NBA: Blake Griffin and Chris Paul play key roles as LA Clippers see off New Orleans Pelicans
Last Updated: 23/03/15 9:38am
Blake Griffin and Chris Paul were the star performers as the LA Clippers damaged the play-off ambitions of the New Orleans Pelicans who were beaten 107-100 on Sunday.
Both Griffin and Paul scored 23 points with the latter adding 11 assists, while Anthony Davis led New Orleans with 26 points and 12 rebounds.
Davis played 39 minutes after missing two games with a sprained left ankle, which was the same injury that prevented team-mate Tyreke Evans from taking to the court. Evans' replacement Norris Cole collected 12 points before fouling out in the final minutes.
The Clippers were trailing by three points at the half-way stage before taking the third quarter 31-24.
Meanwhile, in Oklahoma, Russell Westbrook registered 12 points, 10 rebounds and 17 assists for his 10th triple-double of the season as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Miami Heat 93-75.
Enes Kanter notched up 27 points and 12 rebounds for Thunder who have now won three in a row.
Kanter had been expected to miss his second straight game with an ankle injury but was cleared to play on the morning of the match and then got off to a fast start with 15 points during the first quarter.
The Heat had five players in double figures, led by Hassan Whiteside with 13 – all in the first half.
Elsewhere, in Milwaukee, LeBron James scored 28 points and sparked a key second-half run with an emphatic dunk to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 108-90 triumph over the Bucks.
JR Smith added 23 points for Cleveland who sealed a third straight win, while Milwaukee have now lost six in a row.
The Cavaliers were thankful that Smith made three straight 3s to close out a run that turned a six-point deficit into a 93-78 lead with 6:19 left in the game.
And Archie Goodwin sank a three-pointer during the final 30 seconds to seal a 98-82 victory for the Phoenix Suns over the Dallas Mavericks.
The contest had been tied 88-88 with 3:30 remaining.
Sunday's results:
Milwaukee Bucks 90-108 Cleveland Cavaliers
Miami Heat 75-93 Oklahoma City Thunder
Atlanta Hawks 95-114 San Antonio Spurs
New Orleans Pelicans 100-107 Los Angeles Clippers
New York Knicks 89-106 Toronto Raptors
Washington Wizards 86-109 Sacramento Kings
Boston Celtics 97-105 Detroit Pistons (OT)
Orlando Magic 100-119 Denver Nuggets
Minnesota Timberwolves 98-109 Charlotte Hornets
