BASKETBALL

The Cleveland Cavaliers extended their winning streak to nine with a 108-97 win over the Miami Heat - despite Lebron James being ejected for the first time in his 15-year career. James, who scored 21, was sent to the locker rooms in the final minutes of the third quarter after disputing technical fouls with referee Kane Fitzgerald, the first time the forward has been ejected in 1,082 career games. Speaking to Fox Sports after the game, James said: “I said what I had to say and then I moved on, but he decided I should get (ejected). It is what it is. We got the win, and that’s what’s most important.” The Cavaliers had built up a 26-point lead before half-time, helped in part by Kevin Love who scored 32 of his 38 points in the first two quarters. For Miami, Dion Waiters scored 21 and Bam Adebayo scored 19, but it was not enough to extend the Heat’s three-game winning streak. Devin Booker scored 33 and TJ Warren 25 as the Phoenix Suns slugged it out with the Chicago Bulls to win 104-99. With just three points between the teams going into the fourth quarter, the Suns extended the gap to 15 before Chicago fought back to trail 102-99 with 15 seconds left. Two free throws and a block by Warren were enough to deny the Bulls a chance to avoid a six-game skid. Otto Porter Jr scored 22 and lifted the Washington Wizards over the Minnesota Timberwolves 92-89 with less than a minute left in the game. A third-quarter surge by Giannis Antetokounmpo helped the Milwaukee Bucks to a 112-87 win over the Sacramento Kings, with the Greek 22-year-old scoring 19 of 32 his points in the period. NBA: Chicago Bulls 99 Phoenix Suns 104, Cleveland Cavaliers 108 Miami Heat 97, Minnesota Timberwolves 89 Washington Wizards 92, Sacramento Kings 87 Milwaukee Bucks 112, Utah Jazz 106 Denver Nuggets 77.