Sports
Rockets rally past Pelicans in Howard’s return game
Rockets rally past Pelicans in Howard’s return game
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (right) attempts to get past Jeff Green of Memphis Grizzlies during the NBA game. Cleveland defeated Memphis 111-89. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports
DPA/Los Angeles The Houston Rockets welcomed back big man Dwight Howard with their biggest come-from-behind victory of the season. James Harden had 25 points with 10 assists Wednesday and the Rockets overcame an early 17-point deficit for a 95-93 road victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. “We came back from a big deficit and the one thing I kept telling the fellas was, we’ve got to stop playing around with the game,” Howard said. “We’re on a big mission to win a championship, and we’ve got to wake up and play.” After missing 26 games, Howard finished with four points, seven rebounds and a block in 17 minutes in his first action since January 23 while rehabilitating his right knee. “It felt pretty good. It seemed like as soon as I got out there it was time to sit down,” he said. “My whole point was to do whatever I can to help the team win and play as hard as I can for as long as I can.” Trevor Ariza had 22 points while Donatas Montejunas netted 21 for Houston (48-23) which moved 1.5 games behind Southwest Division-leading Memphis. Houston trailed 36-19 in the second quarter but outscored its hosts 59-34 in the middle two periods to go ahead. The Rockets led 94-85 on a Josh Smith triple but had it sliced to three on a Tyreke Evans basket with 37.5 seconds left. After a missed Harden jumper, Anthony Davis was fouled but the 83-per-cent free throw shooter split a pair, pulling the Pelicans to within 94-92 with seven seconds to go. Harden made 1-of-2 free throws and the Rockets decided to intentionally foul Eric Gordon instead of risk a tying 3-pointer. Gordon made the first but purposely missed the second free throw, hoping for a tying put-back but time ran out. Evans tossed in 28 points while Davis added 24 and 14 rebounds for the Pelicans (37-34), losers of four in a row. Cavaliers 111, Memphis Grizzlies 89Kyrie Irving scored 24 points, Kevin Love added 22 points with 10 rebounds as the visiting Cavs (47-26) dealt the Southwest Division-leading Grizzlies (50-22) their worst home loss of the season. San Antonio Spurs 130, Oklahoma City 91Tony Parker had 21 points fellow-Frenchman Boris Diaw added 19, and the defending NBA Champ Spurs (44-26) stopped the visiting Thunder’s (41-31) four-game winning streak with their most lopsided win of the season. League top gun Russell Westbrook was held to 16 points for Oklahoma City (41-31), which still holds down the final playoff spot in the West. Miami Heat 93, Boston Celtics 86 Slovenian Goran Dragic had 22 points and the visiting Heat (33-38) - minus Dwyane Wade (swollen left knee) - stayed in the seventh playoff spot in the East after beating the Celtics (31-40), who remained eighth. Chicago Bulls 116, Toronto Raptors 103Jimmy Butler scored 23 points, Spaniard Pau Gasol had 18 and the visiting Bulls (44-29) used a 39-21 fourth quarter to beat the Raptors. Greivis Vasquez had 22 points for Toronto (42-30), which clinched a playoff berth when Miami beat Boston and Charlotte lost to Brooklyn. Indiana Pacers 103, Washington Wizards 101George Hill scored 29 points, including the game-winning layup with 2.7 seconds left, and the visiting Pacers (31-40) stopped a six-game slide while sending the Wizards (40-32) to a fourth straight loss despite John Wall’s 34 points. Atlanta Hawks 95, Orlando Magic 83Paul Millsap had 25 points with 11 rebounds, and the East-best Hawks (54-17) used a 27-12 fourth quarter to stop a season-high three-game slide after beating the Magic (22-51). LA Clippers 111, New York Knicks 80Austin Rivers scored an impressive 21 points, while Chris added 11 with 16 assists, and the visiting Clippers (47-25) routed the league-worst New York Knicks (14-58). Brooklyn Nets 91, Charlotte Hornets 88Brook Lopez had 34 points with 10 rebounds and the go-ahead basket with 23 seconds left, as the visiting Nets (30-37) held off the Hornets (30-37). Philadelphia 76ers 99, Denver Nuggets 85Robert Covington hit six triples en route to a career-high-tying 25 points, and the Sixers (18-54) outscored the Nuggets (27-45) 27-9 in the final frame to snap a 16-game road slide. LA Lakers 101, Timberwolves 99 (OT)Rookie Jordan Clarkson scored eight of his 20 points in overtime, including two free throws with three tenths of a second left, and the visiting Lakers (19-51) slipped past West-worst T-Wolves (16-55) despite 27 from top rookie Andrew Wiggins. Sacramento Kings 108, Phoenix Suns 99DeMarcus Cousins had 24 points with 11 rebounds, and the visiting Kings (26-45) won their season-high fourth in a row after ending the Suns’ (38-34) four-game success. Portland Trail Blazers 92, Utah Jazz 89Damian Lillard scored 23 points, including the go-ahead free throws with a minute left, along with 12 assists and eight rebounds, as the visiting Blazers (45-25) broke a five-game slide after edging the Jazz (31-40) despite Derrick Favors’ 26-point, 13-rebound showing.