NBA Sees Buzzer-Beater Finishes

The game-winning dunk from Wendell Carter Jr. came with only 1.4 seconds left on the clock, following a crucial missed jumper by Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg. Orlando scored the final five points of the game, with a Jalen Suggs three-pointer preceding his game-winning assist to Carter. The loss for Dallas spoiled the return of top draft pick Cooper Flagg, who had been sidelined for eight games with a sprained left foot. In his return, Flagg scored 18 points and became the third player since the 1976 merger, joining Michael Jordan and Luka Dončić, to record 1,000 points, 300 rebounds, and 200 assists within their first 50 career games. For the Mavericks, the defeat marked their 15th loss in their last 17 games, continuing a significant slide. Klay Thompson was a bright spot off the bench for Dallas, scoring 24 points and hitting seven three-pointers. The Warriors' overtime victory was secured by a De'Anthony Melton second-chance basket with just 5.3 seconds remaining. The win was particularly notable as Golden State was playing without Stephen Curry, who is out with a knee injury, and Kristaps Porzingis. Brandin Podziemski led the short-handed Warriors with 26 points and nine rebounds, while Melton contributed 23 points. For the Rockets, Reed Sheppard scored a team-high 30 points, and Kevin Durant added 23 in the losing effort. The final moments of regulation in the Warriors-Rockets game were just as tense, with Houston's Alperen Sengun hitting a game-tying shot with about 30 seconds left to force the extra period. A potential game-winning foul call on the Rockets was overturned after a successful challenge with 6.5 seconds left in regulation.