Timberwolves trounce Cavs
MINNEAPOLIS: Taj Gibson contributed three baskets to a 20-4, game-opening run that sent Minnesota on its way to a wire-to-wire, 127-99 thrashing of Cleveland in Minneapolis. Andrew Wiggins finished with 25 points and Jimmy Butler 21 as the Timberwolves won a second straight to open a five-game homestand while snapping a sixgame losing streak to Cleveland. LeBron James was held to 10 points, his lowest since October of 2007, for the Cavaliers, who lost for the second time in three outings on a five-game trip.
PELICANS 112, PISTONS 109 Anthony Davis scored a game-high 30 points before being sidelined by an injured ankle in the third quarter and the New Orleans Pelicans held on to defeat the Detroit Pistons, 112-109, on Monday night in the Smoothie King Center in
New Orleans. Davis made 12 of 14 shots and grabbed 10 rebounds in 27 minutes before being injured. There was no immediate prognosis. The Pelicans (20-19) play at Memphis. The Pistons (21-18) visit Brooklyn today. E-Twaun Moore scored 23 points for the Pelicans and DeMarcus Cousins scored 15 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 10 rebounds. Jrue Holiday scored 14 points and Rajon Rondo had 12 points and 15 assists. Tobias Harris led Detroit with 25 points, Avery Bradley scored 24, Andre Drummond had 16 points and 14 rebounds, Ish Smith scored 16 and Reggie Bullock and Dwight Buycks scored 10 each.
CLIPPERS 108, HAWKS 107
C.J. Williams canned a 3-pointer with 9.1 seconds left as Los Angeles rallied to hand Atlanta its latest loss, 108-107 in Los Angeles. It capped a rally from a 105-100 deficit that saw the Hawks playing percentages, opting to foul DeAndre Jordan on the Clippers’ next two possessions. But Jordan, a notoriously terrible foul shooter who has improved to 60.6 percent this season, drained four straight free throws to pull Los
Angeles (18-21) within a point.
WARRIORS 124, NUGGETS 114 Stephen Curry contributed 32 points and nine assists and Golden State avenged their worst offensive showing this season by beating Denver, 124-114, in Oakland, Calif. Draymond Green had 23 points and 10 assists and Klay Thompson scored 19 points as Golden State won its fifth straight game and improved its NBA-best record to 33-8. The Warriors shot 56.5 percent from the field despite being without forward Kevin Durant for the third straight game due to a calf injury. SPURS 107, KINGS 100 LaMarcus Aldridge had 31 points and 12 rebounds and Davis Bertans enjoyed a career night as San Antonio rallied to a 107-100 victory over host Sacramento. Bertans established career highs of 28 points and six 3-pointers as San Antonio recovered from a 13-point deficit. Bertans was 11-of-15 shooting, including 6-of-9 from 3point range. Willie Cauley-Stein had 22 points and nine rebounds for the Kings, who lost for the sixth time in the past eight games.