Sports FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2014 Grizzlies beat Spurs in triple overtime

SAN ANTONIO: Marc Gasol scored 26 points, including a banked-in 3-pointer as regulation expired, and Memphis out- lasted San Antonio in triple overtime after blowing a 23-point lead. Zach Randolph had 21 points and 21 rebounds in the Grizzlies’ sixth straight victory. Vince Carter added a season- high 18 points for Memphis (21-4). Danny Green scored 25 points, and Tim Duncan had 23 points and 16 rebounds for San Antonio. His jumper rattled in to force the third OT, but he finished just 5 for 15 on free throws. Manu Ginobili added 21 points, but shot an airball on a 3-pointer in the final seconds for the Spurs. San Antonio made a season-high 17 3-pointers but was 13 for 27 on free throws, including 5 for 15 by Duncan. Duncan hit a fallaway, high-arcing jumper that bounded on the rim three times before dropping in to tie the game at 111 at the close of the second overtime.

ATLANTA 127, CLEVELAND 98 Shelvin Mack scored a career-high 24 points and the routed the 127-98 Wednesday night for their 11th victory in 12 games. Mack, a reserve guard who came in averaging 3.8 points, made all six of his 3-pointers as the Hawks went 16 for 28 from behind the arc. Trailing 50-38 midway through the second quarter, Atlanta outscored Cleveland 89-48 the rest of the way and sent the Cavaliers to their largest loss of the season.The Hawks, playing without leading scorer Jeff Teague, avenged a 127-94 loss in Cleveland on Nov. 15, when the Cavaliers made their first 11 shots from 3-point range. LeBron James scored 21 points but didn’t play in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers have lost three of four since winning eight straight. Al Horford scored 20 points for Atlanta, which had seven players in dou- ble figures and shot 64.5 percent from the field. LOS ANGELES: Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert, left, puts up a shot as Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan defends RAPTORS 105, NETS 89 during the first half of an NBA game, Wednesday, in Los Angeles. The Clippers won 102-100. — AP Kyle Lowry had 20 points and 12 assists, Jonas Valanciunas added 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Toronto used a big SUNS 111, HORNETS 106 fourth quarter to beat Brooklyn. Amir Johnson and Patrick Reserve guard Isaiah Thomas scored 23 points, Goran NBA results/standings Patterson each scored 13 in the first meeting between the Dragic had 20 and Phoenix snapped a six-game losing streak teams since Brooklyn’s one-point win in Game 7 of the first with a victory over struggling Charlotte. Thomas was 7 of 13 round of the playoffs last May. Patterson and Lou Williams from the field and had two key free throws in the final minute Phoenix 111, Charlotte 106; Atlanta 127, Cleveland 98; Boston each scored eight points in the fourth as Toronto outscored as the Suns erased an early 17-point deficit. 109, Orlando 92; Dallas 117, Detroit 106; Utah 105, Miami 87; the Nets 29-16, taking advantage of six Brooklyn turnovers. Dragic, who missed the last two games with a back injury, Toronto 105, Brooklyn 89; Memphis 117, San Antonio 116 (OT); Mason Plumlee had a career-high 23 points for the Nets, who played 38 minutes and shot 8 of 17. Gerald Green had 16 Portland 104, Milwaukee 97; La Clippers 102, Indiana 100; made only five of 13 attempts and five of 13 free points off the bench and Eric Bledsoe chipped in with 15 for Houston 115, Denver 111 (OT). throws in the fourth. Toronto, which leads the Eastern the Suns. Al Jefferson had 28 points and 10 rebounds for Conference at 20-6, reached 20 wins before Christmas for the Charlotte. scored 27 points before going cold in Eastern Conference first time in its 20-year history. the final three minutes. The Hornets have lost four straight, Atlantic Division and they fell to 1-11 against Western Conference teams. W L PCT GB ROCKETS 115, NUGGETS 111, OT Toronto 20 6 .769 - James Harden scored 41 points, including eight in over- CELTICS 109, MAGIC 92 Brooklyn 10 14 .417 9 time, and Houston beat Denver after Arron Afflalo