PAUL George drained a go-ahead 3-pointer with 9.9 seconds remaining as the host Los Angeles Clippers overcame a 22-point deficit to edge the Golden State Warriors 113-112 on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
Moses Moody gave Golden State a 111-106 lead with 1:22 to go by sinking two free throws following a clear-path foul by George. James Harden answered with a layup before Moody split a pair of free throws, making it a four-point game with 38.1 seconds left.
Kawhi Leonard’s layup made it a one-possession game, and George then delivered, giving Los Angeles its first– and only– lead of the contest. Draymond Green came up short on a potential game-winning 3-pointer as time expired.
George finished with a game-high 25 points for the Clippers, who bounced back from a 120-114 loss to the Warriors on Thursday. Stephen Curry led Golden State with 22 points and 11 assists.
Moody opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer to put Golden State up by 22, and the Warriors still held a comfortable lead at 85-68 with 5:28 remaining in the period. Los Angeles still had gas in the tank, though, scoring 17 of the next 19 points to make it a two-point game.
In other games, it was the Thunder 126, Mavs 120; Nets 129, Magic 101; Cavs 110, Pistons 101; Wolves 123, Hornets 117; Bulls 124, Pelicans 118; Pacers 144, Heat 129; Bucks 132, Hawks 121; Suns 116, Grizzlies 109; Jazz 118, Blazers 113 (OT); Kings 123, Nuggets 117; and Lakers 107, Rockets 97.
Thunder 126, Mavs 120
Jalen Williams had 23 points to lead eight scorers in double figures as visiting Oklahoma City withstood a furious 30-0 fourth-quarter rally by short-handed Dallas.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 17 points while Davis Bertans and Cason Wallace scored 15 apiece for Oklahoma City, which won for the eighth time in its past 10 games.
Dallas star Luka Doncic returned after missing one game for the birth of his daughter and recorded his third triple-double of the season with 36 points, 15 rebounds and 18 assists.
The Mavericks trailed by 23 at the start of the fourth before going on a remarkable 30-0 run to take the lead at 117-111 with 4:18 remaining. After A.J. Lawson hit a 3-pointer to put Dallas ahead by four, Oklahoma City scored six straight points to move ahead 122-120 with 40.1 seconds left. Doncic committed a turnover on the next possession and Gilgeous-Alexander scored on a layup before Williams made two foul shots for the final margin.
Nets 129, Magic 101
Mikal Bridges scored 26 of his 42 points in the first quarter and Brooklyn ended Orlando’s nine-game winning streak in a contest in New York.
The Magic missed a chance at their first 10-game winning streak in franchise history partly because they had trouble stopping Bridges, especially in the opening 12 minutes.
Franz Wagner and Cole Anthony scored 20 points apiece to lead Orlando, which had not lost since Nov. 14 when it fell to Brooklyn. Paolo Banchero added 19 points as the Magic shot 40.2 percent from the floor. — Field Level Media
