Williams helps Clippers edge Spurs for 3rd straight victory

Lou Williams hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 40 seconds remaining and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the San Antonio Spurs 116-111 on Thursday night for their first three-game winning streak of the season.

The Clippers improved to 7-1 at home after blowing leads of 14 points in the second quarter and 10 in the fourth.

The Spurs were the third high-powered team in a row beaten by the Clippers, who edged Milwaukee and defending NBA champion Golden State in a pair of overtime wins.

San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan tries to steal the ball from Los Angeles Clippers forward Tobias Harris during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP PhotoChris Carlson)

Williams led Los Angeles with 23 points off the bench. Danilo Gallinari added 19 points and Tobias Harris 18.

Montrezl Harrell stole the ball from DeMar DeRozan in the corner and Gallinari got fouled at the other end. He made four straight free throws and Williams hit two to seal the win.

DeRozan scored 34 points for the Spurs, who dropped their third in a row. Rudy Gay added 19 points off the bench.

San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan, left, drives to the basket past Los Angeles Clippers forward Tobias Harris during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (AP PhotoChris Carlson)

The Spurs tied it up 107-all on a pair of free throws by LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 16 rebounds.

Williams pump-faked Bryn Forbes and let fly a 3, having missed his two other attempts in the game.

DeRozan scored on a drive to get the Spurs to 110-109, but they got no closer.

Harrell scored the Clippers' first six points of the fourth to get them back to a double-digit lead, 96-86.

DeRozan missed two free throws before Patty Mills and Marco Belinelli hit back-to-back 3-pointers that closed the Spurs to 96-94.

San Antonio got within one early in the third on basket by DeRozan. He twice scored to put them within two. But every time the Clippers answered to stay ahead, with their second unit scoring 10 of their final 12 points for a 91-84 lead after three.

The Clippers opened the second quarter with a 15-2 run that produced their largest lead of 44-30. Harrell scored seven in a row.

The Spurs answered with a 23-8 spurt, including 10 by DeRozan, to erase their 14-point deficit and give them a 53-52 lead. The Clippers got a pair of free throws by Gallinari to lead 61-60 going into halftime.

TIP-INS

Spurs: They fell to 2-5 on the road. ... They were outrebounded 50-45. ... F-C Pau Gasol missed his fifth straight game with a sore left foot.

Clippers: Harris has at least 15 points in a career-best 14 straight games. ... They improved to 5-1 in their last six games at home against the Spurs.

UP NEXT

Spurs: Host Golden State on Sunday.

Clippers: At Brooklyn on Saturday to start a three-game Eastern swing.

More AP NBA: www.apnews.com/NBA and www.twitter.com/AP_Sports

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 14 rebounds, Jalen Suggs added 24 points and the Orlando Magic handed Cleveland the worst playoff loss in franchise history, winning 121-83 on Thursday night to cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 2-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Franz Wagner finished with 16 points and eight assists for the Magic, who led by 43 points in the fourth quarter on the way to the third-largest margin of victory in a playoff game. They earned their first playoff victory since 2019 and the first on their home floor since April 26, 2011.

They can even the series with a victory at home Sunday.

Jarrett Allen had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who shot 39% from the field and 23.5% from 3-point range. Caris LeVert added 15 points and Donovan Mitchell had 13 points and seven assists.

76ERS 125, KNICKS 114

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 50 points, making all four 3-point attempts and scoring 18 in a potential series-shifting third quarter to lead Philadelphia to a win over New York in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Embiid boldly stated “we’re going to win this series” after the 76ers dropped Game 2.

With one of the finest postseason efforts of his career, Embiid became the third player to ever score 50 points against the Knicks in the postseason and kept the hope of a Philadelphia series comeback very much alive.

The Knicks lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

Embiid was 13 of 19 from the floor overall, made 19 of 21 free throws and hit five 3-pointers.

NUGGETS 112, LAKERS 105

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Gordon had 29 points and 15 rebounds, Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and Denver moved to the brink of the second round with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of their first-round series..

Jamal Murray scored 22 points as the defending NBA champion Nuggets won their 11th consecutive meeting with LeBron James and the Lakers in dominating style.

Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points for Denver, which took control in the third quarter and cruised through the final minutes to its fifth straight road win over Los Angeles, starting with its sweep of last season’s Western Conference finals.

Game 4 is Saturday night in Los Angeles. No NBA team has ever rallied from an 0-3 playoff deficit.

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) makes a shot as he gets past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)