Page 19 - aruba-today-20170107

A19
SPORTS Saturday 7 January 2017
Nene’s late free throws lift

Rockets over Thunder, 118-116

HOUSTON (AP) — James memory, but his bank shot
Harden scored 26 points was disallowed because it Atlanta Hawks center Dwight
and Nene made two free came too late, and Detroit Howard (8) goes to the bas-
throws with 0.7 seconds held on against Charlotte. ket in front of New Orleans
remaining to lift the Hous- Belinelli was inbounding Pelicans forward Anthony
ton Rockets to their sixth from the sideline with 0.5 Davis (23) in the first half of
an NBA basketball game in
straight win, 118-116 over seconds remaining and New Orleans, Thursday, Jan.
the Oklahoma City Thun- the Hornets down by one. 5, 2017.
der on Thursday night. Detroit’s Marcus Morris was Associated Press
Houston overcame Rus- guarding the inbounder
sell Westbrook’s 49 points, but had his back turned, RAPTORS 101, JAZZ 93
though the star guard and Belinelli bounced the TORONTO (AP) — Kyle
struggled down the stretch. ball off him and caught the Lowry scored 16 of his 33
Nene was fouled by Jerami carom. He then took a shot points in the fourth quarter
Grant as he attempted a that banked in, but it was to lead Toronto to a come-
shot right under the basket, waved off — and a video from-behind victory over
setting up the winning free review confirmed the bas- Utah.
throws. Nene had a sea- ket came just after time ex- Lowry, who had 19 points
son-high 18 points. pired. in the final quarter of a
A pair of foul shots by Hard- Kemba Walker scored 20 comeback win at Utah
en tied it with just under of his 32 points in the final two weeks ago, added six
two minutes remaining. The period, helping Charlotte rebounds and five assists
teams combined to miss rally from a 19-point fourth- for the Raptors (24-11).
seven shots after that, with quarter deficit. DeMar DeRozan had 23
Westbrook missing three in Reggie Jackson put Detroit points and seven rebounds,
that span, before Nene’s up 115-113 when he made while Jonas Valanciunas
free throws. two free throws with 1.9 added 18 points and 13
The Thunder attempted an seconds remaining. Morris rebounds as Toronto rallied
alley-oop on the inbounds was then called for a foul from a deficit of 11 points in
pass after that, but Enes while Charlotte was trying the second period.
Kanter couldn’t finish the to inbound at the other The Jazz (22-15), who led
play and Houston held on. end, giving the Hornets for the first 44-plus min-
Westbrook finished two one free throw and the utes, were paced by Rudy
points shy of his season high ball. Belinelli made it to pull Gobert’s 15 points and 16
as Oklahoma City dropped Charlotte within one. rebounds. Shelvin Mack
its third straight. Boban Marjanovic had 15 added 17 points.
HAWKS 99, PELICANS 94 points and a career-high DeRozan’s 18-foot jumper
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Den- 19 rebounds, helping the with 3:44 left gave the Rap-
nis Schroder scored 23 Pistons overcome Andre tors their first lead, 89-88. It
points and Atlanta beat Drummond’s foul trouble. was an advantage they
New Orleans to win its fifth Tobias Harris scored 25 never relinquished.
straight, even as shooting points for Detroit, and TRAIL BLAZERS 118, LAKERS
guard Kyle Korver spent the Jackson had 22 points and 109
entire game on the bench 11 assists. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — CJ
amid reports he could soon SPURS 127, NUGGETS 99 McCollum had 27 points
be traded to Cleveland. DENVER (AP) — LaMarcus and Damian Lillard re-
Paul Millsap had 17 points Aldridge scored 28 points, turned from a sprained
and 10 rebounds for the including 11 while spark- ankle with 21 points and
Hawks, who trailed by three ing a third-quarter spurt, 10 assists to lead Portland
after Anthony Davis’ dunk and San Antonio defeated over Los Angeles.
with 3:51 left before out- Denver. Evan Turner scored 15 of
scoring New Orleans 14-6 Kawhi Leonard added 24 his 20 in the fourth quarter
the rest of the way. Dwight points, while Tony Parker as the Trail Blazers secured
Howard added 12 points had 21 and a season-high their ninth straight regular-
and 11 rebounds, and Tim nine assists for the Spurs, season victory over the
Hardaway Jr. scored 14. who improved to 17-3 on Lakers, a franchise record.
Davis had 20 points and the road this season. Parker D’Angelo Russell had 22
19 rebounds for New Or- shot 10 of 11 from the field. points, 10 in the final pe-
leans, which has lost its last Aldridge helped San An- riod, and Jordan Clarkson
two. Jrue Holiday added tonio pull away in the third added 21 off the bench for
18 points and Buddy Hield quarter by knocking down Los Angeles, which led by
scored 15 for the Pelicans, a flurry of mid-range jump- 14 in the first half.
who shot only 36.6 percent ers and hook shots. He has McCollum’s floater put
(34 of 93) for the game. reached double figures in Portland in front before he
PISTONS 115, HORNETS 114 30 of 33 games this season. hit a 3-pointer with 4:06 to
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) Nikola Jokic had 19 points go that pushed the lead to
— Marco Belinelli near- and 11 rebounds for the 107-103. He added anoth-
ly pulled off one of the Nuggets, who dropped er basket that extended
craftiest buzzer beaters in their fourth straight. the margin.q