Hornets 102, Pelicans 95
LaMelo Ball scored 24 points despite briefly leaving the game with an eye laceration, and the Charlotte Hornets erased a 22-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans for their seventh straight victory. Kon Knueppel added 17 points, while Brandon Miller and Grant Williams chipped in 16 apiece as Charlotte continued its surge up the Eastern Conference standings.
After trailing 64-49 at halftime, the Hornets stormed back behind Ball’s shot-making and playmaking, taking the lead for good in the fourth quarter. Miller capped the comeback by picking Herbert Jones’ pocket at midcourt and finishing with a soaring dunk that helped push the lead to nine. Trey Murphy III led New Orleans with 27 points, while Zion Williamson had 14 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.
Rockets 118, Pacers 114
Alperen Sengun matched his season high with 39 points and added 16 rebounds as the Houston Rockets held off the Indiana Pacers despite playing without All-Star forward Kevin Durant. Jabari Smith Jr. contributed 19 points as Houston won its third straight game and fifth in six overall.
Sengun carried the load in the paint, going 13-of-25 from the field and 13-of-18 at the line, including eight free throws in the fourth quarter. Indiana rallied from a double-digit deficit and briefly regained the lead in the third, but Sengun’s late free throws fueled a decisive 12-2 run. Pascal Siakam scored 27 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 25 for the Pacers, who fell just short of a third straight win.
Grizzlies 137, Timberwolves 128
Jaren Jackson Jr. poured in 30 points and the Memphis Grizzlies snapped a six-game losing streak by building a 20-point second-half lead and holding off the Minnesota Timberwolves. Ty Jerome scored 19 points, while Jaylen Wells added 18 as Memphis leaned on hot perimeter shooting to control the game.
Minnesota made several pushes behind Anthony Edwards, who finished with 39 points, but never got closer than nine in the fourth quarter. Jaden McDaniels scored 29 and Donte DiVincenzo added 21 for the Timberwolves, whose four-game winning streak came to an end.
76ers 128, Clippers 113
Tyrese Maxey knocked down seven 3-pointers on his way to 29 points, and Dominick Barlow posted 26 points and 16 rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers rolled past the Los Angeles Clippers for their fourth straight win. Joel Embiid added 24 points as Philadelphia led wire to wire.
The Sixers built a 23-point lead and took a 72-53 advantage into halftime, never letting the Clippers mount a serious comeback. Kawhi Leonard led Los Angeles with 29 points, while James Harden missed his second straight game for personal reasons. Despite a strong stretch from Leonard in the fourth, the Clippers couldn’t close the gap and saw their recent momentum stall.
