Rockets pound Bulls for 10th straight win

HOUSTON — Eric Gordon scored 31 points and tied a career high with eight 3-pointers on a night James Harden sat out to rest, and the Houston Rockets got their 10th straight win with a 118-86 rout of the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night.

Trevor Ariza added 21 points and Chris Paul had 13 points and 10 assists in his return after missing the last three games with a sore hamstring.

The NBA-leading Rockets became the first team since San Antonio in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season to have three winning streaks of at least 10 games in a season. They won 14 in a row from Nov. 16-Dec. 18 and 17 straight from Jan. 28-March 7.

Lauri Markkanen returned after missing Saturday’s game with lower back spasms and had 22 points for the Bulls, who dropped their sixth straight.

WIZARDS 116, SPURS 106

In Washington, Markieff Morris shot 7 of 7 from the floor for 15 points, Otto Porter Jr. added 14 and the Wizards beat San Antonio to snap a three-game losing streak.

San Antonio lost for just the second time in eight games but may have been dealt a more serious blow with a left knee injury to star LaMarcus Aldridge, who was the game’s leading scorer with 13 points before he limped off late in the second quarter. Aldridge is the biggest reason the Spurs have stayed afloat without Kawhi Leonard most of this season.

Washington lit up the NBA’s top scoring defense to improve to 15-11 in 26 consecutive games without five-time All-Star guard John Wall, who is close to returning from left knee surgery. The Wizards had dropped to sixth in the East by losing five of seven and could clinch a playoff spot as early as Thursday.

HEAT 98, CAVALIERS 79

In Miami, Kelly Olynyk scored 19 points, Dwyane Wade blocked a pair of shots by LeBron James as part of a stifling defensive effort by the Heat, and Miami had little trouble on the way to beating Cleveland.

Josh Richardson and James Johnson each scored 15 points for Miami, which led 54-34 at halftime and has won 10 of its last 11 home games. Wade finished with 12 against the team he spent part of this season with before getting traded back to Miami.

Goran Dragic added 10 for the Heat, who could clinch an Eastern Conference playoff spot by week’s end.

TRAIL BLAZERS 107, PELICANS 103

In New Orleans, Damian Lillard scored 20 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter, and Portland beat the Pelicans.

Lillard hit his first six shots of the fourth quarter, including two 3-pointers, to push Portland into its first lead since early in the first quarter. He made two free throws with 1.3 seconds left to seal the victory.

Anthony Davis had 36 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks for the Pelicans, with 22 points coming after he rolled his right ankle and briefly came out of the game with 5:15 left in the third quarter. Jrue Holiday had 21 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds for New Orleans.

RAPTORS 114, NUGGETS 110

In Toronto, DeMar DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas, and Fred Van-Vleet each scored 15 points and the Raptors beat Denver.

Jakob Poeltl scored all of his 12 points in the fourth quarter, including eight straight for Toronto at one stretch.

Serge Ibaka had 13 points, Pascal Siakam 12 and Kyle Lowry 11.