Durant leads Warriors past Rockets
Covington comes up big late to keep 76ers streaking
HOUSTON — Kevin Durant scored 32 points and the Golden State Warriors used a big third quarter to build a huge lead and coast to their sixth straight victory, 125-108 over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
In a matchup of two of the best teams in the Western Conference and All-Star starting guards Stephen Curry and James Harden, the Rockets fell short. Houston, which entered the game leading the NBA with 667 3-pointers, was just 7 of 35 behind the arc. Harden went 0 for 5 and Eric Gordon, who entered the game leading the NBA with 160 3s, missed all seven attempts.
Clint Capela had 22 points and Harden added 17 points with 11 assists for the Rockets, who are third in the West behind Golden State and San Antonio. HORNETS 113, RAPTORS 78: In Charlotte, N.C., Kemba Walker scored 32 points on 11-of-16 shooting, and Charlotte beat Toronto.
Walker, who came in averaging 23 points and looking to earn his first All-Star selection, scored 16 points in the pivotal third quarter, including a four-point play as the Hornets outscored the Raptors 33-15 to build a 25-point lead.
76ERS 93, TRAIL BLAZERS 92: In Philadelphia, Robert Covington scored 22 points and made two 3-pointers in the final 40 seconds to lead streaking Philadelphia over Portland.
Ersan Ilyasova scored 24 points and Joel Embiid added 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Sixers, who have won four straight and eight of their last 10.
Embiid, who sparked the recent surge, suffered a bruised left knee in the second half and didn’t play the final 8:50 of the game.
But the Sixers rallied for the victory without their prized center as Covington drilled the winner with 4.5 seconds left before Mason Plumlee missed a shot at the buzzer.
JAZZ 112, MAVERICKS 107 (OT): In Dallas, Rudy Gobert had career highs with 27 points and 25 rebounds, including one on his missed free throw in overtime that led to the tying 3-pointer by Joe Johnson, and Utah beat Dallas.
Gobert had just missed both of his free throw attempts with 1:50 left, but the second one ricocheted right back to him. Johnson then hit a 3 to make it 107-all.
After a Dallas miss by Deron Williams and a foul in the aftermath, Joe Ingles put the Jazz ahead to stay with two free throws with 1:35 remaining. HAWKS 102, BULLS 93: In Atlanta, Dennis Schroder scored 23 points, Paul Millsap added 14 and Atlanta held back a late scare to beat Chicago.
The Bulls put up little resistance all night until their reserves went on a 33-4 run in the fourth quarter to pull within five on Bobby Portis’ dunk with 1:08 remaining.
GRIZZLIES 107, KINGS 91: In Memphis, Tenn., Marc Gasol had 28 points and nine rebounds, Mike Conley added 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Memphis coasted past Sacramento.
The Grizzlies used the 3-point shooting of Gasol and Zach Randolph to build the advantage to 19 at the end of the third quarter. MAGIC 112, BUCKS 96: In Orlando, Fla., Elfrid Payton scored 20 points, Jeff Green added 18 points and seven rebounds off the bench, and Orlando snapped a three-game losing streak by beating Milwaukee.
Orlando had six players in double figures, including starters Aaron Gordon (17), Serge Ibaka (13) and Nikola Vucevic (13).
LAKERS 108, PACERS 96: In Los Angeles, Louis Williams scored 27 points as Los Angeles pulled away in the second half to beat Indiana.
Julius Randle added 16 points for the Lakers, who outscored the Pacers 57-43 after halftime. NETS 143, PELICANS 114: In New Orleans, Brook Lopez and Bojan Bogdanovic scored 23 points apiece and Brooklyn ended an 11-game losing streak by routing New Orleans.
Caris Levert added 17 points on 6-of-6 shooting for the Nets, who had seven players in double figures while beating their season high for points by 16. Their 29-point victory was 11 more than their previous largest. They also set season highs for points in the second quarter (37) and points in any quarter with 43 in the third.