NBA game roundup: Hornets earn rare win over Heat

SALT LAKE CITY — Seconds after LeBron James tied the game with three free throws, Gordon Hayward hit a buzzer-beating, step-back jumper to give the Utah Jazz a 102-100 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

James and point guard Kyrie Irving had big games, but the Cavaliers fell for the second time in as many nights. Cleveland dropped to 1-3 as the team struggles to find its way with a new cast and coach.

James finished with 31 points and played much better than he had in the Cavs’ 101-82 blowout loss at Portland on Tuesday.

Hayward continued his strong play of late, scoring 21 points — matched for team-high honors with center Derrick Favors — including the game-winner that came after James nailed his clutch foul shots with three seconds left.

Hornets 96, Heat 89

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Center Al Jefferson scored a season-high 28 points, and Charlotte snapped a 16-game losing streak to Miami.

The Hornets led by as many as 15 in the fourth quarter, but had to turn back a Miami rally that got as close as three in the final three minutes.

The Charlotte franchise had not beaten the Heat since the 2009-10 season, when the team was still the Charlotte Bobcats. The Heat never lost to Charlotte in the LeBron James era.

Grizzlies 102, Suns 91

PHOENIX — Mike Conley scored 24 points and added 11 assists, and backcourt mate Courtney Lee returned from a concussion to add 23 points and four 3-pointers as Memphis won their fifth consecutive game to start the season.

The Grizzlies, who swept all four games against Phoenix last season, handed the Suns their first home loss of this season to improve on the best start in franchise history.

Guard Eric Bledsoe had 23 points to lead the Suns.

Spurs 94, Hawks 92

SAN ANTONIO — Manu Ginobili made five free throws down the stretch to help San Antonio defeat Atlanta.

Gilobili made two foul shots with 3.8 seconds remaining for the final margin of victory after getting fouled by Kyle Korver while driving to the basket. Atlanta had one more shot, but a long, desperation 3-point attempt by Pero Antic was blocked by Boris Diaw.

Tim Duncan and Tony Parker led the Spurs with 17 points apiece. Duncan also had 13 rebounds and six blocks. DeMarre Carroll and Paul Milsap led Atlanta with 17 points each.

Raptors 110, Celtics 107

BOSTON — The short-handed Toronto Raptors rallied from a 16-point, first-half deficit against Boston.

Without injured frontcourt players Amir Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas, the Raptors got 35 points from guard Kyle Lowry and 23 and six assists from forward DeMar DeRozan to escape with the win.

Celtics guard Rajon Rondo finished with a triple-double: 13 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds. With Boston down by three in the final seconds, forward Jeff Green missed on a 3-point attempt.

Timberwolves 98, Nets 91

NEW YORK — Kevin Martin scored a game-high 26 points, and Nikola Pekovic contributed a huge three-point play with 48.6 seconds remaining, leading Minnesota over Brooklyn.

With the score tied 91-91, the Timberwolves looked for Pekovic down low, and the center responded with a shot off glass and subsequent free throw for a 94-91 lead.

After Brooklyn turned the ball over on an offensive foul, Thaddeus Young made a running shot in the lane with 27.2 seconds left that pushed the lead to 96-91, capping a 9-0 run and sealing the victory.

Magic 91, 76ers 89

PHILADELPHIA — Tobias Harris hit the decisive jumper from the right wing at the buzzer, and Orlando beat Philadelphia in a battle of previously winless teams.

Harris scored 18 points to lead Orlando (1-4), which also broke a 12-game road losing streak dating back to Feb. 26, when the Magic also won in Philadelphia. Orlando is 2-28 on the road since Jan. 1.

Nikola Vucevic, an ex-Sixer, added 17 points for Orlando. Tony Wroten scored a season-high 27 for the Sixers, who are 0-5 for the first time since 2001-02. Brandon Davies added a season-high 20.

Pistons 98, Knicks 95

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Greg Monroe powered for 23 points and 18 rebounds, and Stan Van Gundy earned his first victory as Detroit’s coach.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope supplied 20 points, including four 3-pointers. Brandon Jennings and D.J. Augustin added 12 points apiece, and Jonas Jerebko chipped in 11.

The Pistons, who were shooting 21.9 percent on 3-point attempts, made 11 of 23 from long range. They led by as much as 18 late in the third quarter, but the Knicks crept within two during the closing seconds.

Wizards 96, Pistons 94 (OT)

WASHINGTON — John Wall scored 31 points, including seven in overtime, as streaking Washington exacted revenge from last season’s playoff series loss to Indiana.

The Wizards have won four straight and improved to 4-1 for the first time since opening 5-1 in 2005-06. Last season, Washington didn’t reach three games above .500 until March 1.

Garrett Temple had 16 points and Wall added 10 assists for the Wizards. Washington held a seemingly comfortable 12-point lead in the second half after a 21-4 run, only to see the Pacers (1-4) tie the score three times in the final 4:07 minutes.

Bulls 95, Bucks 86

MILWAUKEE — Forward Taj Gibson scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and center Pau Gasol finished with 22 points and 14 boards as Chicago held off Milwaukee.

Five Bulls scored in double figures, a group that included point guard Derrick Rose, who returned to action after missing two games with two sprained ankles. Rose contributed 13 points and seven assists in 30 minutes.

Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting, and he pulled down eight rebounds. The Bucks also got 10 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and five steals from point guard Brandon Knight, who went 3-for-15 from the field.