The Milwaukee Bucks have overturned an 18-point deficit against the Charlotte Hornets with a Giannis Antetokounmpo go-ahead lay-up with two seconds left in regulation snatching a 127-125 home victory.

Antetokounmpo had 40 points and 12 rebounds and Khris Middleton added 21 points for the Bucks, who have extended their winning streak to eight games.

LaMelo Ball had a career-high 36 points for the Hornets, while Kelly Oubre Jr. added 25 and Miles Bridges 22

Middleton buried a 3-pointer from the top left to put Milwaukee in front 123-122 with 52 seconds left. Antetokounmpo's lay-in on the Bucks' next possession was negated by an offensive foul.

Gordon Hayward missed a jumper from the top of the key for the Hornets, and Middleton hit two free throws to make it 125-122 with 8.6 seconds remaining.

Ball made a fadeaway 3-pointer - his eighth of the game - with 5.9 seconds left to pull the Hornets even at 125.

After a timeout, Jru Holliday fed Antetokounmpo near the top of the lane for the decisive lay-up.

Elsewhere, Jayson Tatum scored 26 points and pulled in a career-high 16 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics past the Philadelphia 76ers 88-87 in a bruising eastern conference showdown.

Luka Doncic scored 18 of his team-high 28 points in the first quarter and dished out 14 assists in 27 minutes to power the Dallas Mavericks to a 139-107 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Trae Young made two crucial free throws in the final seconds of the game to help the Atlanta Hawks fend off the Indiana Pacers 114-111 while the Orlando Magic rallied from an early 16-point deficit to defeat Denver Nuggets 108-103 and end their seven-game losing streak.

Former Sydney Kings import Jae'Sean Tate had a night out in the Houston Rockets' 114-110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder with a career-high 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and five blocked shots.

Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-107, the Cleveland Cavaliers crushed the short-handed Miami Heat 111-85 and the Sacramento Kings accounted for the undermanned Los Anglese Clippers 124-115.