Harden’s triple-double leads Rockets to 9th straight win
HOUSTON (AP) _ James Harden had 40 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his second straight triple-double and the Houston Rockets outlasted the Charlotte Hornets 121-114 on Tuesday night for their ninth straight win.
The Rockets missed 10 straight shots and let an 18-point lead evaporate before coach Mike D’Antoni called a timeout with 2:26 left. Ryan Anderson made Houston’s first shot in more than four minutes with a 3-pointer out of the timeout, and after a block on the other end, Harden’s layup put Houston up 115-111 with just over a minute to play.
Kemba Walker cut the deficit to one with a 3-pointer, but another layup by Harden made it 117-114 with 28.6 seconds left. Charlotte missed three 3-point tries in the final seconds.
Walker had 25 points for the Hornets, who dropped their third straight.
Beasley’s 28 points help Bucks overcome Spurs, 109-017
SAN ANTONIO (AP) _ Michael Beasley scored a season-high 28 points in place of an ill Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Milwaukee Bucks rallied to beat the San Antonio Spurs 109-107 on Tuesday night.
Kawhi Leonard had 30 points for San Antonio, which had its nine-game home winning streak snapped.
Jabari Parker’s layup with 2:56 remaining gave Milwaukee a 103-101 lead, its first since the 3:24 mark of the first quarter. After a pair of free throws by Beasley, the Spurs reclaimed a 107-105 lead on consecutive 3-pointers by Davis Bertans and Danny Green.
Bucks rookie Malcolm Brogdon hit a 3 to give Milwaukee a 108-107 edge. Following misses by Pau Gasol and Beasley, Bertans’ 3-pointer went in and out with 10.9 seconds left.
Brogdon sank one of two free throws with 6.7 seconds to go, making it 109-107. Manu Ginobili’s 3-pointer hit the side of the backboard at the buzzer as the Bucks celebrated.