|
 Suns 122, Thunder 115
Goran Dragic scored 26 points and P.J. Tucker had 11 of his
career-high 21 in the fourth quarter as the Phoenix Suns outscored
Oklahoma City 11-3 over the final 2:20 and scored a huge win over
the Thunder.
Phoenix's win overshadowed the performance of Kevin Durant who
scored 38 points and set a modern-day NBA record with his 41st
consecutive game scoring 25 points or more, one more than Michael
Jordan had during the 1991-92 season.
Russell Westbrook added 33 for the Thunder (55-21), who fell 4 1/2
games behind West-leading San Antonio.
Gerald Green added 24 points and was 5-for-7 from 3-point range for
the Suns (46-31), who moved past the Memphis Grizzlies and into sole
possession of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western
Conference.
___
Spurs 112, Grizzlies 92
San Antonio guard Tony Parker converted all four of his shots in the
first quarter before leaving with back spasm, as the Spurs cruised
to another victory.
Kawhi Leonard and Manu Ginobili scored 26 points apiece and the
NBA-best Spurs (60-17) opened up a 4 1/2-game lead atop the Western
Conference.
James Johnson led Memphis with a season-high 20 points but it was a
damaging loss for the Grizzlies (45-32) who trail the final Western
Conference playoff spot by one game.
___
Trail Blazers 100, Pelicans 94
LaMarcus Aldridge collected 25 points and 18 rebounds and Portland
outscored New Orleans 29-14 in the third quarter to win and clinch a
spot in the playoffs.
The Blazers (50-28), fifth in the Western Conference, will make the
post-season for the first time since 2011.
Wesley Matthews added 21 to help Portland win for the fifth time in
six games.
Anthony Morrow came off the bench for 17 points for the Pelicans
(32-45), now losers of five consecutive games.
___
Rockets 130, Nuggets 125 (Overtime)
James Harden nailed a game-tying 3-pointer with 7.1 seconds left in
regulation, and the Houston Rockets erased a 14-point,
fourth-quarter deficit, then beat the Denver Nuggets in overtime.
Harden, who led the Rockets on a 19-5 rally over the final 4:24 of
regulation, finished with 32 points and 10 assists. He assisted on
two 3-pointers by forward Chandler Parsons in overtime that gave the
Rockets (51-25) an insurmountable eight-point lead.
Guard Evan Fornier had 26 off the bench for Denver (33-44).
___
Warriors 130, Jazz 102
Stephen Curry exploded for 16 points in the first quarter, and the
Golden State Warriors built an early 15-point lead en route to a
comfortable victory over the Utah Jazz.
The win allowed the Warriors (48-29) to record a 4-0 season-series
sweep over the Jazz for the first time in franchise history.
Curry finished with 31 points in 29 minutes, backcourt mate Klay
Thompson added 33 points and the Warriors remained 1 1/2 games
behind the Portland Trail Blazers in the race for the No. 5 playoff
position in the Western Conference.
___
[to top of second column] |
Heat 102, Knicks 91
The Miami Heat, led by forward LeBron James' 38 points, overcame a
slow start to issue a damaging defeat to the New York Knicks.
New York was led by guard J.R. Smith, who made a franchise record 10
3-pointers in 21 attempts and had 32 points.
Carmelo Anthony was held to 13 points, bothered by a sore right
shoulder.
The loss dropped the Knicks (33-45) 1 1/2 games behind the Atlanta
Hawks in the battle for the eighth and final playoff berth in the
Eastern Conference, while Miami (53-23) moved one game in front of
Indiana in the battle for the top seed in the East. — — Hawks 107,
Pacers 88 Jeff Teague scored a game-high 25 points, leading four
Atlanta starters in double figures as the Hawks stunned the Indiana
Pacers. The Hawks (34-42) moved closer to nailing down their seven
consecutive playoff spot. Atlanta is two games ahead of New York
(33-45) with six games left. Indiana forward Paul George scored 10
of his team-high 18 points in the second half but the Pacers
continue to struggle. Indiana (53-25) lost for the seventh time in
nine games and now trails the Heat by one game in the race for the
No. 1 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.
___
Mavericks 93, Kings 91
Monta Ellis scored 23 points and made two 3-pointers in the final 3
1/2 minutes, one the old-fashioned way, as the Dallas Mavericks held
off the Sacramento Kings to extend their longest road winning streak
in three seasons.
The Mavericks (47-31) have won five straight away from home and are
in seventh place in the NBA's Western Conference standings, a
half-game ahead of Phoenix.
Rudy Gay scored a game-high 32 points for the Kings (27-50), his
third effort of at least 30 points in his past five games.
___
Clippers 120, Lakers 97
Point guard Chris Paul and forward Blake Griffin scored 23 points
each as the Clippers pounded the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Clippers (55-23) captured the season series, winning three of
four, from the Lakers for the second year in a row.
They also helped the Lakers match the worst record (30-52) in
franchise history, tying this year's squad with the 1974-75 club.
Center Jordan Hills led the Lakers with 22 points and nine rebounds.
(Editing by Jahmal Cormer)
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