Harden to miss 2 weeks; Cavs’ Thomas to play

Houston Rockets star James Harden will miss at least two weeks with a left hamstring strain.

The team announced Monday that the NBA’s leading scorer has a grade 2 strain and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Harden was injured on a missed layup late in the fourth quarter of Houston’s 148-142 double-overtime win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.

He said after the game that he didn’t think the injury was serious, but the guard was walking with a pronounced limp.

The Rockets, 26-9, have the second-best record in the Western Conference behind the Warriors, and Harden leads the NBA with his scoring average of 32.3 points per game.

He also is averaging 9.1 assists, ranking third in the league.

Harden, who has played every game this season, has been extremely durable during his career, missing just two games since the start of the 2014-15 season.

THOMAS TAKING COURT >> Cavaliers point guard Isaiah Thomas will make his debut for Cleveland on Tuesday night at home against Portland after being sidelined with a hip injury.

The All-Star has been out since last year’s Eastern Conference finals, when he played with Boston.

Cleveland acquired him during the offseason in a blockbuster trade that sent Kyrie Irving to the Celtics.

The team said Thomas will not play in back-toback games, so he’ll miss Wednesday’s game in Boston.

RAPTORS 131, BUCKS 127 (OT) >> DeMar DeRozan scored a franchise-record 52 points as Toronto matched its team mark with its 12th consecutive home victory.

DeRozan became the third player in Raptors history to score 50 or more in a game.

The others are Vince Carter and Terrence Ross, who each had 51.

Kyle Lowry had 26 points and Serge Ibaka added 11 for the Raptors, who also won 12 straight at Air Canada Centre between Jan. 18 and March 6, 2016. Toronto is an NBA-best 14-1 at home.

DeRozan made 17 of 29 field-goal attempts and shot 13 for 13 at the free-throw line. His five 3-pointers were one shy of his career high.

Eric Bledsoe scored 29 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 26 for the Bucks, who had won their previous two.

T’WOLVES 114, LAKERS 96 >> Jimmy Butler scored 28 points as host Minnesota won for the seventh time in eight games and 10th in 13.

The Timberwolves’ KarlAnthony Towns recorded his 30th double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Jordan Clarkson scored 20 points off the bench for the Lakers, who have lost seven in a row and 10 of 11.

L.A. once again was missing three starters: center Brook Lopez (ankle) and guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (legal) and Lonzo Ball (shoulder). BLAZERS 124, BULLS 120 (OT) >> C.J. McCollum scored 25 of his 32 points in the second half, including the tiebreaking basket with 56.5 seconds remaining in overtime, as the visiting Trail Blazers overcame the absence of leading scorer Damian Lillard (hamstring) for a fifth straight game.

Al-Farouq Aminu added a season-high 24 points and Evan Turner also had his season best with 22 for Portland.

Kris Dunn scored 22 points and Nikola Mirotic had 18 points off the bench for Chicago, which blew a late lead for a second straight game.

NETS 98, MAGIC 95 >> Rookie Jarrett Allen had a careerhigh 16 points, while Allen Crabbe added 15 points and blocked a potential tying shot to propel host Brooklyn.

Caris LeVert also had 15 points, while DeMarre Carroll chipped in 14 points, 10 rebounds and the tiebreaking free throw with 34.5 seconds remaining.

Aaron Gordon had 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic, which has lost its past seven road games.