NBA game roundup: Parker sparks Spurs past Clippers

SAN ANTONIO — Tony Parker dropped in on the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.

He dropped 26 points on the Los Angeles Clippers, leading the Spurs to a 125-118 victory that snapped a four-game losing streak.

Parker returned to his spot at point guard after missing eight of the last nine games with a strained left hamstring.

Forward Boris Diaw scored a season-best 23 for the Spurs. Forward Tim Duncan added 21 points and 12 rebounds. Guard Many Ginobili had 19 points and 10 assists.

Guard Danny Green made two 3-point baskets in the fourth quarter after the Clippers, who once trailed by 17 early in the second half, pulled even.

San Antonio (18-11) had season-high output in points and assists with 37.

Guard Chris Paul led the Clippers (19-9) with 25 points and nine assists. Forward Blake Griffin scored 22. Guards J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford scored 21 and 18, respectively.

Bulls 129, Raptors 120

CHICAGO — The highest-scoring quarter in franchise history rescued Chicago. The Bulls chased Toronto for most of the game at United Center before the Bulls put up 49 points in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

Led by starting guards Derrick Rose (29 points) and Jimmy Butler (27 points, 11 rebounds), the Bulls outscored the Raptors — the top team in the Eastern Conference — by 12 in the final quarter. The Bulls also won the teams’ first meeting this season, 100-93 in Toronto on Nov. 13.

Rose scored 15 points in the fourth, while Butler added six.

Jazz 97, Grizzlies 91

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Utah guard Alec Burks scored 23 points and forward Gordon Hayward added 21 as Utah wrapped up its six-game pre-Christmas road trip with a win over Memphis at FedExForum.

Forward Derrick Favors added 15 points and seven rebounds, and center Enes Kanter had 13 points and nine rebounds for a young Jazz team that was the aggressor for most of the night with the Grizzlies playing without injured starters Tony Allen and Zach Randolph.

It was the Grizzlies’ third game in four days and Memphis’ third consecutive loss — the franchise’s longest losing streak since December 2013.

Rockets 110, Trail Blazers 95

HOUSTON — James Harden poured in 44 points in a whirling dervish performance to carry Houston past Portland at Toyota Center.

Harden added seven assists and five steals to help the Rockets snap a modest two-game home losing skid. He had 31 points by the intermission, capping his first half with a buzzer-beating driving layup that pushed the Rockets to a 76-56 halftime cushion.

Rockets center Dwight Howard added a double-double (16 points, 13 rebounds) while swingman Corey Brewer made his Houston debut memorable, sparking the decisive second-quarter run en route to 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and five steals in 22 minutes off the bench. Brewer was acquired in a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves last week.

Hornets 110, Nuggets 82

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Center Al Jefferson scored 22 points in less than three quarters of action, and Charlotte cruised to its third straight win.

The Hornets never trailed, leading by as many as 23 in the first half and then pushing the lead to as many as 30 in the second. They shot 53.8 percent from the field for the game.

It’s the Hornets’ first three-game winning streak of the season. They had lost 14 of their previous 16 before beating Philadelphia on Friday and Utah on Saturday.

Jefferson scored 18 of his 22 in the first half, and went on to finish 10 of 13 from the field.

Hawks 105, Mavericks 102

DALLAS — Point guard Dennis Schroder scored 22 points to lead a balanced attack in Atlanta’s win over Dallas. The Hawks earned their fourth consecutive victory and 13th in the past 14 games.

Schroder made nine of 15 shots and dished out six assists. All five starters scored in double figures for the Hawks, who took control in the first half and led 52-38 at the break. Hawks power forward Paul Millsap racked up a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, and he added seven assists.

Dallas guard Monta Ellis scored a team-high 18 points. Forward Dirk Nowitzki had 16 points, and guard Rajon Rondo finished with 13 points and 11 assists. Center Tyson Chandler grabbed 19 rebounds and scored eight points.