Lakers snap Rockets’ 14-game winning streak
Rookie Kuzma scores 38 points to help offset Harden’s 51
Rookie Kyle Kuzma set career highs with 38 points and seven 3-pointers, and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame 51 points from James Harden to end the Houston Rockets’ 14game winning streak with a 122-116 victory Wednesday night in Houston.
It was Houston’s first loss since Nov. 14 and snapped a three-game skid for the Lakers.
The game was tied before Los Angeles scored 10 straight points while Houston missed seven shots in a row to go up 110-100 with about four minutes left.
Houston ended an almost four-minute scoring drought when Harden made a free throw, and he added three more after being fouled on a 3-point attempt a few seconds later to cut it to 110-104. But former Rocket Corey Brewer made a 3-pointer before Lonzo Ball hit two free throws to make it 115-104.
HEAT 90, CELTICS 89 >> Kelly Olynyk scored a career-high 32 points in his rousing return to Boston, and Miami hung to beat the Celtics. Miami won two of three in the season series against Boston. Kyrie Irving paced the Celtics with 33 points but missed a jumper from the right wing that bounced off the rim at the buzzer. Jaylen Brown scored 16 and Marcus Smart had 15. THUNDER 107, JAZZ 79 >> Russell Westbrook had 24 points and 10 rebounds to help Oklahoma City roll. Oklahoma City has won eight of 11 after a rough start to the season. The Thunder (16-15) is above .500 for the first time since early November. Steven Adams returned from concussion protocol and had 11 points and nine rebounds for the Thunder.
BULLS 112, MAGIC 94 >> Denzel Valentine had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Nikola Mirotic had 15 points and 10 rebounds as Chicago won its seventh straight game. The Bulls had lost 10 straight with Mirotic out of the lineup prior to his return Dec. 8, and they haven’t lost since to improve to 10-20. KINGS 104, NETS 99 >> George Hill scored 22 points, Zach Randolph added 21, and Sacramento completed its first back-to-back sweep of the season. TIMBERWOLVES 112, NUGGETS 104 >> Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Jimmy Butler scored 25 in Minnesota’s win. The Timberwolves rallied from 14 down to end Denver’s eight-game home winning streak.
SPURS 93, TRAIL BLAZERS 91 >> LaMarcus Aldridge scored 22 points, and Pau Gasol had 20 points and a season-high 17 rebounds in San Antonio’s win. Portland lost its fifth consecutive home game. The Blazers are the only NBA team with a winning overall record but a losing mark at home.
THOMAS COULD RETURN TO CAVS NEXT WEEK >> Isaiah Thomas played Santa Claus on Wednesday. Soon, he’ll be playing point guard for the Cavaliers. Thomas said he could be on the floor in games as early as next week for Cleveland after being sidelined with a hip injury that knocked him out of last season’s playoffs. Thomas has progressed to the point where he will be scrimmaging 5 on 5 in the next few days with the possibility of playing in games with the Cavs before the year ends. KANTER NOT WORRIED >> Turkey’s state-run news agency says prosecutors are seeking more than four years in prison for NBA player Enes Kanter on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Anadolu Agency says an indictment prepared by the Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office accuses the New York Knicks player of insulting the president in a series of tweets he posted in May and June 2016. Kanter said he wasn’t concerned and continued his criticisms of Erdogan, saying, “That dude is a maniac.” Kanter cannot return to Turkey because his passport has been canceled. He would be tried in absentia. STOLEN TOILET >> A former NBA player has taken to Twitter to complain that a toilet was among the items stolen from his Dallas home during a burglary. Charlie Villanueva posted a photo of the space in his bathroom where his toilet once stood.