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    Monday, May 13, 2024

    NBA roundup

    Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, center, grabs an offensive rebound in front of the Raptors Jonas Valanciunas as the Thunder's Paul George and Raptors' Kyle Lowry look on during the second half of Sunday's game in Toronto. Westbrook had 37 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds as Oklahoma City won, 132-125, snapping Toronto's winning streak at 11. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press/AP Photo)

    Thunder 132, Raptors 125

    Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan praised his team's poise following a hard-fought road win over the streaking Raptors.

    Toronto, meanwhile, found it harder to stay calm and collected after some controversial calls down the stretch.

    Russell Westbrook had 37 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds for his fifth straight triple-double, Steven Adams scored 25 points and the Thunder beat the Raptors on Sunday, snapping Toronto's winning streak at 11.

    "You've got to be able to keep your composure through it all," Westbrook said. "That's what the game is all about. We've got a lot of veteran guys on this team who are able to do that."

    Paul George scored 22 points and Carmelo Anthony had 15 as the Thunder extended their winning streak to six. Corey Brewer scored 10 points for Oklahoma City.

    "A big part of it tonight was our team's poise," Donavan said. "That was really important."

    DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points and Kyle Lowry fouled out with 22 points and 10 assists as the Eastern Conference-leading Raptors suffered just their sixth home loss of the season. Toronto is 29-6 at Air Canada Centre, the best home record in the NBA.

    DeRozan, Serge Ibaka and Raptors coach Dwane Casey were all ejected in the final minute for complaining to the referees. DeRozan was incensed after not getting a call when he tried to drive on Brewer with 30 seconds left. DeRozan picked up two technicals in the following 22 seconds.

    "He tried to smack me because I had a layup," a visibly frustrated DeRozan said. "I got fouled."

    Having reviewed the video, Casey said the Raptors would file a formal complaint.

    "Officials are going to miss calls but, at the juncture of the game when some of the calls were made, we've got to get it right around the league," Casey said. "Not just this game, the entire league."

    Still, Casey took pains to point out that the Raptors, not the referees, were ultimately to blame.

    "We made enough mistakes down the stretch also," Casey said. "We shot ourselves in the foot, missed easy shots, layups, free throws, turnovers."

    DeRozan, however, didn't share Casey's view. Asked whether the officials had cost Toronto the game, DeRozan said, "It's obvious for us."

    Delon Wright and C.J. Miles each scored 15 points, and Pascal Siakam and Jonas Valanciunas each had 10 for the Raptors.

    The score was tied 119-119 when Lowry fouled out with 3:19 remaining. Westbrook immediately drove for a layup past Wright, Lowry's replacement.

    After Wright missed a layup at the other end, Westbrook added another layup to cap a personal 10-point run and give Oklahoma City a 123-119 lead with 2:38 remaining.

    Wright and DeRozan each made a pair of free throws to tie it at 123-123 with 1:41 left, although DeRozan missed a free throw on Anthony's technical foul.

    Westbrook put the Thunder ahead to stay by driving for a layup with 39 seconds left, then banked home a jump shot with 11 seconds left, giving Oklahoma City a four-point cushion.

    Trail Blazers 122, Clippers 109

    Damian Lillard scored 23 points and CJ McCollum added 21 to lead Portland to its 13th straight victory.

    Portland's dynamic guard duo led five Blazers players in double-figures, with Maurice Harkness scoring 21 points, Jusuf Nurkic 17 along with 12 rebounds and Al-Farouq Aminu adding 16 points.

    Lou Williams led the Clippers with 30 points. Montrezl Harrell had 24 points and DeAndre Jordan had 16 rebounds for Los Angeles, which lost its third straight and fell two games back of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Clippers have 13 games remaining.

    The Blazers threatened to take a commanding lead at the break, going on a 12-0 run to take their biggest advantage of the half at 56-44. The Clippers responded to pull within four before trailing 58-52 at the half.

    Portland, however, came back with a 10-0 run early in the third quarter, going up 70-56 to take a lead it would never surrender.

    Rockets 129, Timberwolves 120

    James Harden had 34 points and 12 assists, and Houston held off a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves for the Rockets' 26th win in 28 games.

    The West's top team led by as many as 25 before the Timberwolves, holding on for dear life in a tightening playoff race, pulled within five in the fourth. The loss dropped the Wolves into the eighth playoff spot after they started the day in a three-way tie for fifth. Harden had 11 points in the final 6:34, including a 3-pointer with 58 seconds left that effectively secured the win.

    Jeff Teague led Minnesota with 23 points, Andrew Wiggins had 21, and Karl-Anthony Towns and Jamal Crawford each added 20. The Wolves got a burst of energy after a fourth-quarter scuffle between Gorgui Dieng, Paul and Gerald Green. Green was ejected for coming to Paul's defense after a frustrated Dieng pushed him down after a foul.

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