Heat go long in latest win
Miami streak hits seven
Goran Dragic scored 23 points, Wayne Ellington added 19 and the Heat pushed the NBA’s longest current winning streak to seven games by topping the Detroit Pistons, 116-103, last night in Miami.
James Johnson scored 18 points and Dion Waiters added 17 for the Heat, who
tied a season high with 14 3-pointers. Ellington made three 3’s in a span of less than two minutes of the fourth quarter as Miami pulled away. The Heat outscored Detroit by a 26-12 margin in the fourth.
Miami was 11-30 at the midway point of its season — and hasn’t lost since.
“We are clicking on all cylinders,” Waiters said. “We’re playing together, having fun, and guys are making plays. We’re just playing the right way. We’re healthy and it’s fun.” Warriors 144, Clippers
98 — In Oakland, Calif., Stephen Curry scored 25 of his 43 points in the third quarter following his first halfcourt buzzer-beater of the season to lead Golden State to its ninth win in 10 games, crushing second-inthe-Pacific Los Angeles.
Curry’s 51-foot shot was the spark on a night that began with his playing status in doubt because of a sore left quad. After testing his leg in warmups, Curry was cleared to play and showed no signs of being slowed by the injury, hitting nine 3-pointers.
Kevin Durant added 23 points and Klay Thompson scored 16 to give Golden State its eighth straight win over its Southern California rival.
Blake Griffin scored 20 points for the struggling Clippers, who have lost four of five since star point guard Chris Paul went down with a torn ligament in left thumb. Timberwolves 129, Nets 109 — Karl-Anthony Towns had 37 points and 13 rebounds to lead Minnesota
past visiting Brooklyn, which lost for the 21st time in its last 23.
Andrew Wiggins added 23 and four assists as Minnesota shot 51 percent and outscored Brooklyn 17-8 in second-chance points.
After Brooklyn trimmed a 16-point deficit to five in the third quarter, Towns scored six straight points to jump-start a 10-0 run that gave the Wolves some breathing room for good. Kings 109, Hornets 106
— DeMarcus Cousins had 35 points and 18 rebounds, and Sacramento handed host Charlotte its fourth straight loss.
Cousins scored the goahead basket with 14.3 seconds left on a driving layup from the right side of the lane. The Hornets had a chance to take the lead in the closing seconds as Kemba Walker dished out to Frank Kaminsky at the top of the key, but the 7-footer shot an airball. Cousins grabbed the rebound and was fouled, making one free throw.
Darren Collison had 17 points, Anthony Tolliver added 14 and Aaron Afflalo and Willie Cauley-Stein chipped in with 13 apiece for the Kings, who have won three of their last four games. Nuggets 123, Suns 112 — Danilo Gallinari scored 32 points and visiting Denver took advantage of a thirdquarter parade to the free throw line to beat Phoenix for the second time in three nights despite’s Eric Bledsoe career-high 41.
The Nuggets were 18of-19 at the foul line in the third quarter, when Phoenix starting forwards T.J. Warren and Marquese Chriss had five fouls and Booker four. Grizzlies 102, Jazz 95 — In Salt Lake City, Zach Randolph scored a seasonhigh 28 points, Marc Gasol added 18 and Memphis beat Utah, which shot just 26.3 percent from the field in the second quarter and never led in the second half.