Damian Lillard's hot form has continued as the Milwaukee Bucks superstar delivered the hammer blow in a huge NBA comeback win over his former team Portland.
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The Trail Blazers led by as much as 26 points early in the third period before Lillard - facing Portland for the first time since requesting a trade over the summer - and Giannis Antetokounmpo, spearheaded a dramatic turnaround in the Bucks' 108-102 home victory.
It was the largest deficit overcome by a winning team this season.
Milwaukee were still down 15 entering the fourth period but Lillard, Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis combined for 31 of the Bucks' 33 final-quarter points to Portland's 14.
Antetokounmpo finished with game-high tallies of 33 points and 16 rebounds, while Lillard posted a second consecutive 30-point game with 31 and five rebounds.
Lillard was almost perfect from the free-throw line (13-for-14), where he made six successful attempts during the Bucks' game-winning 11-3 run to finish.
The seven-time All-Star iced the result with the last four points of the contest from the charity stripe.
But his uncharacteristic shooting woes continued elsewhere as he went 7-for-21 from the field.
Monday's (AEDT) encounter was Lillard's first meeting with the Blazers after ending his 11-year association with the team in late September.
Ex-teammate Jerami Grant (22 points) was instrumental in setting up Portland's big lead as Malcolm Brogdon (18 points, 12 assists) and Deandre Ayton (14 points, 13 rebounds) posted double-doubles.
Australian pair Mathisse Thybulle (five points, four steals) and Duop Reath (three points, two steals) played smaller roles for the visitors.
Countryman Joe Ingles went 0-for-3 in a scoreless 15 minutes as his Orlando Magic extended their winning streak to seven games with a 130-117 victory over Charlotte.
It is the Magic's longest winning sequence since a nine-game streak that ended in January 2011.
Franz Wagner and Cole Anthony scored 30 points each for Orlando (12-5), who remain hot on the heels of Eastern Conference leaders Boston.
The Celtics (13-4) registered a 113-103 win over the Atlanta Hawks as Jayson Tatum (34 points, nine rebounds) and Derrick White (15 points, 11 assists) got involved.
Elsewhere, Minnesota's 119-97 rout of Memphis kept the Timberwolves (11-4) on top of the Western Conference standings as Anthony Edwards scored 24 points.
Phoenix (11-6) aren't far behind after extending their winning streak to seven games with a tense 116-113 victory over the New York Knicks.
Devin Booker made a tiebreaking three-pointer with 1.7 seconds left and finished with 28 points and 11 assists for the Suns, who were without Kevin Durant for a second straight game because of a sore right foot.
Denver superstar Nikola Jokic fell narrowly short of a triple-double with 39 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in the Nuggets' 132-120 win over San Antonio.
Australian Associated Press
