Orlando, FL (Sports Network) - James Harden registered a team-high 24 points,
eight assists and seven rebounds, as the Houston Rockets defeated the Orlando
Magic, 118-110, at Amway Center. Harden shot 7-of-18 from the field, but was
10-of-11 from the free throw line for the Rockets, who have won three of
their last five games. Harden and Patrick Beverley combined for 21 of
Houston's 32 points in the fourth quarter, as the Rockets used a big run to
overtake the Magic. Chandler Parsons and Carlos Delfino scored 21 points
apiece for the Rockets. Donatas Motiejunas added 17 points and Omer Asik
recorded nine points and 12 rebounds. Tobias Harris recorded a double-double
with 27 points and 10 rebounds off the bench in the loss, Orlando's seventh
in eight games. Arron Afflalo scored 19 points and Nikola Vucevic had 18
points and 10 rebounds.
Final Score: Indiana 93, Toronto 81
Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Paul George and David West both turned in
double-doubles to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 93-81 win over the Toronto
Raptors on Friday. George finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds while West
added 15 points and 11 boards for the Pacers, winners in six of their last
seven. Roy Hibbert scored 18 points in his first game since returning from a
one-game suspension for his role in a fracas with Golden State on Tuesday.
Rudy Gay, who was battling lower back discomfort all game, poured in 21
points, while Alan Anderson and John Lucas III added 14 and 10 points,
respectively, for the Raptors, who have dropped three in a row.
Final Score: New York 96, Washington 88
Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Carmelo Anthony poured in a game-high 30
points on Friday to help the New York Knicks notch a 96-88 victory over the
Washington Wizards at Verizon Center. Raymond Felton followed with 23 points
and six assists, while J.R. Smith added 13 points and 12 rebounds off the
bench for the Knicks, who have won three straight on the heels of a four-game
skid. Bradley Beal posted a double-double with a career-high 29 points
and 11 boards, while John Wall netted 16 points and handed out six
assists in Washington's second straight setback.
Final Score: Boston 94, Golden State 86
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Paul Pierce paced Boston with 26 points and Jeff
Green added 18 off the bench as the Celtics stayed hot at home with a 94-86
victory over the road-weary Golden State Warriors on Friday at TD Garden.
Kevin Garnett chipped in with seven points and took sole possession of 10th
place on the all-time rebounding list by hauling in 13 boards in Boston's
eighth straight home victory. Stephen Curry wasn't nearly as deadly with his
shooting on Friday in following his 54-point performance against the Knicks
two days earlier. He scored 25 points, but shot just 6-for-22 from the field
in the Warriors' third straight setback of a four-game East Coast road trip.
David Lee returned from a one-game suspension and totaled 10 points and 19
rebounds in the loss.
Final Score: LA Clippers 105, Cleveland 89
Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Jamal Crawford tallied 24, and the Los
Angeles Clippers got double-doubles from Blake Griffin and Chris Paul in a
105-89 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Griffin ended with 16 points and
11 rebounds, while Paul contributed 11 points and 15 assists, as the
Clippers notched their fourth straight win and eighth in their last nine
tries. Caron Butler donated 13 points for the Clippers, who gained their
first victory in Cleveland since March 10, 2002, the year before LeBron
James was drafted by the Cavaliers. This was just their fifth win in
the last 21 meetings overall against the Cavs. The Cavaliers were simply
overmatched, especially considering Kyrie Irving (hyperextended right knee)
was out for a third straight game. Tristan Thompson had 15 points and 12
rebounds, while Dion Waiters scored 17, one more than C.J. Miles.
Final Score: Dallas 98, Brooklyn 90
Brooklyn, NY (Sports Network) - Vince Carter poured in 20 points on 7-of-12
shooting from the field to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 98-90 win over the
Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Dirk Nowitzki also finished with 20 points
and pulled down eight rebounds and O.J. Mayo added 17 for the Mavericks, who
had dropped three straight entering the contest. Deron Williams poured in a
game-high 24 points and Brook Lopez added 19 points and nine rebounds for the
Nets, who have dropped three of their last four. Joe Johnson, who had missed
three straight games with a foot injury, scored 11 points and dished out six
assists in the setback.
