Chris Paul shook off a nightmarish start to scorestretch on Sunday, and short-handed LA Clippers beat the host Miami
Heat 100-93 for their sixth win in the last seven games.
The Clippers leader began ice-cold, missing his first nine shots and
was 2-of-13 before warming up, especially in the final frame.
With LA clinging to an 87-83 advantage, Paul buried a pair of
3-pointers around a Goran Dragic jumper at the other, making it 93-85
with 2:55 left.
After a Dragic triple pulled the Heat to 93-88, Paul sent a nifty lob
pass to the high-flying DeAndre Jordan (nine points and 11
rebounds)for an emphatic two-handed dunk. Jamal Crawford's
three-pointer wrapped up the Clippers 11th win in the last 13 road
games.
Crawford contributed 20 points off the bench, and JJ Redick added 14
for the Clippers (34-17), who improved to 17-4 since losing star
forward Blake Griffin on Christmas to leg injury and another four
weeks with a broken right shooting hand.
Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Dragic all tossed in 17 points for Miami
(29-23), which lost for just the second time in the last eight
outings.
Elsewhere, the Boston Celtics beat the Sacramento Kings 128-119.
Avery Bradley hit six triples en route to 25 points, Isiah Thomas
added 22, and the surging Celtics shot past the visiting Kings for
their ninth win in 10 games.
Jared Sullinger tossed in a season-high-tying 21 points and backup
Tyler Zeller had 17 for Boston (31-22), which won despite committing
24 turnovers.
DeMarcus Cousins netted 31 points while former Celtic Rajon Rondo
finished with 14 and 15 assists for the Kings (21-30), who have lost
seven of eight.
In New York the Denver Nuggets bested the New York Knicks 101-96.
Rookie Emmanuel Mudiay scored nine of his 15 points during a decisive
11-2 fourth-quarter burst, and the visiting Nuggets sent the sliding
Knicks to their fifth straight loss and nine in the last 10.
Former Knicks Danilo Gallinari and reserve Will Barton tallied 19
points to lead the Nuggets (21-30), winners for the third time in
four games.
New York (21-30) was led by Latvian rookie Kristaps Porzingis with 21
points and 13 rebounds while Carmelo Anthony also netted 21.
The Orlando Magic just got by the Atlanta Hawks, 96-94.
Nik Vucevic nailed an 18-footer turnaround jumper as time expired to
cap a 22-point effort, and the Magic clipped the visiting Hawks
(30-23) for just its third win in the last 18 games.
Frenchman Evan Fournier had 21 points for Orlando (22-28) while Elfid
Payton added 12 with as many assists.
Jeff Teague scored 24 and Kent Bazemore added 23 for the Hawks
(30-23), who had won three straight.