OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant scored 31 points to tie a franchise record for consecutive 30-point games and Nick Collison hit the two decisive free throws with 4.5 seconds left to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to an 87-86 victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night.
Collison came away with the ball after Durant missed a jumper from the right wing, and was fouled by Paul Millsap in the process.
After hitting only one of his previous four foul shots, Collison made both free throws to give the Thunder their first five-game winning streak in more than four years.
Durant surpassed 30 points for the sixth straight game, tying a franchise record set by Spencer Haywood in January 1972.
Bulls 98, Pistons 87
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Derrick Rose scored 22 points, and Joakim Noah added 15 points and 21 rebounds to help the Chicago Bulls hand the Detroit Pistons their ninth straight loss.
Chicago hadn’t won a road game in six weeks, but never trailed against the slumping Pistons (11-21), who are 10 games under .500 for the first time since the 2000-01 season. The Bulls (13-17) snapped an eight-game losing streak away from home.
Spurs 108, Heat 78
SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and San Antonio beat a winning team for the first time in a month. Manu Ginobili added 18 points for the Spurs, who have won four straight and 10 of 12. But the Heat are the only winning team among those victories.
Miami, meanwhile, was dealt its most lopsided loss this season. Michael Beasley scored 26 points and Dwyane Wade had 16 before watching the blowout from the bench in the fourth quarter.
Rockets 97, Mavericks 94
HOUSTON — Franklin High School graduate Aaron Brooks scored 30 points, Shane Battier made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 2:11 left, and Houston beat Dallas.
Brooks followed Battier’s 3 with one of his own for a six-point lead with 1:35 remaining, and the Rockets held on when Jason Kidd missed a potential game-tying shot from behind the arc in the final second.
Clippers 104, 76ers 88
LOS ANGELES — Chris Kaman had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA’s final game of the decade.
Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy missed the game after aggravating a herniated disc in his back while at home. Assistant Tony Brown ran the team in his place.
All the Clippers’ starters scored in double figures, with Baron Davis contributing 20 points and seven assists. Marcus Camby added 14 points and 10 boards. The Clippers completed a season sweep of the 76ers after losing both meetings in each of the previous two seasons.
All-Star voting
NEW YORK — Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers has surged into second place among Eastern Conference guards in All-Star balloting, putting him in position to make his ninth start. He is more than 155,000 votes ahead of No. 3 Vince Carter of Orlando.
Iverson is listed with the Western Conference guards on the paper ballot, having started the season in Memphis. But his votes count toward the East since being traded back to his longtime team on Dec. 3.
Tracy McGrady inched back ahead of Steve Nash by 1,005 votes for second among West guards. McGrady played just six games for the Rockets before they decided he would leave the team while the Rockets explore trade options.
Starters for the Feb. 14 game in Dallas will be announced Jan. 21.
The other players on track to start for the East are LeBron James of Cleveland, Kevin Garnett of Boston, Dwight Howard of Orlando and Dwyane Wade of Miami.
Kobe Bryant, who won his third All-Star MVP last year, is the overall leading vote-getter. The other players on pace to start for the West are McGrady, Carmelo Anthony of Denver, Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas and Amare Stoudemire of Phoenix.
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