NBA roundup: Spurs smother Thunder for third time in 13 days

De'Aaron Fox scored a game-high 29 points as the visiting San Antonio Spurs knocked off the Oklahoma City Thunder 117-102 to hand the Thunder their first back-to-back losses this season.

The Spurs have won eight consecutive games -- which does not include the NBA Cup final loss to the New York Knicks on Dec. 16 -- to extend their longest winning streak since 2018-19. Three of the Thunder's five defeats this season, including both of their past two, have come against San Antonio.

Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who came off the bench for the sixth consecutive game since missing nearly a month due to a calf injury, finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds in nearly 26 minutes.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 22 points, but he shot just 7-for-19 from the field, including 1-for-6 from beyond the 3-point arc. Isaiah Hartenstein paired 13 points with 12 rebounds while no other Thunder player scored more than 12.

Knicks 126, Cavaliers 124

Jalen Brunson hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:05 left for host New York, which overcame a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Cleveland.

Brunson scored 13 of his 34 points over the final 7:15 for the Knicks, who mounted their biggest comeback win of the season. Reserves Jordan Clarkson (25 points) and Tyler Kolek (16 points, nine assists) had big games while Karl-Anthony Towns (11 points, 14 rebounds) posted a double-double.

Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points for the Cavaliers, who blew a pair of double-digit leads and took their first loss this season when leading after three quarters. Darius Garland recorded 20 points and 10 assists.

Warriors 126, Mavericks 116

Stephen Curry lost a personal scoring duel with Cooper Flagg in their first head-to-head matchup, but he teamed with Gary Payton II to stall a late rally as Golden State held off Dallas in San Francisco.

Curry led the Warriors with 23 points in Golden State's 13th consecutive appearance on Christmas Day. After the Mavericks closed within 110-104 with 4:28 to play, Payton converted a Draymond Green pass into his momentum-swinging dunk and Curry bombed in a 26-footer on Golden State's next possession to reopen a double-digit lead with 3:45 left.

Flagg went for a game-high 27 points and Brandon Williams added 26 for the Mavericks, who lost Anthony Davis for the night after he experienced right groin spasms in the fourth minute of the second quarter. Davis finished with three points, three rebounds and two blocks in 11 minutes.

Rockets 119, Lakers 96

Amen Thompson scored a game-high 26 points and Kevin Durant added 25 as visiting Houston never trailed Los Angeles to cap a 2-4 road trip on a good note.

Jabari Smith Jr. notched 16 points while Alperen Sengun contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Rockets transformed a 10-point halftime lead into an 81-58 advantage on Smith's tip-in with 5:52 left in the third quarter.

Luka Doncic paced the Lakers with 25 points and seven assists while LeBron James posted 18 points in his 19th Christmas Day game. Austin Reaves scored 12 points in the first half, but he did not play in the second half due to left calf soreness. The Lakers were outrebounded 48-25.