Nikola Jokic missed two crucial shots down the stretch as the Brooklyn Nets eked out a 125-119 win over the Denver Nuggets.
Denver led by as many as 21 in the first half, until a 16-point scoring spree from Blake Griffin sparked a huge third-quarter rally for the Nets, who eventually took the lead midway through the fourth.
The sides remained neck-and-neck down the stretch, but two crucial close-range misses from Jokic in the final 25 seconds ultimately gave Brooklyn enough space to seal their first win in five games.
It was also a close affair in Indiana, where the Washington Wizards kept their playoff hopes alive with a 133-132 overtime win against the Pacers.
Russell Westbrook was again instrumental in orchestrating Washington's victory, finishing with 33 points, 19 rebounds and 15 assists to join Oscar Robertson as the NBA's career triple-doubles leader with 181.
The win pushes the Wizards into the ninth spot in the Eastern Conference with just four games left in the regular season.
Steph Curry was at his unstoppable best in the Golden State Warriors' 136-97 demolition of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Curry drained 11 threes en route to a 49-point performance, while Draymond Green added 15 points and 13 assists.
The Philadelphia 76ers took another step towards clinching the number one spot in the east with a 118-104 win against the Detroit Pistons.
Joel Embiid led the way for the Sixers with 29 points, further strengthening his MVP campaign.
Elsewhere, the Portland Trail Blazers cruised past the San Antonio Spurs 124-102, the Utah Jazz were pushed to the limit in an eight-point victory over the Houston Rockets and the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Toronto Raptors 109-99.
