LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James scored 33 points, Brandon Ingram added 23 and the Los Angeles Lakers weathered strong performances by Anthony Davis and Julius Randle for a 125-119 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
Davis had 22 points and eight rebounds in the first three quarters after getting a warm pregame reception from Lakers fans who eagerly followed Los Angeles’ fruitless pursuit of a trade for the superstar forward earlier this season.
Randle scored 35 points against his former team, but couldn’t finish a comeback against James and the Lakers’ new core during New Orleans’ fifth loss in seven games.
The Lakers had a 12-point lead early in the fourth quarter before the Pelicans trimmed it to 118-117 on Darius Miller’s 3-pointer with 1:38 to play. After Ingram hit a layup, Reggie Bullock forced a turnover by Jrue Holiday before James drilled a one-footed 3-pointer from the corner with 31 seconds left.
ROCKETS 118,
HORNETS 113
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — James Harden scored 30 points, Clint Capela had 23 points and a career-high 17 rebounds and Houston beat Charlotte for its third straight victory.
In his first game since his streak of 30-point games ended at 32, Harden struggled from the field, missing his first eight shots from 3-point range — even having one blocked by Nic Batum. Harden finished 10 of 29 from the field and 1 of 11 from 3-point range, but made two free throws with 14.6 seconds left to put it away.
Chris Paul heated up in the fourth quarter and finished with 17 points and 10 assists. Kemba Walker had 35 points for Charlotte, 27 in the first half. He was 3 of 12 from the floor in the second half.
HAWKS 131,
TIMBERWOLVES 123,
ATLANTA (AP) — Trae Young matched the career high he set earlier in the week with 36 points, John Collins had 34 and Atlanta beat Minnesota in overtime.
Collins scored 18 points in the fourth quarter as Atlanta, which trailed by 13 points late in the third period, rallied to force the extra period.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 37 points and 17 rebounds. Andrew Wiggins had 21 points.
DeAndre Bembry scored six of his 16 points in overtime for Atlanta.
TRAIL BLAZERS 97, CELTICS 92
BOSTON (AP) — Damian Lillard scored 21 of his 33 points in the second half and Portland handed Boston its fourth straight loss.
Maurice Harkless had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Jusef Nurkic scored 16 points, and CJ McCollum finished with 14 points for the Blazers. They have won a season-best five straight.
The struggling Celtics are winless since the All-Star break. Kyrie Irving scored 31 points to lead Boston.
Kyrie Irving scored 31 points for Boston. The Celtics are winless since the All-Star break.
SPURS 105, PISTONS 93
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — LaMarcus Aldridge scored 24 points, DeMar DeRozan had 17 points and 13 points, and San Antonio returned home after a 25-day absence to beat Detroit and snap a three-game skid.
The Spurs returned to the AT&T Center for the first time since Feb. 2 after going 1-7 on their rodeo trip, the worst they have fared on their annual excursion.
Reggie Jackson scored 22 points for Detroit.
MAVERICKS 110, PACERS 101
DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic had 26 points and 10 rebounds in his final game as a teenager, fellow rookie Jalen Brunson scored a season-high 24 points and Dallas beat Indiana to ended a five-game losing streak.
Doncic, the only teenager in NBA history with multiple triple-doubles, didn’t have a shot at his fifth late. But the first-year sensation who turns 20 Thursday had two of his seven assists on a pair of key 3-pointers while getting one from Brunson on a deep 3 to help Dallas hang on.
Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pacers with 22 points.
JAZZ 111,
CLIPPERS 105
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, Rudy Gobert had 20 points and 13 rebounds and Utah beat Los Angeles.
Derrick Favors and Ricky Rubio added 13 points apiece. Utah won its fourth straight home game by overcoming early shooting struggles.
Lou Williams and Danilo Gallinari scored 18 points each for the Clippers.
WIZARDS 125,
NETS 116
NEW YORK (AP) — Bradley Beal scored 31 points, Trevor Ariza had 23 points and 10 rebounds and Washington beat Brooklyn.
Reserve Thomas Bryant added 18 points. Washington had lost four straight and nine out of 12.
D’Angelo Russell scored 28 points for the Nets. They had won two in a row.
BULLS 109,
GRIZZLIES 107
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to help Chicago beat Memphis for its fourth victory in five games.
Lauri Markkanen added with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Otto Porter Jr. had 20 points. Avery Bradley led Memphis with 23 points and seven assists.