Cavaliers blow lead, lose in OT
Paul Millsap scored 22 points and the Hawks took advantage of Cleveland’s fourth-quarter collapse to overcome a 26-point deficit and stun the Cavaliers, 126-125, yesterday in Atlanta.
Kyrie Irving scored 45 points for the Cavaliers, and LeBron James had a triple-double with 32 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists before the four-time MVP fouled out in overtime.
Tim Hardaway Jr. added 21 points to help Atlanta beat Cleveland for the second straight time.
The defending champion Cavaliers dropped into a tie with the Celtics atop the Eastern Conference. Both teams have two regular-season games remaining. If the Cavaliers and Celtics finish with the same record, Cleveland will get the top seed for winning the season series.
The Hawks wiped out a 26-point deficit in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Cavaliers, 44-18, in the period and forcing overtime on Millsap’s baseline jumper at the buzzer.
Raptors 110, Knicks 97 — DeMar DeRozan scored 35 points and visiting Toronto wrapped up at least the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with a victory against New York.
The Raptors pulled away in the fourth quarter to reach 50 victories for the second straight season. Toronto can still finish second if it beats Cleveland in their regular-season finale and the Celtics lose their final two games.
Kyle Lowry had 17 points and 11 assists for the Raptors, who swept New York for the first time since 2009-10.
Rookie Willy Hernangomez tied his career high with 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Knicks.
Thunder 106, Nuggets 105 — Russell Westbrook broke Oscar Robertson’s 56-year-old record with his 42nd triple-double of the season, and broke Denver’s hearts with a buzzerbeating 3-pointer that gave visiting Oklahoma City the win.
Westbrook had 50 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in breaking Robertson’s record of 41 triple-doubles that stood since the 1961-62 season.
Danilo Gallinari scored 22 of his 34 points in the third quarter for the Nuggets.
Portland clinched the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with Denver’s loss.
Pistons 103, Grizzlies 90 — Reggie Bullock and Boban Marjanovic each scored 14 points and visiting Detroit used a 3-point barrage in the fourth quarter to down Memphis.
The Pistons, who trailed by 12 early in the third quarter, shot 6-of-7 from 3-point range in the fourth to pull away from the Grizzlies, who played their reserves in the fourth with the seventh seed in the Western Conference already secured. Marjanovic also had 10 rebounds. Rockets 135, Kings 128 — James Harden had 35 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds for his 21st triple-double of the season, leading Houston to the victory against host Sacramento.
Ryan Anderson made six 3-pointers and had 21 points for the Rockets.
The Kings were swept in four games by Houston for the first time since the 1997-98 season.
Lakers 110, Timberwolves 109 — D’Angelo Russell made a 3-pointer as time expired and Los Angeles edged Karl-Anthony Towns (40 points on 17-of-22 shooting, 21 rebounds) and Minnesota.
Suns 124, Mavericks 111 — T.J. Warren and Devin Booker each scored 21 points to help host Phoenix beat Dallas.