Associated Press
Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO — Russell Westbrook had 31 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder used a strong second quarter to beat the San Antonio Spurs 113-100 Saturday night for their ninth straight victory.
Reggie Jackson had 21 points, Kevin Durant added 17 and Serge Ibaka had 14 points and 14 rebounds for Oklahoma City.
Tony Parker scored 23 points, and Marco Belinelli and Tim Duncan had 17 points apiece for San Antonio, which took only its second home loss.
The Spurs had won six of seven entering Saturday’s game, but couldn’t stop the Thunder’s backcourt.
Westbrook and Jackson were a combined 21 for 36 and handed out 12 assists.
Oklahoma City never trailed after Jackson’s reverse layup put them up 21-19 with a minute remaining in the first quarter.
San Antonio was outscored 40-29 in a sloppy second quarter. The Spurs committed five turnovers while taking only 17 shots in the period, which was one less than the Thunder made.
The Spurs pulled within a pair of baskets on several occasions in the second half, but the Thunder responded with a small run each time.
Jackson was usually at the forefront of the runs, going 8 for 14.
NOTES: Parker (shin bruise) was questionable to play, but started and played 33 minutes. He had eight assists while shooting 6 for 14.
ROCKETS 114
PISTONS 97
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Dwight Howard had 35 points and 19 rebounds, leading the short-handed Houston Rockets to a 114-97 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night.
In one of his best games since joining the Rockets in the offseason, Howard dominated Andre Drummond, Detroit’s promising 20-year-old big man, and helped Houston control the game despite the absence of star guard James Harden, who was out with a sprained right ankle.
The Rockets also were without Jeremy Lin, who has been bothered by back spasms, and they lost guard Patrick Beverley to a fractured right hand.
Josh Smith scored 19 points for the Pistons.
It was the most points Howard has scored as a member of the Rockets. He went 13 of 18 from the field.
GRIZZLIES 95
KNICKS 87
NEW YORK (AP) — Zach Randolph had 25 points and 15 rebounds to help Memphis snap a five-game losing streak with a victory over New York.
Tony Allen added 19 points and eight rebounds. Jerryd Bayless scored 11 points, including two free throws to end a New York flurry that had trimmed a 19-point deficit to four in the final half-minute.
Mike Conley finished with nine points and eight assists after missing two games with a bruised left thigh.
Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points for the Knicks.
WIZARDS 106
CELTICS 99
BOSTON — Trevor Ariza scored 27 points and hit a 3-pointer that capped a fourth-quarter run in Washington’s comeback victory over Boston.
With Washington trailing 92-84, Ariza started a 14-1 run with a jumper from the right corner. John Wall had five of his 20 points in the surge.
Avery Bradley led Boston with 26 points.
KINGS 105
MAGIC 100
ORLANDO, Fla. — Rudy Gay and Isaiah Thomas each scored 23 points, Marcus Thornton added 15, and Sacramento held off Orlando for the victory.
DeMarcus Cousins added 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The Kings connected on a season-high 12 3-pointers in the victory, helping to end a three-game losing streak.
Arron Afflalo led Orlando with 26 points in his return to the lineup after sitting out for the first time this season Wednesday with an illness. The Magic have lost four out of their last five, and four straight at home.
JAZZ 88
BOBCATS 85
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Trey Burke scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and Utah snapped Charlotte’s three-game winning streak.
Burke hit a 3-pointer with 1:38 left to put the Jazz up by three and added a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining.
Gordon Hayward had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Utah, which had lost three of their past four games. Derrick Favors added 14 points.
Kemba Walker scored 20 points and Al Jefferson had 19 for the Bobcats, who were playing their fourth game in five nights.
At halftime, Bobcats owner Michael Jordan unveiled the team’s new primary logo for when the team changes names to the Charlotte Hornets after this season.
BULLS 100
CAVALIERS 84
CHICAGO — Carlos Boozer scored 19 points and short-handed Chicago Bulls snapped a four-game losing streak with a win over Cleveland.
D.J. Augustin scored 18, Tony Snell came on strong in the second half to finish with 17 points, and Chicago prevailed after matching its longest slide in four years under coach Tom Thibodeau.
The Bulls shot nearly 54 percent overall and were 10 of 15 on 3-pointers.
Andrew Bynum had 19 points for the Cavaliers, but Kyrie Irving had a rough night, finishing with 14 points on 5-of-16 shooting after fighting through an illness to score 39 in Friday’s overtime win over Milwaukee.