ROCKETS HOLD OFF BOSTON CELTICS
James Harden scores 40 points for the 24th time this season despite fouling out
James Harden had 42 points before fouling out late in the fourth quarter and the Houston Rockets held on the beat the Boston Celtics 115-104 on Sunday for their fifth straight victory.
Harden made six 3-pointers and scored 40 or more points for the 24th time this season. Houston entered the day in fifth place in the Western Conference standings, a game behind of fourthplace Oklahoma City.
Eric Gordon added 32 points and had eight 3-pointers.
Boston has lost five of last six. Kyrie Irving led the Celtics with 24 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Al Horford finished with 19 points.
PISTONS 112, RAPTORS 107, OT
In Detroit, Blake Griffin scored 14 of his 27 points in the first quarter and Detroit outlasted Toronto.
Detroit took advantage of Toronto resting star forward Kawhi Leonard less than 48 hours after he made the go-ahead shot in the closing seconds in a victory over Portland.
Reggie Jackson scored 19 points for Deyroitm and Andre and Drummond had 15 points and 17 rebounds.
Kyle Lowry scored a season-high 35 points for Toronto. Pascal Siakam added 21.
THUNDER 99, GRIZZLIES 95
In Oklahoma, Russell Westbrook scored 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and Okla- homa City Thunder overcame a 13-point deficit in the final seven minutes to beat Memphis.
Dennis Schroder added 17 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, and Steven Adams had 13 points and 22 rebounds to help the Thunder snap a four-game losing streak. Paul George, the NBA’s No. 2 scorer, missed his third straight game because of asore right shoulder. Oklahoma City stepped up late without its defensive leader, holding the Grizzlies to 6-for-21 shooting in the fourth quarter.
Avery Bradley scored 27 points for Memphis.
HAWKS 123, BULLS 118
In Chicago, Alex Len scored a season-high 28 points and Atlanta beat Chicago, two days after the Bulls outlasted the Hawks 168-161 in quadruple overtime in Atlanta
Len finished three points shy of his career high. He also made a personal-best five 3-pointers.
Trae Young scored 18 before getting ejected early in the third quarter for taunting Chicago’s Kris Dunn for his second technical foul. Lauri Markkanen led Chicago with 19 points.
CLIPPERS 128, KNICKS 107
In Los Angeles, Rookie Landry Shamet scored all of his 21 points on 3-pointers, Danilo Gallinari added 20 and Los Angeles sent New York to its 50th loss of the season. /