Rockets tame Warriors
Eric Gordon scored 25 points with four 3-pointers, Chris Paul converted two free throws with 1:08 left on the way to 23, and the Houston Rockets outplayed the Golden State Warriors without ill NBA scoring leader James Harden for a 118-112 victory Saturday night, Feb. 23.
Stephen Curry’s 3 with 1:57 to play pulled the Warriors to 114-108 then his two free throws at 1:26 made it a four-point game before Houston came through at the line.
Kevin Durant scored 29 points and Curry added 25 with five 3s, nine rebounds and seven assists as the Warriors had their five-game home winning streak snapped in a matchup of West powers who met in the 2018 Western Conference finals won in seven games by Golden State.
Early in the fourth, Golden State’s Draymond Green exited the game with a sprained left ankle after grabbing at his foot in clear pain from stepping on teammate DeMarcus Cousins’ foot.
PELICANS 128, LAKERS 115
In New Orleans, Jrue Holiday hit five 3-pointers and scored 27 points while Anthony Davis watched from the bench, and New Orleans beat Los Angeles.
Former Laker Julius Randle had 24 points for the Pelicans, who looked in sync and motivated as they slowed LeBron James and the Lakers’ push to qualify for the playoffs.
James had 27 points and 12 assists, and Brandon Ingram scored 29 points for Los Angeles.
TRAIL BLAZERS 130, 76ERS 115
In Philadelphia, Jusuf Nurkic scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Damian Lillard had 17 points and Portland beat Philadelphia.
The Sixers struggled in their second game without All-Star center Joel Embiid, who is expected to miss at least a week with a sore left knee. Ben Simmons had 29 points and 10 assists and Tobias Harris scored 20.
Without Embiid, the Sixers couldn’t keep up in a matchup between the fourth-place teams in each conference. The Blazers (36-23) have won three in a row, including a 22-point victory over Golden State before the All-Star break. Philadelphia (38-22) is 4-4 this month.
KINGS 119, THUNDER 116
In Oklahoma, Buddy Hield scored 34 points, and Sacramento beat Oklahoma City.
Hield, who played college ball at the nearby University of Oklahoma, shot 12 for 22 from the field. De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley each added 19 points for the Kings.
Paul George, who hit the game-winner the night before in a 148-147 double-overtime win over Utah, missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer against the Kings that could have forced overtime. He shot just 4 for 19 for the night. /