Cavs hold on against Rockets

Rookie Collin Sexton scored a season-high 29 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame 40 points by Houston’s James Harden to win consecutive games for the first time this season, beating the Rockets 117-108 last night in Cleveland. Sexton, taken with the eighth pick in the draft, was 14 for 21 from the floor and hit several key baskets in the second half as the Cavaliers held off multiple runs from the Rockets. Cleveland (4-14) won 121-112 in Philadelphia on Friday and rode that momentum against the Rockets, who played without star point guard Chris Paul. Harden, playing the entire second half, was 14 for 30 from the floor with 13 assists. The reigning MVP scored 24 points in the first half, including 15 for the second straight night in the first quarter. Harden has scored at least 30 points in four consecutive games. Harden made two free throws in the third quarter, but both were waved off because of his own foul line violations. Paul, who is second on the team in scoring and leads Houston in assists, was rested after the Rockets lost in overtime to Detroit on Friday. Eric Gordon started at point guard and scored 28 points. Tristan Thompson had 16 points and 20 rebounds for Cleveland. Jordan Clarkson added 20 points. Sexton and Clarkson hit baskets after Houston cut a 10point deficit to 106-102 with five minutes to play. Rodney Hood’s 3-pointer gave Cleveland a 115-104 lead with 2:47 remaining. The first half had 12 lead changes. Cleveland hit five 3-pointers in the second quarter, including two by Kyle Korver that helped the Cavaliers go ahead 59-50. That was the biggest lead for either team in the half. Nuggets 105, Thunder 98 — Jamal Murray scored 22 points to help visiting Denver beat Oklahoma City. Nikola Jokic and Trey Lyles each scored 16 points and Juancho Hernangomez added 15 for the Nuggets, who won their third straight. Russell Westbrook had 16 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds for his second triple-double of the season and the 106th of his career. Paul George had 24 points and 11 rebounds and Dennis Schroder added 18 points for the Thunder. Timberwolves 111, Bulls 96 — In Minneapolis, Karl-Anthony Towns had 35 points and 22 rebounds, Derrick Rose scored 22 points off the bench and Minnesota pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Chicago. Jeff Teague added 18 points for Minnesota, which won for the fifth time in seven games since trading Jimmy Butler to Philadelphia. Wizards 124, Pelicans 114 — Otto Porter Jr. scored a season-high 29 points, John Wall had 22 points and eight assists, and host Washington beat New Orleans, which was without injured All-Star forward Anthony Davis. Austin Rivers had 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter for the Wizards, who shot a season-high 56.7 percent (51 of 90) from the floor in a game between the league’s second- and third-worst defenses entering Saturday.