Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Raptors beat Cavs for ninth straight victory
Serge Ibaka scored 26 points, Kyle Lowry had 23 and the Toronto Raptors held off the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-109 on Thursday night for their ninth straight win.
Norman Powell scored eight consecutive points in the final minute after Cleveland cut the lead to 105-104. Powell hit a 3-pointer, scored on a layup after making a steal and sank three foul shots to seal the win.
Powell’s late-game flurry helped the Raptors stifle a comeback bid by the Cavaliers, who trailed 88-75 early in the fourth quarter.
Kevin Love and Collin Sexton each scored 23 points for Cleveland, which has lost nine of 10 overall and nine in a row at home.
Bradley Beal had 34 points, nine rebounds and nine assists after he was snubbed for an All-Star selection, and Washington beat Charlotte.
Beal, who had been named to the All-Star Game the previous two years, failed to make the East team as a reserve in results that were revealed shortly before game time. only for his role on the court but for his comments afterward, when he said Grizzlies forward Jae Crowder played with “female tendencies.”
Crowder was fined $25,000 for escalating the skirmish, which began when he stole the ball and shot a 3-pointer, causing a frustrated Payton to shove him to the floor while he was in the air with 48 seconds left in the Grizzlies’ 127-106 victory at Madison Square Garden.
Morris, who shoved Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant, later apologized on Twitter for his remarks about women. The Knicks said they understood the NBA’s penalties for both their players.
“In addition, we agree that Marcus’ comments were offensive and unacceptable,” the team added in a statement.