LeBron scores 35, carries Cavaliers past Raptors
CLEVELAND » LeBron James scored 35 points and added 17 assists, his last setting up a late a 3-pointer by Kevin Love, and the undermanned Cleveland Cavaliers ended Toronto’s nine-game road winning streak with a 132-129 victory over the Eastern Conferenceleading Raptors on Wednesday night.
The Cavs were missing five rotational players and coach Tyronn Lue, who missed his second straight game because of health reasons.
But they had James, who earlier in the day said, “I’ll be available, so we got a chance.”
James didn’t have a turnover in 40 minutes and he made three free throws in the final 7.8 seconds. He missed one with 3.9 seconds left, giving Toronto a final shot, but DeMar DeRozan’s 3-pointer — contested by James — was wide left. DeRozan and Toronto coaches complained the AllStar was fouled to no avail.
Love, playing his second game after missing 21 games with a broken left hand, finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds and George Hill had 22 on 10-of-11 shooting for the Cavs, who were blown out by 34 points against Toronto in January. But that was before Cleveland shook up its roster with four trades designed to get back to the NBA Finals. The Cavs are third in the East and would need a collapse by second-place Boston to improve on that position with 11 games remaining.
Kyle Lowry scored 24 and DeRozan had 21 for the Raptors, who scored 79 points in the first half and were in control in the third quarter before James brought Cleveland back.
With the Cavs up 125-124, James drove the lane and whipped the ball into the corner to Love, who knocked down his 1,000th career 3-pointer. HEAT 119, KNICKS 98 » Kelly Olynyk scored 22 points and handed out a career-high 10 assists, Tyler Johnson added 22 points and Miami had little trouble on the way to beating New York.
Wayne Ellington scored 16, Justise Winslow added 15, Goran Dragic had 14 and Josh Richardson finished with 12 for the Heat, who remained seventh in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Olynyk’s previous high for assists was eight, done twice. He scored 52 points, had 16 assists and grabbed 13 rebounds in Miami’s brief two-game homestand, with the Heat winning both outings.
Enes Kanter scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Knicks. Michael Beasley added 22 points on 10 for 15 shooting for New York, and Trey Burke scored 16 off the bench.
Miami led 64-47 at the half, before the Knicks quickly made things interesting. Hardaway’s 3-pointer got the Knicks within 72-63 with 5 minutes gone in the third quarter, but the Heat — who are on the cusp of setting a franchise record for 3s made in a season — went to the long ball to take command right back.
Johnson made consecutive 3-pointers to start a personal 8-0 run that restored the 17-point edge, the lead eventually swelled to as much as 28 and the Heat emptied their bench with 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Bucks’ Antetokounmpo leaves game with ankle sprain
MILWAUKEE » Giannis Antetokounmpo has left Milwaukee’s game Wednesday night and will not return after rolling his right ankle.
Antetokounmpo was injured in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers. He appeared to get hurt when he tripped over teammate Shabazz Muhammad under Milwaukee’s basket. He stayed in the game for a brief period, but hobbled around the court while grimacing. He went to the locker room with about four minutes remaining in the second quarter and did not return.
The Bucks said Antetokounmpo has a right ankle sprain and was done for the game.