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Wizards step up and beat the Thunder

Bradley Beal didn’t have a plan. What he had was a good move.

Beal made a jumper with 0.3 seconds left Monday night, lifting the short-handed Washington Wizards a 101-99 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, who missed 16 straight shots at one stretch.

Beal used a pump fake to get open for the 16-footer that gave the Wizards (5-28) their second win this season over last year’s NBA finalists.

”I didn’t know what I was going to do to be honest with you,” Beal said. ”Coach just said go make a play.”

Once Beal sent the Thunder (26-8) to the showers, they were doused with cold water in the away arena.

The Wizards (5-28), playing without their top two scorers, had lost 13 of their previous 14, but they also beat the Miami Heat earlier in the season. Beal and Martell Webster led the Washington with 22 points each.

Kevin Seraphin added 19 points, and Emeka Okafor had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Kevin Durant, who had 29 points, drove through the lane for a thunderous dunk to cut Oklahoma City’s deficit to 95-94 with just more than two minutes left. Martell Webster answered with a four-point play to give the Wizards a 99-94 lead…

Serge Ibaka stepped up as Durant’s complement, scoring 26 points and grabbing 11 rebounds…

Nene (right knee tendinitis) and Jordan Crawford (sore left ankle) missed the game with injuries.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Nuggets beat struggling Lakers 112-105

Ty Lawson had 21 points and 10 assists, Danilo Gallinari scored 20 points and hit a big 3-pointer with 13.8 seconds left, and the Nuggets beat the struggling Lakers 112-105 Sunday night for their fifth win in seven games.

JaVale McGee scored 17 points for the Nuggets, who showed no signs of weariness after a home win over Utah one night earlier. Despite two last-minute 3-pointers by Kobe Bryant, Denver calmly maintained a lead throughout the fourth quarter of its second win in 12 days over the star-studded Lakers, who aren’t exactly putting fear or fury into their opponents.

”They’re struggling,” Denver coach George Karl said. ”It’s a great win for us, but I’m not going to get overinflated.”

Staples Center was mostly silent while Los Angeles dropped to 15-18 with another mediocre performance featuring 18 turnovers, intermittent defense and little structured offense down the stretch. Bryant scored 29 points and Dwight Howard had 14 points and a career high-tying 26 rebounds for the Lakers, who have lost three straight and four of five…

After the game, the Lakers said Howard aggravated his shoulder injury. He will have an MRI exam on Monday before the Lakers leave for a quick two-game trip to Texas, and Howard didn’t know whether he’ll play Tuesday at Houston…

Steve Nash had 10 points and 13 assists for the Lakers, while Pau Gasol had 11 points and five rebounds before leaving with a bloody nose with 1:05 to play in a collision with McGee.

Andre Iguodala had 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Nuggets, and Miller finished with 12 points and 10 assists…

Lakers G Chris Duhon returned after missing the past two games with back spasms. F Jordan Hill also played with a sprained right ankle.

— Reported by Greg Beacham of the Associated Press

Zach Randolph leads Grizzlies over Suns

When Zach Randolph found his shooting stroke Sunday night, the Memphis Grizzlies took off.

Randolph scored 21 points and Rudy Gay added 20 to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 92-81 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

”Zach got going in the post and so we had a few options to run with,” said Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins. ”It was a solid win.”

Randolph had been dominant in the team’s first two meetings, averaging 16 rebounds and 28 points on 66.7 percent shooting. Though his numbers were slightly lower this time around – he had only eight rebounds, none on the offensive end – they were more than enough.

Randolph upped his shooting percentage against Phoenix, connecting on 9 of 11 shots from the field and was 3 of 5 on free throws. He also had a steal in 36 minutes…

Tony Allen scored 11 and Marc Gasol had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who have won three of their last five games.

P.J. Tucker scored a career-high 17 points and Marcin Gortat added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Suns…

Memphis became the first team in the series to win on the road since the Grizzlies won in Phoenix on December 8, 2010. … The Suns had one fast-break point. … Phoenix remained stuck on 1,999 franchise victories. … Memphis is 7-28 in Phoenix. … Suns guard Wesley Johnson played in the first half for just the seventh time in 35 games, scoring his six points on a pair of 3-pointers. … The Suns’ 38 first-half points were one more than the team’s season low.

— Reported by Jonathan Dalton of the Associated Press

Kemba Walker leads Bobcats past Pistons in OT

It’s not quite a winning streak, but after losing 18 straight, coming out on top in two out of three games is close enough.

Kemba Walker had 20 points and seven assists, Ben Gordon scored 18 points and the Charlotte Bobcats beat the Detroit Pistons 108-101 in overtime Sunday night for just their second win in 21 games.

