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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — James Harden made 10 three-pointers and scored a season-high 55 points, and the Clippers beat the Charlotte Hornets 131-116 on Saturday hours after 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul released a video on social media hinting at retirement after the season ends.

Ivica Zubac contributed 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Clippers, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

Rookie Kon Knueppel had 26 points to lead the Hornets, who have lost five in a row. Brandon Miller returned from a 13-game absence because of a shoulder injury and finished with 21 points.

Harden erupted for 27 points in the opening quarter, making five three-pointers while helping the Clippers build a 14-point first-half lead and erase a fast start by the Hornets, who made seven of eight shots to open the game.

Charlotte pulled to within 74-72 in the third quarter, but the momentum changed when LaMelo Ball exited the game after committing his fourth foul.

With Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner leaving the game early with an ankle injury, the Clippers leaned on Zubac’s size advantage over Moussa Diabate in the third quarter, resulting in back-to-back dunks.

Then came Harden’s signature moment, as he drilled his eighth three-pointer on a step-back jumper over two defenders, drawing a foul on Diabate for a four-point play.

Harden’s 55-point outing was the 11th-highest scoring game of his career. His career high is 61 points.

Paul, who grew in Winston-Salem, N.C., and played at Wake Forest, finished what is expected to be his final game in his home state with eight assists. Paul showed his mastery of finding the open man in the second half by connecting with Brook Lopez for three open three-pointers.

The Hornets, who have been besieged by early season injuries, lost two more players against the Clippers. Kalkbrenner (left ankle soreness) and veteran guard Pat Connaughton (right calf soreness) exited the game in the first half and did not return.

Up next

Both teams are on the road Sunday night, with the Clippers visiting Cleveland and the Hornets at Atlanta.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Jalen Suggs scored a season-high 23 points and had seven assists, and the Orlando Magic rolled to a 129-101 win over the Clippers on Thursday night.

James Harden had 31 points and eight assists for the Clippers. Ivica Zubac, the only other Clipper in double figures, had 14 points and 19 rebounds.

The injury-riddled Clippers, playing the fourth game of a seven-game trip, lost for the ninth time in 10 games.

The Clippers played a second consecutive game without Derrick Jones Jr. (knee) and Jordan Miller (hamstring) and a ninth in a row without Kawhi Leonard (ankle and foot). The Magic played a fourth consecutive game without Paolo Banchero (groin).

Franz Wagner scored 20 points and Tristan da Silva contributed 17 points and eight rebounds for the Magic, who have won five of six. Anthony Black came off the Orlando bench to finish with 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Clippers center Ivica Zubac goes up for a shoot between Magic guard Tyus Jones (2) and center Wendell Carter Jr., right, during the first half Thursday.

(Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press)

Suggs scored 20 points in the first half and finished with five three-pointers. He did not play in the final quarter.

Orlando made 18 of 34 three-point shots (52.9%). Suggs made one to put the Magic up 61-49 at halftime.

The lead reached 26 when Desmond Bane, Wendell Carter Jr. and Black combined for four three-pointers in the first 2:21 of the fourth quarter.

Up next

Clippers: Visit Charlotte on Saturday. Magic: Host New York on Saturday.

Chad Baker-Mazara scored 20 of his career-high 26 points in the first half to lead seven USC players in double figures and start the Trojans off and running to a 114-83 victory over Manhattan on Sunday.

Baker-Mazara made seven of 13 shots, including three of four from three-point range, and all nine of his free throws to help the Trojans (2-0) score more points than they’ve had since 1998. He added seven rebounds.

Ezra Ausar scored 17 points on seven-for-10 shooting for USC and Rodney Rice pitched in with 14 points, six rebounds and four assists. Jacob Cofie totaled 10 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while Terrence Williams II added 10 points and seven boards. Reserves Jaden Brownell and Jordan Marsh scored 13 and 11, respectively.

USC jumped out to a 7-2 lead before Anthony Isaac’s layup capped a 5-0 spurt for Manhattan to tie it. From there neither team had a two-possession lead until Baker-Mazara hit a three-pointer to put USC up 28-23 with 7:48 left before halftime. The Trojans sank four of their next five shots to push their advantage to double digits and upped it to 55-37 at the break.

USC led by as many as 35 in the second half and topped the century mark on a layup by Brownell with 6:16 left to play.

Junior guard Jaden Winston scored a career-high 29 to pace the Jaspers (1-1). The fifth-year senior guard made nine of 14 shots with three three-pointers while making all eight of his free throws. Terrance Jones had 18 points and fellow reserve Isaac scored 16.