Cavs edge Hornets, Warriors romp Bulls, Celtics back to winning ways
Lebron James had 27 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists, J.R. Smith made the tiebreaking free throw with 48 seconds left, and the Cleveland Cavaliers extended their winning streak to seven straight with a 100-99 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night.
James had season highs in rebounds and assists in his 57th career triple-double, Associated Press reported.
He’s 41-6 in the regular season against Charlotte and the Cavaliers have won 12 of 13, including eight straight against the Hornets.
After Smith split a pair from the line, both teams missed 3-point attempts and Charlotte called time with 11.1 seconds left.
Jeremy Lamb missed a 3-pointer after the Hornets inbounded at midcourt and the rebound was tapped out to Kemba Walker, but his 3-point attempt fell well short.
Smith had 16 points, while Kevin Love had 11 points and 13 rebounds for Cleveland.
Dwight Howard had 20 points and 13 rebounds for Charlotte, which fell to 1-8 on the road.
Michael Kidd-gilchrist and Marvin Williams scored 17 points for the Hornets, whose three-game winning streak ended.
Bulls 94 Warriors 143
Stephen Curry put on a thrilling display with 33 points to lead the Golden State Warriors over the Chicago Bulls 143-94 on a night Kevin Durant and Draymond Green were out.
Curry and Klay Thompson came to play Friday night with their fellow All-stars out.
Durant was sidelined the second time in three games with a sprained left ankle, while Green didn’t play for rest.
Curry found his stroke from way back and breezed past a 7-footer in the paint with authority.
The two-time MVP notched his seventh career 30-point half and 21st 20-point quarter, when he scored 26 in the second as the Warriors matched their biggest half of the season with a 74-53 lead at intermission.
Steph was feeling it, all right, following up a deep 3 in the second quarter with a high-step shuffle and chest pat before waving his hands in the air for the crowd to join the fun. And with Green’s muscle flexing absent on this night, Curry drove left and over 7-foot Robin Lopez for a layup late in the second and was fouled. On the floor beneath the basket, he flexed his biceps in celebration.
He shot 10 for 18 with four 3-pointers, while Thompson added 29 points on 12-of-17 shooting with five 3s. Big man Zaza Pachulia had a season-best 11 points and career-high six assists.
Jerian Grant scored 21 points for the Bulls.
Magic 103 Celtics 118
Kyrie Irving scored 17 of his 30 points in a blistering first half and Boston routed Orlando.
One game after ending their streak of 16 consecutive victories, the Celtics scored 40 points in the first quarter and 73 by halftime — both season highs — to send the Magic to their seventh straight loss.
Aron Baynes finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Al Horford had 10 assists.
Still wearing a mask after breaking a bone in his face on November 10, Irving was 9 for 15 from the floor and sank all 10 of his free throw attempts, many with the sold-out crowd chanting “M-V-P!”
Rozier had a career-high 23 points for Boston, which also topped its season high for points.
Jonathon Simmons scored 14 points for Orlando.