Suns Edge Thunder With Devin Booker Buzzer-Beater To Avenge Record Loss

Devin Booker’s late three-pointer capped a dramatic NBA night that also featured key wins for the Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat, as several contenders strengthened their positions in divisional races while the Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans were left assessing costly defeats.

Booker decided the Suns’ clash with the Thunder with a tie-breaking three from the left wing with 0.7 seconds remaining, sealing a 108-105 victory that answered Phoenix’s record 138-89 NBA Cup quarter-final loss to Oklahoma City on December 10, which had stood as the heaviest defeat in Suns history.

The rematch initially followed a similar pattern when the Thunder surged ahead by 18 points during the second quarter, suggesting another comfortable result,

yet Phoenix chipped away across the middle periods and set up the stage for Booker, who finished with 24 points, nine assists and six rebounds in the win.

Reserve guard Jordan Goodwin gave the Suns a major boost from the bench, posting career bests with 26 points and eight three-pointers as Phoenix improved to 21-14 and recorded a sixth victory in seven outings, while Oklahoma City dropped to 30-6 after a 24-1 start followed by a 6-5 stretch.

Reigning league and NBA Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered 25 points for the league-leading Thunder, who came in as defending NBA champions and had dominated the previous meeting, yet this time could not answer Booker's decisive shot in the final seconds of regulation at Phoenix.

DEVIN BOOKER HITS THE TRIPLE AND WINS IT FOR THE SUNS PHOENIX COMPLETES THE 18-PT COMEBACK TO DEFEAT THE THUNDER! pic.twitter.com/JNPazjMXTzNBA (@NBA) January 5, 2026

In the Central Division, the Detroit Pistons tightened their grip on first place with a 114-110 road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, stretching their advantage over second-place Cleveland to seven games and halting the Cavaliers’ three-game winning streak in a contest between Eastern Conference rivals.

Detroit, now 26-9 and leading the Eastern Conference, had dropped three of the previous four games before visiting Cleveland, where the Cavaliers, at 20-17, moved ahead by nine points with 7:25 to go in the second quarter, only for the Pistons to close the first half on a decisive 36-17 burst.

Cade Cunningham led Detroit’s response, tallying 27 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals, while Daniss Jenkins added 25 points and five assists in just 25 minutes off the bench, as the Pistons controlled the closing stages despite 30 points from Cleveland guard Donovan Mitchell.

Mitchell’s performance marked the 20th time this season the Cavaliers guard scored at least 30 points, tying Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown for the second-most such games in the NBA, with Gilgeous-Alexander topping the league table at 26 appearances with 30 or more points.

Good road dub pic.twitter.com/RMj2W2dOUJDetroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) January 4, 2026

NBA Southeast race and Pelicans slide

In Miami, Norman Powell powered the Heat back into the win column with 34 points and a career-high nine three-pointers in a 125-106 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, responding immediately after Miami’s four-game winning streak ended on Saturday and keeping the Southeast Division race finely balanced.

Powell shot 9-of-12 from long range and 11-of-15 overall, finishing one make short of the franchise record for three-pointers in a game as the Heat moved to 20-16, staying level atop the Southeast Division with the Orlando Magic, who also stand at 20-16 after beating the NBA-worst Indiana Pacers on Sunday.

The Pelicans, who fell to 8-29 and sit last in the Western Conference, suffered a seventh straight defeat despite Trey Murphy III contributing 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists, as New Orleans again struggled defensively on the perimeter and could not slow Powell’s rhythm from beyond the arc.

Norman Powell was UNCONSCIOUS from beyond the arc in Miami's win 34 PTS 11-15 FGM 9 3PM (CAREER-HIGH) pic.twitter.com/Nfx4cndB9uNBA (@NBA) January 5, 2026

The night’s results underlined contrasting paths across the NBA, with Phoenix avenging a heavy tournament defeat, Detroit widening control of the Central Division and Miami maintaining pressure in the Southeast, while Oklahoma City, Cleveland and New Orleans were left dealing with setbacks at different stages of their respective seasons.