Hill’s 30 points help Pelicans outscore Rockets
NEW ORLEANS — Solomon Hill scored a career-high 30 points and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame the absence of All-Star DeMarcus Cousins in a 128-112 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
Anthony Davis had 24 points rebounds for New Orleans. James Harden had 41 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists for Houston. Cousins was out with knee and rib soreness.
BUCKS 107, LAKERS 103: In Los Angeles, the Lakers were eliminated from postseason contention with their loss to Milwaukee, but they didn’t go without a fight.
Khris Middleton scored 14 of his seasonhigh 30 points in the fourth quarter, Greg Monroe added 12 points before his ejection as Milwaukee kept up its playoff push with its eighth victory in nine games.
Monroe and Lakers guards D’Angelo Russell and Nick Young were ejected with 36 seconds left in the third quarter after a fracas started by Malcolm Brogdon’s hard foul on Young, who shoved back. Monroe then shoved Young, and Russell shoved Monroe while every player on the court got involved.
Jordan Clarkson scored 21 points for the Lakers, who trailed by 18 points at one stage.
CELTICS 98, NETS 95: In New York, Jae Crowder scored nine of his 24 points late in the fourth quarter and Avery Bradley had 16 overall as Boston edged Brooklyn.
Al Horford added 14 points for the Celtics, who were playing without All-Star Isaiah Thomas. He bruised his right knee Wednesday. HEAT 123, TIMBERWOLVES 105: In Miami, Hassan Whiteside scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Tyler Johnson scored 23 as Miami downed Minnesota. Goran Dragic scored 19 points for Miami. WIZARDS 112, BULLS 107: In Washington, Bradley Beal scored 24 points, and John Wall dished out a career-high 20 assists to go with 14 points as Washington held on to defeat Chicago.
The Bulls’ Jimmy Butler missed a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left. 76ERS 116, MAVERICKS 74: In Philadelphia, Justin Anderson tied his career high with 19 points and Robert Covington scored 12 of his 18 points in a dominant third quarter, helping Philadelphia rout Dallas.
Philadelphia got its largest margin of victory of the season. RAPTORS 87, PISTONS 75: In Auburn Hills, Mich., Serge Ibaka had 17 points and eight rebounds, and Toronto used a fourthquarter surge to beat Detroit. MAGIC 109, SUNS 103: In Phoenix, the visiting Magic got 25 points from Evan Fournier to snap a four-game losing streak and beat Phoenix, one night after losing by 30 points at Golden State.