Julius Randle had 27 points as he led the New York Knicks into the All-Star break with a 19-18 record after they triumphed 114-104 over the Detroit Pistons.
The 26-year-old also collected 16 rebounds while second-year small forward RJ Barrett netted 21 points as the Knicks mount a serious charge for their first post-season appearance in eight years.
The Boston Celtics had their fourth consecutive victory as they ran out 132-125 winners against the Toronto Raptors, who continue to be without star players Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby due to the league's coronavirus protocols.
A 12-0 run in the fourth quarter allowed the Denver Nuggets to secure a 113-103 victory over the Indiana Pacers and Giannis Antetokounmpo contributed 26 points as the Milwaukee Bucks snuck home 112-111 against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Washington Wizards edged the Los Angeles Clippers 119-117, with Paul George noticeably absent after withdrawing from the Clippers lineup just prior to tip-off due to dizziness.
The Miami Heat were 18-18 after Jimmy Butler scored 29 points en route to a 103-93 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans and the Oklahoma City Thunder recovered from a loss the previous night to down the San Antonio Spurs 107-102.
The Phoenix Suns had won 15 of their previous 18 games ahead of Thursday night and they continued their form with a 120-98 humbling of the Golden State Warriors, while the Portland Trail Blazers prevailed as Damian Lillard scored 44 in a 123-119 win against the Sacramento Kings.