tied the Rajon Rondo had 13 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds Boston 9 14 .391 9.5 game on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of regulation. to lead balanced scoring that carried Boston past Orlando. NY Knicks 5 22 .185 15.5 Patrick Beverley sealed Houston’s seventh win in eight games Brandon Bass scored 18 points, and Jeff Green and Jared Philadelphia 2 22 .083 17 by hitting four straight free throws in the final 17.8 seconds. Sullinger each finished with 16. Kelly Olynyk added 15 points Central Division Harden had a big game at the line, too, hitting 18 of 21. for the Celtics, who won their second in a row after a three- Chicago 15 9 .625 - Dwight Howard scored 24 points and grabbed 16 rebounds game losing streak. Nikola Vucevic had 18 points with 13 Cleveland 14 10 .583 1 despite a strained right knee that had him questionable for rebounds, and scored 17 for the Magic, who have Milwaukee 13 13 .500 3 the game. Wilson Chandler had 23 points and Ty Lawson lost four of five. Indiana 8 18 .308 8 dished out 16 assists for the struggling Nuggets, who have Detroit 5 21 .192 11 dropped seven of eight. TRAIL BLAZERS 104, BUCKS 97 Southeast Division LaMarcus Aldridge had 23 points and 15 rebounds, and Washington 18 6 .750 - MAVERICKS 117, PISTONS 106 Portland pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Milwaukee Atlanta 18 7 .720 0.5 scored a season-high 32 points and with both teams reeling from injuries to key players. Damian Miami 12 14 .462 7 Monta Ellis added 25 as Dallas beat Detroit. Parsons fell two Lillard added 29 points and seven assists for the Blazers, who Orlando 10 18 .357 10 points short of a career high as he helped the Mavericks win a lost starting center Robin Lopez to a broken hand on Monday. Charlotte 6 19 .240 12.5 second road game in two nights. Dirk Nowitzki contributed 18 Thomas Robinson, who started in Lopez’s absence, sparked Western Conference points and 10 rebounds, including seven points to help stem a Portland with 15 points and 16 rebounds, both season highs. Northwest Division late Detroit rally. Andre Drummond had 19 points and 24 Portland has won three straight and eight of 10. Brandon Portland 20 6 .769 - rebounds, but couldn’t help the Pistons end an 11-game los- Knight had 24 points for the Bucks, who were without Jabari Oklahoma City 12 13 .480 7.5 ing streak at home. Detroit’s last win at the Palace came on Parker. The heralded rookie will miss the rest of the season after Denver 10 15 .400 9.5 Nov. 7 against Milwaukee. tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Utah 7 19 .269 13 the third quarter of Milwaukee’s victory Monday over Phoenix. Minnesota 5 19 .208 14 JAZZ 105, HEAT 87 Pacific Division scored 29 points, added 18 CLIPPERS 102, PACERS 100 Golden State 21 3 .875 - and Utah overcame 42 points from Dwyane Wade to beat Blake Griffin had 31 points and 16 rebounds, and DeAndre LA Clippers 18 7 .720 3.5 Miami. scored 12, Derrick Favors added 11 and Jordan added 23 rebounds and 15 points in Los Angeles’ vic- Phoenix 13 14 .481 9.5 Dante Exum had 10 for Utah, which won for just the second tory over Indiana. Chris Paul had 20 points and nine assists, Sacramento 11 14 .440 10.5 time in its last 14 games. Those two wins have come against helping the two-time defending Pacific Division champions LA Lakers 8 17 .320 13.5 last year’s NBA finalists, San Antonio and now the Heat - who win for the 11th time in 13 games. The Pacers, who snapped Southwest Division are simply reeling at home. Wade shot 12 of 19 for Miami, an eight-game losing streak with their rout of the Lakers at Memphis 21 4 .840 - which has lost seven of its last eight home games and has home Monday night, dropped their seventh straight road Houston 19 5 .792 1.5 dropped four straight on its floor for the first time since 2011. game. David West and reserve C.J. Miles each had 17 points as Dallas 19 8 .704 3 The Heat trailed by 17 in the first quarter and never recov- seven players scored in double figures. Miles missed a poten- San Antonio 17 9 .654 4.5 ered. tial game-winning 3-pointer at the final horn. — AP New Orleans 12 12 .500 8.5