Crawford sends Rockets hurtling to fourth defeat

THE Los Angeles Clippers won again in the absence of the injured Chris Paul on Tuesday as Jamal Crawford scored a season-high 30 points, including 12 straight to start the fourth quarter, in a 117-109 victory over the struggling Houston Rockets.

Los Angeles used a big third quarter to take the lead, and Crawford extended the advantage to 20 by outscoring Houston 12-7 in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.

James Harden had 23 points for the Rockets, whose four-game losing streak is a season worst.

Denver's Wilson Chandler hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 14.9 seconds remaining in overtime as the Nuggets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 115-111 in overtime for its season-best sixth consecutive victory.

Danilo Gallinari had 25 points, including a key 3-pointer in the extra period. Ty Lawson added 24 points and 12 assists for the Nuggets.

Portland was led by LaMarcus Aldridge's 28 points. Nicolas Batum had 22 points and J.J. Hickson 19.

In Los Angeles, Dwight Howard had 31 points and 16 rebounds, and Kobe Bryant also scored 31 points as the Lakers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 104-88 for their second straight win after a six-game skid.

Metta World Peace added 12 points as the Lakers prepared for the visit from the NBA champion Miami Heat.

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