Mitchell, Cavaliers beat Nets in Paris
PARIS — Donovan Mitchell scored a seasonhigh 45 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Brooklyn Nets 111-102 on Thursday in the NBA’S third regular-season game in Paris.
Mitchell’s quick start sent the Cavaliers to a lead they would never lose, and he scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, making four 3-pointers after going 0 for 6 from deep through three quarters, to keep the Nets from coming all the way back after Brooklyn cut a 26-point deficit to single digits.
Caris Levert added 21 points in Cleveland’s first time playing outside North America in the regular season, while and Jarrett Allen had 12 points and 12 rebounds in his career-best eighth straight double-double. The Cavaliers won their fourth straight, improving to 9-3 since Dec. 16.
In-season tourney will return in ’24
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says the In-season Tournament will “no doubt” be back next season with some unspecified tweaks.
So, most likely, will another regular-season trip to Paris — perhaps this time with multiple games for the teams selected.
Silver touched on both of those possibilities for the 2024-25 schedule on Thursday before the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers played the NBA’S third regular-season game in Paris.
The In-season Tournament began with a oneyear trial so the league could evaluate it before deciding whether to bring it back.
Toronto’s coach fined after rant
Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Thursday, two days after he ranted about officiating following his team’s 132-131 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Rajakovic took particular exception to how the Lakers got 23 free throws in the fourth quarter while the Raptors shot only two. The 21 freethrow disparity was the largest for any quarter of an NBA game this season.
For the game, the Lakers took 36 free throws and the Raptors took only 13.
Grizzlies’ Smart will miss 6 weeks
Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart will miss at least six weeks because of an injury to his right ring finger.
The team said Thursday that Smart will be evaluated again in six weeks after being diagnosed with a ruptured joint. Smart suffered the injury during the third quarter of Memphis’ win at Dallas on Tuesday.
Wednesday’s highlights
Jayson Tatum scored 45 points — 14 of them in the fourth quarter and another 12 in overtime — as the host Boston Celtics beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-120 in a matchup of the two conference leaders. … Jonas Valanciunas had 21 points, nine rebounds and a pair of steals, helping the visiting New Orleans Pelicans jump to a big lead on the way to beating the Golden State Warriors 141-105. … Former Spur Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points after agreeing to a three-year contract extension earlier in the day as the Los Angeles Clippers rallied for a 126-120 home win over the Toronto Raptors. … Coby White scored 30 points and Zach Lavine made a big 3-pointer with 1:46 left in overtime, helping the Chicago Bulls top the visiting Houston Rockets 124-119.