Heat build a big lead, use it to beat the Cavs

Miami bench spurs momentum in win

Haywood Highsmith scored 18 points, part of a 59-point effort by Miami’s reserves, and the Heat built what was their biggest lead in more than a decade on the way to beating the Cleveland Cavaliers, 121- 84, on Sunday night.

Bam Adebayo had 15 points and 16 rebounds and Jimmy Butler scored 15 points for the Heat, who led by 45 in the fourth quarter. Their biggest lead this season entering Sunday was 33, also against Cleveland on Nov. 22, and the 45-point cushion was their largest since leading Chicago by 46 in a playoff game on May 8, 2013.

Miami started the day seventh in the Eastern Conference and ended there as well, tied with Philadelphia at 39-32. The 76ers won at the Los Angeles Clippers earlier Sunday, but currently trail the Heat because of the head-tohead tiebreaker.

Evan Mobley scored 15 points for Cleveland (43-28), which lost for the seventh time in 10 games but remained No. 3 in the East, a half-game ahead of New York.

Other games

Pelicans 114, Pistons 101:

Zion Williamson scored 36 points and led visiting New Orleans to a victory over short-handed Detroit. Williamson shot 13 for 14 from the floor and 10 for 14 from the line in 36 minutes. He added seven rebounds and six assists and received applause from the crowd at Little Caesars Arena when he left the game with 1:20 remaining.

76ers 121, Clippers 107: Tobias Harris scored 24 points and Tyrese Maxey added 19 of his 24 in the second half of Philadelphia’s victory over James Harden and host Los Angeles. Harden had 12 points and 14 assists in his first game against the 76ers since he forced his way out of Philadelphia last November. Timberwolves 114, Warriors 110: Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points and a season-high 19 rebounds, Khris Middleton recorded his second career triple-double and Milwaukee trounced visiting Oklahoma City as the Bucks have won four of their last five games. Middleton had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his first tripledouble since Jan. 20, 2018.

Bucks 118, Thunder 93: Anthony Edwards had 23 points, Naz Reid had 20 points off of six 3-pointers and 12 rebounds as host Minnesota held off Golden State late.

Notes

Utah guard Kris Dunn was suspended two games and Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. was banned a game by the NBA after their fight a night earlier.