James Harden, Rockets overwhelm lowly Cavaliers, 114-113
HOUSTON (AP) — James Harden had 43 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in three quarters to lead the Houston Rockets to a 141-113 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.
After the Cavaliers won the first meeting with Houston this season, the Rockets were determined to take care of business this time. They did that, racing to a 28-point lead after scoring a season-high 77 points in the first half behind 24 points from Harden. The Rockets led 113-81 after three quarters.
Harden had his 15th straight game with at least 30 points, his franchise-record 13th game with 40 points this season and the seventh in the last nine games.
Harden needed less than 2 1/2 quarters to reach 30 points, hitting a 3 with 7:41 left in the third to give him 32 points and push Houston's lead 91-58. He joins Kobe Bryant (16 games in 2003) as the only players to score 30 points in at least 15 games in a row since the 1972-73 season.
About three minutes later, he pushed his total to 40 after he was left wide open to drive into the lane for an easy layup to make it 99-68. Harden grabbed his 10th rebound with about 90 seconds left in the third quarter to give him his sixth triple-double this season and the 41st of his career. He made eight 3-pointers to extend his NBA-record to 12 games in a row with at least five.
Ante Zizic led Cleveland with 18 points. They have lost 12 straight.
WARRIORS 146, BULLS 109
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Klay Thompson picked up where he left off on his record-setting night in Chicago earlier this season, making seven more 3-pointers and scoring 30 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a victory over the Bulls.
Thompson set an NBA mark in the first meeting between the teams on Oct. 29 by hitting 14 3-pointers as part of a 52-point night while playing only the first three quarters. He made three from long range in the first 70 seconds of the rematch and the rout was on in the most lopsided win of the season for Golden State.
Stephen Curry made back-to-back 3-pointers early in the third quarter to move past Jason Terry into third place all-time in made 3-pointers. He made five overall and finished with 28 points. His 2,285 career 3s trail only Reggie Miller (2,560) and Ray Allen (2,973) in NBA history.
Zach LaVine scored 29 points to lead the Bulls, who have lost six straight games.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Bradley Beal scored 32 points, and Tomas Satoransky had 18 points, a career-high 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his first career triple-double to help Washington beat Milwaukee.
With Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined by hip and quad injuries, Washington came out aggressively and never trailed after the opening two minutes. The Wizards finished with 18 3-pointers, matching the franchise record. Khris Middleton scored 25 points for the Bucks.
TORONTO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Pascal Siakam scored 16 points and Toronto beat Brooklyn for its second seven-game home winning streak of the season.
Serge Ibaka added 14 points, OG Anunoby and Norman Powell each had 13, Delon Wright had 12 to help Toronto improve to 18-4 at home. They last lost at home Dec. 9 to Milwaukee. The Raptors have won four straight overall and six of seven. The only loss in that span was Jan. 3 at San Antonio.
Toronto has won 13 of the past 14 meetings with the Nets, including seven straight north of the border. D'Angelo Russell led Brooklyn with 24 points.
HAWKS 123, 76ERS 121
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — John Collins hit a fadeaway jumper with 25 seconds left and Atlanta hung on when Philadelphia flopped on its final plays.
Jimmy Butler was fouled on a drive and had a chance to tie it with 2.4 seconds left. Butler, an 86 percent free-throw shooter, clanged both shots to waste the chance at the tie. Wilson Chandler slipped under the basket on the second miss and missed a gimmie tip-in at the horn.
Collins scored 25 points, and Kevin Huerter hit five 3s and led the Hawks with 29 points.
Butler led the Sixers with 30 points and Ben Simmons had 23 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds.
MAVERICKS 119, TIMBERWOLVES 115
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 29 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer to lead Dallas poast Minnesota, spoiling rookie coach Ryan Saunders' home debut.
Doncic also had 12 assists and eight rebounds. He scored seven of Dallas' final nine points.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 30 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves in their first home game since Saunders was named interim coach. Saunders, the son of last coacg Flip Saunders, took over as coach after Tom Thibodeau was fired Sunday.
NEW YORK (AP) — Domantas Sabonis had 22 points and 15 rebounds to cap his sizzling season at Madison Square Garden, and Indiana beat New York.
Sabonis shot 9 for 14 from the field to finish 21 of 26 this season in two games in New York. He made all 12 shots and tied his career high with 30 points when the Pacers won here on Halloween.
Victor Oladipo added 19 points for the Pacers, coming off a blowout loss in Boston on Wednesday night.
Emmanuel Mudiay scored 21 points for the Knicks.
TRAIL BLAZERS 127, HORNETS 96
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — CJ McCollum had 30 points and Damian Lillard scored 20 before resting in the fourth quarter, and the Portland Trail Blazers routed the Charlotte Hornets.
Portland has won four straight and six of seven overall. It improved to 17-7 at home, tied for best in the Western Conference.
The victory also extended the Blazers' winning streak over the Hornets in Portland to 11 straight games. Charlotte hasn't won in Portland since 2008.
Kemba Walker had 18 points for the Hornets, who fell to 5-14 on the road this season in the fourth of a five-game trip.
JAZZ 113, LAKERS 95
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Donovan Mitchell had 33 points and a career-high nine assists, helping the Utah Jazz beat the Los Angeles Lakers.
Utah (22-21) made 15 3-pointers in its fourth win in five games. Rudy Gobert had 12 points and a season-high 18 rebounds. Joe Ingles had 14 points and a career-high 12 boards, and Derrick Favors finished with 15 points and a season-high 13 rebounds.
The Jazz also got a solid performance from Royce O'Neale, who went 5 for 12 from 3-point range on his to a season-high 17 points.
Michael Beasley scored 17 points for the Lakers. Brandom Ingram added 15 points and Kyle Kuzma had 11 points and eight rebounds.
Los Angeles (23-20) lost for the sixth time in nine games without LeBron James in the lineup. James is out with a groin injury.