|
 Cleveland forward Kevin Love, who has battled back problems
throughout the season, took an elbow to his lower back in the fourth
quarter and had to leave the game soon after. Cavs guard Iman
Shumpert jammed his ankle going up for a dunk in the second quarter
and left the game immediately. Neither player returned, but neither
injury is considered serious.
The Cavs began the day with everyone available, yet they only
survived when Philadelphia's Nerlens Noel missed a contested shot in
the lane in the game's final seconds.
Neither team scored a basket for the final 3:57. The Sixers missed
their final five shots and their last four free throws, while the
Cavs missed their last six shots. Philadelphia guard Ish Smith
missed a pair of open 3-pointers, and forward Robert Covington
(team-high 19 points) missed two free throws, all in the final 90
seconds,
Rockets 99, Wizards 91
WASHINGTON -- Guard James Harden scored 24 points, and Houston
fended off a second-half rally for a win over Washington.
Forward Corey Brewer scored 15 points and forward Josh Smith had 14
points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, who won their fourth
straight. Center Dwight Howard had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Guard John Wall finished with 25 points for the Wizards, coming up
short of his third straight game with 30 or more points. The
All-Star also had 12 assists and made 11 of 12 free throws.
Washington lost for the fifth time in six games.
Pelicans 110, Timberwolves 88
NEW ORLEANS -- Forward Anthony Davis scored 28 points and grabbed
nine rebounds, and center Omer Asik added 15 points to lead New
Orleans past injury-riddled Minnesota.
Davis struggled with his outside shot, going 10-for-21 from the
floor, but he made eight of 10 free throws. Guard Eric Gordon added
12 points, and forward Quincy Pondexter, guard Norris Cole and
center Alexis Ajinca had 10 each for New Orleans.
Minnesota got a team-high 20 points from forward Andrew Wiggins, but
the Timberwolves killed their chances with 21 turnovers.
Nets 107, Lakers 99
NEW YORK -- Center Brook Lopez collected 30 points and 11 rebounds,
and Brooklyn held on for a victory over Los Angeles.
Forward Joe Johnson added 18 points and rookie guard Markel Brown
contributed a career-high 17 points for Brooklyn, which equaled a
season high with three consecutive wins. Lopez posted his sixth
straight game with at least 20 points and reached 30 points for the
fourth time in six games, helping Brooklyn win for the seventh time
in nine games.
Center Jordan Hill returned to the Los Angeles lineup after sitting
out three games and collected 22 points and 16 rebounds. The Lakers
lost for the 12th time in 15 games.
Pacers 104, Mavericks 99
INDIANAPOLIS -- C.J. Miles scored 28 points, including a clutch
3-pointer with one minute remaining and two free throws with 1.7
seconds to go, leading Indiana past Dallas. It was the first time in
34 games this season that the Mavericks lost when leading after
three quarters. Indiana snapped a four-game home losing streak.
Two free throws from center Roy Hibbert broke a tie and gave the
Pacers a 99-97 lead with 1:30 remaining. Miles followed with the
3-pointer 30 seconds later for a 102-97 lead. Dallas forward
Chandler Parson made a layup with 55 second to go to slice the
deficit to 102-99, but the Mavericks, who managed only 38
second-half points, did not score again.
Hibbert and guard George Hill each added 14 for Indiana. Parsons led
Dallas with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Forward Dirk Nowitzki had 19
points and five rebounds, and guard Rajon Rondo added 17 points and
10 assists.
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Spurs 103, Grizzlies 89
SAN ANTONIO -- Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points as San Antonio
defeated Memphis. The Spurs forward scored the team's first 15
points of the fourth quarter and helped doom the Grizzlies to their
third consecutive loss, matching their longest slump of the season.
Leonard shot 11-for-17 from the field and finished one point shy of
tying his career high.
San Antonio forward Tiago Splitter added 15 points and guard Tony
Parker scored 17. Forward Zach Randolph led the Grizzlies with 20
points on 9-of-16 shooting while forward Jeff Green chipped in with
19.
Thunder 109, Suns 97
PHOENIX -- Kyle Singler, D.J. Augustin and Anthony Morrow all hit
3-pointers during a 13-0 Oklahoma City run early the fourth quarter,
and the Thunder rallied from a 20-point, first-half deficit to beat
Phoenix.
Guard Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 33 points, but he
scored just four in the fourth quarter and was on the bench resting
when his teammates took control of the game. He made only 10 of 29
shots from the floor.
Augustin finished with 19 points, and guard Dion Waiters scored nine
of his 18 in the third quarter. Thunder center Steven Adams added 13
points and 16 rebounds. Forward Markieff Morris had 24 points to
lead the Suns, but he scored only four in the second half.
Heat 109, Pistons 102
MIAMI -- Undersized and undermanned Miami stretched its home winning
streak to a season-best five. Shooting guard Dwyane Wade scored a
game-high 40 points to lead the Heat, who had just nine healthy
players available in the second half.
Wade scored 19 of his points in the fourth quarter. Miami's Udonis
Haslem, playing center, had a season-high 18 points to go with a
season-high 13 rebounds, and rookie forward James Ennis came off the
bench to score a career-high 16 points. Center Drummond led Detroit
with 32 points and 14 rebounds, and guard Reggie Jackson added 31
points.
Miami, playing without four injured 6-foot-10 or taller big men,
Chris Bosh, Josh McRoberts, Hassan Whiteside and Chris Andersen,
lost forwards Luol Deng (knee) and Michael Beasley (elbow) to
injuries.
Clippers 119, Celtics 106
BOSTON -- Los Angeles saw its 35-point lead slip to 14 in the fourth
quarter Sunday, but the Clippers held on to beat Boston.
Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, who finished with 15 points and 14
rebounds, missed 12 of 15 free throws. Los Angeles guard J.J. Redick
hit five of six attempts from behind the 3-point arc and scored 24
of his 27 points in the first three quarters. Guard Chris Paul had
21 points and 10 assists, and forward Blake Griffin added 21 points
and nine rebounds.
Guard Isaiah Thomas came off the bench to lead six Celtics (four of
them reserves) in double figures with 19 points. Thomas added seven
assists. Boston center Tyler Zeller delivered 16 points.
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