Crawford Lifts Clippers – NBA Roundup For Wednesday, January 16th

UNDATED (AP) — Jamal Crawford hasn't started a game for the Los Angeles Clippers this season, although that hasn't stopped him from leading the team in scoring 12 times.

Crawford poured in a season-high 30 points and the Clippers improved to 30-9 by beating the Rockets 117-109 in Houston. Crawford gave the Clippers a 20-point lead by outscoring the Rockets 12-7 to start the final period. L.A. is 11-1 when he paces the club in scoring.

Eric Bledsoe finished with 19 points and seven rebounds while starting for the second straight night in place of injured guard Chris Paul. Bledsoe helped the Clippers join the Thunder as the NBA's only 30-win teams this season.

The Brooklyn Nets now own a 9-1 record under interim coach P.J. Carlesimo (kahr-LES'-ih-moh) after running their season-high winning streak to seven games.

The Nets had three players score at least 21 points in a 113-106 win over the visiting Toronto Raptors. Brook Lopez led the scoring with 22 points while grabbing nine rebounds. Joe Johnson and Deron Williams each added 21 points for the Nets, who improved to 23-15 and moved within 1 ½ games of the first-place New York Knicks in the Atlantic Division.

In other NBA action, Denver has a season-high six-game winning streak after Wilson Chandler drained a tiebreaking three-pointer with 14.9 seconds left in overtime to lift the Nuggets past Portland 115-111. Danilo Gallinari dropped in 25 points, while Ty Lawson added 24 and 12 assists to help the Nuggets improve to 15-2 at home.

Dwight Howard's 31 points and 16 rebounds led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 104-88 win over Milwaukee. Kobe Bryant also had 31 points and shot 12-for-19 in the Lakers' second straight win.

Indiana made it five wins in its last six games as Roy Hibbert's 18 points and seven rebounds carried the Pacers to a 103-76 romp over Charlotte. The Bobcats have dropped 13 straight at home after being outrebounded 60-31 and outscored 52-22 in the paint.

Greivis Vasquez had 23 points and nine assists as New Orleans downed the 76ers 111-99 in Philadelphia. Eric Gordon added 19 points to help the Hornets withstand Jrue Holiday's game highs of 29 points and 11 assists for the Sixers.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kevin Love is expected to return sometime in March after undergoing surgery on his broken right hand.

The Minnesota Timberwolves announced Tuesday that the operation to repair Love's third and fourth metacarpal bones was successful. The procedure was done by Dr. Michelle Carson at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Love was hurt during the Jan. 3 game at Denver, after suffering the same injury in a workout at his home on Oct. 17. The two-time All-Star power forward has played in only 18 of Minnesota's 35 games this season.