Kawhi Leonard scored 32 points with 12 rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers snapped an eight-game home losing streak with a 103-88 win over the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday at Inglewood, Calif.
The Lakers not only opened the game without three starters in Deandre Ayton (elbow), Rui Hachimura (groin) and Austin Reaves (calf), but Luka Doncic was ruled out after halftime with a left leg contusion.
James Harden collected 21 points with 10 assists and John Collins added 17 points with 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who also ended a four-game losing streak against the crosstown Lakers. The Clippers, who lost center Ivica Zubac to a left ankle injury in the first quarter, won a home game for the first time since Oct. 31.
LeBron James scored a season-high 36 points for the Lakers, while Doncic had 12 in 20 minutes before departing. Jake LaRavia had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who are 4-4 this month after closing November on a seven-game winning streak.
Rockets 115, Nuggets 101
Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Reed Sheppard went 6-for-9 on 3-pointers on his way to 28 points and visiting Houston defeated Denver.
A 27-16 second quarter advantage put the Rockets ahead for good. Jabari Smith Jr. had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Amen Thompson contributed 16 points and Steven Adams pulled down 12 rebounds for Houston, which tied a season-high with 19 3-pointers to end a four-game road losing streak.
Nikola Jokic scored 25 points, Jamal Murray finished with 16, Bruce Brown had 12 points and 12 rebounds and Jonas Valanciunas and Jalen Pickett had 10 points each for the Nuggets, who had their six-game winning streak snapped. Denver, which has won 11 straight on the road, has dropped five of its last seven at home.
76ers 121, Mavericks 114
Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe combined for 64 points, including all 11 in a fourth quarter burst that propelled Philadelphia to a home win over Dallas.
Maxey finished with a game-high 38 points, Edgecombe added 26 and Dominick Barlow had 21 for the 76ers, who were able to win for the fifth time in their last seven games despite the absence of Joel Embiid and Paul George.
Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg had 24 points apiece and Naji Marshall 22 for the Mavericks, who forged the third tie of the fourth quarter at 104-all on a Flagg jumper in the fourth minute of the period before Philadelphia took charge. Maxey gave the hosts the lead for good on a driving floater with 8:42 remaining.
Celtics 112, Raptors 96
Payton Pritchard scored 19 of his 33 points in the third quarter and added 10 assists and eight rebounds as visiting Boston defeated Toronto.
Derrick White and Anfernee Simons each added 15 points for the Celtics, who won two straight on a back-to-back and have won seven of their last nine. Jaylen Brown (illness) did not play.
Brandon Ingram and Sandro Mamukelashvili each scored 24 for the Raptors, who have dropped five of seven. Scottie Barnes added 12 points and nine rebounds. Jakob Poeltl (back) was out.
Pelicans 128, Pacers 109
Zion Williamson scored 29 points off the bench as New Orleans extended its season-high winning streak to four with a rout of visiting Indiana.
Williamson’s game-high scoring performance came on 9-of-14 shooting from the floor with 11-of-13 made at the foul line. Derik Queen led the Pelicans with 10 rebounds and scored 17 points for his second double-double in as many contests. Queen also shot a perfect 8 of 8 from the floor.
Pascal Siakam scored 22 points to lead the Pacers, who lost for the fourth time in a row. Johnny Furphy (18 points) and T.J. McConnell (16 points, 8 assists) helped off the bench.
Wizards 130, Grizzlies 122
CJ McCollum and Kyshawn George scored 28 points apiece and visiting Washington overcame a 20-point first-half deficit to defeat Memphis.
The Wizards, who got 18 points and 11 rebounds from Alex Sarr, snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Grizzlies in Memphis and won for the first time at FedExForum since January 2018.
Santi Aldama scored a career-high 37 points with 10 boards and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 22 to lead the injury-riddled Grizzlies. Cam Spencer finished with 19 points and 11 assists. Memphis, which played without star Ja Morant (ankle), had won seven of its previous nine games.
Pistons 112, Hornets 86
Cade Cunningham recorded a triple-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as host Detroit pulled away Charlotte.
The Pistons shot 44.1% from the field for the game and outscored the Hornets 33-14 in the fourth quarter. Jalen Duren supplied 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Tobias Harris had 16 points. Duncan Robinson tossed in 15 points and Ausar Thompson had 14 while keying the defense with four blocks and three steals.
Kon Knueppel and Miles Bridges led Charlotte with 19 points apiece. Brandon Miller added 14 points for the Hornets, who shot 31.5% from the field and committed 24 turnovers.
Magic 128, Jazz 127 (OT)
Desmond Bane drove for a go-ahead layup with 0.9 seconds left in overtime to lift Orlando past Utah in Salt Lake City.
Bane led the Magic with 32 points and six rebounds. Paolo Banchero added 23 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and two blocks. Anthony Black chipped in 20 points, six rebounds and five assists. Noah Penda tallied 13 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.
Keyonte George led the Jazz with 27 points and nine assists. Svi Mykhailiuk added 23 points while reserve Isaiah Collier had 18 points and nine assists. Kevin Love chipped in 16 points and a season-high 16 rebounds off the bench. Lauri Markkanen, Utah’s top scorer, missed a second straight game with a right groin injury.
Warriors 119, Suns 116
Stephen Curry had 28 points and Jimmy Butler III 25 as Golden State avenged a road loss two days earlier with a victory over Phoenix in the second half of a home-and-home sequence in San Francisco.
Curry compiled a game-high 10 rebounds and a game-high-tying six assists for the Warriors, who lost Draymond Green to an ejection early in the second quarter, seconds after falling behind by 14.
Devin Booker led all scorers with 38 points and Dillon Brooks added 22 for the Suns, who had overcome a 14-point Golden State lead to post a 99-98 home win on Thursday.
Trail Blazers 98, Kings 93
Deni Avdija recorded 24 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds to help Portland notch a win over host Sacramento to sweep a home-and-home set.
Shaedon Sharpe had 23 points, Toumani Camara added 15 points and four steals while Donovan Clingan registered 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who won their third straight game and had beaten the Kings 134-133 in overtime at home on Thursday.
Sacramento’s Dennis Schroder had 21 points and six assists off the bench and rookie Maxime Raynaud had 17 points and matched his career best with 11 rebounds for the second straight game. The Kings lost their fifth straight game and 22nd in 28 overall this season.
