Thon Maker hits game-winning three-pointer in Pistons victory

Thon Maker has nailed a game-winning three-pointer with 16.7 seconds remaining as the Detroit Pistons overcame Blake Griffin’s third-quarter ejection to beat the Atlanta Hawks 125-122 in the NBA.

Maker, who was recently traded from the Milwaukee Bucks in search of more game time, took a pass from Reggie Jackson and calmly made the trey, his third of the night, giving him nine points for the game.

Jackson scored a season-high 32 points and Andre Drummond had 26 points and 21 rebounds for Detroit.

Trae Young led Atlanta with 30 points and 10 assists.

Kawhi Leonard had a go-ahead dunk with 15 seconds left and scored 25 points to help the Toronto Raptors beat his former team, the San Antonio Spurs, 120-117 and spoil DeMar DeRozan return to the Scotiabank Arena.

Leonard stole the ball from DeRozan at midcourt and raced in alone for a one-handed slam with 15.1 seconds to play.

Traded to San Antonio in the off-season deal that sent Leonard to Toronto, DeRozan received a warm welcome in the homecoming but was denied a second victory over his former team. He finished with 23 points.

Pascal Siakam added 22 points to help Toronto win their seventh-straight game.

Marco Belinelli scored 21 points for San Antonio while Australian guard Patty Mills added 15 on six from 11 shooting.

Nikola Jokic led a balanced Denver Nuggets scoring effort with 19 points in their 114-104 victory at the Dallas Mavericks.

Wesley Matthews scored 15 of his 24 points during a third-quarter rally while Domantis Sabonis had 18 points and 12 rebounds as the Indiana Pacers overcame a 20-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 126-111.

Derrick Rose scored 20 points and Taj Gibson added a season-high 19 to lift the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 115-104 victory at the New York Knicks.

The win came despite the absence of Karl-Anthony Towns for the first time in his NBA career.

The two-time All-Star’s streak of 303 consecutive starts was snapped when he was placed in the concussion protocol on Friday, a day after he was involved in a car accident.

Kemba Walker had 27 points and 11 assists in his first outing since the All-Star game as the Charlotte Hornets beat Washington 123-110, despite Bradley Beal’s 46-point night for the Wizards.

Lauri Markannen made two of three free throws with 1.5 seconds left to lift the Chicago Bulls past the Orlando Magic 110-109 while the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 112-106.