Klay Thompson capped his 33-point performance with three late 3-pointers as the Golden State Warriors outlasted the Los Angeles Lakers 117-115 on Saturday night in San Francisco.
LeBron James couldn’t take advantage of three free throws that could have tied the game in the final seconds for the Lakers. Seeking to end a two-game losing streak, the Lakers blew a late six-point lead, then got a final chance to tie when, down 117-114, James was fouled while attempting a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left.
But James, who began the game hitting 75.3 percent from the foul line and had missed two of his first six of the night from the line, failed to convert the first of his three before making the second. The veteran intentionally missed the third, and when the Warriors slapped the ball away from the basket, the Lakers never got another shot.
Thompson, who scored 10 more points than he had in a game after his late start this season, went 5-for-9 on 3-pointers.
Nuggets 110, Raptors 109
Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 15 rebounds and a game-saving block on OG Anunoby in the final second, and Denver ended host Toronto’s winning streak at eight games.
Jeff Green scored 19 points, Aaron Gordon had 13, Bones Hyland finished with 11 and Will Barton added 10 for Denver.
Pascal Siakam scored a game-high 35 points and added 10 rebounds, Fred VanVleet had 25 points, Scottie Barnes scored 17 and Gary Trent Jr. 11 for the Raptors.
Suns 132, Magic 105
Chris Paul posted his 30th double-double of the season and Devin Booker scored 26 points, leading host Phoenix past Orlando for its fifth straight win.
Paul, who two days earlier became the 31st player in NBA history to reach 500 career double-doubles, dished out 10 of his 15 assists in the first half as the Suns built a 67-53 lead. He also finished with 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting.
Magic rookie Jalen Suggs recorded his first career double-double with 20 points and a career-best 10 assists. Suggs also pulled down six rebounds.
Trail Blazers 112, Knicks 103
Anfernee Simons scored 30 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:08 remaining as Portland erased a 23-point deficit, dominated the fourth quarter, and recorded a victory over visiting New York.
Josh Hart added 23 in his debut for Portland while Ben McLemore contributed 17. Jusuf Nurkic posted a double-double with 12 and 20 boards while Justise Winslow chipped in 14. Portland shot 47.6 percent from the floor and hit 15 3-pointers.
New York folded in the fourth quarter by shooting 3 of 18 and finished a 1-4 road trip by blowing its largest lead of the season.
Grizzlies 125, Hornets 118
Memphis saw its lead of 35 points whittled to four late, but Ja Morant and Desmond Bane combined to score 15 of Memphis’ final 19 points to hold off host Charlotte.
Memphis won its fifth straight game and eighth in its last nine. Morant finished with a team-high 26 points for his 13th consecutive game scoring at least 23.
LaMelo Ball finished with 25 points for Charlotte, which dropped its seventh decision in the last eight games.
Spurs 124, Pelicans 114
Dejounte Murray scored 31 points to lead six San Antonio scorers in double figures and added 12 assists as the visiting Spurs defeated New Orleans.
Lonnie Walker IV added 17 points, Keldon Johnson scored 16, Doug McDermott had 15, Devin Vassell had 14 and Jock Landale 10.
It was the 1,332nd career victory for Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, tying him with Lenny Wilkens for second place in NBA history, one win behind Don Nelson. The Spurs lead the season series 2-0, having beaten the Pelicans 112-97 on Dec. 12 in San Antonio.
Kings 123, Wizards 110
De’Aaron Fox went for a game-high 26 points, Domantas Sabonis contributed to his second consecutive win and Sacramento opened a three-game road trip with a victory over Washington.
Sabonis, acquired ahead of the trade deadline in a six-player deal with the Indiana Pacers, contributed 16 points and team highs in rebounds with 11 and assists with seven for the Kings, who have won four of six since a seven-game losing streak.
Playing without Kristaps Porzingis, acquired Thursday from the Dallas Mavericks, as he continues to recover from a bruised right knee, Washington was paced by Kyle Kuzma’s 22 points and Corey Kispert’s 20 in the ninth loss in their last 11 games.
76ers 103, Cavaliers 93
Joel Embiid had 40 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals to lift host Philadelphia over Cleveland.
It was Embiid’s 23rd consecutive game with at least 25 points as well as the fourth triple-double of his career. Embiid became the first Sixers player to produce at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists since Wilt Chamberlain in 1968.
Tyrese Maxey added 16 points and Tobias Harris had 11. Matisse Thybulle grabbed a career-high six steals.
Bulls 106, Thunder 101
DeMar DeRozan continued his personal tear with 38 points to lead Chicago to victory over visiting Oklahoma City.
DeRozan matched a franchise record set by legendary Michael Jordan with his fifth straight game of 35 or more points. Jordan established the mark with five consecutive such outings early in the 1996-97 season.
Nikola Vucevic contributed 31 points and 15 rebounds as the Bulls won their third consecutive game. Luguentz Dort scored 31 points for Oklahoma City, which lost its fifth consecutive game.
Heat 115, Nets 111
Bam Adebayo scored 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as Miami sent visiting Brooklyn to its 11th straight loss.
Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving scored 18 straight Nets points in the fourth quarter as the Nets cut a 21-point deficit to just one on a 3-pointer by rookie Cam Thomas with 38 seconds left.
Irving, who had just four points at halftime and nine through three quarters, finished with 29 points. Miami has the best home record in the Eastern Conference at 19-6. Thomas scored 22 points, including 15 in less than eight minutes in the second quarter.
Clippers 99, Mavericks 97
Reggie Jackson scored 24 points and Terance Mann added a season-high 21 as visiting Los Angeles withstood a fourth-quarter barrage by Luka Doncic for a win over Dallas.
Doncic finished with 45 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists after scoring 23 points in the fourth quarter, including 19 straight to end the game. Marcus Morris Sr. scored 20 points and Amir Coffey 11 for the Clippers, who snapped a three-game losing streak and avenged a 112-105 loss to the Mavericks on Thursday.
Clippers center Ivica Zubac tallied 11 points, 10 rebounds and a season-high six assists in a game that featured 14 lead changes. Jalen Brunson scored 22 points and Reggie Bullock added 17 for the Mavericks, whose four-game winning streak came to an end.
–Field Level Media
