Mitchell scores 41 as Cavs hand Spurs 13th straight loss
CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell scored 41 points and led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their seventh straight win, 117-109 on Monday night over the nose-diving San Antonio Spurs, who matched a team record with their 13th consecutive loss.
Mitchell made five 3-pointers and scored 23 in the first half, helping the Cavs build an 18-point lead.
San Antonio’s slide equals the longest in club history. The Spurs also lost 13 straight during the 1988-89 season. Coincidentally, that streak also reached 13 with a loss at Cleveland on March 2, 1989.
Jarrett Allen added 17 points and had 11 rebounds as Cleveland improved to 256 at home. Evan Mobley had 15 points and 10 boards.
Keldon Johnson scored 25 and rookie Malaki Branham 18 to pace the Spurs, who are just 2-20 in 2023.
76ERS 123, ROCKETS 104
PHILADELPHIA — James Harden had 29 points and 10 assists against his former team while Tyrese Maxey scored 26 off the bench as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Houston Rockets 123-104 on Monday night.
Joel Embiid scored 23 points in 31 minutes for the Sixers, who have won three in a row and improved to 22-8 at home.
Jalen Green scored 29 points for the Rockets, who have lost six straight to fall to a league-worst 13-44. KJ Martin added 15 for Houston.
Monday night was Harden’s fifth game against the Rockets since he forced a trade with Brooklyn at the beginning of the 2020-21 season. Harden had played nine seasons with Houston, winning three scoring titles and the 2017-18 MVP award. In those five games, Harden is averaging 24.2 points. nine assists and seven rebounds. Harden now has 218 games in which he’s scored at least 20 points and recorded 10 or more assists.
JAZZ 123, PACERS 117
INDIANAPOLIS — Jordan Clarkson and Lauri Markkanen
each scored 29 points and the Utah Jazz beat the Indiana Pacers 123-117 on Monday night.
Clarkson hit a 3-pointer for a 115-110 lead with 2:03 remaining, and added a 13-foot baseline jumper to extend the lead to 117-113 in the final minute. Lauri Markkanen sealed the win with four free throws in the final 14.2 seconds. He hit 10 of 18 shots and had 11 rebounds for the Jazz, who had lost four of their last five games.
Haliburton finished with 29 points and 12 assists. Bennedict Mathurin scored 21 and Aaron Nesmith 19 for Indiana.
HORNETS 144, HAWKS 138
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — LaMelo Ball had 30 points and 15 assists, Terry Rozier added 29 points and the Charlotte Hornets held off the Atlanta Hawks 144-138 on Monday night to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Gordon Hayward scored 26 points and P.J. Washington added 22 as the Hornets shot 63% from the field. Ball had six 3-pointers and Rozier hit five as Charlotte tied a season high with 20 made 3s.
It was the second-highest point total in Hornets franchise history, behind the 158 they scored against Indiana last season.
Rookie center Mark Williams finished with 15 points and a huge block on Trae Young’s 3-point attempt for Charlotte in the final minute.
Young finished with 25 points and 14 assists for the Hawks, who had their twogame win streak snapped. Clint Capela added 22 points, DeAndre Hunter had 21 and Dejounte Murray scored 20 for Atlanta.