Thunder top Clippers in L.A.
LOS ANGELES — With Oklahoma City trying to hold off another marquee team, Russell Westbrook took charge — in the huddle. He urged his Thunder teammates to keep their composure, set screens and play defense.
They listened and turned away a late rally by the Los Angeles Clippers to win 108-104 on Sunday in a matchup of Western Conference contenders.
“It was a good road win for us in a playoff-type atmosphere,” said Westbrook, who had 29 points and 10 assists. “We did a good job of keeping their crowd out of the game.”
Kevin Durant poured in 35 points and Serge Ibaka had 16 as Oklahoma City ended a three-game road skid, bouncing back less than 48 hours after losing at Denver. They also completed a season sweep of the Clippers, who are chasing the Thunder and NBA-best San Antonio in the West.
“We weren’t in a panic mode,” Westbrook said. “We just wanted to win.”
Chris Paul scored 26 points and Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford added 20 points apiece for the Clippers, whose fourgame winning streak ended in their third loss to the Thunder this season. Paul made all nine of his free throws to help his team go 19 for 22 from the line.
OTHER GAMES
Lakers 99, Hawks 89 at Los Angeles: Kobe Bryant scored 11 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter and hit the go-ahead layup with 9 seconds left, leading the Los Angeles Lakers back to .500 for the first time in more than two months.
Steve Blake stole Josh Smith’s f inal pass in the waning seconds for the Lakers, who blew a 16-point lead in the second half before Bryant scored their last six points.
Al Horford scored 24 points and Smith had 19 for the Hawks, who lost for the seventh straight time to the Lakers in Los Angeles.
Heat 99, Knicks 93 at New York: LeBron James had 29 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, and the Miami Heat tied a franchise record with their 14th straight victory.
Dwyane Wade added 20 points for the Heat, who had to overcome a 16-point deficit to beat the Knicks for the first time in three tries this season. Chris Bosh bounced back from a dismal first half to finish with 16 points.
James shook off a thirdquarter leg injury and was back in top form by the finish, putting it away by coming up with a steal and throwing down a dunk with 23 seconds left.
Carmelo Anthony scored 32 points for the Knicks, who had their t hree- game winning streak snapped.
Rockets 136, Mavericks 103 at Houston: Chandler Parsons scored a careerhigh 32 points on 12-for13 shooting and Houston snapped a nine-game losing streak to Dallas.
O.J. Mayo scored 18 points and Shawn Marion had 14 to lead the Mavericks, who dropped six games behind Houston for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference.
Spurs 114, Pistons 75 at San Antonio: Manu Ginobili scored 17 points, Tim Duncan had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and San Antonio rolled to its most lopsided victory of the season in their first game since All-Star guard Tony Parker was injured.
Greg Monroe scored 16 points and Jose Calderon 14 for Detroit, which has lost five of six.
Pacers 97, Bulls 92 at Indianapolis: David West scored 31 points and George Hill added 20, leading Indiana past Chicago.
Indiana (38-22) has won seven of its last eight games, going 6-1 since the All-Star break, and holds a four-game lead over second-place Chicago.
The Bulls were led by Marco Belinelli and Jimmy Butler, who each had 20 points.
Wizards 90, 76ers 87 at Washington: John Wall scored the game’s final six points after Washington teammate Bradley Beal left the court with an apparent injury.
Beal went down with a sprained ankle with 2:08 left in the fourth quarter. After being attended to by a trainer, Beal was carried off the court and through the tunnel by two teammates, keeping weight completely off both his legs.
Wall finished with 16 points and six assists as the Wizards snapped a two-game losing streak and avoided their longest skid in the last month.
Dorell Wright scored 15 points to lead the 76ers, who have lost eight of their last nine.
Kings 119, Bobcats 89 at Sacramento, Calif.: John Salmons scored 22 points and Jason Thompson had 18 points and 14 rebounds to lead Sacramento over slumping Charlotte.