Wizards win with Wall ball
John Wall scored 26 points, including a game-winning baseline jumper with 5.9 seconds left, and added 14 assists as the Wizards moved above .500 with a 101-99 victory against the Chicago Bulls last night in Washington.
Marcin Gortat had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the 1918 Wizards. He also set the screen that freed up Wall for his tiebreaking jumper to seal a 10th straight home win.
Markieff Morris and Bradley Beal each added 19 points for Washington, which completed its biggest comeback win of the season after trailing by 18 in the second quarter.
Denzel Valentine set career highs by scoring 19 points and making five 3-pointers for the shorthanded Bulls, who despite seeing their lead slip away in the third quarter led by as many as seven in the fourth. Rajon Rondo added 12 points in his first game since Dec. 30.
Chicago was without leading scorers Jimmy Butler (ill) and Dwyane Wade (resting).
Before the game, Rondo said he was told by a member of the Chicago coaching staff that coach Fred Hoiberg was “saving me from myself” by benching the four-time All-Star for five games.
Jazz 100, Cavaliers 92 — In Salt Lake City, Gordon Hayward scored 28 points on 10-for-12 shooting (4-for-5 on 3-pointers), Rudy Gobert had 11 points and 14 rebounds, and Utah led by 15 points at halftime, then held on for the win against Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland. LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 29 points. Hawks 117, Nets 97 — In New York, Dennis Schroder had 19 points and 10 assists, Dwight Howard added 14 points and 16 rebounds, and Atlanta won its season-high seventh straight game, against skidding Brooklyn, which has lost seven straight and 12-of-13. Brook Lopez scored 20 points for the Nets. Rockets 121, Hornets 114 — James Harden had 40 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his second straight tripledouble and host Houston outlasted Charlotte for its ninth straight win.
Kemba Walker had 25 points for the Hornets, who dropped their third straight.
Bucks 109, Spurs 107 — Michael Beasley scored a season-high 28 points in place of an ill Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Milwaukee rallied past San Antonio, which got 30 points from Kawhi Leonard.
Rookie Malcolm Brogdon scored the Bucks’ final four points.
Warriors 107, Heat 95 — In Oakland, Calif., Stephen Curry had 24 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, Kevin Durant added 28 points and Golden State picked it up late to beat Miami.
Trail Blazers 108, Lakers 87 — C.J. McCollum scored 25 points and visiting Portland used a dominant third quarter to defeat Los Angeles for the 10th consecutive time.
Kings 100, Pistons 94 — DeMarcus Cousins had 24 points, 13 rebounds and six assists to help host Sacramento stage a fourth-quarter comeback in defeating Detroit.
Elsewhere in the NBA — Derrick Rose returned to practice with the New York Knicks after missing their game the night before for what he described as family reasons. He was fined but is expected to be in uniform tonight in Philadelphia.