COUSINS SCORES 31 TO LEAD SACRAMENTO PAST MAVERICKS, 112-98
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ DeMarcus Cousins scored 16 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, and the Sacramento Kings beat the struggling Dallas Mavericks 112-98 on Monday night.
Rajon Rondo had 21 points and Rudy Gay added 20 for the Kings, who had dropped six straight to Dallas and 21 of the previous 23 meetings. Sacramento outscored the Mavericks 22-13 in the third to take the lead for good.
Chandler Parsons had 14 points for the Mavericks. Dirk Nowitzki and Zaza Pachulia both scored 13.
Dallas, which has dropped four of five, missed 28 of 37 attempts from 3-point range.
Darren Collison added 15 points and Omri Casspi 10 for the Kings. Cousins grabbed nine rebounds and Rondo had five assists.
GASOL GETS DOUBLE-DOUBLE AS BULLS BEAT SPURS 92-89
CHICAGO (AP) _ Pau Gasol had 18 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots, and the Chicago Bulls snapped San Antonio’s five-game winning streak with a 92-89 victory over the Spurs on Monday night.
Jimmy Butler scored 14 points and reserve Doug McDermott had 12 for Chicago in the opener of a four-game homestand. Joakim Noah contributed eight points, seven assists and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench.
Gasol blocked LaMarcus Aldridge on a drive with 1:06 left, and then hit one of two foul shots on the other end for a 90-89 lead. After Manu Ginobili missed for San Antonio, Butler hit two free throws with 10.6 seconds left.
The Spurs had one last chance, but Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker each missed 3-point attempts in the final seconds. Parker’s try was partially blocked by Derrick Rose, who finished with 11 points and six assists.
JACKSON AND DRUMMOND LIFT PISTONS OVER ROCKETS
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) _ Reggie Jackson had 31 points and Andre Drummond added 24 points and 13 rebounds as the Detroit Pistons beat the Houston Rockets 116-105 on Monday night.
The game was decided by a first half where the Pistons built a 23-point lead over a team that went to the Western Conference finals six months ago. Houston shot 31. percent in the half, managing only four assists on 50 possessions, and allowed the Pistons to hit 55 percent from the floor.
The Rockets got back into the game by constantly intentionally fouling Drummond _he went 4-for-18 from the line _ but were never within one possession.
Rookie Stanley Johnson had 19 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for Detroit, while James Harden scored 29 for the Rockets.