Wizards hang on for 123-122 NBA win over Nets


Thomas Bryant of the Washington Wizards dunks during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 03, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP

Thomas Bryant stuffed the go-ahead dunk with 14.9 seconds left and the Washington Wizards held on for a 123-122 NBA victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.

Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 27 points and 10 rebounds and assisted on Bryant's decisive basket -- which stood up as Nets stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant both missed on the final possession of the contest.

It was a drama-filled finish at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot put Brooklyn ahead 122-121 with a wide-open layup with 28.2 seconds remaining.

After a timeout, a double-teamed Beal managed to find Bryant under the basket.

Irving, who led all scorers with 30 points, missed a three-pointer with less than six seconds remaining. Brooklyn corralled the rebound, but Durant's last-gasp effort also missed.

Russell Westbrook finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards, adding five rebounds after notching triple-doubles in his first four games with Washington.

Bryant scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Washington, who have won two straight after an 0-5 start to the season.

In Memphis, the reigning champion Los Angeles Lakers notched their third straight road win, LeBron James scoring 13 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter of a 108-94 victory over the Grizzlies in Memphis.

The Grizzlies, without reigning Rookie of the Year Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. because of injury, used a 17-0 scoring run to take an 11-point lead at the end of the first quarter and led by as many as 12 in the first half.

But the Lakers closed the half on a 20-9 scoring run to lead by two at the interval and with a determined James leading the way finally pulled away in the final period.

Lakers star Anthony Davis scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half, including six in the fourth quarter, when the Lakers out-scored the Grizzlies 31-19.

Spanish big man Marc Gasol, who started his NBA career in Memphis, played there for the first time since he was traded by the Grizzlies to the Toronto Raptors two seasons ago.

He finished with seven points, six rebounds for the Lakers -- along with four stitches in a cut above his left eye.

The Lakers bench chipped in 40 points, led by 16 from Montrezl Harrell.

"My team looks at me for energy, to pick things up when guys aren't in the right groove or flow," Harrell said. "I just come and try to do anything I can."

Tatum, Brown lift Celtics

Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics shoots a three point basket during the game against the Detroit Pistons on January 3, 2021 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP

Jayson Tatum delivered the game-winner in the Boston Celtics' 122-120 victory over the Pistons in Detroit, his fallaway jumper with 2.9 seconds left making the difference as the Celtics bounced back from a narrow loss to the Pistons on the same court on Friday.

It was tied at 120-120 when Marcus Smart brought the ball up the court and found Tatum, whose quick move to the left cause Detroit defender Blake Griffin -- back after missing a game with a suspected concussion -- to stumble.

Tatum made a fall-away jumper -- then blocked Griffin's effort at the other end to seal the win.

Tatum finished with 24 points and 12 assists. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 31 points from an impressive 13 of 16 shooting performance.

Brown made five of eight from three-point range, his 22 first-half points staking the Celtics to a 61-57 halftime lead.