Final Score: Miami 98, Memphis 91
Miami, FL (Sports Network) - It wasn't the offensive onslaught we're
accustomed to seeing from LeBron James, but when his team needed a bucket, the
Miami superstar stepped up. James poured in 14 points in the fourth quarter,
including a clutch 3-pointer late in regulation to help the Heat extend their
win-streak to 13 games with a 98-91 triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies on
Friday at AmericanAirlines Arena. James finished with 18 points, 10 assists
and eight rebounds, while Dwyane Wade led the way with 22 points and eight
assists in Miami's 11th straight home victory. Marc Gasol scored a game-high
24 points and grabbed nine boards, while Mike Conley and Zach Randolph
donated 14 points apiece for the Grizzlies, who saw their eight-game winning
streak come to an end.
Final Score: New Orleans 100, Detroit 95
New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Greivis Vasquez scored 13 points in the
fourth quarter and led the New Orleans Hornets to a 100-95 win over the
Detroit Pistons on Friday. Vasquez had 25 points and nine assists in the
game for the Hornets, who came into the game off a 45-point loss against
Oklahoma City on Wednesday. Eric Gordon scored 21 points and Ryan Anderson
recorded a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Greg Monroe had a
game-high 27 points and 10 rebounds and Brandon Knight added 22 points for
the Pistons, who have lost four of their last five games. Kyle Singler and
Jason Maxiell scored 10 points apiece.
Final Score: San Antonio 130, Sacramento 102
San Antonio, TX (Sports Network) - Tony Parker was among eight San Antonio
players in double figures with 13 points, but the All-Star guard sprained his
left ankle in the third quarter of the Spurs' 130-102 blowout of the
Sacramento Kings. DeJuan Blair had 16 points, while Danny Green scored 15.
Manu Ginobili had nine points and a career-high 15 assists, as the Spurs
bounced back from a 105-101 overtime loss at home against Phoenix on
Wednesday. That defeat snapped an 18-game home winning streak. Tiago
Splitter ended with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Tim Duncan
contributed 13 points and 10 boards. Parker drove the lane for a layup with
under five minutes left in the period, but he landed awkwardly as the ankle
buckled upon hitting the floor. Parker was helped off the court. Prior to
leaving, Parker also had seven assists. He sat out a game at Phoenix on Sunday
due to a right triceps contusion. Marcus Thornton scored 25 and Isaiah
Thomas had 18 points for the Kings, who lost for the 17th time in the last
18 meetings with the Spurs. Tyreke Evans scored 10, but the Kings fell for the
seventh time in their last eight games.
Final Score: Phoenix 92, Atlanta 87
Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Goran Dragic left in the third with a back
injury, but Marcus Morris led a spirited bench effort to help the Phoenix Suns
down the Atlanta Hawks, 92-87, and capture their third straight win. Dragic
had 19 points with six assists before exiting, but Morris helped keep the
Suns afloat by making 4-of-5 from long distance to finish with 16 points.
Phoenix's bench tallied 58 points as a unit, with Wesley Johnson scoring 15,
Jermaine O'Neal donating 12 and Markieff Morris adding 11 in the victory.
After winning the first three of their six-game road trip, the Hawks fell in
search of their sixth consecutive victory on the road overall. Al Horford
scored 20 points and Kyle Korver chipped in with 17 points and eight rebounds.
Josh Smith was held to five points on 2-for-11 shooting, but grabbed 10 boards
and handed out five assists in the setback.
Final Score: Utah 98, Charlotte 68
Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) - Enes Kanter poured in 23 points and
pulled down 22 rebounds to lead the shorthanded Utah Jazz to a 98-68 rout of
the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday. Kanter went 10-for-12 from the field filling
in for Al Jefferson, who sat out with a sprained left ankle. Gordon Hayward
added 14 points and Derrick Favors finished with eight points and seven
rebounds for the Jazz, who were also without forward Paul Millsap due to a
left ankle sprain. Byron Mullens scored 12 points and pulled down seven
rebounds and Ramon Sessions added 11 points off the bench for the Bobcats,
who have dropped five straight and 13 of their last 15 games overall.
The Sports Network