Boston Celtic Courtney Lee rebounds in front of Golden State Warriors Andris Biedrins (left) and Carl Landry during the first half of the Warriors’ 101-83 win on Friday. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)
HOUSTON — Russell Westbrook scored 28 points and Kevin Durant added 26 as the Oklahoma City Thunder built a big lead in the second quarter and rolled to a 124-94 win over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night.
Durant scored 11 points during a 16-0 run by the Thunder to end the first half and extend the lead to 18. Oklahoma City had another big run early in the third quarter to put the game further out of reach.
Former Thunder sixth man James Harden scored 25 for the Rockets, who went cold on offense for long stretches.
It was Oklahoma City’s second win this season over Houston, after taking the first meeting 120-98.
Kevin Martin, who came to Oklahoma City in the trade for Harden, finished with 19 points and five 3-pointers. Westbrook had eight rebounds and eight assists. Marcus Morris scored a career-high 24 points for Houston.
HORNETS 98,
BOBCATS 95
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Eric Gordon had 24 points and seven assists, helping New Orleans overcome a 21-point first-half deficit and extend Charlotte’s losing streak to 18 games.
The Bobcats are one game away from a winless December. They haven’t won since Nov. 24.
Gordon, who hadn’t played since April 22 following arthroscopic right knee surgery, was 5 of 13 from the field and 12 of 14 from the free throw line in 24 minutes.
BUCKS 104,
HEAT 85
MILWAUKEE — Brandon Jennings scored 25 points and Mike Dunleavy had 13 of his 18 in the fourth quarter as Milwaukee beat Miami to spoil Dwyane Wade’s return.
Wade was back after serving a one-game suspension for flailing his leg and making contact with guard Ramon Sessions’ groin during the Heat’s victory over Charlotte on Wednesday. Wade sat out Miami’s 109-99 loss to Detroit on Friday night, which snapped the Heat’s six-game winning streak.
NETS 103,
CAVALIERS 100
NEW YORK — Brook Lopez scored a season-high 35 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Brooklyn improved to 2-0 under interim coach P.J. Carlesimo by beating Cleveland.
Lopez followed his 26-point, 11-rebound performance in a victory Friday over Charlotte by shooting 13 of 20 from the field, making a number of timely baskets in the fourth quarter that the Nets ultimately needed to hold on.
GRIZZLIES 81,
NUGGETS 72
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Rudy Gay scored eight of his 19 points down the stretch to help Memphis beat Denver.
Gay’s rush was part of 10 straight points for the Grizzlies, breaking open a 68-all game with 4:45 left. His baseline jumper with 1:25 left gave Memphis a 10-point lead, helping the Grizzlies snap a two-game skid.
WARRIORS 101,
CELTICS 83
OAKLAND, Calif. — Stephen Curry had 22 points and nine assists, David Lee scored 20 points and Golden State routed the short-handed Celtics to close a memorable month.
First-round pick Harrison Barnes added 15 points and eight rebounds to help the Warriors build a 20-point lead in the second quarter and cruise most of the way. Golden State (21-10) finished December with a 12-4 record and has at least 20 wins before New Year’s Day for the first time since 1980.
HAWKS 109,
PACERS 100
ATLANTA — Lou Williams had 21 points and a career-high 12 assists, Al Horford added 20 points and Atlanta beat Indiana for its fourth consecutive win.
David West scored a game-high 29 points for the Pacers, who had won four straight and seven of eight.
With Josh Smith, Atlanta’s leading scorer, unable to play because of a right hip flexor, Hawks coach Larry Drew started Zaza Pachulia, who responded with 17 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
RAPTORS 123,
MAGIC 88
ORLANDO, Fla. — DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points and Jose Calderon added 15 points and 10 assists, helping Toronto to an easy victory over injury-depleted Orlando.
Rookie Ed Davis had 18 points and seven rebounds as Toronto won for the seventh time in eight games. The Raptors, who hit a season-high 15 3-pointers, got 16 points apiece from Kyle Lowry and Terrence Ross.
Rookie Andrew Nicholson led Orlando with a career-high 22 points. Arron Afflalo added 14 points and Ish Smith had 13 points and six assists.
TIMBERWOLVES 111,
SUNS 107
MINNEAPOLIS — Nikola Pekovic had 28 points and 11 rebounds, and Kevin Love added 23 points and 18 boards to lift Minnesota over Phoenix.
Andrei Kirilenko had 20 points and five rebounds for the Timberwolves, who were missing guard Ricky Rubio because of back spasms.
Luis Scola had 33 points and 10 rebounds for the Suns, who lost their fifth straight.
