LeBron James top scored with 25 points as the Los Angeles Lakers beat city rivals the Los Angeles Clippers 106-103.
Anthony Davis added 22 points as the Lakers ended a four-game losing streak.
Paul George and Ivica Zubac scored 22 points for the Clippers, who suffered their first defeat in six matches.
“If we could continue to get better with our details we could be a really good team,” said James. “Tonight was a good step in the right direction.”
Elsewhere, Kyrie Irving scored 35 points and Luka Doncic added 34 as the Dallas Mavericks beat Western Conference leaders the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-108.
The Timberwolves looked on course for the win when an Anthony Edwards basket put them 106-100 ahead with less than four minutes remaining.
But the Mavericks hit back with 13 unanswered points, including two three-pointers from Irving, to edge into a lead which they never relinquished.
“I was just letting him cook,” Doncic said of Irving. “When he stays aggressive he’s an amazing player.”
RJ Barrett scored a season-high 37 points as the Toronto Raptors beat the Golden State Warriors 133-118.
Stephen Curry scored just nine points for the Warriors, making only two of his 14 shots from the field and missing all nine of his three-point attempts.
Draymond Green took part in the Warriors’ pre-game walkthrough as he prepares to return to action following the lifting of his 12-game suspension for striking an opponent.
CJ McCollum top-scored with 30 points as the New Orleans Pelicans eased to a 133-100 win over the Sacramento Kings, with seven Pelicans players scoring double figures.
Victor Wembanyama scored 24 points in less than 25 minutes on court but could not prevent the San Antonio Spurs from losing 117-115 to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jarrett Allen scored 29 points and Caris LeVert added 23 off the bench for the Cavaliers as the Spurs suffered a fifth straight defeat.
The Detroit Pistons have now lost 32 of their last 33 games, including their last 18 on the road, after they were beaten 131-114 by the Denver Nuggets.
Mikal Bridges scored 42 points for the Brooklyn Nets but could not prevent a 134-127 overtime defeat by the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Orlando Magic also needed overtime to beat the Atlanta Hawks 117-110 in Florida, while the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Phoenix Suns 121-115.
