Cavaliers' win streak continues
CHICAGO — LeBron James could sense the Cleveland Cavaliers were starting to click the last time they lost. But a streak like this? He wasn't about to say he saw that coming.
Dwyane Wade and Kevin Love each scored 24 points, James had 23 and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls 113-91 Monday night (Tuesday, PHL time) for their 12th straight win.
Backed by a trio of stars, the Cavaliers matched their longest winning streak since the 2014-15 season. They dropped a tight game at Houston on Nov. 9 and haven't lost since. The streak started with wins at Dallas, New York and Charlotte.
"I'm not Nostradamus so I did not see the streak," James said. "But in the Houston game, I'd seen the way we played in that game. And I'd seen that if we could build off that game, then we can kind of turn the things around. That was a great road trip for us."
Wade made 9 of 13 shots in his first game in Chicago since agreeing to a buyout with his hometown team in late September. Love grabbed 13 rebounds and made 8 of 13 from the field. James finished 9 of 15 with seven rebounds and six assists. The Cavaliers shot just under 52 percent.
WARRIORS 125, PELICANS 115
Stephen Curry was in good spirits, but a little annoyed with himself as he stood on crutches in Golden State's locker room.
After all the work he'd done to lead the Warriors back from a 21-point deficit in New Orleans, he went for a steal that his team didn't really need in the waning moments, stepped on E'Twaun Moore's foot and sprained his right ankle.
"It was a dumb play," Curry said. "I got caught on E'Twaun's shoe as I went by him and couldn't catch myself. So, obviously, it hurt."
Curry scored 31 points, going 5 of 11 from 3-point range, and had 11 assists before his injury, and the Warriors outscored the Pelicans by 30 in the second half for a victory.
CELTICS 111, BUCKS 100
Kyrie Irving had 19 of his 32 points in the second half, helping offset a 40-point night by Giannis Antetokounmpo as the Boston Celtics held off the Milwaukee Bucks.
Al Horford added 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Jayson Tatum chipped in 17 points to help Boston improve to an NBA-best 21-4. The Celtics have won five of their last six.
It was the third 40-point game this season for Antetokounmpo. Khris Middleton added 19 points while Eric Bledsoe had 18 points.
Boston led by as many as 20 in the third quarter, before the Bucks stormed back, thanks in large part to Antetokounmpo.
SPURS 96, PISTONS 93
LaMarcus Aldridge had 17 points and 10 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs rallied to beat the Detroit Pistons.
Reggie Jackson had 27 points for Detroit, which led by as many as nine points before dropping its third straight.
The Spurs were without Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Anderson, who has started in place of Leonard all season.
Rudy Gay, making his first start in place of Anderson, had 12 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. His final points came on a three-point play that gave San Antonio an 88-86 lead with 3:39 remaining.