Harden scores 28, hits tiebreaking 3 as Rockets edge Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — James Harden made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 34.8 seconds left and then closed out the Houston Rockets' 98-94 victory over the Indiana Pacers by making four straight free throws Monday night.

The reigning MVP scored 28 points as the Rockets won their third straight since starting 1-5. And the victories have been coming in large part because of an improving defense. It's the fourth time in six games the usually high-scoring Rockets failed to hit the 100-point mark.

Victor Oladipo scored 28 points and made two 3s in the final minute to cut the deficit to 94-93, but it wasn't enough as Indiana's three-game winning streak ended.

Clint Capela had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, his sixth consecutive double-double. Chris Paul added nine points and 13 assists.

THUNDER 122, PELICANS 116

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder won their fifth straight game by beating New Orleans, but they lost star point guard Russell Westbrook to a sprained left ankle.

After coming down hard on the side of his foot, Westbrook pounded the ground in frustration before limping off the court. The Thunder led 84-77 when he exited with 4:25 left in the third quarter.

Oklahoma City went on a run without him and led 100-86 at the end of the period.

The Pelicans closed within a point in the final minute, but Dennis Schroder made two free throws with 20.5 seconds left and Paul George made a pair with 11.8 seconds to play to clinch the win for the Thunder.

George scored 23 points, and Schroder had 22. Westbrook finished with 17 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.

Julius Randle scored 28 points and made all 10 of his shots for the Pelicans. Anthony Davis had 20 points on 7-of-20 shooting. It was the sixth straight loss for New Orleans after opening the season with four wins.

BULLS 116, KNICKS 115, 2 OT

NEW YORK (AP) — Zach LaVine scored a career-high 41 points, including the game-winning free throw with 0.2 seconds left, as Chicago beat New York in double overtime.

Antonio Blakeney scored 17 points, Jabari Parker had 15 and Wendell Carter Jr. added 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls.

Enes Kanter led the Knicks with 23 points and 24 rebounds. Allonzo Trier scored 21.

Emmanuel Mudiay's coast-to-coast layup tied the score with 2.7 seconds left. Lavine, who scored all eight of Chicago's points in the second OT, was then fouled by Mudiay and made the first free throw.

MAGIC 102, CAVALIERS 100

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Evan Fournier hit a 22-foot jumper at the final horn and Orlando came back from a five-point deficit in the last 24 seconds, taking advantage of a late collapse by struggling Cleveland.

Fournier took an inbounds pass with 1.8 seconds left after Nikola Vucevic blocked George Hill's shot at the other end, and the ball went out of bounds off Hill.

J.R. Smith's 3-pointer with 41.9 seconds remaining had given the Cavaliers a 100-95 lead until Aaron Gordon scored after an offensive rebound for the Magic with 23.8 seconds to go. D.J. Augustin made a steal and two free throws with 18.7 seconds left to trim the deficit to one.

Kyle Korver then lost the ball to Fournier, who hit one of two free throws with 13 seconds on the clock to tie it at 100.

Gordon scored 23 points for Orlando. Fournier had 15 points and three steals.

Hill scored 11 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and made 10 of 12 shots for Cleveland (1-9), which remained winless on the road. Tristan Thompson added 19 points and 16 rebounds.

HEAT 120, PISTONS 115, OT

DETROIT (AP) — Josh Richardson scored 27 points to lead short-handed Miami past Detroit in overtime.

Richardson hit four clinching free throws in the final 2.1 seconds, ending Miami's three-game skid. Detroit has dropped five in a row.

The Heat played without center Hassan Whiteside, who is second in the NBA in rebounding (14.6 per game) and blocked shots (2.75). Whiteside missed the game with an injured right knee.

Kelly Olynyk, filling Whiteside's spot on the floor, scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half. Goran Dragic had 21 points and Dwyane Wade contributed 18 off the bench.

Andre Drummond had 25 points for Detroit, and the NBA rebounding leader pulled down 24 boards. Reggie Jackson also scored 25.

Blake Griffin, second in the league in scoring, had 24 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

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