NBA roundup: Rockets edge Thunder in battle of prime 2 West groups

Fred VanVleet scored a game-high 38 factors and Dillon Brooks nailed a midrange jumper to beat the shot clock and provides Houston the lead for good because the host Rockets eked out a 119-116 win over the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder on Sunday in a matchup between the highest two seeds within the Western Convention.

VanVleet sank 4 free throws within the closing 4.6 seconds because the Rockets squared the season collection at a recreation apiece and closed to inside a half-game of the Thunder atop the West. Brooks’ jumper with 33.6 seconds left adopted a wild scramble and gave the Rockets a 115-113 lead.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paced the Thunder with 32 factors whereas Jalen Williams added 22 factors, together with a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left that sliced the deficit to 1. Isaiah Hartenstein added a double-double (19 factors, 13 rebounds) whereas Cason Wallace tallied 14 factors, together with two 3-pointers to match 3s from VanVleet down the hectic waning moments.

The fourth quarter featured seven ties however the Rockets, who trailed 93-85 late within the third after Gilgeous-Alexander led a 16-4 run, did not take their first lead within the fourth till VanVleet hit a buzzer-beating 3 with 1:29 left.

Alperen Sengun (20 factors, 14 rebounds) and Jabari Smith Jr. (15 factors, 14 rebounds) registered double-doubles for Houston. Sengun added 9 assists.

Spurs 127, Kings 125

Devin Vassell and Chris Paul mixed for 3 3-pointers down the stretch, Victor Wembanyama posted the third triple-double of his budding profession and San Antonio got here on late for a win over host Sacramento.

Wembanyama completed with recreation highs of 34 factors, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Vassell completed with 21 factors, Julian Champagnie had 19, Keldon Johnson equipped 17 and Paul chipped in 13 to associate with 10 assists for the Spurs, who gained for the fifth time of their previous six video games.

Domantas Sabonis used 10 offensive boards as the inspiration for a 25-point, 13-rebound double-double for Sacramento, which misplaced for the sixth time in its previous seven video games. DeRozan paced the Kings with 28 factors to associate with eight assists and three steals, whereas De’Aaron Fox had 23 factors and 9 assists, Malik Monk totaled 19 factors and Isaac Jones posted 12.

Clippers 126, Nuggets 122

James Harden had 39 factors, 11 assists and 9 rebounds to guide Los Angeles to a win over Denver in Inglewood, Calif.

Harden hit six 3-pointers for the sport and performed all 24 minutes of the second half whereas Norman Powell flourished in his first recreation again after lacking the previous six because of a hamstring harm. Powell hit 5 treys and completed with 28 factors in 25 minutes of motion. The win was the Clippers’ eighth in a row at residence, soured barely by an harm to Amir Coffey, who had 13 factors earlier than limping off the courtroom after knocking knees with teammate Ivica Zubac about halfway by means of the third quarter.

Nikola Jokic posted 28 factors, 14 boards and 11 assists to maneuver right into a tie for third place on the all-time triple-doubles listing. It was Jokic’s eighth triple-double of the season and the 138th of his profession, drawing him degree with Magic Johnson within the report books.

Lakers 105, Jazz 104

Anthony Davis and LeBron James had double-doubles and Los Angeles survived a late rally by Utah to flee Salt Lake Metropolis with a victory.

Davis completed with 33 factors and 11 rebounds and LeBron James scored 27 factors with 14 assists to carry the Lakers to their second win in six video games.

Lauri Markkanen led Utah with 22 factors and John Collins scored 21 with 9 rebounds within the Jazz’s fourth consecutive defeat. Walker Kessler had 13 factors and 11 rebounds, and Sexton netted 15 factors.

Mavericks 137, Path Blazers 131

Luka Doncic excelled in his return from harm with 36 factors, 13 assists and 7 rebounds to guide Dallas to a victory over host Portland.

Doncic was 15 of 24 from the ground after lacking the earlier 5 video games with a wrist harm. He guided the Mavericks to their eighth victory up to now 9 video games. Quentin Grimes was 5 of seven from 3-point vary whereas scoring a season-best 28 factors for Dallas.

Anfernee Simons scored 27 factors, Shaedon Sharpe had 22 and Deni Avdija added 21 for Portland, which misplaced for the fifth time in seven video games.

Grizzlies 136, Pacers 121

Memphis Grizzlies recovered from a disastrous opening quarter to defeat visiting Indiana for the Grizzlies’ sixth straight victory.

The Grizzlies positioned seven gamers in double figures, led by Jaren Jackson Jr., who had 25 factors and eight rebounds. Memphis additionally completed with 30 or extra assists (36) for the fifth straight recreation to tie a franchise report. The Grizzlies entered the sport with averaging 30.4 assists to guide the NBA.

Indiana received 19 factors and eight rebounds from Bennedict Mathurin. Memphis trailed by 19 early within the second quarter however recovered to outscore the Pacers 74-46 within the second and third quarters to enter the ultimate interval with an 11-point benefit.

Magic 100, Nets 92

Franz Wagner totaled 20 factors, 9 rebounds and eight assists whereas enduring a tough taking pictures efficiency as Orlando ran its profitable streak to 6 with a uneven victory in Brooklyn.

Orlando gained for the twelfth time in 13 video games and beat the Nets for the third time this season in a recreation that noticed the groups mix for 60 private fouls. Wagner shot 4 of 17 from the sphere but additionally made 12 of 14 free throws, together with two after taking a shot throughout the face from Nic Claxton that resulted within the Brooklyn heart’s ejection with 18 seconds left.

Cameron Johnson led the Nets with 26 factors however appeared to tweak his ankle or hamstring within the closing minute. Brooklyn additionally misplaced Ben Simmons to a bruised left knee. The Nets shot 38 p.c (30 of 79) and missed 23 of 31 3-point tries.

Raptors 119, Warmth 116

RJ Barrett scored 37 factors and Toronto staved off a late cost by visiting Miami.

Scottie Barnes added 23 factors, 10 rebounds and 9 assists for the Raptors, who gained a break up in back-to-back video games with the Warmth after shedding in Miami on Friday.

Tyler Herro scored 31 factors for the Warmth. Bam Adebayo put up 13 factors and a season-best 20 rebounds. Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier every added 17 factors.

Knicks 118, Pelicans 85

Mikal Bridges tied a profession excessive with seven 3-pointers and scored a season-high 31 factors as New York annihilated visiting New Orleans.

Karl-Anthony Cities had 14 factors and 19 rebounds for the Knicks, who took management with a 23-1 first-quarter run. Jalen Brunson scored 16 factors, Miles McBride had 13 off the bench and starter Josh Hart added 12.

CJ McCollum scored 13 factors for the Pelicans, who’ve misplaced eight in a row and 14 of their final 15. Trey Murphy III and Yves Missi had 11 factors apiece, whereas Dejounte Murray added 10 as New Orleans misplaced by not less than 30 for the second time this season.

Cavaliers 115, Celtics 111

Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 35 factors, together with 11 straight late within the fourth quarter, to propel Cleveland previous visiting, which had a seven-game profitable streak snapped.

After hitting three 3-pointers, Mitchell capped his surge with a floater that put the Cavaliers forward for good at 103-101 with 1:07 left. Mitchell completed 12-of-21 from the sphere and made 6 of 11 3-pointers to associate with seven rebounds. Darius Garland added 22 factors and eight assists.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 33 factors, whereas Payton Pritchard equipped 24 off the bench. Kristaps Porzingis scored 21 factors and grabbed eight rebounds in his third recreation again from a foot harm sustained throughout final season’s NBA Finals.

–Subject Stage Media