Kawhi Leonard scored 45 factors, and Bennedict Mathurin added 22 because the Los Angeles Clippers remained red-hot in March with a 153-128 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves at Inglewood, Calif.
Darius Garland scored 21 factors, and Jordan Miller had 14 because the play-in- match eligible Clippers improved to 6-1 this month. They (33-32) grew to become the primary group in NBA historical past to maneuver over .500 after they had been 15 video games below in the identical season. Leonard delivered his fifth sport with no less than 40 factors this season and his second in opposition to the Timberwolves.
The Clippers set a season excessive in factors scored and are 15-5 at residence since December 20, whereas avenging a 94-88 loss to the Timberwolves at residence on February 26.
Anthony Edwards scored 36 factors, and Naz Reid added 18 because the Timberwolves misplaced their third consecutive sport. Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle and Jaylen Clark every had 11 factors for the Timberwolves, who’ve dropped from third to fifth place within the Western Convention in the course of the present skid.
New Orleans Pelicans 122, Toronto Raptors 111
Trey Murphy III produced a game-high 28 factors to steer New Orleans Pelicans previous visiting Toronto Raptors, giving the Pelicans their seventh win previously 10 video games.
Dejounte Murray had a season-high 27 factors and Zion Williamson added 19 for the Pelicans who shot 51.5% from the ground.
The victory spoiled the return of former Pelicans star Brandon Ingram, in his first season with the Raptors after spending the earlier six in New Orleans. Ingram scored 22 factors, whereas Immanuel Quickley put up 25 as Toronto misplaced for the fourth time in 5 video games.
Orlando Magic 128, Cleveland Cavaliers 122
Desmond Bane scored 35 factors, together with 5 within the remaining 18 seconds, as Orlando Magic beat visiting Cleveland Cavaliers for his or her fifth straight win.
Paulo Banchero had 25 factors, eight rebounds and 7 assists, and Tristan da Silva added 23 factors for the surging Magic, who moved right into a tie for fifth place within the Jap Convention with the Toronto Raptors. The Cavaliers are fourth, three video games forward of each.
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James Harden completed with 30 factors, his most since becoming a member of the Cavaliers in a commerce from the Los Angeles Clippers, together with 5 rebounds and eight assists. Donovan Mitchell had 25 factors, and Keon Ellis scored 20 off the bench for the Cavaliers.
New York Knicks 134, Utah Jazz 117
Jordan Clarkson scored 17 of his season-high 27 factors throughout a decisive surge over the ultimate 16 minutes for New York Knicks, which overcame an 18-point first-half deficit to beat Utah Jazz in Salt Lake Metropolis.
Jalen Brunson scored 28 factors for the Knicks and transformed a three-point play that put them forward for good at 96-94 with 1.6 seconds left within the third. OG Anunoby had 22 factors, and Karl-Anthony Cities completed with 21 factors whereas Mohamed Diawara added 10 factors off the bench.
Brice Sensabaugh scored 29 factors to steer 5 gamers in double figures for the Jazz, who made 14 of their first 18 3-point makes an attempt – together with eight in a row within the first quarter – earlier than cooling off and dropping for the seventeenth time in 22 video games.
Denver Nuggets 129, Houston Rockets 93
Nikola Jokic had 16 factors, 13 assists and 12 rebounds, Jamal Murray scored a game-high 30 factors, and host Denver Nuggets beat Houston Rockets to shut the hole within the Western Convention standings.
The Rockets entered the evening in third place within the West, 1 1/2 video games forward of sixth-place Nuggets. 4 groups are inside a sport of the third seed within the West. Christian Braun scored 19 factors, Cameron Johnson added 17 factors, and Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 14 factors for the Nuggets, who gained the season collection 3-1.
Amen Thompson scored 16 factors, Josh Okogie had 12, Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. had 11 every, and Alperen Sengun completed with 10 for the Rockets, who beat the Raptors at residence on Tuesday evening.
Charlotte Hornets 117, Sacramento Kings 109
Miles Bridges had 9 of his 26 factors in a key third-quarter run, LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel mixed for 11 3-pointers and 54 factors, and Charlotte Hornets rallied from a halftime deficit to win in Sacramento Kings.
In a contest matching groups that had gained 24 hours earlier, Ball completed with a team-high 30 factors, Knueppel chipped in with 24, and Brandon Miller added 20 for the Hornets, which gained for the eighth time in its final 10 video games.
DeMar DeRozan poured in a season-high 39 factors for the Kings, who noticed a uncommon two-game successful streak come to an finish. Down by 5 on the half, then tied at 73-all within the sixth minute of the third interval, the Hornets took the lead for good with an 11-2 burst.
Printed on Mar 12, 2026