NBA game roundup: Hornets end 10-game skid

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kemba Walker hit a driving layup as time expired and the Charlotte Hornets snapped a 10-game losing streak with a wild 103-102 win over the New York Knicks on Friday night.

Walker’s winner came after the Hornets blew a 21-point second-half lead. They inbounded with 4.0 seconds left trailing by one and Walker worked his way from the top of the key down the left side of the lane for a layup past J.R. Smith and over Amare Stoudemire.

The Hornets (5-15) were up by 16 entering the fourth quarter, but Carmelo Anthony’s 3-pointer gave the Knicks a 102-101 lead with 40.7 seconds left. Anthony missed a jumper with five seconds left that could have pushed the New York lead to three.

Walker finished with 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting from the field. Gerald Henderson led the Hornets with a season-high 22 points. Al Jefferson and Lance Stephenson scored 16 each and Gary Neal had 13.

It was Charlotte’s first victory since a win at Phoenix on Nov. 14.

The Knicks (4-17) have now lost seven straight, their second seven-game losing streak already this season.

Wizards 119, Nuggets 89

WASHINGTON — Forward Kris Humphries paced six double-figure scorers with 20 points and Washington punctuated a perfect homestand with a dominant win over Denver.

Guard John Wall nearly recorded a triple-double with 12 assists, nine points and eight rebounds despite not playing in the fourth quarter for the pass-happy Wizards (13-5). Washington easily scored its most points this season and outscored Denver 35-18 in the second quarter. The Wizards led by as many as 34 points in the fourth quarter.

The Wizards have won four straight, all at home and the last three by an average of 21.7 points.

Thunder 103, Sixers 91

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia saw its winning streak halted at one as Russell Westbrook scored 27 points to lead Oklahoma City to a 103-91 victory.

Westbrook, playing his third game after missing the previous 14 with a broken right hand, made 8 of 14 shots from the floor. He also had seven assists and five rebounds, lifting the Thunder (6-13) to their third victory in four games.

Center Serge Ibaka added 19 points for Oklahoma City.

Thunder forward Kevin Durant, playing his second game after missing the first 17 of the season with a broken right foot, scored 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting from the field. His layup with 2:40 left started a decisive 8-0 run by the Thunder after the Sixers crept within seven, 93-86.

Hawks 98, Nets 75

NEW YORK — Forward DeMarre Carroll scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half and Atlanta ran its winning streak to five games with a rout of Brooklyn at Barclays Center.

Carroll shot 7-of-10 from the floor, hit four 3-pointers and added six rebounds. He likely would have surpassed his previous season high of 19 points had the Hawks not kept the rout going in the third. Instead, he took a seat with 2:17 remaining in the third and Atlanta up by 20.

Forward Paul Millsap added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Hawks, who outscored the Nets by an 88-59 margin over the final 40:33. Point guard Jeff Teague contributed 14 and five assists for Atlanta, which reached 100 points for the seventh straight game and 14th time in 18 games this season.

Center Brook Lopez scored 20 points for the Nets, who shot 37.5 percent (30-of-80) and were handed their sixth double-digit loss of the season. Former Atlanta forward Joe Johnson added 12 but point guard Deron Williams was held to eight points and the Nets committed 19 turnovers.

Celtics 113, Lakers 96

BOSTON — Boston rolled to its second straight victory over a long-time but fallen rival. After beating the Detroit Pistons in overtime on Wednesday night, the Celtics led almost throughout and disposed of Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Center Tyler Zeller scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds, forward Jared Sullivan delivered 17 points and 13 boards and guard Rajon Rondo dished out 16 assists to power Boston (6-11).

It was the Celtics’ first win in eight games against the Western Conference.

Los Angeles (5-15), down by as many as 18 points through the third quarter, 14 in the fourth, closed to within nine with 7:49 left, but the Celtics used a 19-5 run to seal the deal.

Cavaliers 105, Raptors 91

TORONTO — Forward LeBron James scored 24 points and added 13 assists and seven rebounds as Cleveland defeated Toronto to extend its winning streak to six games.

James had eight points and two assists in the third quarter when the Cavaliers (11-7) fell behind by a point before coming back to take a 12-point lead into the fourth quarter. It gave the Raptors (15-5) their third loss at home against nine wins.

Forward Tristan Thompson, a Toronto native, added 21 points and 14 rebounds while Kevin Love scored 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Guard Kyrie Irving chipped in with 15 points and six rebounds.

Spurs 107, Grizzlies 101

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis hadn’t lost a regular-season home game since Feb. 5 of last season. But at FedExForum, San Antonio stopped the Grizzlies’ 22-game home winning streak as power forward Tim Duncan posted a triple-double.

Duncan finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Guard Manu Ginobili finished with 17 points, going 5-for-5 from 3-point range. Ginobili also had seven assists and six rebounds. Guard Danny Green scored 16 points.

The Spurs (14-5) tied their season high with 14 made 3-pointers. They shot 56 percent (14-for-25). Center Matt Bonner (nine points) hit 3-of-6 and Green was 3-for-5.

But it wasn’t all good news for the Spurs. Point guard Tony Parker scored 14 points for the Spurs in 23 minutes before leaving the game in the third quarter with a mild left hamstring strain.

Bucks 109, Heat 85

MILWAUKEE — Kendall Marshall scored a career-high 20 points and Milwaukee snapped a season-high three-game losing streak with a victory over Miami at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

Marshall reached the 20-point threshold for the third time in his career and was one of six Milwaukee players to score in double digits.

Forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker and Khris Middleton each went 6 of 9 from the field to finish with 14 points while point guard Brandon Knight scored 13.

Rockets 114, Timberwolves 113 (OT)

MINNEAPOLIS — Nick Johnson’s driving layup with less than one second remaining in overtime let Houston stave off suddenly feisty Minnesota.

Two nights after a deflating loss to the then-winless 76ers, the struggling Timberwolves showcased a renewed energy level they have been sorely lacking as of late, but it was still not enough to take down the Rockets.

Minnesota, trailing by 13 early in the fourth quarter, came back to capture a four-point lead with less than a minute remaining. Houston’s Dontas Motiejunas tied the game at 105-105 with 15 seconds to go in regulation. Timberwolves forward Chase Budinger had a look at the potential game-winning shot, but his miss sent the game into overtime.