After snapping the long losing skid with a 91-81 victory at Chicago on Monday, Charlotte lost 106-104 to Cleveland at home on Friday night.

Ramon Sessions added 15 points, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 11, and Bismack Biyombo had 10 points and 17 rebounds for the Bobcats…

Tayshaun Prince scored 21 points to lead Detroit, which snapped a four-game winning streak. Greg Monroe had 18 points, 14 rebounds and six assists and Rodney Stuckey also scored 18 points.

”They’re a team that when you score on them, they push it right back down your throat. They come at you 100 times faster than you went at them,” Pistons’ rookie center Andre Drummond said. ”That’s one of the teams that when you score, you miss a shot, you gotta get back quick or else they’re going to score on you.” …

Bobcats forward Hakim Warrick didn’t play because of flu-like symptoms and Charlotte forward/center Byron Mullens was out with a left ankle sprain. … Gordon is in his first season with Charlotte after spending the previous three with the Pistons. He averaged 12.5 points and 26.9 minutes in 52 games with Detroit last season.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Heat beat woeful Wizards by 28

LeBron James scored 24 points and the Miami Heat had a rebounding edge for a change Sunday to beat the woeful Washington Wizards 99-71.

The Heat, beaten on the boards by a total of 38 rebounds over the previous three games, this time enjoyed a 50-39 advantage. Udonis Haslem led them with 12 rebounds, and Chris Bosh had nine.

The game matched the teams with the best and worst records in the Eastern Conference, and in the late going it looked like it. Miami scored the game’s final 21 points and held Washington scoreless over the last 7:07.

James extended his streaks of scoring at least 20 points to 32 consecutive games this season, and 53 in a row including last year’s playoff run. He shot 9 for 17 and had seven assists.

The Heat were coming off only their third home loss of the season Friday against Chicago.

— Reported by Steven Wine of the Associated Press

Westbrook scores 23, Thunder beat Raptors

To Kevin Durant, an early afternoon start in Toronto against an improving Raptors team was a trap waiting to be sprung on Oklahoma City.

But with a balanced offensive attack, and a defensive correction in the second half, the Thunder steered clear of getting caught.

Russell Westbrook scored 23 points, Durant had 22 and Oklahoma City beat the Raptors 104-92 on Sunday, giving the Thunder a winning start to a stretch that sees them play 11 of 13 on the road…

Serge Ibaka had 19 points and eight rebounds and Kevin Martin scored 16 for Oklahoma City, who came in having played an NBA-low 12 road games this season but improved to 9-4 as visitors…

Nick Collison had 10 points and eight rebounds to help the Thunder win for the fifth time in eight games since their season-long 12-game winning streak.

Oklahoma City is 14-0 this season when at least five players score in double figures.

”Everybody participated, everybody chipped in and everybody did their job,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. ”We’re good when we force the defense to chase the ball around and the ball finds a good shot. It’s not really who finds it, just as long as it’s a good shot.”

Westbrook and Durant each had seven assists. For Durant, that was his most since dishing out a career-high 10 against Golden State on Nov. 18…

Alan Anderson scored 19 of his career-high 27 points in the second quarter and Amir Johnson had 19 for the Raptors, who lost their second straight after winning eight of nine.

”I praised our guys, the way we fought and scrapped,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. ”But at the end of day reality set in.”

DeMar DeRozan scored 11 points but made just four of 16 field goal attempts. DeRozan made only 3 of 11 attempts in Friday’s loss to Sacramento.

— Reported by Ian Harrison of the Associated Press

Clippers step up and smoke Warriors

The Los Angeles Clippers had no intention of going 0-3 against the Golden State Warriors, and they played like it.

Chris Paul had 27 points and nine assists, Blake Griffin added 20 points and the Clippers set a franchise record with their 12th straight home victory, 115-89 over the Warriors on Saturday night.

”We’ve been pretty good at home,” Paul said. ”I think that’s 12 in a row for us here. It’s all about our fans, and we feed off them. So we’ve got to keep making this a tough place to play…

Jordan added 13 points and eight rebounds for Los Angeles, which built a 23-point lead through the first quarter and won for the 19th time in 21 games overall. Coach Vinny Del Negro pulled Griffin and Paul after the Clippers built a 96-60 lead with 2:40 left in the third quarter.

