Another loss for Cavs
TORONTO — LeBron James isn't enjoying the view lately, watching the end of blowout losses from the Cleveland Cavaliers' bench.
James and his struggling Cavaliers absorbed their most-lopsided rout of the season, overwhelmed by the Toronto Raptors 133-99 on Thursday night (Friday, PHL time).
The Cavaliers have dropped six of eight dating to a Christmas Day defeat at defending champion Golden State. James scored 26 points in this loss while Isaiah Thomas missed his first 11 shots.
"I don't know where it kind of went wrong or what happened," James said. "We've got to try to pick it back up and find it."
After losing to Minnesota 127-99 on Monday, the Cavaliers fell by an even bigger margin. Toronto's 133 points were the most by any Cavaliers opponent this season, and marked the third straight game that Cleveland has allowed at least 127.
So, what has been James' biggest beef with Cleveland's last two losses?
"That I haven't played in the fourth quarter," he said, adding his team is getting "tore up."
Kevin Love, who scored 10 points, said he's confident the Cavs can turn it around in time to reach the finals for a fourth straight season.
"We have enough talent here to get over that hump and make a lot of good things happen," Love said. "Right now it's just tough to see the light at the end of the tunnel but it is there. We will get out of it and we will get better."
CELTICS 114, 76ERS 103
Kyrie Irving had 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds and the Boston Celtics overcame a 22-point deficit to beat the Philadelphia 76ers in the eighth NBA game played in England.
Jaylen Brown added 21 points, and Marcus Morris had 19 points and eight rebounds to help the Eastern Conference-leading Celtics extend their winning streak to seven games.
JJ Redick had 22 points and hit five three-pointers for Philadelphia, but the 76ers were unable to take advantage of their fast start as the Celtics' NBA-best defense tightened at O2 Arena.
Joel Embiid had 16 points, and fellow All-Star hopeful Ben Simmons added 15 for the 76ers.
Irving and Embiid struggled early, going a combined 1-for-10 from the field in the first quarter.
LAKERS 93, SPURS 81
Brandon Ingram scored 26 points, Lonzo Ball added 18 and the LosAngeles Lakers held off the short-handed SanAntonio Spurs for their first three-game winning streak of the season.
Larry Nance Jr. had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who blew an early 19-point lead before running away in the fourth quarter. Ball contributed 10 rebounds and six assists as Los Angeles snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Spurs at Staples Center since April 2013, the last time the Lakers made the playoffs.