Harden, Powell score 24 points apiece as the Clippers hold off the Raptors 105-103

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — James Harden had 24 points and 12 rebounds, Norman Powell added 24 points and the Los Angeles Clippers barely hung on to beat the Toronto Raptors 105-103 on Saturday night for their fourth straight victory.

Ivica Zubac had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who have won three straight at Intuit Dome after starting 0-4 in their lavish new home.

Ochai Agbaji and Immanuel Quickley scored 21 points apiece for the Raptors, who have lost three straight and seven of eight.

After Quickley hit a tying 3-pointer with 39 seconds left, Powell and Harden combined to miss three of six free throws to leave the door open for Toronto. But Quickley and RJ Barrett both missed tough short shots under defensive pressure before Jakob Poeltl missed a putback attempt with 4.1 seconds left.

Kawhi Leonard still hasn't played this season while rehabilitating his right knee and won't travel on the Clippers' upcoming three-game trip, coach Tyronn Lue said.

Raptors: Quickley was outstanding in the fourth quarter of his first appearance since missing eight games with a pelvic bruise.

Clippers: LA showed resilience in its third set of back-to-back games already this season after winning in Sacramento on Friday.

Toronto was down three when Poeltl made his first free throw and intentionally missed his second, getting the ball to rebound right back to him. But he missed his 9-foot putback, and Harden threw the ball down the floor.

Kevin Porter Jr. had 15 points in his highest-scoring performance since returning to the NBA this fall after spending a year out of the league following a domestic violence assault charge in September 2023. He averaged 19.3 points per game for Houston in 2022-23.

The Clippers visit the Thunder on Monday, and the Raptors stay in LA to face the Lakers on Sunday.

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Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) shoots over Toronto Raptors guard Gradey Dick (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) is defended by Toronto Raptors forward Jonathan Mogbo (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann grabs a rebound in front of Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) celebrates as he dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) drives to the basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Stocks edged lower on Wall Street Thursday morning after U.S. markets reopened for trading after the Christmas holiday.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.1%. The benchmark index is coming off a three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 23 points, or 0.1%, as of 11:14 a.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite was down less than 0.1%.

Some Big Tech stocks were among the heaviest weights on the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.5%. Meta Platforms fell 0.8%, while Amazon was 0.7% lower. Netflix gave up 1.6% for the biggest decline among S&P 500 stocks.

Health care stocks were among the bright spots. CVS Health rose 2.7% and Walgreens Boots Alliance rose 2.6%.

Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 2.3%, Best Buy was up 1.7% and Dollar Tree gained 1.7%.

U.S.-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 3.7% and 15.7%, respectively. The Japanese automakers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine.

U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labor Department reported.

Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.61% from 4.59% late Tuesday.

Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.

Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar.

Still, U.S. markets have historically gotten a boost at year’s end despite lower trading volumes. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950.

So far this month, the U.S. stock market has lost some of its gains since President-elect Donald Trump’s win on Election Day, which raised hopes for faster economic growth and more lax regulations that would boost corporate profits. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation, a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade.

Even so, the U.S. market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up roughly 26% so far this year and remains near its most recent all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year.

Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to next week, including updates on pending home sales and home prices, a report on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity.

AP Business Writers Elaine Kurtenbach and Matt Ott contributed.

FIL:E - The New York Stock Exchange is shown in New York's Financial District on Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)

FIL:E - People photograph the New York Stock Exchange in New York's Financial District on Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)

Lights marking the entrance to a subway station frame the New York Stock Exchange in New York's Financial District on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)

People walk in front of Tokyo Stock Exchange building Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Currency traders watch monitors near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), top left, and the foreign exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the South Korean won, top center, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the KEB Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Currency traders work at the foreign exchange dealing room of the KEB Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A currency trader talks to another near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), top left, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won, top center, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the KEB Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A currency trader watches monitors near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), left, and the foreign exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the South Korean won at the foreign exchange dealing room of the KEB Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)