LeBron scores 39 points, Cavs beat Clippers in OT
Cavaliers 118 Clippers 113
CLEVELAND — LeBron James scored 39 points, Kevin Love added 25 and the Cleveland Cavaliers won their fourth straight, 118-113 in overtime over the skidding Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.
Love made a pair of 3-pointers in OT, when the Cavs outscored the Clippers 13-8. Dwyane Wade added 23 points and 11 rebounds for Cleveland. The Cavs’ win wasn’t eye-pleasing, but it was another step in the right direction for the Eastern Conference champions, who went 3-1 on a justcompleted trip. The Clippers are headed the other way. Los Angeles has lost seven in a row and nine of 10 since a 4-0 start.
SPURS 104, THUNDER 101
In San Antonio, LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points and San Antonio overcame a 23-point deficit to beat Oklahoma City.
Danny Green added 17 points, and Pau Gasol had 14 points to help San Antonio end Oklahoma City’s three-game winning streak.
Aldridge put back of Green’s missed 3-pointer gave the Spurs a 102-99 lead with 24.2 seconds remaining.
The Thunder missed two 3-pointers on the ensuing possession, but Carmelo Anthony tracked down a second offensive rebound and made a 25-footer with his foot on the 3-point line to cut the lead to 102-101.
Gasol made two free throws, and Russell Westbrook stumbled to the court and threw up an airball on a 3-point attempt.
HEAT 91, WIZARDS 88
In Washington, Miami nearly wasted a terrific defensive effort against John Wall and high-scoring Washington, allowing a 25-point lead to dwindle all the way down to one before holding on.
Hassan Whiteside had 22 points and 16 rebounds for the Heat. They limited the Wizards to 29 first-half points — Washington’s lowest output for a half in more than 2½ years. Wall wound up with only eight points on 3-for-12 shooting. The All-Star point guard’s first points of the night came with about 5½ minutes left, on a 3-pointer that got Washington to 75-71.
RAPTORS 107, KNICKS 84
In Toronto, Kyle Lowry matched his season high with 22 points and added 10 assists, DeMar DeRozan also scored 22 points and short-handed Toronto beat New York for the eighth straight time.
Lowry had eight rebounds as Toronto won its third straight and improved to 5-1 at home.
Toronto played without injured starters in forward Serge Ibaka (swollen left knee) and guard Norman Powell (right hip). Reserve guard Delon Wright (dislocated right shoulder) also was unavailable.
PACERS 107, PISTONS 100
In Indianapolis, Reserve guard Lance Stephenson scored all 13 of his points in the fourth quarter, including a key 3-pointer, and Indiana Pacers rallied from 22 down to beat Detroit.
The shot clock was about to expire when Stephenson launched from well beyond the arc to give the Pacers a 101-97 lead with 2:03 remaining. It was one of six 3s the Pacers made in seven fourth-quarter attempts as Indiana outscored Detroit 36-19 over the final 12 minutes.
Victor Oladipo led Indiana with 21 points. Pistons guards Reggie Jackson and Avery Bradley had 16 points apiece.
NETS 118, JAZZ 107
In New York, Spencer Dinwiddie scored a careerhigh 25 points hours after D’Angelo Russell had knee surgery, and Brooklyn beat Utah.
The starting point guard role now belongs to Dinwiddie after Russell was hurt during Brooklyn’s recent road trip. He had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee with no timetable for a return.
Allen Crabbe had 18 points and DeMarre Carroll added 17 for the Nets. Raul Neto scored 22 points and Rodney Hood had 17 points for the Jazz.
BULLS 123, HORNETS 120
In Chicago, Justin Holiday had 27 points and Chicago beat skidding Charlotte, overcoming a 47-point outburst by Kemba Walker to snap their five-game losing streak. Walker missed a driving layup with Charlotte trailing by one in the closing seconds.
Lauri Markkanen then hit two free throws to make it 123-120 with 2.6 seconds left, securing the Bulls’ third win in 13 games this season.