Kobe-less Lakers stun Warriors

Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014, in Los Angeles. AP

LOS ANGELES — Carlos Boozer scored 18 points in his new role off the bench, and Los Angeles shocked league-leading Golden State without Kobe Bryant.

The NBA’s No. 3 career scorer sat out for the first time this season to rest his tired legs, a decision made by coach Byron Scott.

The 36-year-old shooting guard, averaging 35.5 minutes through the first 27 games of his 19th NBA season and shooting just 37.2 percent, was 3 for 15 in a one-point loss to Oklahoma City last Friday and 8 for 30 with nine turnovers in a seven-point defeat at Sacramento on Sunday.

Stephen Curry had 22 points and six assists for the Warriors, who lost for only the fourth time in their first 27 games.

CAVALIERS 125, TIMBERWOLVES 104

CLEVELAND — Kevin Love scored 20 points in his first game against Minnesota, Kyrie Irving added 29 and the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away in the second half for a 125-104 victory over the Timberwolves on Tuesday night.

Love’s reunion with the team he spent six frustrating seasons with before a summer blockbuster trade was overshadowed by an injury to Cleveland center Anderson Varejao, who had to be helped off the floor in the third quarter.

Varejao was unable to put any weight on his left leg as he was assisted to the locker room.

LeBron James added 24 points for the Cavs, now 12-3 since opening 5-7.

Rookie Andrew Wiggins scored 27 against the team that drafted him for the Timberwolves, who dropped their sixth straight and have lost 12 of 13.

TRAIL BLAZERS 115, THUNDER 111, OT

OKLAHOMA CITY — Damian Lillard scored 40 points, making a tying 3-pointer with three seconds left in regulation, and Portland rallied from a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat Oklahoma City.

Lillard’s 40-point outing was his second in Portland’s last four games, following a 43-point outburst against San Antonio on Friday. He also had 11 assists.

Lillard went 8 of 12 from 3-point range, including one with 2:07 left in overtime to put Portland up 111-106. Lillard had seven points in the extra period.

Russell Westbrook scored a season-high 40 points and added 10 rebounds and six assists for Oklahoma City before fouling out with 1:39 left in overtime. Oklahoma City played for a third straight game without NBA MVP Kevin Durant, who has a sprained right ankle.

BULLS 99, WIZARDS 91

WASHINGTON — Derrick Rose scored 25 points and Pau Gasol had 18 as Chicago won its fourth straight.

After Washington scored 12 straight — 10 by John Wall — to take an 87-86 lead with 3:44 remaining, Chicago steadied and scored eight straight, six by Rose, to lead 94-87 with 1:48 to play.

Wall led the Wizards with 18 points.

The Bulls outrebounded Washington 52-41.

It was the first meeting of the teams this season. Washington defeated Chicago in the first round of last year’s playoffs, 4-1.

HAWKS 107, CLIPPERS 104

ATLANTA — DeMarre Carroll scored a career-high 25 points and Atlanta rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat Los Angeles for its fifth straight victory.

Al Horford had 20 points for Southeast Division-leading Atlanta, which has won 14 of 15.

Blake Griffin had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers. Chris Paul scored 19 points.

76ERS 91, HEAT 87

MIAMI — Michael Carter-Williams scored 20 points, Luc Mbah a Moute added 19 and Philadelphia erased a 23-point, second-half deficit.

K.J. McDaniels scored 13 for the 76ers, who’ve won two straight for the first time all season. Jerami Grant and Robert Covington each had 11 for Philadelphia.

Dwyane Wade scored 17 of his 23 points in the first half for Miami, which was outscored 49-30 after halftime and plays host to LeBron James and Cleveland on Thursday in a Christmas Day showdown.

SUNS 124, MAVERICKS 115

PHOENIX — Eric Bledsoe got his second career triple-double and Phoenix won its fourth in a row in its highest-scoring game of the season.

Bledsoe had 16 points and 11 assists, then grabbed his 10th rebound away from teammate Goran Dragic with 31 seconds to play.

Dragic scored 25 and Gerald Green 22 for the Suns, coming off a 3-0 trip to the East. Alex Len added 17, two shy of his career high.

Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler scored 22 apiece for the Mavericks, losers at home to Atlanta the previous night.

Rajon Rondo had 13 points, eight assists and six rebounds before fouling out with 1:37 to play in his third game since coming to Dallas from Boston.

NETS 102, NUGGETS 96

NEW YORK — Joe Johnson scored 27 points, Mason Plumlee added 19 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, and Brooklyn rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Denver.

Jarrett Jack, who started in place of injured point guard Deron Williams, had 17 points and eight assists. Sergey Karasev added 12 points for the Nets, who won their second straight game and improved to 11-2 against sub-.500 teams.

Ty Lawson led Denver with 29 points and had nine assists. Kenneth Faried chipped in 20 points and 14 boards for the Nuggets, who lost their second straight game and have dropped nine of 12.

Nets center Brook Lopez, who had missed his last eight games due to a lower back strain, played eight minutes and had six points and four rebounds in a reserve role.

MAGIC 100, CELTICS 95

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tobias Harris scored 19 points and Orlando hung on to beat Boston.

Nik Vucevic and Kyle O’Quinn each added 18 points as Orlando ended a four-game losing streak.

Orlando looked to be in control in the second half and led by as many as 27 points.

But that advantage was trimmed all the way down to three points in the closing minutes. The Magic were outscored 35-15 in the fourth quarter, but never trailed.

Tyler Zeller led the Celtics with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Avery Bradley added 20 points, and Kelly Olynyk 14.

PACERS 96, PELICANS 84

INDIANAPOLIS — George Hill scored 15 points in 21 minutes after missing the first 28 games with a left knee injury, leaving Indiana over New Orleans.

A more crisp offense, thanks in large part to Hill’s control of the offense, helped Indiana finish with six players scoring in double figures.

Anthony Davis scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Pelicans. Tyreke Evans finished with 14 points and one rebound. Jrue Holiday also had 16 points.

HORNETS 108, BUCKS 101

MILWAUKEE — Kemba Walker scored 27 points and Gerald Henderson added 16 as Charlotte held off Milwaukee for its season-high fourth straight victory.

Brandon Knight had a season-high 34 points for the Bucks, who were prevented from matching last season’s victory total of 15.

Knight pulled the Bucks within 103-99 on a 3-pointer with 25 seconds remaining, but the Hornets held on with five free throws down the stretch as the Bucks fell to 4-12 when allowing 100 or more points.