Spurs overcome 23-point deficit to beat Thunder
SAN ANTONIO » LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points and the San Antonio Spurs overcame a 23-point deficit to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 104-101 on Friday night.
Danny Green added 17 points, and Pau Gasol had 14 points to help San Antonio end Oklahoma City’s three-game winning streak.
Aldridge put back of Green’s missed 3-pointer gave the Spurs a 102-99 lead with 24.2 seconds remaining.
The Thunder missed two 3-pointers on the ensuing possession, but Carmelo Anthony tracked down a second offensive rebound and made a 25-footer with his foot on the 3-point line to cut the lead to 102-101.
Gasol made two free throws, and Russell Westbrook stumbled to the court and threw up an airball on a 3-point attempt.
Anthony had 20 points to lead the Thunder. Westbrook was held to 15 points after scoring 10 in the opening period. He was 5 for 22 from the field. CAVALIERS 118, CLIPPERS 113 » LeBron James scored 39 points, Kevin Love added 25 and Cleveland won its fourth straight, in overtime, over skidding Los Angeles.
Love made a pair of 3-pointers in OT, when the Cavs outscored the Clippers 13-8. Dwyane Wade added 23 points and 11 rebounds for Cleveland.
The Cavs’ win wasn’t eye-pleasing, but it was another step in the right direction for the Eastern Conference champions, who went 3-1 on a just-completed trip. The Clippers are headed the other way. Los Angeles has lost seven in a row and nine of 10 since a 4-0 start.
Blake Griffin scored 23 and DeAndre Jordan had 20 points and 22 rebounds for Los Angeles, which didn’t give up the lead until the first minute of overtime. HEAT 91, WIZARDS 88 » Miami nearly wasted a terrific defensive effort against John Wall and highscoring Washington, allowing a 25-point lead to dwindle all the way down to one before holding on.
Hassan Whiteside had 22 points and 16 rebounds for the Heat. They limited the Wizards to 29 first-half points — Washington’s lowest output for a half in more than 2½ years. Wall wound up with only eight points on 3-for12 shooting. RAPTORS 107, KNICKS 84» Kyle Lowry matched his season high with 22 points and added 10 assists, DeMar DeRozan also scored 22 points and short-handed Toronto beat New York for the eighth straight time.
Lowry had eight rebounds as Toronto won its third straight and improved to 5-1 at home.
Toronto played without injured starters in forward Serge Ibaka (swollen left knee) and guard Norman Powell (right hip). Reserve guard Delon Wright (dislocated shoulder) also was unavailable. PACERS 107, PISTONS 100 » Reserve guard Lance Stephenson scored all 13 of his points in the fourth quarter, including a key 3-pointer, and Indiana rallied from 22 down to beat Detroit.
The shot clock was about to expire when Stephenson launched from well beyond the arc to give the Pacers a 101-97 lead with 2:03 remaining. It was one of six 3s the Pacers made in seven fourthquarter attempts as Indiana outscored Detroit 36-19 over the final 12 minutes. NETS 118, JAZZ 107 » Spencer Dinwiddie scored a career-high 25 points hours after D’Angelo Russell had knee surgery, and Brooklyn beat Utah.
The starting point guard role now belongs to Dinwiddie after Russell was hurt during Brooklyn’s recent road trip. He had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee with no timetable for a return.
Grizzlies’ Conley out indefinitely
MEMPHIS, TENN. » Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley is out indefinitely with a sore left heel and Achilles tendon, leaving Mario Chalmers to start in his place at least for now.
Conley will receive treatment and therapy to ease the soreness. The Grizzlies have no timetable for Conley’s return, but Memphis coach David Fizdale said doctors think there’s a good chance the soreness can be healed in two weeks.