KYLE Kuzma drove for the decisive layup with 6.9 seconds remaining to give the Los Angeles Lakers a 124-122 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on Wednesday night (Thursday in Manila).
Talen Horton-Tucker contributed 23 points and 10 assists, Andre Drummond recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds and Kuzma had 19 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as Los Angeles (40-30) won its third straight game.
The Lakers played without LeBron James (ankle) for the 26th time in the past 28 games.
Anthony Davis (adductor) also sat out.
Houston’s chance to win was thwarted when Wesley Matthews forced Kelly Olynyk to fumble the ball. Horton-Tucker recovered it and was fouled, splitting two free throws with 0.9 seconds left, missing the second on purpose.
Armoni Brooks scored a career-best 24 points and Olynyk also had 24 for Houston (16-54), which has lost seven straight games and 44 of their past 49. Kenyon Martin Jr. added 20 points and 10 rebounds.
The Lakers lifted last season’s championship banner to the rafters prior to the contest.
In other games, it was the Nets 128, Spurs 116; Mavs 125, Pelicans 107; Blazers 105, Jazz 98; Hawks 120, Wizards 116; and Cavs 102, Celtics 94.
Nets 128, Spurs 116
James Harden collected 18 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in his return from a strained right hamstring as the Brooklyn Nets posted a 128-116 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night in New York.
Harden came off the bench for the first time since April 22, 2012, when he was a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder. He played under a minutes restriction after missing the previous 18 games, and he wound up logging 25:44 of court time in his first game since April 5.
Landry Shamet led the Nets with 21 points on a night when Kyrie Irving sat out after sustaining a facial contusion in the team’s Tuesday win at Chicago. Brooklyn earned its third win a row.
DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points, but San Antonio lost for the seventh time in nine games.
Mavericks 125, Pelicans 107
Luka Doncic scored 33 points as host Dallas moved closer to clinching one of the top six spots in the Western Conference while eliminating New Orleans from play-in contention.
Tim Hardaway Jr. added 27 points, Kristaps Porzingis returned from a seven-game absence due to right knee soreness to score 19 and Dwight Powell had 12 points as Dallas ended the night tied for fifth place in the West after winning for the fifth time in six games.
Portland also improved to 41-29 by beating Utah on Wednesday.
Eric Bledsoe and Jaxson Hayes scored 15 each, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kira Lewis Jr. added 13 each, Willy Hernangomez had 12 points and 10 rebounds, Naji Marshall scored 12 and James Johnson had 11 for New Orleans. — Field Level Media
