Still, they trailed just 65-61 in the final minute and appeared to have gotten a stop by forcing Thornton to missa long 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down.
Avram Grant celebrated his first victory as manager of bottom club Portsmouth with a 2-0 victory at home to Burnley, as striker Aruna Dindane made up for a first-half penalty missby adding the second goal following defender Hermann Hreidarsson's 65th-minute opener.