National Basketball Association Game Capsules

Charlotte, NC (SportsNetwork.com) – James Harden scored a game-high 31 points, including nine in a late third quarter surge that propelled the Houston Rockets to a 100-89 triumph over the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday at Time Warner Cable Arena. Charlotte led 66-65 with 2:44 left in the third before Harden supplied nine points, including the final seven, during a 13-2 quarter- closing run that sent Houston into the fourth holding a 78-68 advantage. The Bobcats got as close as five following Al Jefferson’s turnaround hook shot with 2:14 to play, but Chandler Parsons and Patrick Beverley buried back-to- back 3-pointers for an 11-point lead with just over a minute remaining. Parsons finished with 11 points, while Dwight Howard, who had missed Houston’s last three games with a left ankle injury, posted a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double for the Rockets, who have won four straight games. Kemba Walker paced the Bobcats with 22 points, while Jefferson supplied 20 points and 11 boards for Charlotte, which has dropped three of its last four games.

Final Score: Phoenix 102, Atlanta 95

Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) – Gerald Green scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth quarter and the Phoenix Suns defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 102-95, on Monday night. Eric Bledsoe tallied 20 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Goran Dragic added 19 points and six assists for the Suns, who have won four in a row and six of their last seven. DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap put in 19 points apiece for Atlanta, which has dropped three consecutive tilts on the heels of a five-game winning streak.

Final Score: Miami 93, Portland 91

Miami, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – LeBron James deposited 32 points and the game- winning layup as the Miami Heat held off the Portland Trail Blazers, 93-91, at American Airlines Arena on Monday. After a pair of Mo Williams free throws with 30.9 seconds left capped a 7-0 Blazers run to knot the score at 91- apiece, James made amends for a pair of turnovers on the previous two Miami possessions by driving left and converting a contested layup with 11.4 seconds showing. The Blazers chose to play it out without calling a timeout and put the ball in All-Star Damian Lillard’s hands. As the clock trickled down, Lillard put a move on a Miami defender and got to the rim, but Chris Bosh was there to deny his scoop layup at the buzzer. Bosh finished with 15 points on his 30th birthday and Chris Andersen added 13 points with 11 rebounds off the bench as Miami completed the season-sweep of the Blazers. Lillard paced Portland with 19 points, Williams chimed in with 17 points and Wesley Matthews scored 15 for the ailing Blazers, who were once again without star LaMarcus Aldridge (back). The Blazers fell to 0-2 on their current five-game road trip.

Final Score: Chicago 89, Indiana 77

Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) – Taj Gibson scored a game-high 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting off the bench, and the Chicago Bulls grinded out an 89-77 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Indiana Pacers at United Center. Kirk Hinrich checked in with 18 points, Mike Dunleavy netted 13 and Joakim Noah again filled the box score with 10 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, four steals and three blocks despite dealing with foul trouble. Paul George needed 22 shots to put up 21 points in a losing effort, while George Hill and David West contributed 17 and 14 points, respectively. The Pacers could have wrapped up the Central Division title but shot just 37.0 percent from the floor in losing for the third time in four games.

Final Score: Memphis 109, Minnesota 92

Memphis, TN (SportsNetwork.com) – Mike Conley scored 23 points with six assists to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 109-92 beating of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Zach Randolph notched 17 points, Marc Gasol contributed a 14- point, 12-rebound double-double and Tayshaun Prince dropped in 12 points for Memphis, which has won four of its last five games. Kevin Love shot 6- for-18, including 2-for-8 from distance, to lead the Timberwolves with 16 points in their third straight setback. Corey Brewer tallied 15 points and Gorgui Dieng deposited 11 points with 17 rebounds in the loss.

Final Score: New Orleans 109, Brooklyn 104 (OT)

New Orleans, LA (SportsNetwork.com) – Tyreke Evans netted 33 points on 13- of-19 shooting and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 22-point second half deficit to edge the Brooklyn Nets, 109-104, in overtime on Monday. Evans also added 10 rebounds and seven assists, while Anthony Davis tallied 24 points and 14 boards for the Pelicans, winners in three straight and four of five. Brian Roberts scored 17 points and Anthony Morrow and Austin Rivers had 11 and 10 points, respectively. Paul Pierce led the way with 24 points for Brooklyn, which had its four-game winning streak come to an end. Deron Williams scored 23 and reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week Joe Johnson had 15.

Final Score: Oklahoma City 117, Denver 96

Oklahoma City, OK (SportsNetwork.com) – Kevin Durant scored 27 points and handed out eight assists, as the Oklahoma City Thunder thrashed the Denver Nuggets, 117-96, on Monday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Reggie Jackson registered 16 points and 11 assists, while Caron Butler poured in 23 points off the bench for the Thunder, who have won four straight and six of their last seven games. Ty Lawson led Denver with 25 points and seven helpers, while Kenneth Faried donated 11 points and 11 boards for the Nuggets, who have dropped two of their last three games.

Final Score: San Antonio 113, Philadelphia 91

San Antonio, TX (SportsNetwork.com) – The odds are not looking good for the Philadelphia 76ers. One more loss stands between them and a dubious distinction of ineptitude. Austin Daye netted 22 points off the bench and the San Antonio Spurs handed the Sixers their 25th straight loss following a 113-91 rout on Monday night. Philadelphia visits the Houston Rockets on Thursday in an effort to avoid matching the longest single-season losing skid in NBA history held by the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers. The Rockets are 28-7 at home this season. The Sixers, who’ve dropped 11 straight on the road, haven’t won since a buzzer-beating victory in Boston over the Celtics on Jan. 29. Evan Turner scored the winning bucket and he’s now a member of the Indiana Pacers. Tim Duncan poured in 19 points for the Spurs, who have won 14 in a row. Tony Parker sat out the game for San Antonio due to a sore left Achilles. Michael Carter-Williams and Thaddeus Young had 17 points apiece to lead Philadelphia.

Final Score: Detroit 114, Utah 94

Salt Lake City, UT (SportsNetwork.com) – Andre Drummond finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds and led six Pistons in double figures as Detroit picked up its first road win in over two months with a 114-94 win over the Utah Jazz. The Pistons last won on the road on Jan. 18 and had came up empty in 10 straight visits to Salt Lake City before Monday’s wire-to-wire drubbing. Rodney Stuckey also scored 19 points for Detroit, while Greg Monroe chipped in with 18 points and 11 rebounds and Brandon Jennings netted 15 with eight assists in the rout. The Jazz fell for the seventh time in their last eight games despite Gordon Hayward’s 32-point performance.

Final Score: LA Clippers 106, Milwaukee 98

Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Blake Griffin deposited a 27-point, 14- rebound double-double to help the Los Angeles Clippers to their fifth straight win over the Milwaukee Bucks with a 106-98 decision on Monday. The Clippers picked up win No. 50 on the season for the second straight season and just the second time in franchise history. Darren Collison scored 15 points with six assists and Chris Paul dropped in 14 points with seven assists for Los Angeles, which won for the eighth straight time at Staples Center and has taken 13 of its last 14 overall. Ramon Sessions netted a season-high 28 points for the Bucks, who lost for the eighth straight game. Zaza Pachulia and Jeff Adrien each scored 14 points in the setback.

Categorized in: NBA