The Los Angeles Clippers picked up a fifth win in a row as they beat the Memphis Grizzlies last night, tying with their opponents for second place in the Western Conference.
The Clippers were 11 points up early in the fourth quarter before the Grizzlies fought back, but Chris Paul added five straight points to secure the win.
The Golden State Warriors needed a late surge to secure a closely-fought win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Western Conference leaders made a strong start as Stephen Curry scored 20 of his 34 points before the break, but the Timberwolves chipped into the deficit in the third, before Klay Thompson made three three-pointers late on to put the win beyond doubt.
Derrick Rose continued his return to fitness with a 22-point performance in the Chicago Bulls' win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
In just his third game since a two-month absence, the point guard played 28 minutes, committing no turnovers to help the Bulls shake off the Sixers in the final minutes.
Miami Heat's hopes of making the playoffs were dealt as blow as they were narrowly beaten by the Toronto Raptors, leaving them two wins adrift in the Eastern Conference.
There was little between the two sides throughout, but the visitors started to edge ahead in the fourth quarter, with a run of points from DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry in the final minute sealing the victory.
Trevor Booker scored a career-high 36 to lead the Utah Jazz to victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in just his fourth start of the season.
The visitors dominated from the start, opening up a big lead by the end of the first quarter, before a late push in the fourth, led by Booker, ended any hopes of a comeback from the Blazers.
The New York Knicks ended their losing streak with a narrow win over the Orlando Magic in a low-scoring encounter.
The two sides set a new NBA record for the lowest points total in a quarter after scoring just 15 points in the second period, but Tim Hardaway Jr added a three-pointer late on to secure the victory for the visitors.
Results in full: New York Knicks 80-79 Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors 107-104 Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers 107-114 Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies 86-94 Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz 111-105 Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves 101-110 Golden State Warriors
Sian Cowper
