HOUSTON (AP) — Kawhi Leonard’s 27-point effort, culminating in a three-point play with just two seconds remaining, propelled the Los Angeles Clippers to a 105-102 triumph over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday evening.
Leonard, who also collected 12 rebounds, tallied 19 points in the final quarter, extending his personal best run of games with at least 20 points to 33.
The Clippers maintained a four-point advantage until Kevin Durant converted one of two free throws, followed by Alperen Sengun’s layup, narrowing the lead to 102-101 with 43 seconds left. Leonard’s 3-point attempt missed, and Jabari Smith Jr. secured the rebound, returning possession to Houston.
Sengun then hit one of two free throws with 7.2 seconds on the clock, leveling the score. Leonard grabbed the subsequent rebound, prompting a Clippers timeout. Leonard then sank a fadeaway jump shot while being fouled, successfully making the additional free throw to make it 105-102.
Houston had a final opportunity to equalize, but Tari Eason’s shot failed to connect.
Durant paced the Rockets with 21 points, while Reed Sheppard contributed 17 points off the bench.
CAVALIERS 138, WIZARDS 113
CLEVELAND (AP) — Sam Merrill achieved a personal best of 32 points, Donovan Mitchell added 30, as Cleveland comfortably defeated Washington in James Harden’s debut home game for the Cavaliers.
Harden recorded 13 points and 11 assists across 28 minutes, marking his second double-double in three appearances since being acquired by the Cavaliers from the LA Clippers on February 4th. Despite shooting only 1 of 4 from the field, he was efficient from the free-throw line, converting 10 of 12 attempts.
Cleveland has now secured five consecutive wins and boasts 10 victories in its last 11 contests. This marked the fifth instance this season that the Cavaliers have led for the entire game.
Mitchell, who stands fifth in the league with an average of 29.0 points per game, registered his 28th game of 30 points or more. Jarrett Allen finished with 21 points and nine rebounds.
Kyshawn George tallied 17 points and Jamir Watkins had 16 for Washington, a team that has now suffered three straight losses and four defeats in their last five outings.
HORNETS 110, HAWKS 107
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Brandon Miller led with 31 points and nine rebounds, while LaMelo Ball connected on seven 3-pointers en route to 24 points, helping Charlotte secure a narrow victory over Atlanta, just hours after two starting players were suspended by the NBA for an on-court altercation.
Kon Knueppel also contributed 18 points, including four 3-pointers, and Miller added five 3s, as the Hornets hit 19 of 51 shots from beyond the arc, achieving their 10th win in 11 games.
Dyson Daniels contributed 21 points for Atlanta. Jalen Johnson notched 19 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists.
The NBA issued four-game suspensions to Hornets forwards Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate due to their involvement in a skirmish on Monday night against the Detroit Pistons.
The Hornets, playing shorthanded, saw limited impact from replacements Ryan Kalkbrenner and Grant Williams, but G League call-up PJ Hall delivered 11 points and 10 rebounds. Crucial offensive output came from leading scorers Miller, Ball, and Knueppel, who collectively hit 10 3-pointers in the first half, helping the Hornets build a 17-point lead.
CELTICS 124, BULLS 105
BOSTON (AP) — Payton Pritchard netted 26 points as Boston comfortably defeated Chicago in the final matchup for both squads before the All-Star recess.
Jaylen Brown added 24 points. Nikola Vucevic concluded the game with 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics, who have now claimed victory in six of their past seven contests.
The Celtics established a 28-point lead by halftime, capitalizing on a Chicago team missing several key players. Boston’s advantage expanded to as much as 33 points in the second half.
Rob Dillingham recorded 16 points and seven assists to lead Chicago, which has now dropped six consecutive games. Matas Buzelis chipped in 15 points and eight rebounds.
Vucevic and Chicago’s Anfernee Simons faced their former teams for the first time since their trade deadline swap last week.
This performance marked Vucevic’s second double-double in three games with the Celtics. Simons ended the night with seven points, his first time scoring under 15 in his four consecutive starts for the Bulls.
BUCKS 116, MAGIC 108
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Cam Thomas recorded 34 points in his second game with Milwaukee, and Kevin Porter Jr. contributed 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, leading his team to a victory over Orlando.
Jericho Sims and Ousmane Dieng each provided 17 points for Milwaukee. Sims also pulled down 11 rebounds, helping the Bucks achieve a significant 47-30 advantage on the boards.
