Cavaliers snap losing streak
Doncic scores 29 to lead Mavericks over Thunder
OKLAHOMA CITY, Jan 28, (AP): Luka Doncic had 29 points and 11 rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 107-97 Monday on a night that included several tributes to Kobe Bryant.
Thunder guard Chris Paul sat out for personal reasons a night after Bryant, one of the NBA’s all-time greats, was killed in a helicopter crash in Southern California.
When the game started following a moment of silence, the Mavericks took an 8-second violation in honor of the number Bryant wore to start his NBA career. The Thunder then took a 24-second shot clock violation in honor of the number Bryant wore later. After the two violations, the scoreboard clock read 11:24, and the 24-second clock below it had been reset to show 24 seconds.
The Mavericks led by at least 10 points the entire fourth quarter. Tim Hardaway Jr scored 15 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 14 points and 10 rebounds for Dallas.
Dennis Schroder scored 21 for the Thunder.
Cavaliers 115, Pistons 100 In Detroit, Kevin Love scored all 20 of his points in the first half and Cleveland beat Detroit to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Love, an Olympic teammate of Kobe Bryant’s who played college basketball in Los Angeles at UCLA, made six 3-pointers before halftime. It was the first game for either team since Bryant’s death Sunday in a helicopter crash.
It was the third meeting this month between the Pistons and Cavaliers. They split a home-and-home series Jan. 7 and 9 in a pair of tightly contested games. This one wasn’t nearly as close.
Cleveland had not won by double digits since a 108-87 victory at New York on Nov 10.
Collin Sexton had 23 points for the Cavaliers and Tristan Thompson added 17 points and 11 rebounds. Reggie Jackson led Detroit with 16 points.
Rockets 126, Jazz 117 In Salt Lake City, Eric Gordon scored a career-high 50 points to lead short-handed Houston over Utah despite playing without James Harden
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) makes a lay up after rebounding his own free throw to tie the game and send it into overtime against the Minnesota Timberwolves as Sacramento Kings center DeWayne Dedmon (13) looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Jan 27, in Minneapolis. The Kings won 133-129 in
overtime. (AP)
and Russell Westbrook. Danuel House Jr added 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Austin Rivers also had 21 points as the Rockets handed the Jazz their first home loss since Dec 9.
Gordon became the first Rockets player besides Harden to score 50 points in a game since Hakeem Olajuwon had 51 in January 1996, according to STATS. Harden has done it 23 times since then.
Donovan Mitchell scored 36 points and Bojan Bogdanovic added 30, but Utah lost for just the third time in 22 games despite shooting 51% from field.
Gordon had his first game with more than 30 points this season. His previous career best of 41 came against Oklahoma City on Jan 23, 2009. The veteran guard stepped up and filled the scoring void with Harden, Westbrook and Clint Capela sitting out.
Harden missed his second straight game with a bruised left thigh. Capela (bruised right heel) and Westbrook (rest) sat out after playing Sunday against Denver.
Heat 113, Magic 92 In Miami, Bam Adebayo got his
the third triple-double of the season in his last opportunity to impress Eastern Conference All-Star voters, Duncan Robinson scored 21 points and Miami eased past Orlando.
Adebayo finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He’s a candidate to be a reserve selection for the All-Star Game; coaches pick those teams, and their ballots are due at the NBA office on Tuesday for an announcement on Thursday.
Jimmy Butler scored 19 points, Goran Dragic had 14 and Tyler Herro added 13 for Miami. The Heat improved to 13-0 at home against Eastern Conference teams.
Nikola Vucevic had 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic.
Bulls 110, Spurs 109 In Chicago, Zach LaVine scored 14 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, including two clutch foul shots with 2.1 seconds left, and Chicago edged San Antonio.
LaVine won an entertaining duel with DeMar DeRozan after the Bulls trailed by 10 heading into the final period. DeRozan tied it at 108 on a tough fade-away jumper with 8.6 seconds left, but LaVine responded with two free throws after he was fouled by Jakob Poetl on a drive to the basket.
San Antonio had one last chance, and DeRozan was fouled by Kris Dunn on a long jumper with 0.2 seconds to go. DeRozan made the first, missed the second and grabbed the rebound, but was unable to get a shot off before time expired.
Chicago placed seven players in double figures in its third win in four games. Denzel Valentine scored 16 points.
DeRozan had 36 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs. Patty Mills made six 3-pointers and finished with 25 points. The Spurs played without forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who was sidelined by a sprained right thumb. Kings 133, Timberwolves 129, OT
In Minneapolis, Buddy Hield scored a career-high 42 points to help Sacramento rally from a 27-point deficit for an overtime victory against skidding Minnesota.
De’Aaron Fox scored 22 for the Kings, putting back the rebound of his intentionally missed free throw as part of a 33-11 run over the final 5:42 of regulation.
Andrew Wiggins had 36 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Timberwolves, who lost their 10th consecutive game.
Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo (13) drives to the basket as Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) defends
during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Jan 27, in Miami. The Heat won 113-92. (AP)