Clippers cool off Curry, Warriors
Kawhi Leonard scored the tying basket 1 with 6:40 to play, then put his team ahead with a jumper the following possession on the way to 21 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Golden State Warriors 108101 on Wednesday night in the first of two straight matchups between the Pacific Division rivals.
Paul George returned from a one-game absence with a sore right ankle to add 21 points and 12 rebounds in the Clippers’ fourth straight win against Golden State, which got just 13 points from Stephen Curry on a cold shooting night for the two-time MVP. He had scored 92 the previous two games, including his career-high 62 against Portland on Sunday night.
Players and coaches on both sides knelt for the national anthem in the hours after chaos at the nation’s Capitol.
CELTICS 107, HEAT 105 » Payton Pitchard’s putback with two-tenths of a second left capped a wild finish, and Boston beat Miami in the first matchup this season of last year’s East finalists.
Jayson Tatum scored 27 points and Jaylen Brown had 21 for the Celtics, who wasted an early 17-point lead and a 10-point lead in the final minute before winning.
Jimmy Butler had 26 points for Miami, which got 16 points from Duncan Robinson, 15 points from Bam Adebayo and 14 from Goran Dragic.
KNICKS 112, JAZZ 100 » Austin Rivers scored 23 points, including 14 straight for the Knicks down the stretch, and Julius Randle had 30 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists as New York won its third straight by beating the Utah Jazz 112100 on Wednesday night. HORNETS 102, HAWKS 94 » Gordon Hayward scored a career-high 44 points and the Charlotte Hornets recovered after trailing for the first time in the fourth quarter and beat the Atlanta Hawks. John Collins led Atlanta with 23 points.
PACERS 114, ROCKETS 107 »
Malcolm Brogdon scored a career- high 35 points and made the go- ahead 3-pointer with 2:22 to go, leading the Indiana Pacers past the Houston Rockets. Justin Holiday added a season-high 20 points for Indiana, winner of two straight.
76ERS 141, WIZARDS 136 » Joel Embiid scored 38 points and the NBA-leading Philadelphia 76ers overcame a Washington record-tying 60-point performance by Bradley Beal in a win over the Wizards.
MAGIC 105, CAVALIERS 94 »
Former top overall draft pick Markelle Fultz suffered a season-ending ACL injury as his Orlando Magic went on to beat Cleveland Cavaliers. Terrence Ross scored 20 points to lead the Magic.
BUCKS 130, PISTONS 115 »
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 25 points and Khris Middleton added 23 as Milwaukee rolled past Detroit for their third straight victory.
THUNDERS 111, PELICANS 110
» Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points, George Hill hit the go-ahead free throws with 12 seconds left, and Oklahoma City defeated New Orleans.
SUNS 123, RAPTORS 115 » Devin Booker scored 24 points, Jae Crowder added 21 and Phoenix made 21 3-pointers on the way to a victory over Toronto.