Bulls beat Heat in OT as titans clash

Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) and forward Carlos Boozer (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, April 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

CHICAGO — Chicago’s C.J. Watson hit a game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation, and the Bulls pulled away in overtime to beat the Miami Heat 96-86 in Thursday’s clash of NBA divisional leaders.

Carlos Boozer led the Bulls with 19 points and Watson had 16 for the Bulls, who outscored Miami 12-2 in overtime to boost their lead in the Eastern Conference to four games.

LeBron James scored 30 points for Miami, but missed a free throw that would have made it a two-possession game late in regulation.

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SPURS 107, GRIZZLIES 97

In San Antonio, Tim Duncan had 28 points and 12 rebounds as San Antonio broke out of a form slump and beat surging Memphis.

Manu Ginobili added 20 points for the Spurs, who responded to being beaten heavily by the Kobe Bryant-less Los Angeles Lakers in their previous game.

Rudy Gay’s 19 points led the Grizzlies, who had their four-game winning streak halted after their rally from a late 14-point deficit fizzled in the final minutes.

Memphis fell 1-1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 4 playoff seed.

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CLIPPERS 95, TIMBERWOLVES 82

In Minneapolis, Blake Griffin had 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead Los Angeles over Minnesota.

Caron Butler scored 17 points for the Clippers, who are a game behind the Lakers for the third seed in the West and 1-1/2 games ahead of Memphis for the fourth seed.

Michael Beasley had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost eight straight games. They have not won a game in the month of April since 2009.

The Wolves were playing without All-Star Kevin Love, who missed the game with a mild concussion.

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PISTONS 109, BOBCATS 85

In Charlotte, Detroit salvaged something out of a four-game road trip by beating woeful Charlotte.

Greg Monroe had 25 points and 11 rebounds while Brandon Knight added 21 points and seven assists. Monroe was 11-for-14 from the field.

The Pistons had lost their previous games away to Atlanta, Miami and Orlando, the final two by a combined margin of 53 points.

But they had no such problems with Bobcats, who became the first team this season to lose 50 games.