Oklahoma City snaps Houston’s 20-game home streak
THUNDER 108, ROCKETS 102
HOUSTON — Russell Westbrook and Paul George each scored 24 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder used a timely fourth-quarter run to pull away for a 108-102 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night.
The Thunder were down one with about seven minutes left before scoring the next 11 points.
Oklahoma City is vying with several teams for the final playoff spots in the loaded Western Conference. The victory gives the Thunder a 2-1 advantage in the season series and snaps the Rockets’ 20-game home winning streak.
James Harden had 26 points for Houston, and Chris Paul added 17.
Paul hit a step-back jumper and Gerald Green scored to give the Rockets a 92-91 lead with 7:09 left. But Westbrook scored five quick points to start an 11-0 run by Oklahoma City that made it 102-92 with about four minutes remaining.
Houston went scoreless for more than four minutes, missing seven shots and committing three turnovers as Oklahoma City pulled away. The Thunder also blocked three shots in that span.
The Rockets scored five consecutive points with less than a minute left to get within five, but George made two free throws to help secure the win.
Carmelo Anthony scored 22 points for Oklahoma City, including three of the Thunder’s 10 3-pointers.
PELICANS 126, WARRIORS 120
OAKLAND, Calif. — Anthony Davis outdueled Kevin Durant down the stretch on the way to 34 points, and the New Orleans Pelicans snapped a 10-game losing streak to Golden State with a victory over the Warriors.
Durant scored 19 of his 41 points in the third quarter to go with 10 rebounds and five assists. He made three-pointers with 6:39 remaining and at the 4:52 mark that got Golden State to 112-111, but the Pelicans kept answering.
The NBA Finals MVP made things more difficult after halftime on Davis, who also had 12 rebounds for the Pelicans while having his way with the Warriors’ defense from the start.
The Pelicans beat the Warriors for the first time since April 7, 2015, in New Orleans, and at Oracle Arena for the first time since April 24, 2012.
SPURS 116, TRAIL BLAZERS 105
SAN ANTONIO — LaMarcus Aldridge scored 28 points to help the San Antonio Spurs beat Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Spurs (46-34) snapped a twogame losing streak. They are tied with Oklahoma City and New Orleans for fifth in the Western Conference, a half-game back of idle Utah.
San Antonio can clinch a playoff spot with a victory over visiting Sacramento on Monday.
Portland (48-32) missed out on an opportunity to clinch home-court advantage in the first round. Lillard had 33 points for the Trail Blazers, and Evan Turner finished with 18.
NUGGETS 134, CLIPPERS 115
LOS ANGELES — Will Barton scored 31 points and Nikola Jokic added 23 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists and the Denver Nuggets earned their fifth consecutive victory with a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Nuggets pulled into a tie with the Minnesota Timberwolves for eighth place in the Western Conference with two games to play. Both teams are 45-35.