HORNETS SNAP SKID BY BEATING ROCKETS

Beating the Houston Rockets is impressive. Never trailing was even more impressive for the Charlotte Hornets.

After losses to Milwaukee, San Antonio and Denver, a meeting with the Rockets didn’t seem like a recipe for snapping a three-game losing streak.

Hornets 108, Rockets 99

But Charlotte scored the first 20 points and Terry Rozier finished with 24 to help the Hornets beat the slumping Rockets 108-99 on Saturday night.

The Rockets had eight turnovers and missed five 3-pointers on their first 12 possessions.

“This was a good one for us tonight,” said Hornets rookie P.J. Washington, who scored 22 points. “We felt like we should have won the last two so just coming out the same intensity that we did those last two games tonight and it got us a win so we are trying to look to do that the rest of the season.”

Houston, which played without All-star Russell Westbrook (rest), twice closed within three in the second quarter and within five in the third quarter. The Rockets have lost three straight after winning six straight and 10 of 12.

James Harden had 30 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists for his 46th career triple-double and fourth this season. He also had 10 of Houston’s 21 turnovers.

“I don’t know,” Houston coach Mike D’antoni said about the slow start. “I’ve never experienced that before, 20-0 that’s a big deficit to overcome and for whatever reason when we did attack we turned it over, it was kind of weird. And we couldn’t stop them. Just a little bit of sluggishness, for whatever reason.”

Jazz 111, Pistons 105: Bojan Bogdanovic scored 32 points and visiting Utah withstood two big Detroit rallies for its fifth straight victory.

Warriors 118, 76ers 114: Eric Paschall scored 23 points, including a pair of free throws with 51.7 seconds remaining, and Golden State beat Philadelphia to snap a 10-game home losing streak.

Grizzlies 118, Hawks 101: Jonas Valanciunas had 27 points and 17 rebounds, rookie Ja Morant added 24 points and host Memphis beat Atlanta to keep its hold on the final Western Conference playoff spot.

Cavaliers 104, Nuggets 102: Kevin Love scored 27 points, hitting the go-ahead basket with four minutes remaining, and shorthanded Cleveland surprised host Denver for the second time this season.

Kings 123, Trail Blazers 111: Bogdan Bogdanovic had 27 points and eight assists and Buddy Hield added 22 points off the bench as visiting Sacramento hurt Portland’s push to make the playoffs.

Notable

The Nets surprisingly split with coach Kenny Atkinson, even as they remain on track for a second consecutive playoff berth.

Jacque Vaughn will serve as coach for the rest of the season.