OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant scored 23 points and Russell Westbrook collected his 15th triple-double of the season, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 111-107 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Durant, who shot 8-for-19 from the field, grabbed seven rebounds and handed out four assists. Westbrook tallied 21 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds for his third straight triple-double and sixth in past nine games.
Oklahoma City earned its fifth win in a row.
James Harden paced the Rockets with 24 points on 7-of-17 shooting, and he added 16 assists. Dwight Howard and Patrick Beverley each scored 16 for Houston. Howard finished with a team-high 13 rebounds.
Heat 113, Pelicans 99
NEW ORLEANS — Hassan Whiteside scored a team-high 24 points and Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic added 23 each to power Miami past New Orleans.
In addition to his 10-of-11 shooting for the game, Hassan had 14 rebounds and three blocks. Amar’e Stoudemire contributed 16 points for the Heat, who shot 50 percent from the field.
The short-handed Pelicans were led by Jrue Holiday with 24 points and Luke Babbitt with 23.
Hornets 105, Nets 100
NEW YORK — Nicolas Batum scored 23 points and Jeremy Lin added 21 as Charlotte blew a 17-point lead before holding on for a victory over Brooklyn.
Batum and Lin combined for 20 points in the fourth quarter when the Hornets withstood a comeback attempt by the Nets. The two made 15 of 28 shots from the field, including five of six in the fourth quarter, helping the Hornets win for the 11th time in 13 games.
Brook Lopez helped the Nets mount a comeback bid by scoring 10 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter. Sean Kilpatrick added a career-best 25 points, but it was not enough as Brooklyn lost for the ninth time in its last 11 games.