Klay Thompson had a team-high 14 points for the Warriors (22-11), who had won 12 of 15 and were trying to match the second-best start in team history behind the 1975-76 squad that won 25 of its first 33. They were 23-10 in 1955-56 and in 1991-92…

”The Clippers outplayed us in every facet of the game, but it wasn’t due to a lack of preparation,” Lee said. ”NBA players realize that out of an 82-game schedule there are going to be nights like this, and nights where you win by 30. They were on their fourth game in five nights, and they outplayed us from the jump.” …

Shooting guard Jamal Crawford, who leads the Clippers’ reserves with 16.5 points per game, missed his second straight contest because of a sore left foot.

— Reported by Joe Resnick of the Associated Press

After losing 2 straight, Clippers beat Lakers

Los Angeles belongs to the Clippers right now, and they’re looking for much more than city dominance at this point.

Chris Paul had 30 points and 13 assists, Blake Griffin added 24 points, and the Clippers led all the way in a 107-102 victory on Friday night, giving them two wins in two games this season against their Staples Center co-tenants. They also stopped a two-game skid and maintained the NBA’s second-best record at 26-8.

”Right now we’re just focused on being one of the best teams in the league, not just the city,” said Lamar Odom, one of four former Lakers on the Clippers’ roster. ”Focus can’t be just to be better than one team. Now we’re trying to be great.”

Kobe Bryant scored 38 points and Dwight Howard had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers.

Bryant carried them in the fourth quarter when they closed to 99-97 on his 23-foot jumper with 1:29 left. But Paul scored the Clippers’ final eight points to seal the victory and drop the Lakers two games below .500. The Clippers lead the Lakers by 10 games in the standings…

Bryant scored 16 points in the fourth, when the Lakers rallied from 19 points down. The Clippers fouled for much of the final 5:51, and the Lakers made 10 of 12 free throws. Howard missed two foul shots but then made two to get the Lakers within four before Bryant’s jumper got the Lakers the closest they had been since early in the game…

Clippers F Jamal Crawford missed the game with a sore left foot that he hurt in Denver. … Clippers G Chauncey Billups will start working out Saturday after being out most of the season recovering from surgery.

— Reported by Beth Harris of the Associated Press

James Harden scores 29, Rockets beat Bucks

Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale liked what he saw in the third quarter. So did Jeremy Lin, once he returned from getting stitches.

James Harden scored 29 points to lead the Rockets to a 115-101 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.

Harden shot 11 of 18 from the floor to go with seven assists and four steals for Houston, which has won 10 of its last 13 games.

After trailing by 18 in the second quarter, Houston outscored Milwaukee 30-14 in the third and led 77-72 at the start of the fourth…

Lin was taken to the locker room with 10:34 left in the third after the left side of his head was slightly bloodied when he collided with the right cheek of Milwaukee’s Larry Sanders as the two scrambled for a loose ball near midcourt. After getting five stiches, he returned to the bench with just under 3 minutes left in the period and started the fourth quarter…

The Rockets, who shot 54 percent from the field, also got 22 points from Carlos Delfino in his return to Milwaukee. He played for the Bucks from 2009-12 before signing with Houston as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason…

Harden scored at least 20 points for the 15th consecutive game. . Houston is 13-2 against the Eastern Conference, including 5-1 on the road . … Jennings has made at least one 3-pointer in 19 straight games and Sanders has blocked at least one shot in the last 18 contests.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Big second half helps Thunder wreck Sixers

The Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t want to leave home on a sour note with a difficult stretch on the road ahead.

Russell Westbrook scored 27 points, Kevin Durant added 26 and the Thunder beat the Philadelphia 76ers 109-85 on Friday night before heading out to play 11 of their next 13 games on the road.

Oklahoma City made eight of its first 10 3-point attempts in the second half and never trailed after scoring the final five points before halftime.

The Thunder had lost 110-93 to Brooklyn on Wednesday night, but were able to avoid posting back-to-back losses at home for the first time since dropping two of the first three games of the 2010-11 season…

Oklahoma City went 23 for 36 from the field, connecting at a sizzling 64 percent clip, while outscoring Philadelphia 63-43 in the second half…

Serge Ibaka chipped in 15 points and 10 rebounds and Kevin Martin had 16 points off the bench for the Thunder.

Nick Young hit five 3-pointers and led Philadelphia with 21 points. He also attempted the Sixers’ only eight free throws of the game, making six. Oklahoma City went 21 for 27…

Jrue Holiday had 15 points and nine assists, Dorell Wright contributed 11 points and Thaddeus Young scored 10 for Philadelphia. Spencer Hawes pulled down 13 rebounds. The Sixers fell to 2-5 on their eight-game road trip, which started before Christmas and concludes Saturday night at San Antonio.

— Reported by Jeff Latzke of the Associated Press