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The Charlotte Hornets kept their NBA play-off hopes alive with a dramatic 113-111 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
Jeremy Lamb – who less than a fortnight ago hit a buzzer-beater from his own half to secure victory against Toronto – nailed a game-winning three-pointer with under four seconds left on Friday night.
There was still time for Toronto's Kawhi Leonard to see a potential leveller get stuck between the rim and the backboard with less than a second left as Charlotte held on.
ANOTHA ONE!!!! JEREMY LAMB KNOCKS DOWN ANOTHER GAME-WINNING BUCKET!!!#hornets30 @hornetsonfsse pic.twitter.com/ynoorV8lYz — Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) April 6, 2019
That victory moved Charlotte within two games of the final play-off spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Hornets having three games left to play.
The Detroit Pistons slipped into that eighth place after they suffered a third straight defeat, going down 123-110 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Russell Westbrook had 19 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds for the Thunder as he secured a season average of a triple double for the third year in a row.
The Orlando Magic are up to sixth and moving closer to clinching a place in the post season after they beat the Atlanta Hawks 149-113.
The Miami Heat sit ninth after a 111-109 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the seventh-placed Brooklyn Nets were not in action on Friday.
Elsewhere, the Boston Celtics strengthened their case for home-court advantage in the first round of the play-offs by beating the Indiana Pacers 117-97.
12 minutes to go ⌛️@gordonhayward is 8 for 8 through the first three quarters tonight. pic.twitter.com/UuqcKGUbKK — Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 6, 2019
Stephen Curry scored 40 points as the Golden State Warriors downed the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-114 while the Los Angeles Lakers saw off city rivals the Clippers 122-117.
James Harden scored 26 points in 29 minutes before sitting out the fourth quarter of the Houston Rockets' 120-96 win against the New York Knicks.
#RocketsWin 🚀 pic.twitter.com/WQ3YwQYbcP — Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 6, 2019
Delon Wright recorded his first career triple-double as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Memphis Grizzlies 122-112 while the San Antonio Spurs had eight players score at least 10 points in their 129-112 victory against the Washington Wizards.
The Utah Jazz extended their winning run to seven games with a 119-98 win over the Sacramento Kings, the Phoenix Suns toppled the New Orleans Pelicans 133-126, while the Denver Nuggets overcame the Portland Trail Blazers 119-110.
