NBA roundup: Clippers end skid without Leonard, rally to beat Hornets 113-104

LOS ANGELES (AP) — James Harden scored 20 of his 29 points in the first half and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied for a 113-104 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night to end a two-game losing streak.

Paul George scored 25 points and Ivica Zubac added 18 points with 14 rebounds as the Clippers won for the first time in three games since Kawhi Leonard was sidelined with a left hip contusion. Los Angeles’ two-game skid had followed a nine-game winning streak.

The Clippers won three days after they absorbed a 37-point defeat at home against the Boston Celtics.

Miles Bridges scored 21 points with 11 rebounds, while Terry Rozier and P.J. Washington added 18 each for the Hornets, who lost their eighth game in a row. Charlotte is 1-10 in December, all without LaMelo Ball (ankle), who has not played since Nov. 26.

Nick Richards added 13 points and 10 rebounds for Charlotte. Rozier missed Saturday’s game against the Denver Nuggets with right knee soreness, while Brandon Miller (ankle) did not play Tuesday.

The Clippers led by as many as 10 points in the first half before the Hornets pulled within 55-50 at the break.

Again, Los Angeles led by 10 points in the third quarter at 75-65 on a 3-pointer by George.

Charlotte stole the momentum by going on a 26-9 run to lead 91-84 with 9:29 remaining. The Hornets’ comeback included an 11-2 run to open the fourth quarter.

The Clippers showed a sense of urgency by hitting three 3-pointers during a 19-2 run to take a 103-93 lead with 3:58 remaining. Zubac scored six points in the run, including the last four.

A 3-pointer by George with 1:26 remaining gave the Clippers a 111-100 lead.

THUNDER 129, TIMBERWOLVES 106

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points, Jalen Williams added 21 and Oklahoma City made 18 shots from 3-point range to beat Minnesota.

Chet Holmgren and Lu Dort each added 20 points for the Thunder, who went 18 for 39 (46.2%) on 3s and forced 24 Minnesota turnovers that led to 23 points. Dort was 5 of 6 from beyond the arc.

Anthony Edwards had 25 points to pace Minnesota. Mike Conley added 17 and Karl-Anthony Towns had 16.

Josh Giddey returned to the starting lineup for the Thunder after missing a game with a left ankle sprain. He finished with 10 points.

MAGIC 127, WIZARDS 119

WASHINGTON (AP) — Franz Wagner had 28 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds, rookie Anthony Black scored a career-high 23 points and Orlando defeated Washington.

Paolo Banchero overcame a slow start to finish with 24 points and eight assists and Jalen Suggs returned from a two-game absence due to a left wrist injury to score 11.

Jordan Poole had 30 points to lead the Wizards, who have lost four of their last five, and Tyus Jones added 22.

Trailing by as many as eight, Washington’s bench came up with 12 points in the first quarter and a 14-4 run tied things at 33 after one.

Daniel Gafford had 13 points and 13 rebounds while Kyle Kuzma had 17 for the Wizards.

TRAIL BLAZERS 130, KINGS 113

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Anfernee Simons scored 29 points to lead Portland Trail over Sacramento.

Duop Reath added a career-high 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds off the bench for the Blazers. Malcolm Brogdon scored 19 points, while Scoot Henderson and Jabari Walker each had 17 off the bench.

Henderson added 11 assists and had only one turnover in one of his strongest games of his pro career.

De’Aaron Fox scored 43 points and Domantas Sabonis had 34 points, but no other Sacramento players scored in double figures.

GRIZZLIES 116, PELICANS 115, OT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Ja Morant scored 31 points and Memphis defeated New Orleans in overtime to improve to 4-0 since Morant made his season debut in New Orleans a week earlier.

Desmond Bane scored 27, including a 3 in the final minute of regulation that helped Memphis erase a 15-point, second-half deficit. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 19 points, redeeming his missed free throw at the end of regulation with a pair of baskets late in overtime that gave the Grizzlies the lead for good.

Zion Williamson had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Pelicans. Brandon Ingram scored 24 points and blocked four shots. Jonas Valanciunas had 17 points and 13 rebounds, and CJ McCollum added 16 points for New Orleans, which dropped its second straight — both at home.

The overtime came after a wild last few seconds on the game clock that took several minutes to complete because of video reviews of foul calls.

PACERS 123, ROCKETS 117

HOUSTON (AP) — Tyrese Haliburton had 33 points and 10 assists and hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with a minute left to lead Indiana over Houston, snapping a three-game losing streak.

Alperen Sengun led Houston with 30 points and 16 rebounds, and Fred VanVleet added 18 points and nine assists.

Rockets forward Tari Eason tied the game at 33 on the last play of the first quarter by stealing the ball from Andrew Nembhard and finishing with a thunderous breakaway dunk. Eason had 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench for Houston. There were 15 lead changes and six ties in the game.

BULLS 118, HAWKS 113

CHICAGO (AP) — Andre Drummond had season highs of 24 points and 25 rebounds in his first start of the season, DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points and Chicago cooled off Atlanta’s Trae Young somewhat in beating the Hawks.

Young finished with 21 points and 13 assists after tying Oscar Robertson’s record of seven consecutive games with at least 30 points and 10 assists.

Drummond made 11 of 13 shots and played 39 minutes. Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 19. White missed all seven 3-pointers and the Bulls were 7 of 25 from beyond the arc.

Bogdan Bogdanovic led Atlanta with 22 points.