Reath returns but Cavs blaze Portland in OT

• Duop Reath played 21 minutes in Portland's overtime loss to Cleveland
• Josh Giddey almost recorded a triple-double for the Chicago Bulls
• Ben Simmons didn't play in the second game against the Lakers in three days

Aussie big man Duop Reath put in an impressive performance in his first major minutes for the Portland Trailblazers in weeks despite his team going down to the Eastern Conference leading Cleveland Cavaliers 133-129 in an overtime thriller at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.

Reath, who has struggled for consistent court time after bursting onto the NBA scene last season, played 21 minutes for seven points and five rebounds and recorded a plus-minus of eight in the contest.

Cleveland held a slim 42-54 halftime lead but Portland stormed back in the third quarter, outscoring the Cavs 35-37 to narrow the gap, however the fourth quarter saw a dramatic shift as the Trailblazers surged ahead, forcing overtime with a 40-30 run.

In the extra period, Cleveland's experience and home-court advantage proved crucial as the home team outscored Portland 14-10 in overtime to secure a hard-fought victory, with pivotal moment coming with just under two minutes left in overtime when Ty Jerome hit a clutch three-pointer, extending Cleveland's lead to five points and sealing the win.

New recruit De'Andre Hunter's performance was instrumental for the Cavaliers with his efficient 8-of-15 shooting, including five three-pointers, keeping Cleveland's offense humming throughout the contest. His ability to get to the free-throw line was particularly impactful after he converted 11 of 12 attempts from the charity stripe.

For Portland, Deni Avdija recorded a triple-double with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists while Anfernee Simons contributed 27 points for Portland. The Cavaliers' defensive intensity was evident in their 12 steals and five blocks, compared to Portland's eight steals and one block.

The difference between the teams came from beyond the arc, where the Cavaliers hit 19 three-pointers at a 41.3% clip, while the Trail Blazers managed 14 at 35%.

This victory further solidified Cleveland's position atop the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 50-10 while the loss dropped Portland, the loss dropped them to 27-34, leaving them on the outside of the Western Conference playoff picture in 12th.

Chicago Bulls @ Indiana Pacers

Josh Giddey was on triple-double watch for the Chicago Bulls with 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists but it wasn't enough as the Indiana Pacers recorded a 127-112 victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Fellow Aussie Johnny Furphy played one minute in the win for Indiana.

Oklahoma City Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs

Alex Ducas played two minutes as the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the San Antonio Spurs with a 146-132 win at Frost Bank Center.

Jalen Williams led the scoring for the Thunder with 41 while Shai Gilgeous Alexander had 31.

Minnesota Timberwolves @ Phoenix Suns

Aussie NBA veteran Joe Ingles was a DNP Coach's Decision for the Minnesota Timberwolves who recorded a statement 116-98 win over the Phoenix Suns at the Footprint Center.

Superstar Anthony Edwards had 44 points as Minnesota continued their recent run of form.

Los Angeles Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers

Ben Simmons didn't play in the second game in three days for the Los Angeles Clippers as they went down to crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers 108-102 at Crypto.com arena.

Patty Mills was also a DNP Coach's Decision for the Clippers, who also lost to the Lakers on Saturday.