense.

"I really didn't think this was our defense, I thought it was our offense," coach Doc Rivers said.

"I didn't think we played solid offense all night."

Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown does not want to keep referring to De'Aaron Fox as "amazing", but he has little choice.

Fox tied his career-best points haul on Wednesday, with his haul of 44 helping the Kings to a 130-120 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The victory saw the Kings move two-and-a-half games ahead of the Lakers in the Western Conference, while it also marked the seventh time this season that Fox has scored over 40 points.

And Brown is running out of ways to describe the Kings' talisman.

"He was amazing. I hate using that word because to me that’s who he is," Brown said.

"It's hard to score 44 points every single night, especially on the percentage that he did it at, but he is more than capable with his ability.

"It was a big game for him in a big-game environment."

Fox stressed how important it is for the Kings to pick up wins against the teams around them.

"Right now where the standings are, if we lose this game, we're half a game in front of them rather than two and a half like it is now," Fox said.

"So right now especially to play teams that are around us in the standings, those games mean a little more."

The frustration from Lakers coach Darvin Ham was evident.

Ham said: "They got a few easy opportunities in transition and they were able to get inside and make some tough shots.

"The sense of urgency we have to be able to maintain that.

"We talk about forcing our will on the game. We obviously initiated it, but we didn’t sustain it and we damn sure didn't finish it."

LeBron James led the Lakers with 31 points, though he exited midway through the fourth quarter due to ankle soreness.

"Some games it's better than others. I didn't feel it during the Oklahoma City Thunder game [on Monday] and I didn't feel it tonight until the fourth quarter," James said. "Some days are better than others."

Stephen Curry scored 29 points with six 3-pointers and the Golden State Warriors dominated the fourth quarter on Wednesday to end the Milwaukee Bucks’ six-game winning streak, 125-90.

Jonathan Kuminga added 20 points and Trayce Jackson-Davis had 15 with seven rebounds off the bench to help the Warriors rebound from Sunday’s 52-point loss at Boston and improve to 12-3 in their last 15 games.

Golden State matched a season low with 15 points in the third quarter but outscored Milwaukee 32-9 in the fourth.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 23 points and Damian Lillard and Bobby Portis each added 20. The Bucks have lost their last four visits to Golden State.

Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins returned from a four-game absence to deal with a family matter and scored three points in 14 minutes.

Fox, Sabonis power Kings past Lakers

De’Aaron Fox matched his career high with 44 points and Domantas Sabonis had a triple-double as the Sacramento Kings topped the Los Angeles Lakers, 130-120.

Fox shot 18 of 31 from the field and reached 40 points for the seventh time this season, fourth-most in the NBA.

Sabonis had 16 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists for his fourth triple-double in seven games. He leads the league with 22 triple-doubles, the sixth player in league history with that many in a season.

LeBron James had 31 points and 13 assists and Rui Hachimura added 29 for the Lakers, who had won three of four.

Magic rally past lowly Wizards

Franz Wagner scored 28 points and the surging Orlando Magic erased a 21-point deficit to send the Washington Wizards to their franchise record-tying 16th straight loss, 119-109.

Paolo Banchero had 25 points, 10 assists and six rebounds and Jalen Suggs added 19 points for Orlando, which has won five straight and eight of nine to move a season-best 11 games over .500.

The Magic’s comeback was their largest of the season and the sixth-largest deficit overcome to win in franchise history.

Jordan Poole scored 26 points for the league-worst Wizards, who haven’t won since Jan. 29 and last won a home game on Dec. 29.

Luka Doncic does not have answers for the dismal Dallas Mavericks defense, after another of his triple-doubles meant little in a loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Doncic posted 39 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists on Tuesday, registering his 14th triple-double of the season.

The Slovenian is averaging 34.6 points per game this season, and is on course for a career-best PPG return.

Yet in spite of Doncic averaging 37.3 points in the past six games, the Mavericks have lost five of those.

"It doesn't matter," Doncic said when asked about his fine form. "I just want to win, man. That's it."

"I don't know, honestly. We know we got to fix it."

Coach Jason Kidd was equally as frustrated.

"We got the personnel. We got the team," said Kidd.

"This is actually a great test for us to be able to go through a hard time in March because it only gets harder in April and May and June.

"And so this is a great test to be tested in the sense that we're going to let go of the rope or we're going to continue to come to work. Everyone's coming to work. Everyone has the positive mindset, energy.

"Everyone's trying to do the right thing right now."

Kidd put the onus on Doncic's teammates to help out the NBA's leading scorer this season.

"Are we asking too much? I don't know if we're asking," he added.

