James has triple-double, Cavs beat Pistons 128-96
CLEVELAND — LeBron James got his 52nd career triple-double, Kyrie Irving scored 26 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers used a blazing start to overpower the Detroit Pistons 128-96 on Tuesday night.
James picked up his 10th triple-double of the season and third in the last four games at the 3:45 mark of the third quarter. In only 28 minutes, the fourtime MVP finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists.
Cleveland had lost four of five, but James helped them cruise in this one. He even overpowered a teammate at one point, flattening Irving while grabbing a rebound in the third quarter. James helped Irving to his feet then dribbled the ball up the floor.
Cleveland’s hot shooting buried Detroit early.
The Cavaliers made their first 10 3-pointers and started by hitting 22 of 25 shots for a 6033 lead early in the second quarter.
Iman Shumpert scored a season-high 18 points for Cleveland, which is 3-5 in March but still leads Boston by 2½ games for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Tobias Harris led Detroit with 17 points. The Pistons are seventh in the East but are in a tight battle with several teams for a playoff spot.
Detroit used a fourth-quarter rally to defeat Cleveland last week at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Cavaliers went ahead four minutes into the game and removed any idea the Pistons may have had of pulling another surprise.
Knicks 87, Pacers 81
NEW YORK — Carmelo Anthony scored 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, Derrick Rose added 16 points and New York overcame a 13-point third-quarter deficit to beat Indiana.
Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis exited in the third quarter with a left leg injury. Rookie Willy Hernangomez entered in his place and had 13 points and 16 rebounds.
New York had lost its last three games. Anthony also had 13 rebounds.
Paul George scored 22 points for the Pacers, who failed to build on their sixth-place lead in the Eastern Conference. Myles Turner had 17 points and 12 rebounds.
The Knicks trailed 59-46 with 9:07 left in the third after Turner’s basket but closed out the quarter on an 18-3 run, capped by Anthony’s 3-pointer that gave New York a 64-62 lead with 52 seconds left.
Pelicans 100, Trail Blazers 77
NEW ORLEANS — DeMarcus Cousins scored 22 points, Anthony Davis had 15 points and 15 rebounds and New Orleans beat Portland.
Cousins had nine rebounds and three assists. He made 9 of 17 2-point shots but missed all five of his 3-point attempts.
Jordan Crawford had 13 points and scored in double figures for the fourth time in four games since being signed to a 10-day contract March 5. Solomon Hill scored 12 points, E’Twaun Moore had 11 and Jrue Holiday 10.
Damian Lillard scored 29 points to lead Portland, which lost for the second time in its last seven games. Shabazz Napier came off the bench to score 10 points.
New Orleans set season lows in points allowed, field-goal percentage allowed (30.3) and turnovers committed (five). Portland had its fewest points this season.
The Pelicans’ lead grew to 5036 at halftime and 77-54 after three quarters as Portland failed to score more than 20 points in any of the first three quarters.
New Orleans led by as many as 26 points in the fourth quarter.