Jazz move into second in West
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Deron Williams scored a career-high 42 points and made a game-winning jumper with one second left in overtime to hand the Utah Jazz a 140-139 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
The Jazz overcame 45 points from Kevin Durant thanks to Williams' two-point shot from the top of the key as Utah defeated the Thunder (48-29) for the first time in four meetings this season.
Williams added 10 assists while Carlos Boozer recorded 28 points and 15 rebounds to help Utah (51-27) move into second place in the Western Conference, half-a-game ahead of three teams.
"That was a fun game to be a part of," Williams told reporters. "It felt like it was a playoff game with the way the West is. All these games are so important."
Oklahoma City, seventh in the West, trailed the Jazz by 13 late in the fourth quarter before Durant led a comeback and Jeff Green made a game-tying three-pointer with eight seconds left in regulation.
Durant, who entered the night just behind LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the NBA scoring lead, racked up 17 points in the fourth, scoring four three-pointers in the last 4:25.
On the final possession of overtime, Durant appeared to be fouled by Utah's C J Miles while attempting another three-pointer but did not get the call and protested to the officials.
"The referee didn't call a foul," said Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks. "You have to go with him. He had a better look than I had. That's part of it. Sometimes you get those, sometimes you don't."
Point guard Russell Westbrook had 27 points and nine assists while Green finished with 20 points for the Thunder, who are headed to their first postseason since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City before the start of last season.
In Cleveland, the Toronto Raptors lost All-Star forward Chris Bosh to a broken bone in his face and saw their NBA playoff hopes dented with a 113-101 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Bosh was struck by a stray elbow from Cleveland's Antawn Jamison in the third minute. Bosh, who had blood dripping from his nose and mouth as he was assisted from the floor, suffered a maxilla and nasal fracture to the right side of his face and was to stay in hospital overnight.
In other NBA action, it was: Bobcats 109, Hawks 100; Bucks 79, Bulls 74; Rockets 113, Grizzlies 103; Knicks 104, Celtics 101; Spurs 95, Kings 86; Pistons 124, 76ers 103; and Wizards 112, Warriors 94.
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