Walker leads Hornets to big rout of Grizzlies
Kemba Walker scored 46 points and made 10 3-pointers, and the Charlotte Hornets rolled to the most lopsided victory in franchise history by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 140-79 on Thursday night.
Walker had the ninth 40- point game of his career as the Hornets easily overcame the absence of the suspended Dwight Howard. The Al l- Star guard hit 13 of 18 shots overall, including 10 of 14 on 3-pointers, and was 10 of 10 on free throws in 28 minutes.
He scored 17 points in the first quarter, 18 in the second quarter and 11 in the third before he was replaced for the final time with 1:48 left in the period.
It came one night after Howard’s 32-point, 30-rebound performance that helped Charlotte rally from a 23-point deficit for a 111-105 victory at Brooklyn. But in the process, Howard was whistled for his 16th technical foul of the season, meaning he had to serve a one- game suspension on Thursday night. PELICANS 128, LAKERS 125» Anthony Davis capped a 33- point performance with two clutch free throws and a game- sealing steal in the final seconds, Rajon Rondo had 24 points and 10 assists, and New Orleans erased an 11- point, fourth- quarter deficit. Rondo scored 12 of his points in the fourth quarter, when the Pelicans could not have been blamed if they had faded, giving they were playing for the fifth time in six nights. ROCKETS 100, PISTONS 96 (OT)» James Harden scored 21 points, including 10 of Houston’s 12 points in overtime, to lift the Rockets. After going 2 of 16 in regulation, including missing a shot that would have won it, Harden warmed up in overtime. He put Houston up with a basket early in the period before making it 93- 90 on a threepoint play after a basket by Andre Drummond. He added three free throws with about a minute left before P. J. Tucker’s tip-in made it 98- 90 with 21 seconds to play. Eric Gordon added 22 points for Houston on a night Chris Paul sat out with a sore left hamstring. Blake Griffin had 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Andre Drummond had 17 points and 20 rebounds. 76ERS 118, MAGIC 98» Joel Embiid had 17 points and nine rebounds in just 20 minutes and surging Philadelphia moved closer to a playoff berth. Ersan Ilyasova scored 18 points, leading six Philadelphia players in double figures as the 76ers (41- 30) won their fifth straight and clinched their first non- losing season in six years. Robert Covington and Marco Belinelli added 15 points. Rodney Purvis came off the bench to score 19 points for the Magic, who have lost eight of nine. Aaron Gordon, the only Orlando starter to score in double figures, had 10 points and 11 rebounds. JAZZ 119, MAVERICKS 112» Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points and Utah got back on the winning track by beating Dallas. Two nights after a loss to Atlanta ended a nine- game winning streak, Utah moved into a tie with Minnesota for seventh place in the Western Conference playoff race. The Jazz have won 22 of their last 25 games. Joe Ingles had 18 points and 10 assists, equaling his career high. Ricky Rubio scored 22 points, Derrick Favors had 19 and Rudy Gobert added 11. KINGS 105, HAWKS 90» Justin Jackson scored 20 points to lead Sacramento in a game that started after a 19-minute delay due to protesters who were locked arm- in- arm surrounding entrances to Golden1 Center. A massive crowd shut down nearby freeways and gathered in the surrounding streets Thursday to protest the police shooting of Stephon Clark, who was unarmed and in the backyard of his grandparents’ house Sunday night. According to reports, Clark was shot 20 times. Only a few hundred fans made it into the Golden1 Center before police decided to not allow anyone else to enter. Several of those who did get in moved down into the lower bowl of the arena, leaving the upper deck empty. BUCKS STAR DOUBTFUL » The Milwaukee Bucks say Giannis Antetokounmpo is doubtful for Friday night ’ s game against the Chicago Bulls with a sprained right ankle. The All- Star forward got hurt in the second quarter of a 127-120 loss on Wednesday to the Los Angeles Clippers when he appeared to trip over teammate Shabazz Muhammad.