LOS ANGELES — LeBron James scored 14 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, Russell Westbrook added 27 points and the Los Angeles Lakers swept back-to-back games against the Houston Rockets with a 119-117 victory Tuesday night.
Anthony Davis had 27 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who have won three straight and five of six after an 0-2 start to their reboot season. After dominating Sunday’s visit from Houston, Los Angeles struggled through the first half and trailed by 11 in the third quarter of the rematch before they were spurred to the win by Westbrook and James, who put LA ahead to stay while scoring 10 straight points midway through the fourth quarter.
Rookie Jalen Green scored 24 points for Houston, but the second overall pick was scoreless in the fourth until he hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final minute, abruptly slicing the Lakers’ lead to one point with 8.2 seconds left.
Malik Monk then made just one of two free throws for the Lakers, but USC product Kevin Porter Jr. missed a step-back 3-pointer for Houston to end it.
James, Davis and Westbrook scored at least 20 points apiece for the first time in their new Big Three partnership, while James added 10 assists and Westbrook contributed nine rebounds and seven assists. Carmelo Anthony also provided yet another impressive performance off the bench, hitting three 3-pointers while scoring 15 points.
Christian Wood had 26 points and 16 rebounds for the Rockets, who have lost five straight and six of seven to begin this rebuilding season. Houston still played 2 1/2 impressive quarters against the star-studded Lakers led by Wood and Jae’Sean Tate, who had 20 points.
Two nights after Los Angeles held Houston to 85 points, the Rockets had 70 by halftime against a thoroughly unimpressive effort on defense by the Lakers, whose consistent defensive investment has already appeared to be a problem this season for a veteran roster.
Alperen Sengün had four points for Houston in the Turkish teenager’s first NBA start.
The Lakers came out with none of their defensive focus from Halloween, allowing Houston to score 53 points in the first 1 1/2 quarters. Houston led by 11 in the third before Westbrook led the Lakers back with a 13-point quarter.
TIP-INS
Rockets: Eric Gordon couldn’t play due to nausea, the team said. … German big man Daniel Theis couldn’t play due to a sore right big toe, forcing Houston to start the 19-year-old Sengün in its first starting lineup change of the season. … Danuel House also sat out with a sprained right foot. … Tate played despite right ankle soreness.
Lakers: Dwight Howard missed his second straight game with neck stiffness. … Wayne Ellington was in uniform again, but still hasn’t played this season while he recovers from a left hamstring strain. … James passed Mookie Blaylock for 12th place on the NBA’s career list.
UP NEXT
Rockets: At Suns on Thursday.
Lakers: Host Thunder on Thursday.
HEAT 125, MAVERICKS 110
DALLAS — Four Miami Heat players had 22 or more points in holding off a late Dallas rally to beat the Mavericks 125-110 on Tuesday night.
Tyler Herro scored 25 points off the bench, 15 alone in the second quarter when the Heat outscored the Mavericks 46-32 to take a 70-62 halftime lead. Jimmy Butler added 23 points, Kyle Lowry had 22 and Bam Adebayo scored 22 and grabbed 13 rebounds.
Luka Doncic scored a season-high 33 points for the Mavericks, who lost for the first time in four home games.
Jalen Brunson added a season-high 25 points in his first start of the season, necessitated by injuries that have sidelined Dallas big men Kristaps Porzingis and Maxi Kleber.
BUCKS 117, PISTONS 89
DETROIT — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 28 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in Milwaukee’s rout of Detroit.
The Bucks, who ended a three-game losing streak, also got 16 points from Pat Connaughton and reserve Jordan Nwora.
Jerami Grant led the Pistons (1-6) with 21 points, but Trey Lyles was the only other player to reach double figures with 13.
Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 pick in this summer’s draft, went 2 for 14 in his second NBA game, including 0 of 9 from behind the 3-point line. He is shooting 13.6% (3 of 22) thus far and has missed all 14 3-point attempts.
JAZZ 119, KINGS 113
SALT LAKE CITY — Donovan Mitchell scored a season-high 36 points and Mike Conley add a season-best 30 points, lifting Utah over Sacramento.
Conley scored 13, including three 3s, in the fourth quarter, and Rudy Gobert made six clutch free throws down the stretch to move Utah to 7-1 on the season. Gobert had 12 points, 20 rebounds and four blocked shots.
The Kings kept hanging around and cut the lead to 115-113 on Harrison Barnes’s 3-pointer with 23 seconds remaining.
Mitchell made two free throws while Buddy Hield jawed with him. Gobert forced Barnes into a tough shot on a drive and then blocked Davion Mitchell’s shot on the next possession to seal the win, Utah’s sixth straight over the Kings.
Barnes led the Kings with 23 points and Hield had 19. Seven Sacramento players scored in double figures.
SUNS 112, PELICANS 100
PHOENIX — Mikal Bridges scored 22 points, Chris Paul added 14 points and 18 assists and Phoenix rallied to beat New Orleans.
Paul is now third in NBA history with 10,346 career assists, passing both Mark Jackson and Steve Nash. The 36-year-old shook off a slow start with a vintage performance in the second half, when he scored all of his points and dished 10 assists.
The Suns improved to 3-3 this season. The Pelicans fell to 1-7.
Little-used reserve Frank Kaminsky added 17 points and four steals, and JaVale McGee had 18 points and five rebounds. The two big men were particularly good as the Suns regained control of the game in the second half.
Jonas Valanciunas led the Pelicans with 16 points and eight rebounds before the break. He finished with a team-high 23 points.