Chris Paul scored 12 of his 23 points in the final 2:42, including a go-ahead layup with 24.6 seconds left, in leading the Los Angeles Clippers over the Houston Rockets 95-91 in the NBA Saturday. The victory put the Clippers within 2½ games of the idle Los Angeles Lakers in the race for the Pacific Division lead. Blake Griffin had 18 points and eight rebounds before fouling out with 4.9 seconds remaining. Randy Foye, filling in at shooting guard for the injured Chauncey Billups, added 15 points in what could be his last start because of the acquisition of Nick Young on Thursday from Washington. Courtney Lee led Houston with a season-high 25 points despite a strained tendon in the middle finger of his left hand. Chase Budinger added 19 points, and Goran Dragic had 14 assists and 11 points. Bulls 89, 76ers 80: C. J. Watson scored 20 points and Joakim Noah added 13 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to victory over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers. The Bulls overcame an early 14-point deficit without Derrick Rose, who missed his third straight game with a strained groin muscle. Even with Rose, the reigning most valuable player, missing 13 games this season, the Bulls still have the league's best record at 37-10. They are 9-4 without Rose. Jrue Holiday had 30 points to lead the 76ers, who dropped their third in a row. Holiday got little help as Andre Iguodala was held to 7 points. Hornets 102, Nets 94: Chris Kaman scored 20 points, including a key 23-foot jumper with a second left on the shot clock and 45 seconds left in the game, to lead visiting New Orleans to a victory against the Nets. Nuggets 98, Celtics 91: Danilo Gallinari scored 20 points and Kenneth Faried added 18 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for the Nuggets, who have beaten Boston seven of the past eight times in Denver. Maverics 106, Spurs 99: Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points, responding time after time despite being pushed and swatted at, to lead host Dallas. Jason Terry added 17 points and Rodrigue Beaubois 16 for the Mavericks, who won their third consecutive game since a 2-7 stretch over 12 days. Jazz 99, Warriors 92: Derrick Favors, starting for Al Jefferson, set career highs with 23 points and 17 rebounds to help host Utah win in overtime. Jefferson, Utah's leading scorer and rebounder, was attending his grandmother's funeral in Mississippi. Other results: Bobcats 107, Raptors 103; Knicks 102, Pacers 88.
