Spurs outlast Jazz in OT behind Aldridge
Lowry’s triple-double helps Raptors squeeze past Nets
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — LaMarcus Aldridge had a career-high 45 points, helping San Antonio overcome Donovan Mitchell’s 35-point performance for Utah in the Spurs’ 124-120 overtime victory over the Jazz on Friday night.
The Spurs won their sixth straight and beat the Jazz for the first time in four meetings this season.
Utah’s 12-game road winning streak came to an end, but only after Mitchell had 14 points in the fourth quarter, including three 3-pointers in the final 2 minutes to force overtime.
San Antonio remained sixth in the Western Conference with the same record as fifth-place New Orleans, a half-game behind Oklahoma City for fourth. Utah remained eighth in the West.
RAPTORS 116, NETS 112: In Toronto, Kyle Lowry had 25 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in his 10th triple-double with Toronto, and Jonas Valanciunas scored 23 points as the Raptors beat Brooklyn for their 12th straight victory over the Nets.
DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points and Fred VanVleet had 16 to help the Eastern Conference leaders bounce back from a loss at Cleveland on Wednesday night. The Raptors improved to an NBAbest 30-6 at home.
Brooklyn’s D’Angelo Russell had 18 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for his first career triple-double. TIMBERWOLVES 108, KNICKS 104: In New York, Karl-Anthony Towns had 24 points and 13 rebounds as Minnesota beat New York to clinch its first winning record in 13 years.
Taj Gibson scored 18 points, and Andrew Wiggins added 17 points and 11 rebounds to help the Wolves improve to 42-31. Nemanja Bjelica also had 17 points.
The Timberwolves hadn’t finished with a winning record since going 44-38 in 2004-05, the season after their last playoff appearance.
THUNDER 105, HEAT 99: In Oklahoma City, Russell Westbrook scored 17 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter to help Oklahoma City beat Miami.
Westbrook went 6-for-6 from the field in the final period. He also had 13 rebounds and eight assists.
Steven Adams added 24 points and 12
rebounds for the Thunder, which has won seven of eight.
BUCKS 118, BULLS 105: In Chicago, Shabazz Muhammad scored 21 points and Milwaukee overcame a sluggish start to beat Chicago.
Milwaukee star swingman Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the game because of a sprained right ankle.
Former Bull Tony Snell, a University of New Mexico alum, added 18 points.
CAVALIERS 120, SUNS 95: In Cleveland, LeBron James scored 27 points in three quarters and Kevin Love added 20 as Cleveland welcomed back three players from injury during a blowout of Phoenix, which lost its 10th straight game.
James added nine assists and six rebounds before watching and cheering from the bench in the fourth while the Cavs rolled to an easy win with their healthiest roster in weeks. Forwards Tristan Thompson, Larry Nance Jr. and Rodney Hood all returned from injuries. PACERS 109, CLIPPERS 104: In Indianapolis, Bojan Bogdanovic scored 28 points and Indiana used a late 9-0 run to hold on for a victory over Los Angeles, putting the Pacers on the precipice of clinching a playoff spot.
The Pacers won for only the second time in five games but can clinch a playoff berth with one more win or a Detroit loss. NUGGETS 108, WIZARDS 100: In Washington, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray each scored 25 points and Denver beat Washington.
Bradley Beal led Washington with 24 points as it failed to gain ground in a competitive East. WARRIORS 106, HAWKS 94: In Oakland, Calif., Stephen Curry returned to the lineup after sitting out six games with ankle injury and scored 29 points to lead Golden State past Atlanta.
Curry, though, left the game in the second half after suffering what the Warriors are calling a knee strain. CELTICS 105, BLAZERS 100: In Portland, Ore., Boston rallied from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Portland.
Marcus Morris had 30 points for the Celtics.
Before the game, the Celtics said AllStar ■ point guard Kyrie Irving is set to have surgery today to alleviate pain in his left knee. There is no timetable for his return.