PA - Rallying from a 15-point deficit in the final 10 minutes, the Atlanta Hawks beat Houston 104-96, retaining the NBA's best record with their fifth victory in a row.
Taking advantage of a Rockets' squad playing without suspended NBA scoring leader James Harden, the Hawks had 25 points from Jeff Teague, 18 points from Al Horford and 16 points and 14 rebounds from Paul Millsap.
The Rockets outplayed Atlanta for most of the first three quarters, leading by as many as 18 points despite lacking Harden's scoring touch as he served a one-game ban for kicking Cleveland superstar LeBron James in the groin in a Houston victory on Sunday.
But in the pivotal final minutes, the Rockets misfired all-too often, shooting only 3-of-17 (17.6 per cent) from the floor over the last 10 minutes.
The Hawks improved the NBA's best record to 48-12, two wins ahead of the Golden State Warriors, while Houston slipped to 41-19, third-best in the Western Conference.
In other games:
- Denver Nuggets 106, Milwaukee Bucks 95: Danilo Gallinari scored a season-best 26 points, Ty Lawson added 16 with 10 assists, and the struggling Nuggets (21-39) bounced the visiting Bucks to snap a six-game slide.
- Cleveland Cavaliers 110, Boston Celtics 79: LeBron James netted 27 points to move into 21st on the NBA's career scoring list, and the Cavs (38-24) won for the 19th time in the last 23 games after sending the visiting Celtics (23-35) to their worst loss of the season.
- Utah Jazz 93, Memphis Grizzlies 82: Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors scored 21 points apiece, while Frenchman Rudy Gobert netted 15 with a career-high 24 rebounds.
- Chicago Bulls 97, Washington Wizards 92: Montenegrin rookie Nikola Mirotic scored 23, Spaniard Pau Gasol made two free throws with 8.5 seconds left to cap a 20-point, 10-rebound effort, and the undermanned Bulls (38-23) handed the visiting Wizards (34-27) their seventh loss in eight games.
- Sacramento Kings 124, New York Knicks 86: Rudy Gay scored 25 points, DeMarcus Cousins had 22 with 10 rebounds and the visiting Kings (21-37) sent the league-worst Knicks (12-47) to their most-lopsided loss of the season.
- Charlotte Hornets 104, LA Lakers 103: Al Jefferson had 21 points and 16 rebounds, Mo Williams netted eight of his 20 in the final minute with 13 assists, and the Hornets (25-33) stung the visiting Lakers for their third win in four games. Jeremy Lin scored 23 for the Lakers (16-43), losers in nine of their last 12 contests.
Share