Desmond Bane spearheaded the Magic’s offense with 31 points. Paolo Banchero added 17, and Jalen Suggs had 16 points, 10 assists, and four steals.
Thomas, who joined the Bucks as a free agent on Sunday, made 12 of 20 shots and connected on four 3-pointers during his 39 minutes of play. He was particularly efficient from long range, going 4 for 6.
Porter’s performance marked the fifth triple-double of his professional career.
PISTONS 113, RAPTORS 95
TORONTO (AP) — Cade Cunningham put up 28 points, and Paul Reed contributed 16 of his 22 points in the opening quarter, as Detroit defeated Toronto in the final game for both teams prior to the All-Star break.
The Pistons, currently leading the Eastern Conference, secured their sixth victory in seven games despite the absence of centers Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren. Both players had begun serving suspensions earlier in the day for their involvement in an altercation on Monday during a win against Charlotte.
Duncan Robinson scored 13 points, and Tobias Harris added 12 points along with 11 rebounds, as the Pistons improved their road record to 18-7. Detroit maintained a lead throughout the entire game, marking their seventh consecutive win over Toronto.
Toronto’s Immanuel Quickley managed 18 points, and Scottie Barnes chipped in 17. RJ Barrett had 16 points, and Brandon Ingram contributed 13.
The Pistons outscored the Raptors 50-34 in points from the paint and dominated the rebound battle with 46 compared to Toronto’s 35.
Cunningham finished the game with seven rebounds and nine assists, and he tied his season-high by sinking six of 11 attempts from 3-point range. His career best for 3-pointers in a game is seven, achieved last season.
KNICKS 138, 76ERS 89
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jose Alvarado achieved a season-high 26 points and Mikal Bridges added 22 points as New York secured a win against Philadelphia.
The Knicks rebounded from an overtime defeat at home against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday evening, marking their 10th victory in 12 games. Two of these triumphs have come against the Sixers, resulting in the teams splitting their four-game season series.
Alvarado, who was acquired last week from New Orleans, was potent from beyond the arc, shooting 8 for 13 on 3-pointers, and also recorded five steals.
Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Mohamed Diawara contributed 14 points. Jalen Brunson, who had scored 40 points against the Pacers, managed eight points on Tuesday.
Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 32 points in three quarters; the team played without center Joel Embiid, who was resting due to right knee soreness. VJ Edgecombe added 14 points, and Dominick Barlow scored 13.
The 76ers, suffering their second consecutive loss and third in four games, were restricted to a season-low point total, only their third game this season below 100 points.
PACERS 115, NETS 110
NEW YORK (AP) — Jarace Walker contributed 23 points, and Kam Jones sealed the victory with a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining, as a shorthanded Indiana squad overcame Brooklyn.
Micah Potter supplied 19 points and Ethan Thompson had 15 for the Pacers, who secured their second straight win after defeating the New York Knicks in overtime on Tuesday night, ending a four-game losing streak.
Potter was efficient, shooting 6 of 8 from the field and 6 for 8 from the free-throw line, scoring 14 of his points in the second half.
Nolan Traore led the Nets with 20 points, a team that had won two consecutive games prior to this matchup. Day’Ron Sharpe recorded 19 points and 12 rebounds, and Ziaire Williams also scored 19.
The Pacers competed without eight key players, including T.J. McConnell (right hamstring discomfort); Andrew Nembhard (lower back injury management); Aaron Nesmith (lower back tenderness); Pascal Siakam (left hamstring discomfort); and Ivica Zubac (left ankle sprain).
HEAT 123, PELICANS 111
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Bam Adebayo delivered 27 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocks, leading a depleted Miami team to a victory over New Orleans in the final game for both franchises before the All-Star break.
Miami fielded only nine players, with Tyler Herro, Norman Powell, Pelle Larsson, and Andrew Wiggins all sidelined. Herro’s absence marked his 15th consecutive game off the court.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 23 points, Kel’el Ware contributed 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Simone Fontecchio added 15 points. Ranked eighth in the Eastern Conference, the Heat improved their record to 29-27. Miami has now triumphed in 11 of their last 12 encounters with New Orleans.
Zion Williamson achieved 26 points for New Orleans. He has played a personal best of 30 consecutive games and 40 out of 56 games this season. In his initial six seasons, he participated in 214 of 472 games and never exceeded 25 consecutive appearances.
Trey Murphy III contributed 19 points before exiting late in the third quarter due to right shoulder discomfort. The Pelicans’ record fell to 15-41, having previously won two games in a row.
