NBA Capsules: Rockets pound Bulls 118-86, win 10th straight game

HOUSTON – Eric Gordon scored 31 points and tied a career high with eight 3-pointers on a night James Harden sat out to rest, and the Houston Rockets got their 10th straight win with a 118-86 rout of the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night.

Trevor Ariza added 21 points and Chris Paul had 13 points and 10 assists in his return after missing the last three games with a sore hamstring.

The NBA-leading Rockets became the first team since San Antonio in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season to have three winning streaks of at least 10 games in a season. They won 14 in a row from Nov. 16-Dec. 18 and 17 straight from Jan. 28-March 7.

Lauri Markkanen returned after missing Saturday’s game with lower back spasms and had 22 points for the Bulls, who dropped their sixth straight.

Wizards 116, Spurs 106

WASHINGTON – Markieff Morris shot 7 of 7 from the floor for 15 points, Otto Porter Jr. added 14 and Washington beat San Antonio to snap a three-game losing streak.

San Antonio lost for just the second time in eight games but may have been dealt a more serious blow with a left knee injury to star LaMarcus Aldridge, who was the game’s leading scorer with 13 points before he limped off late in the second quarter. Aldridge is the biggest reason the Spurs have stayed afloat without Kawhi Leonard most of this season.

Washington lit up the NBA’s top scoring defense to improve to 15-11 in 26 consecutive games without five-time All-Star guard John Wall, who is close to returning from left knee surgery. The Wizards had dropped to sixth in the East by losing five of seven and could clinch a playoff spot as early as Thursday.

Heat 98, Cavaliers 79

MIAMI – Kelly Olynyk scored 19 points, Dwyane Wade blocked a pair of shots by LeBron James as part of a stifling defensive effort by Miami, and the Heat had little trouble on the way to beating Cleveland.

Josh Richardson and James Johnson each scored 15 points for Miami, which led 54-34 at halftime and has won 10 of its last 11 home games. Wade finished with 12 against the team he spent part of this season with before getting traded back to Miami.

Goran Dragic added 10 for the Heat, who could clinch an Eastern Conference playoff spot by week’s end.

James finished with 18 points for the Cavaliers, whose previous season low for points was 88. The Cavs are 1-13 this season when held under 100; they’re 43-17 when scoring more than 100.

Pacers 92, Warriors 81

OAKLAND, Calif. – Injury-plagued Golden State again lacked the firepower to finish off an opponent, and Victor Oladipo scored 24 points in Indiana’s victory over the defending champions.

Nick Young scored 12 points as Golden State, playing without its four All-Stars for a second straight game, lost back-to-back contests for only the ninth time during coach Steve Kerr’s four seasons.

Draymond Green had been set to return but was still feeling ill, while NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant had hoped to play Tuesday but is likely to be back from a rib injury Thursday against Milwaukee.

Stephen Curry could be out through the first round of the playoffs with a left knee injury, while Splash Brother Klay Thompson is recovering from a fractured right thumb.

Trail Blazers 107, Pelicans 103

NEW ORLEANS – Damian Lillard scored 20 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter, and Portland beat New Orleans.

Lillard hit his first six shots of the fourth quarter, including two 3-pointers, to push Portland into its first lead since early in the first quarter. He made two free throws with 1.3 seconds left to seal the victory.

Anthony Davis had 36 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks for the Pelicans, with 22 points coming after he rolled his right ankle and briefly came out of the game with 5:15 left in the third quarter. Jrue Holiday had 21 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds for New Orleans.

Raptors 114, Nuggets 110

TORONTO – DeMar DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas, and Fred VanVleet each scored 15 points and Toronto beat Denver.

Jakob Poeltl scored all of his 12 points in the fourth quarter, including eight straight for Toronto at one stretch.

Serge Ibaka had 13 points, Pascal Siakam 12 and Kyle Lowry 11 as the Raptors improved to 31-7 at home.

Toronto, which lost to the Clippers on Sunday, avoided what would have been its fifth two-game losing streak. The Eastern Conference-leading Raptors have yet to lose three consecutive games this season.

Nikola Jokic had 29 points and 16 rebounds, and Paul Millsap scored 20 points for the Nuggets, who lost their second straight and fourth in six games.

Clippers 105, Bucks 98

LOS ANGELES – Tobias Harris scored 19 points, DeAndre Jordan had a double-double and Los Angeles rallied after blowing a 16-point lead to beat Milwaukee and boost its playoff hopes.

The Clippers hit six 3-pointers in the fourth, when they were down by five and launched a 13-0 run to go back in front 96-88.

They made 3-pointers on four straight possessions – by four different players – for a 105-96 lead.

Jordan had 12 points and 16 rebounds, and Lou Williams added 16 points off the bench.

Los Angeles trails Minnesota by 1 1/2 games for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff berth.

Mavericks 103, Kings 97

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Harrison Barnes had 20 points, six assists and five rebounds, and Dallas beat Sacramento while protesters forced a lockdown of Golden1 Center for the second time in six days.

Dennis Smith Jr. added 19 points and six assists in his second game back from an ankle injury. Doug McDermott scored seven of his 15 points during a big run in the fourth quarter, and Aaron Harrison and Johnathan Motley had 10 points apiece to help Dallas end a five-game losing streak.

Outside the arena, demonstrators gathered to protest the March 18 fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark, an unarmed 22-year-old black man who was in his grandparents’ backyard. Most fans were prevented from entering Golden1 Center and the team later released a statement saying refunds would be given. Some fans who arrived early were let in and allowed to move down into the lower bowl of the arena. Although no official attendance was given, the crowd was estimated at around 4,000.