SPORTS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014 Thunder beat Spurs, Heat roll

SAN ANTONIO: Russell Westbrook scored 34 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the 114-106 on Thursday in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference Finals. The Thunder earned their sixth straight reg- ular-season victory over the defending NBA champions in the first meeting between the teams since San Antonio topped Oklahoma City in six games on the way to a fifth title. The Thunder was without reigning MVP Kevin Durant, and the Spurs were missing Finals MVP , but there was still plenty of fire- power. Serge Ibaka had 21 points, including going 3 for 4 on 3-pointers for Oklahoma City (14-16). Steven Adams added 16 points and 15 rebounds to offset San Antonio matching his season-high with 14 points. Matt Bonner had 17 points to lead seven players in double figures for San Antonio (18- 12), which has lost five of six. had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists.

HEAT 101, CAVALIERS 91 scored 24 of his 31 points in the first half, Luol Deng finished with 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and the beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in LeBron James’ first game back at his former home. Chris Andersen scored 12 for the Heat, who led by as many as 17, trailed for a moment in the fourth quarter before gathering themselves and pulling away again. James scored 30 points for the Cavaliers, hugging his former teammates before the game and after the final buzzer. It was James’ first time as an opponent in Miami since he helped the Heat reach each of the last four NBA Finals, winning two titles. added 25 points, and Kevin Love scored 14 for Cleveland. Miami was again without , still sidelined by a calf injury.

CLIPPERS 100, WARRIORS 86 Jamal Crawford scored 12 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, Chris Paul added 22 points, and Los Angeles handed NBA-leading Golden State its second Staples Center loss in three days. The Warriors held the Clippers to 4-for-24 shooting in the first quarter and 39.1 percent for the game, two nights after the Lakers shot SAN ANTONIO: Oklahoma City Thunder forward Andre Roberson (21) grabs a against San Antonio Spurs forwards (left) 51.7 percent without to beat them of Australia, and Matt Bonner (second from left) as Thunder forward Serge Ibaka looks on, in the first half of an NBA basketball game. — AP 115-105. That loss ended a streak of 27 straight games by the Warriors in which they held oppo- champion in six-plus seasons with the Lakers, nents under 50 percent. was 9 of 14 from the field in his first game The Clippers, beginning a nine-game home- NBA results/standings against Los Angeles since joining the Bulls in stand after back-to-back losses to San Antonio the summer. Wesley Johnson led Los Angeles and Atlanta, haven’t dropped three in a row Washington 102, NY Knicks 91; Oklahoma City 114, San Antonio 106; Miami 101, Cleveland with 19 points. since March 29-April 1, 2013. Blake Griffin 91; Chicago 113, LA Lakers 93; LA Clippers 100, Golden State 86. missed his first eight shots and was 5 for 16 WIZARDS 102, KNICKS 91 overall with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Eastern Conference Western Conference John Wall had 24 points and 11 assists, elud- DeAndre Jordan had 14 points and 12 boards. Atlantic Division Northwest Division ing the Knicks all day until getting knocked to Klay Thompson scored 15 points, and W L PCT GB Portland 23 7 .767 - the floor by a flagrant foul that sparked an alter- 14 for Golden State, which has Toronto 22 7 .759 - Oklahoma City 14 16 .467 9 cation, and Washington beat New York. lost three of five following a 23-3 start that Brooklyn 12 15 .444 9 Denver 12 17 .414 10.5 Wall toyed with the Knicks for 3 1/2 quarters, included a franchise-record 16-game winning Boston 10 16 .385 10.5 Utah 9 20 .310 13.5 highlighted by a spinning, 360-degree layup, streak. NY Knicks 5 26 .161 18 Minnesota 5 22 .185 16.5 before Quincy Acy knocked him down with a forearm shove with 5:31 to play. Wall got up Philadelphia 4 23 .148 17 Pacific Division and pushed Acy, who responded with a punch BULLS 113, LAKERS 93 Central Division Golden State 23 5 .821 - Chicago 20 9 .690 - that appeared to hit Wall behind the neck. Acy Pau Gasol had 23 points and 13 rebounds LA Clippers 20 10 .667 4 Cleveland 17 11 .607 2.5 was ejected in the Christmas dust-up, and Wall against his former team and Chicago beat Los Phoenix 16 14 .533 8 Milwaukee 14 15 .483 6 received a technical foul. Angeles with Lakers star Kobe Bryant resting his Sacramento 12 16 .429 11 sore body. Jimmy Butler added 21 points, and Indiana 10 19 .345 10 Bradley Beal added 17 points for the LA Lakers 9 20 .310 14.5 Derrick Rose had 20 points and six assists to Detroit 5 23 .179 14.5 Wizards, who had their top five of Wall, Beal, help the Bulls win their season-high fifth Southeast Division Southwest Division Paul Pierce, Nene and Marcin Gortat in the start- straight. With Bryant missing his second Atlanta 21 7 .750 - Memphis 21 7 .750 - ing lineup for the first time this season. Carmelo straight game, the Lakers were unable to pull Washington 20 8 .714 1 Houston 20 7 .741 0.5 Anthony scored 34 points for the Knicks, who off another upset. They stunned Golden State Miami 14 16 .467 8 Dallas 20 10 .667 2 fell to 5-26 and have the most losses in the NBA. on Tuesday night but came up short against the Orlando 11 20 .355 11.5 San Antonio 18 12 .600 4 They have dropped six straight and 16 of 17. Central division leaders. Gasol, a two-time Charlotte 10 19 .345 11.5 New Orleans 14 14 .500 7 New York fell to 22-28 in a league-high 50 Christmas appearances. — AP