Wednesday around the NBA
Warriors 110, Spurs 98
SAN ANTONIO
Stephen Curry scored 29 points, Klay Thompson had 23 and the Golden State Warriors rallied from a 22-point deficit in the opening quarter for their ninth straight win. Golden State extended its lead over San Antonio to 31/2 games for the league’s best record, beating the Spurs for the first time in three meetings this season. Kawhi Leonard had 19 points and five assists for San Antonio. Leonard shot 7 for 20 from the field while being guarded by a rotation of defenders. The Spurs had a five-game winning streak halted. Manu Ginobili had 18 points for San Antonio.
Thunder 114, Magic 106
ORLANDO
Russell Westbrook had 57 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists to lead the Thunder. Westbrook, a leading MVP candidate, led the Thunder from behind by as many as 21 points in the second half as he recorded his 38th triple-double of the season. And like the 13-point outburst in the final three minutes against Dallas on Monday night for the win, Westbrook was again the catalyst as he hit big shots in the fourth quarter, including the tying 3-pointer with 7.1 seconds remaining to force the extra period. Enes Kanter added 17 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for the Thunder, and Victor Oladipo had 13 points while returning to Amway Center for the first time since being traded by the Magic last June. Evan Fournier finished with 24 points and Terrence Ross added 23 for the Magic.
Hornets 110, Raptors 106
TORONTO
Marco Belinelli scored 21 points and Kemba Walker had 19. Walker hit two big 3-pointers in the final 2 minutes, including one that gave the Hornets a 104-101 lead with 37.5 seconds left. He also had four rebounds and two assists, helping Charlotte (34-41) stop Toronto’s six-game win streak. DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points for Toronto (45-30), and Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points and 15 rebounds. The loss prevented the Raptors from clinching home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Heat 105, Knicks 88
NEW YORK
Goran Dragic had 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Reserve James Johnson added 18 points for the Heat, who began play eighth in the Eastern Conference and a game behind Indiana for seventh as they continue a second-half surge that could carry them to the postseason. Josh Richardson finished with 17 points as Miami (37-38) improved to 26-8 since an 11-30 start. Kristaps Porzingis had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Knicks, who were eliminated from postseason contention for the fourth straight season.
Hawks 99, 76ers 92
PHILADELPHIA
Dwight Howard had 22 points and 20 rebounds to lead Atlanta. The Hawks have won two straight following a seven-game losing streak that stunted their push in the Eastern Conference playoff standings. Atlanta is still in the fight for a fifth seed with Milwaukee, Indiana and Miami. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Kent Bazemore each scored 19 points for the Hawks. Richaun Holmes led the Sixers with 25 points and Dario Saric had 15. Saric was only 5 of 18 from the floor, but remains the leading contender for NBA Rookie of the Year.
Grizzlies 110, Pacers 97
MEMPHIS
Mike Conley matched his career high with seven 3-pointers on his way to 36 points. Vince Carter had 21 points and eight rebounds, and Zach Randolph finished with 17 points as Memphis snapped a four-game losing streak. Conley went 13 for 21 from the field. Paul George led the Pacers with 22 points, Aaron Brooks, who provided an early spark from outside the arc, had 18 points, and Thaddeus Young finished with 16.
Bucks 103, Celtics 100
BOSTON
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points and nine rebounds, and the Milwaukee Bucks knocked the Boston Celtics out first place in the Eastern Conference. Malcolm Brogdon, one of the leading contenders for NBA Rookie of the Year, finished with 16 points and nine assists. He had six key points in the final 2:46 to help Milwaukee fend off a late Boston charge. The Bucks (39-36) have won five of six.
Pelicans 121, Mavericks 118
NEW ORLEANS
Anthony Davis had 30 points and 13 rebounds and DeMarcus Cousins added 29 points and 16 rebounds in his return from a two-game absence. Back from a right ankle sprain, Cousins played 40 minutes. His baskets included a 29-foot 3-pointer at the end of the first half and he was 10 of 12 at the free-throw line. Davis’ highlights included an offensive rebound and dunk with 1:50 left as New Orleans won for the seventh time in nine games. Jordan Crawford’s 15-point performance included a 22-foot jumper that put the Pelicans up 121-116 with 47 seconds left. Dirk Nowitzki had 23 points for Dallas. Harrison Barnes scored 19 and Seth Curry 18 for the Mavericks.
Associated Press