CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Al Jefferson had 23 points and 14 rebounds, and the Charlotte Hornets pulled away late to beat the Boston Celtics 96-87 on Wednesday night.
The Hornets (6-15) won their second straight and further distanced themselves from a recent 10-game losing streak.
They led by as many as 12 in the third quarter and then pulled away with a 9-0 run after the Celtics cut the margin to 87-85 in the final five minutes.
Charlotte point guard Kemba Walker converted a three-point play with 3:46 left, Jefferson scored inside with 2:57 remaining, Jefferson went outside to hit a 20-footer with 1:19 remaining, then Walker capped it with a 20-footer with 21.6 seconds for a 96-85 lead.
Boston went eight straight possessions without scoring down the stretch.
The Celtics (7-13) have now lost two straight.
Walker finished with 18 points and guard Lance Stephenson finished with 13.
Forward Jeff Green and guard Marcus Thornton led Boston with 16 points apiece. Center Tyler Zeller scored 13, guard Rajon Rondo had 12 points and 10 assists, and forward Brandon Bass scored 10.
Charlotte led 22-16 after one quarter, then Boston dominated the second quarter to lead 45-40 at halftime. Charlotte then regained control in the third quarter, eventually leading 73-66 after three.
NOTES: Hornets F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (stress reaction right foot) returned to action after missing the previous 12 games. … The Celtics have been without C Vitor Faverani (left knee surgery) all season. … Hornets G P.J. Hairston was inactive, serving a one-game benching after failing to show up for practice on Tuesday. … Hornets G Jeffrey Taylor continues to serve a 24-game league-imposed suspension. … The Celtics had a three-game winning streak snapped with a 133-132 double-overtime loss at Washington on Monday. … The Hornets had been idle since a 103-102 win over New York last Friday. … Hornets F Cody Zeller and Celtics C Tyler Zeller both started in a battle of brothers. … This was the first of four games between the teams this season. The Celtics won two out of three last season. … The Hornets will play at Memphis on Friday. … The Celtics will return home to face New York on Friday.
Clippers 103, Pacers 96
INDIANAPOLIS — On a night when the Los Angeles Clippers’ bench was otherwise a major liability, a reserve came to the rescue.
Guard Jamal Crawford made two huge jumpers down the stretch to stave off a furious Indiana Pacers rally and deliver the Clippers a 103-96 victory Wednesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Crawford scored 18 off the bench to lead the Clippers (16-5), who won their ninth in a row, the fourth-longest streak in franchise history.
Guard Chris Paul had 17 points and 15 assists, forward Blake Griffin 17 points and 10 rebounds and center DeAndre Jordan 12 points and 19 rebounds as three of the Clippers’ five starters posted double-doubles. Guard J.J. Redick scored 16 points, and forward Matt Barnes added 11.
Indiana wiped out a 15-point deficit in the first half and nearly climbed out of a 20-point hole late in the third quarter thanks to a second unit that produced 66 points, led by a season-high 30 from guard C.J. Miles, who made seven of 14 from 3-point range.
Forwards Lavoy Allen (14 points, 13 rebounds) and Luis Scola (12 points, 14 rebounds) both had double-doubles off the Indiana bench. The only starters to score in double figures were forward Chris Copeland and guard Rodney Stuckey with 10 apiece, and the Pacers (7-15) lost their sixth game in a row.
Scola’s layup cut Indiana’s deficit to 95-92 with 3:09 left, but Crawford answered with a 3-pointer. After consecutive buckets by Allen closed the gap to 98-96, Crawford hit another jumper to make it a four-point game with 1:50 left. The Pacers would not score again.
The way things started, it appeared the Pacers would be headed toward their fourth home blowout loss of the young season. The Clippers hit 11 of their first 17 shots in bolting to a 28-13 lead. It was the extension of a troubling trend for the Pacers, who were outscored 111-77 in the first quarters of their past four games.