(The Sports Xchange) – Highlights of Wednesday’s National Basketball Association games.
– – –
Thunder 111, Spurs 105
Kevin Durant had another stellar offensive performance, scoring 36 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat San Antonio to move a half-game in front of the Spurs for the best record in the Western Conference.
Durant recorded his ninth straight game with at least 30 points, going 12 of 22 from the field and 10 of 11 from the free throw line for the Thunder (33-10).
Guard Tony Parker, who sat out Sunday’s game with a bruised right shin, led San Antonio (32-10) with a season high 37.
– – –
Rockets 119, Kings 98
The Sacramento Kings lost two key offensive cogs to injury in their defeat to the Houston Rockets.
DeMarcus Cousins, the Kings’ leading scorer and rebounder, limped off after spraining his left ankle with 7:17 left in the second.
Rudy Gay, fresh off a 41-point, eight-rebound performance Tuesday night in New Orleans, departed with a left Achilles injury at the 6:01 mark in the first quarter.
Sacramento (15-26) scuffled without them while Dwight Howard put up 26 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks for the Rockets (29-15).
– – –
76ers 110, Knicks 106
Evan Turner scored a season-high 34 points to help the Philadelphia 76ers to a 110-106 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.
Turner also grabbed 11 rebounds, and put his team ahead 107-100 in the final 1:14, as the 76ers (14-28) snapped a three-game losing streak.
The Knicks (15-27) were led by forward Carmelo Anthony, who popped in 28 points and dished out seven assists, tying his season best.
– – –
Raptors 93, Mavericks 85
DeMar DeRozan scored a career-best 40 points and the Toronto Raptors came back from 21 points down to defeat the Dallas Mavericks.
Toronto (21-20) outscored Dallas 78-51 over the final three quarters to dig out of an early hole.
Monta Ellis led Dallas (25-19) with 21 points.
– – –
Bulls 98, Cavaliers 87
D.J. Augustin scored a game-high 27 points to lead the depleted Chicago Bulls to a victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Augustin started in place of the injured Kirk Hinrich, while forward Taj Gibson matched his career high with 26 points for the Bulls (21-20) in place of injured Carlos Boozer.
Cavs (15-27) forward Luol Deng made his first start against his former team since being traded this year, but made just 2 of 11 shots and scored 11 points.
– – –
Bobcats 95, Clippers 91
Gerald Henderson dunked with 22.5 seconds left and Josh McRoberts hit two free throws with 13.9 seconds left to give the Charlotte Bobcats a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Henderson’s dunk, off a lob from guard Ramon Sessions, broke an 89-89 tie.
Al Jefferson led the Bobcats (19-25) with 24 points and 10 rebounds.
Blake Griffin led the Clippers (29-15) with 27 points. Jamal Crawford scored 20.
– – –
Celtics 113, Wizards 111 (Overtime)
Jeff Green scored a season-high 39 points with a career-best eight 3-pointers and Gerald Wallace hit the game-winning layup with 2.5 seconds remaining in overtime as the short-handed Boston Celtics outlasted the Washington Wizards.
The Celtics (15-29) had lost three straight games.
John Wall tallied his second career triple-double with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, for Washington (20-21) but missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.
– – –
Hawks 112, Magic 109
Paul Millsap had 24 points, six rebounds and five assists to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a victory over the Orlando Magic.
The Hawks (22-19) scored the last seven points — all from the free-throw line — as the Magic (11-32) fumbled away a chance to win.
Rookie guard Victor Oladipo led the Magic with 24 points.
– – –
Bucks 104, Pistons 101
Caron Butler scored 30 points and the Bucks snapped a nine-game losing streak with a victory over the Pistons.
Detroit (17-25) point guard Brandon Jennings, who spent his first four NBA seasons in Milwaukee after the Bucks (8-33) took him 10th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, finished with 30 points and four assists.
– – –
Suns 124, Pacers 100
Guard Gerald Green scored 23 points and made three of Phoenix’s 11 three-pointers, and Goran Dragic added 21 points as the Suns blitzed the NBA’s best team.
Phoenix (24-17) led by as many as 26 points while beating the Pacers for the 12th time in the past 16 meetings.
Paul George scored 26 points to lead Indiana, who saw its five-game winning streak end. The Pacers (33-8) won eight of their previous nine games.