CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard combined for 57 points to get the Portland Trail Blazers across the line against the Miami Heat.

McCollum single-handedly kept Portland in the game in the early stages, scoring 21 of his 35 points in the first quarter.

He then tagged in his front-court partner to see the result home, with Lillard sinking free throws at the death to clinch the tight 125-122 victory.

Tyler Herro scored 29 points for Miami in a losing effort – the Heat's fifth in a row.

A late scoring explosion from Alec Burks propelled the New York Knicks to a 106-102 win over the Washington Wizards.

Burks sparked the Knicks to a 39-point fourth quarter after New York trailed by 17 mid-way through the third.

RJ Barrett added 24 for New York, while Bradley Beal top-scored for Washington with 24.

The Philadelphia 76ers overcame Dwight Howard's early ejection to down the Los Angeles Lakers 109-101.

In the absence of their two primary players in Howard and Joel Embiid, the Sixers relied on the hot hand of Danny Green to claim their fourth straight win.

De'Aaron Fox went off for 44 points to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 141-119 demolition of the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors struggled without Steph Curry and Draymond Green, with Fox's career-high performance resigning them to three losses on the trot.

And the Los Angeles Clippers regained third spot in the Western Conference on the back of a gritty 98-85 win against the San Antonio Spurs.