DeMar DeRozan had 38 points as the Chicago Bulls rallied past LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers late in the fourth quarter on the way to a 115-110 victory.
DeRozan hit a jumper with 52.6 seconds to play to give the Bulls the lead and added a pair of free throws with 15.6 seconds left to extend the margin as Chicago held on late.
Carmelo Anthony and Wayne Ellington missed game-tying three-point attempts after that before Lonzo Ball iced the win with two more free throws.
Ball had 19 points and Nikola Vucevic added 19 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls (18-10), who have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference behind the Brooklyn Nets (21-9).
James led the Lakers with 31 points and 14 rebounds but made just one of seven shots from three-point range. Anthony had 21 points and Russell Westbrook finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for Los Angeles (16-15).
Suns rip Hornets, hold NBA's best record
The Phoenix Suns (24-5) can now claim the best record in the NBA after a 137-106 demolition of the Charlotte Hornets as Devin Booker returned to the lineup after missing seven games with a hamstring injury. Booker had 16 points and was one of nine Suns to reach double figures as Phoenix led 37-15 after the first quarter and did not let up, making 20 of 41 three-point attempts to 10 of 45 from beyond the arc for Charlotte (16-16).
Damian Lillard scored 32 points as the Portland Trail Blazers (13-18) picked up a 105-100 road win against the Memphis Grizzlies (19-12). The Grizzlies had won five in a row and 10 of 11 but shot only 38.5 per cent from the field Sunday as they squandered a career-best 37-point night from Dillon Brooks.
Lowry, Heat fall to lowly Pistons
The Miami Heat had won four out of five games entering Sunday but everything fell apart in a 100-90 loss to the Detroit Pistons, who had lost a franchise record-tying 14 in a row. Kyle Lowry made just three shots from the field in 42 minutes for the Heat (18-13), though he finished with 19 points as he went 11-of-16 at the free-throw line. Saddiq Bey had 26 point to lead the Pistons (5-24), who recorded their first victory since beating the Indiana Pacers on November 17.
The NBA has postponed a total of five games, including three that were set to be played on Sunday, due to rising COVID-19 cases.
The Brooklyn Nets have lost a significant number of players to positive tests, with 10 players presently in the health and safety protocols – a list that includes stars such as James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving – and their games against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday and the Washington Wizards two days will not go ahead.
The Eastern Conference leaders had just eight fit players for Saturday's 100-93 defeat against the Orlando Magic, who are 6-25 and sit just 14th in the table.
Meanwhile, seven Cleveland Cavaliers players tested positive between Saturday and Sunday, meaning they do not meet the minimum requirement of eight healthy players and are unable to play the Atlanta Hawks, according to NBA rules.
The game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Orleans Pelicans will also be postponed, with the former also struggling to come up with eight fit players.
However, it is possible the Sixers will be able to return to action against the Boston Celtics on Monday.
Monday features yet another suspended game, though, as the Magic's clash with the Toronto Raptors is also not going ahead due to a number of cases at Orlando.
The NBA has now had to postpone seven games this season after the Chicago Bulls' fixtures with the Detroit Pistons and the Raptors were called off earlier this month.
Mike Budenholzer explained he was just managing the minutes of absent duo Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen as the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks went down to the in-form Cleveland Cavaliers.
Milwaukee were without regular starters Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donte DiVincenzo, Wesley Matthews and Bobby Portis as they have entered the NBA's Health and Safety protocols, while Khris Middleton is still out with a hyperextended left knee.
Both Holiday and Allen were available for selection but were not included as the defending NBA champions were routed 119-90.
However, head coach Budenholzer said that decision was simply because of the amount of minutes the duo played against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.
"I mean it's just those guys have played a lot," he said
"Those guys have given us so much including last night, they really, really laid it out – the whole group did.
"I was just trying to be big picture, Grayson's a little under the weather. I'm really proud of the guys who played, they really competed."
Jordan Nwora impressed for the Bucks, leading the team's scoring with 28 points. Budenholzer says the task now is to improve other areas of his game.
"He's got that unique kind of scorers mentality, he can make or take tough shots, gets just enough separation, he's getting to the basket a little more, attacking a little more," he said.
"He's a very good scorer so it's just kind of trying to work on other parts of the game too. He's making progress there too so it's invaluable opportunities for him."
Defeat for the Bucks (19-13) leaves them fifth in the East, while a sixth straight win sees the Cavaliers up to third with a 19-12 record.
Two seasons ago, the Cavs only won 19 games in total while it took until April 8 to reach that point in 2020-21 – a campaign in which they finished 22-50.
Commenting on the Cavs' position, Darius Garland – who had 22 points – said: "It's early. We don't get too far ahead of ourselves.
"It's been super fun. It's not just hero ball, everybody is contributing."
Steve Nash was proud of the effort his depleted Brooklyn Nets team put in during the loss to the Orlando Magic on Saturday.
The Eastern Conference leaders had 10 players in COVID-19 protocol, including the returning Kyrie Irving, as well as James Harden and Kevin Durant.
Such was the dire situation, the Nets signed James Ennis III and Shaquille Harrison before the game, while Cam Thomas and Kessler Edwards made their first career NBA starts and David Duke Jr just his third.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Duke hit a three to tie up the game before the Magic were able to win out 100-93.
Head coach Nash had nothing but praise for the way his side performed amid the circumstances, though.
"I thought it was an outstanding effort to get back in the game and tie it late, I'm really proud of the effort," he said.
"We probably made too many mistakes defensively but that effort to come back, find a way to level it and then we got a little unlucky, they made a tough three, we had a backcourt violation, those things happen.