"This is what he does. He's one of the best offensive players on the planet, and so this is what he does and so we have to help him on that end and we have to also help him on the defensive end. This isn't a surprise, he's been doing this pretty much his whole career.

"He's a walking triple-double. He's doing everything to help the team win. We all have to pitch in and help him."

Jaylen Brown believes the Boston Celtics' defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers was a "mentality loss".

The NBA-leading Celtics threw away a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's game, as they saw an 11-game winning streak come to an end with a 105-104 loss.

And Boston can only have themselves to blame, according to Brown, who finished with 21 points.

"I think we are a much better team than we showed today," Jaylen Brown said. "Today was just a mentality loss.

"We had the game and then we got comfortable, so it was more of a mindset thing than X's and O's.

"We've got to just be the more disciplined, the more militant team. We weren't that. Usually, we are that, and we felt that today and I think that's the reason why they were able to get back into the game.

"Our mindset was a little bit too lax, and we were too careless with the ball. We weren't intentional on offense.

"We kind of let guys get to tendencies that we were supposed to take away. We gave up offensive rebounds, stuff that all just comes with mindset."

Coach Joe Mazzulla echoed Brown's sentiment, citing defensive mistakes.

"We've given up offensive rebounds at the end of the shot clock when we were winning," he said.

"I think that, in situations like this, they just become a little bit more heightened and a little bit more attention to detail to them.

"They're the same situations that have been happening. They're just in more of a critical time. So it's a good heightened awareness to them."

Brown, meanwhile, asserted that the Celtics must learn from their mistakes.

"Today matters," Brown said. "Whether everybody wants to throw it away or not, we gotta look at the film and address some stuff, because that matters.

"Your habits are everything. Your mentality is everything. And every game, you can't waste possessions, you can't waste time out there on the floor.

"So, today matters. We need to look at that."

Dean Wade starred for the Cavs, going 5-for-5 from deep in their fourth-quarter revival, finishing with 23 points.

"Rank's pretty high. Pretty high," he said. "It felt good. The rim looked really big."

Dean Wade sank five 3-pointers and scored 20 of his career-high 23 points in the fourth quarter as the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied from a 22-point deficit in the final period to end the Boston Celtics’ 11-game winning streak, 105-104 on Tuesday.

Wade personally outscored the Celtics in the fourth quarter, 20-17, as he came to the rescue with his barrage of 3s and a putback dunk with 19.1 seconds left to put the Cavs up 105-104.

Boston’s Jayson Tatum appeared to draw a foul on Darius Garland while shooting a jumper with 0.7 seconds left, but Cleveland challenged the call, and following a review, officials said it was Tatum’s leg that caused the contact and not Garland.

Jarrett Allen scored 21 points and Garland had 16 with 11 assists for the Cavs, who made 8 of 11 3s in the final quarter, including two from reserve Georges Niang.

Tatum led Boston with 26 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 24 as the league-leading Celtics lost for the first time since Feb. 1.

Doncic extends triple-double streak in loss

Luka Doncic notched his fourth straight triple-double, but Tyrese Haliburton had 19 points and 11 assists to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 137-120 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Doncic had 39 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his 14th triple-double of the season. Russell Westbrook is the only player in NBA history with five consecutive 30-point triple-doubles and Oscar Robertson is the only other player with four.

Myles Turner scored 20 points to lead nine players in double figures for the Pacers, whose bench outscored the Mavericks’ 69-32.

Suns cool Nuggets with win in overtime

Kevin Durant scored eight of his 35 points in overtime and the Phoenix Suns recovered after blowing a 22-point lead to beat the Denver Nuggets, 117-107.

After being held to 12 points in the fourth quarter, the Suns erupted for 15 in overtime, with Durant and Beal combining for 13.

Beal finished with 16 points and Grayson Allen scored 28 with eight 3-pointers as Phoenix avoided a third  straight loss.

Jamal Murray had 28 points and Nikola Jokić added 25 points, 16 rebounds and five assists for Denver, which had a six-game winning streak stopped.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be without Max Strus as well as Donovan Mitchell as they take on the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.

Cleveland had already been without Mitchell for the past two games due to a left knee bone bruise, and he is to miss at least the next three.

Strus, who had started every game this season, will join his team-mate on the sideline as the Cavaliers take on the Eastern Conference leaders.

The 27-year-old guard, in his first season with the Cavs, has sustained a right knee strain.

Cleveland follow Tuesday's home game against Boston by visiting the Atlanta Hawks the following night.

The Cavs are third in the East but enduring a sticky patch, 5-5 across their past 10 games and slipping behind the second-placed Milwaukee Bucks.