Spurs And Thunder Improve To 17-4 – NBA Roundup For Dec. 12th

UNDATED (AP) — The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder both improved to 17-4 on Wednesday, leaving them a half-game behind idle Portland for first place in the NBA's Western Conference.

The Spurs clobbered Milwaukee 109-77 as Tim Duncan had 21 points and 16 rebounds in just 24 minutes. Tony Parker added 15 points and helped the Spurs build a 32-16 lead in the first period.

Russell Westbrook scored 27 points and Kevin Durant added 18 before both sat out the fourth quarter of the Thunder's a 116-100 victory at Memphis. Jeremy Lamb came off the bench to add a career-high 18 points and help the Thunder to their fourth straight win and 12th in 13 games.

Head coach Doc Rivers was a winner in his return to Boston.

Jamal Crawford hit a pair of 3-pointers 23 seconds apart over the final three minutes as the Los Angeles Clippers pulled away in a 96-88 win over the Celtics. Crawford came off the bench to score 21 points as Rivers gained a victory in his first game at TD Bank Garden since the Celtics traded him to Los Angeles last summer for a first-round draft pick.

Chris Paul had 22 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in the Clippers' seventh victory in 10 games.

Also in the NBA on Wednesday:

— Stephen (STEF'-ehn) Curry capped his 33-point night by draining the tiebreaking jumper with three seconds left to complete Golden State's comeback in a 95-93 triumph against Dallas. David Lee had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Warriors, who trailed by 15 in the third quarter and by 10 with 8:18 remaining.

— Minnesota rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat Philadelphia 106-99 and move back to the .500 mark. Kevin Love had 26 points, 15 rebounds and five assists, while Ricky Rubio had 21 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

— Ryan Anderson drained a pair of key 3-pointers in overtime to push New Orleans past Detroit 111-106. Jason Smith scored 22 points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds as the Pelicans snapped a two-game slide.

— New York coughed up a 23-point lead before beating Chicago 83-78. Carmelo Anthony had 30 points and 10 rebounds in the Knicks' third victory in their last 14 games.

— Jameer Nelson had 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter as Orlando beat Charlotte 92-83 to halt a six-game skid. Glen Davis added 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Nikola Vucevic chipped in with 12 points and 14 rebounds.

— Utah shot 54 percent in a 122-101 dismantling of Sacramento. Richard Jefferson paced the Jazz with 20 points, while Alec Burks, Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward each had 17.