Cavs win ninth in row; James ejected
CLEVELAND — LeBron James lost his cool. Kevin Love and Cavaliers stayed just as hot.
Incensed at not getting a foul called on a drive to the basket, James was ejected for the first time in his career Tuesday night, tossed in the third quarter of Cleveland’s 108-97 win over the Miami Heat.
Love scored 32 of his 38 points in the first half and James added 21 as the Cavaliers extended their winning streak to nine.
With the Cavs leading by 23, James, who had attempted just one free throw at that point, drove the length of the floor and drew contact from Miami’s James Johnson and Dion Waiters. When James didn’t hear a whistle, he screamed and gestured toward referee Kane Fitzgerald, who quickly called a technical and pointed for the three-time champion to leave the floor.
It was the first time James had been thrown out in 1,082 career NBA games. He said it was a first since he started playing basketball as a boy in Akron.
“On that particular play I got fouled all the way up the court, from the time that I stripped him (Johnson) all the way until I got to the rim, and so that’s what it’s about,” James said. “I said what I had to say and I moved on, but he (Fitzgerald) thought that I should get two of
them, so it is … we got the win and that’s most important.” WIZARDS 92, TIMBERWOLVES 89: In Minneapolis, Otto Porter Jr. hit a 22-foot jumper with 25 seconds left to lift Washington to the victory.
Washington trailed for nearly the entire fourth quarter. After Porter’s jumper, Minnesota had two shots at the other end but couldn’t convert.
SUNS 104, BULLS 99: In Chicago, Devin Booker scored 33 points, and Phoenix held on for the road win.
Booker looked just fine after sitting out a game because of inflammation in his right big toe, nailing five 3-pointers and grabbing nine rebounds. T.J. Warren scored 25 for Phoenix.
JAZZ 106, NUGGETS 77: In Salt Lake City, Derrick Favors scored 24 points and Utah used a dominant second half to pull away from Denver.
Rookie Donovan Mitchell added 16 points as the Jazz matched a season high with its third straight victory. BUCKS 112, KINGS 87: In Sacramento, Calif., Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 19 of his 32 points in the third quarter, helping Milwaukee rout Sacramento. CLIPPERS: Los Angeles forward Blake Griffin sprained the medial collateral ligament of his left knee, the team said Tuesday. His timetable to return can be up to eight weeks.