"We probably had too much to make up for those offensive efforts but that's going to happen, we got a bunch of guys who are with us for the first time, got a bunch of guys who are playing extended minutes in multiple games for the first time, and overall I'm really proud of them it was a great effort."
Patty Mills put up 23 points for the Nets, while Blake Griffin had 17 and Cam Thomas 15.
One of the brightest notes of the game came from the performance of Duke, though, who had 18 points and 14 rebounds.
"I thought he was great, I talked to him at halftime because I thought he looked to score a little too much," Nash added.
"We love him because he does so many things well; he defends, he steals, deflections, offensive rebounds, hustle play.
"I said you're going to get your 20 points but you're going to get it out of the game not going out and finding it. He was great, he understood that and his approach in the second half was outstanding.
"He was disruptive offensively, got his hands on a lot of things, was a killer on the glass. He was a bright spot."
With so many players out there was an opportunity for the experienced Griffin, who has found himself out of the Nets' rotation.
"Blake's played great, I think I've said to him there's always something around the corner in this league," Nash said.
"He was out the rotation for a while but we knew something would happen and he'd get his opportunity again. He's a pro and worked his butt off, stayed in shape, found good rhythm, and he's playing good basketball.
"Unfortunately he took a little knock on the knee tonight and we couldn't get the game but his effort was outstanding."
Coach Steve Kerr was in optimistic mood despite seeing his Golden State Warriors go down 119-100 against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.
The shorthanded Warriors rested star guard Stephen Curry and were also missing Draymond Green (hip), Andre Iguodala (knee), Otto Porter Jr. (foot) and Andrew Wiggins (knee) in Canada.
Fred VanVleet starred with 27 points as the Raptors dominated a young Warriors side at Scotiabank Arena, but speaking to the media after the game, Kerr was keen to emphasise that it had been a valuable learning experience for his team.
"Plenty to learn," he said. "Lots of tape for our young guys to watch. Some things they did well, a lot that we could have done better, but every game is valuable, every minute played is valuable for young players.
"First half we were on our heels, didn't have a lot of juice and confidence, but Toronto played well and they had a lot to do with that."
One positive for the Warriors was the performance of Jonathan Kuminga, with the 19-year-old scoring 26 points, hitting nine of 15 field goals and four of six three-pointers.
"J.K's a dynamic athlete. He's powerful, explosive, he can get downhill, so you see the potential. It was great to see him knock down some three-point shots. That's going to be a big part of his development.
"He's got to get more than one rebound in 36 minutes, especially with that kind of athletic ability and frame, and he had six turnovers so he showed how talented he is, how young he is, how high his ceiling is and how far he has to go all in one night, but that's the whole point of getting him reps and it was fun to see him out there."
This was the Warriors' fifth away game in a row having beaten the Pacers, the Knicks and the Celtics in between defeats to the 76ers and the Raptors, and Kerr was pleased with his team's work during their time on the road, with their next outing a home clash with the Sacramento Kings (12-18) on Monday.
"[It was a] big success to go 3-2 on a tough trip, with two back-to-backs. Obviously [we were] very shorthanded tonight. Really proud of the guys and now we've got to get some rest and bounce back pretty quickly with a game on Monday night."
The Warriors' sixth defeat of the season leaves them second in the Western Conference with a 24-6 record.
Fred VanVleet starred as the Toronto Raptors won 119-100 over the Golden State Warriors who rested star guard Stephen Curry on Saturday.
VanVleet finished with 27 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists as the Raptors blew the Warriors away in the first half, leading 63-42.
Curry (rest), Draymond Green (right hip), Andre Iguodala (right knee), Otto Porter Jr. (left foot) and Andrew Wiggins (left knee) were all absent for Golden State and returned to California to avoid potential COVID-19 exposure and quarantine in Canada.
The Raptors made their absence count, shooting 45 of 90 from the field, becoming the first side the Warriors have allowed this season to shoot at 50 percent or better.
The Warriors' sixth defeat of the season leaves them second in the Western Conference with a 24-6 record.
Wizards end Jazz run
Bradley Beal scored a season-high 37 points and had seven assists and five rebounds as the Washington Wizards ended the Utah Jazz's eight-game winning streak 109-103. Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points for the Jazz, while Rudy Gobert had 19 rebounds with 11 points.
Cedi Osman came off the bench to top score for the Cleveland Cavaliers with 23 points as they won 119-90 over the Milwaukee Bucks, who were missing Giannis Antetokounmpo due to COVID protocols.
Luke Kennard's (27 points, seven rebounds) heroics could not lift the Los Angeles Clippers to victory, going down 104-103 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were led by rookie Josh Giddey (eight points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists).
Weakened Nets lose to struggling Magic
The depleted Brooklyn Nets, missing star trio Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden due to COVID protocols, were beaten 100-93 by the lowly Orlando Magic for their sixth win of the season. The loss was the Nets' ninth.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been dealt a major blow with eight-time All-Star Anthony Davis ruled out for at least four weeks with an MCL sprain.
Davis sustained the injury in Friday's 110-92 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves and underwent scans and evaluation on Saturday.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel had hoped the forward's injury was only minor but the franchise confirmed on Saturday he has suffered an MCL sprain and will miss four weeks minimum.
Davis had played 27 of the Lakers' 30 games this season, averaging 23.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.0 blocked shots per game.
The loss of Davis is a setback for the Lakers who are 14-16 and already without Avery Bradley, Talen Horton-Tucker, Dwight Howard, Malik Monk, Kendrick Nunn and Austin Reaves due to the NBA's health and safety protocols.
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