BASKETBALL: Strong fourth propels Thunder

Russell Westbrook and Paul George each scored 24 points, and the Thunder used a timely fourth-quarter run to pull away for a 108-102 win in Houston on Saturday. The Thunder were down one with about seven minutes left before scoring the next 11 points.

The victory gives the Thunder a 2-1 win 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. In Oakland, Calif, Anthony Davis outdueled Kevin Durant down the stretch on the way to 34 points, and the Pelicans snapped a 10-game losing streak to Golden State with a 126-120 win over the Warriors.

Durant scored 19 of his 41 points in the third quarter to go with 10 rebounds and five assists. He made big 3-pointers with 6:39 remaining and at the 4:52 mark that got Golden State to 112-111, but the Pelicans kept answering.

Celtics star Kyrie Irving had successful surgery to remove two screws in his left patella, the team announced. He will miss the remainder of the season, including the playoffs.

New Louisville men’s basketball coach Chris Mack hired Dino Gaudio, Luke Murray and Mike Pegues as assistant coaches.

Gaudio, who spent the past eight years as an ESPN analyst, went 61-31 with two NCAA Tournament appearances as Wake Forest’s coach from 2007-10. Pegues and Murray were Xavier assistants under Mack. Murray is the son of actor Bill Murray.