TIMBERWOLVES 133, TRAIL BLAZERS 109
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Julius Randle amassed 41 points as Minnesota defeated Portland, bringing an end to the Blazers’ three-game winning streak.
Randall, who also secured seven rebounds, capped off his evening with a powerful windmill dunk, igniting the crowd at the Target Center. Jaden McDaniels contributed 21 points for the Timberwolves, who played their last game before the All-Star break.
Jrue Holiday scored 23 points for the Trail Blazers, who at one point trailed by 28 points and were hampered by committing 25 turnovers. Scoot Henderson, making only his third appearance since returning from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the first half of the season, finished with 18 points.
Minnesota’s leading scorer, Anthony Edwards, was initially questionable for the game due to illness but started and concluded with 14 points.
THUNDER 136, SUNS 109
PHOENIX (AP) — Jalen Williams recorded 28 points, Isaiah Joe added 21, and an offensively effective Oklahoma City team comfortably secured a victory over Phoenix.
Oklahoma City maintained a lead of at least 20 points throughout the entire second half, extending their advantage to 37 in the third quarter. Williams shot an impressive 11 of 12 from the field, also adding five assists and four rebounds. Joe was sharp from beyond the arc, hitting 6 of 8 three-pointers.
Kenrich Williams contributed 15 points, and Chet Holmgren had 13. The defending champion Thunder — who have won four of their last six games — shot 58.4% from the field and received 74 points from their reserve players.
Dillon Brooks topped the scoring for the Suns with 23 points. Royce O’Neale and Jordan Goodwin each added 12.
The Thunder established a 75-52 lead by halftime, converting 11 of 18 attempts (61.1%) from 3-point range. Joe, coming off the bench, led the Thunder with 15 points before the intermission. Brooks was the leading scorer for the Suns with 14 points at halftime.
Despite the significant defeat, the Suns enter the All-Star break with a 32-23 record, a performance that surpassed many expectations after the team traded 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant to the Rockets last summer.
JAZZ 121, KINGS 93
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Jaren Jackson Jr. registered 23 points in his inaugural home game, guiding Utah to a win over Sacramento.
Lauri Markkanen contributed 19 points, helping the Jazz secure their second consecutive victory. Isaiah Collier chipped in 12 points and 14 assists. Brice Sensabaugh provided 19 points off the bench.
Utah showcased strong shooting, hitting 54.7% from the field and draining 15 three-pointers. Jackson and Markkanen collectively made 15 baskets across three quarters.
Demar DeRozan led Sacramento with 20 points, and Devin Carter added 19. The Kings suffered their 14th straight loss, having been trailing by double digits for the final 40 minutes of the game.
Utah outperformed Sacramento 25-6 in fastbreak points and 58-42 in scoring from the paint.
NUGGETS 122, GRIZZLIES 116
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray tuned up for their upcoming NBA All-Star appearances by combining forces to help Denver fend off Memphis.
Jokic achieved the 184th triple-double of his career, recording 26 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists. Murray added 22 points and flawlessly converted all four of his free throws in the last 11.7 seconds.
Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 21 points for the Nuggets, who head into the break with a 35-20 record despite a season plagued by injuries, which saw all five starters miss playing time and six key rotation players sidelined for extended periods.
The Grizzlies, having lost 10 of their last 12 games, managed to erase a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit, largely while Jokic was on the bench, but ultimately failed to seize the lead late in the game.
Jokic completed his triple-double by assisting Hardaway on a 3-pointer with 5 seconds remaining in the third quarter, giving Denver a 93-81 advantage.
SPURS 126, WARRIORS 113
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — De’Aaron Fox contributed 27 points and Victor Wembanyama added 26, propelling San Antonio into the All-Star break with a six-game winning streak after defeating Golden State.
Wembanyama followed his 40-point performance against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night with another impactful display, securing the Spurs a 38-16 record as they head into the break. After missing the postseason for the previous six seasons, the Spurs now hold the second-best record in the Western Conference.
Keldon Johnson scored 21 points for San Antonio.
Draymond Green led the Warriors with 17 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists. Moses Moody and De’Anthony Melton also contributed 17 points each for Golden State.
Golden State concluded their pre-All-Star schedule with a 29-26 record, having lost three of five games with star Stephen Curry sidelined due to a knee injury. The Warriors are optimistic that Curry will return after the break as they aim for a strong late-season push.
