Rockets douse red hot Heat

(The Sports Xchange) — Kevin Durant scored 42 points and guard Russell Westbrook collected his eighth career triple-double in leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 125-92 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

In his sixth game back from injury, Westbrook racked up 13 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists in only 20 minutes and 17 seconds of action.

It was the second-fewest minutes any player has ever needed to reach a triple-double, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Westbrook needed so few minutes because the 76ers (15-46) offered little resistance on their way to a 15th straight defeat.

Oklahoma City (46-15) held a 16-point lead at halftime and torched Philly in the third to put the game away.

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Rockets 106, Heat 103

Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard

Three Houston starters recorded double-doubles and the Rockets survived a last-second three-point attempt from LeBron James to overcome the Miami Heat.

Houston center Dwight Howard (22 points, 16 rebounds) provided the defense on James as the clock wound down, forcing an errant shot than enabled the Rockets (41-19) to seal a sixth consecutive home win.

James had 22 points one night after he poured in a career-high and franchise record 61 for the Heat (43-15).

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Warriors 98, Pacers 96

Klay Thompson hit an outside jumper with 0.6 seconds left, giving Golden State a victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Indiana forward Paul George’s three-point attempt as the buzzer sounded hit the back rim and bounced away.

Thompson led the Warriors (37-24) with 25 points. Backcourt team mate Stephen Curry added 19 points and forward David Lee scored 11.

Forward David West led the Pacers (46-14) with 27 points. George had 26 points and a game-high 12 rebounds as Indiana’s lead on the Eastern Conference stayed at two games over Miami, who also lost.

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 Clippers 104, Suns 96

 Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant

The Los Angeles Clippers won their fifth straight game and distanced themselves atop the Pacific Division after downing the Phoenix Suns.

With 20 games to play, Los Angeles is 42-20, five games ahead of Golden State and six games ahead of the fading Suns, losers of four of their past six.

Matt Barnes led the Clippers with 28 points while Blake Griffin, had 22 points, six assists and five rebounds.

P.J. Tucker led Phoenix with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

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Spurs 122, Cavaliers 101

Danny Green scored 24 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Green, drafted by the Cavs in 2009 before they waived him in 2010, converted 7-of-12 shots from the field and 3-of-7 from behind the arc.

The Spurs (44-16) also got 18 points and five rebounds from forward Kawhi Leonard and 16 points from both Patty Mills and Boris Diaw.

Cleveland guard Dion Waiters, playing in his first game since Feb. 18 because of a hyperextended left knee, had 24 points for the Cavs (24-38).

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Pelicans 132, Lakers 125

 Lebron James
Lebron James

Anthony Davis and guard Eric Gordon scored 28 points apiece, sparking the New Orleans Pelicans to victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Pelicans (24-37) snapped an eight-game losing streak as Tyreke Evans added a strong outing, scoring 24 points, handing out 11 assists and pulling down seven rebounds.

Center Pau Gasol scored a season-high 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Los Angeles (21-40), who were attempting to register their first three-game winning streak since November.