James Harden (top) of Los Angeles Clippers shoots during the 2023-2024 NBA regular season match between Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers in Los Angeles, the United States, on Nov. 12, 2023. (Photo by Ringo Chiu/Xinhua)
Los Angeles: Desmond Bane scored 27 points to help the Memphis Grizzlies claw out their second win of the season, a 105-101 victory over the Clippers.
Paul George scored 26 points for Los Angeles James Harden had 11. He hit a tying 3-pointer with 1:33 left but missed another one in the closing seconds.
The Clippers have now lost five straight, including four since the former league MVP arrived in a trade from Philadelphia.
The Grizzlies have struggled with star Ja Morant's 25-game suspension due to stretch into December. But they were able to hold off a Clippers team still trying to figure out the best use of new acquisition James Harden.
"I saw some intriguing things but we've just got to be better," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said, adding that the team's offense lacked energy.
"We can't just walk around offensively," he said.
In Houston, Fred VanVleet scored 26 points, Alperen Sengun added 23 and Houston beat Denver 107-104 for their sixth straight victory, the longest winning streak since taking seven straight in January 2021.
Nikola Jokic had his fourth triple-double of the season for Denver, finishing with 36 points, 21 rebounds and 11 assists. The defending champion Nuggets dropped to 8-2.
The Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis had 30 points and 13 rebounds, Rui Hachimura scored eight of his 19 points in the final 3:43 as the Lakers overcame LeBron James' injury absence to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 116-110 on Sunday night.
James missed a game for the first time this season, sitting out because of a bruised left calf. The top scorer in NBA history injured his shin in a collision with Kevin Durant during the first quarter in Phoenix on Friday night.
Although James returned to that game, the Lakers decided to rest the 38-year-old star Sunday for their long haul ahead, including back-to-back games starting Tuesday night.
James' supporting cast couldn't pull away from Portland, but Davis took charge down the stretch for the Lakers, scoring nine points in the fourth quarter while Los Angeles held on in its first game back from a 1-3 trip.
"It’s Anthony Davis,” said Austin Reaves, who scored 18 points. "Anytime he gets on the floor - you never want to have LeBron or anybody out, but anytime you’ve got Anthony Davis on the floor, you’ve got a chance. He changes the game.”
