Love returns in Cavs’ win over Jazz
LeBron James scored 33 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter, and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Utah Jazz 91-83 on Thursday night.
Kevin Love played for the first time since having surgery on his left knee last month, and scored 10 points in 19 minutes. But Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert left the game with injuries.
James was 13 of 20 from the field and had 10 rebounds with six assists. He also moved into 13th place all time in field goals in the fourth quarter, passing Tim Duncan.
Irving, who scored 21 points, didn’t play in the fourth quarter because of tightness in his left knee. Shumpert sprained his left shoulder in the third quarter.
Rudy Gobert led Utah with 20 points and 18 rebounds. The Jazz, who played in Detroit on Wednesday, seemed to run out of gas down the stretch.
James hit two free throws to put Cleveland ahead midway through the fourth. He drove down the lane for a thunderous dunk and added a 3-pointer, giving Cleveland an 84-77 lead.
The Jazz cut the margin to 84-81, but J.R. Smith’s 3-pointer from the corner and James’ layup put away Cleveland’s second straight win after losing four of five.
Wade out for season with elbow injury
Chicago Bulls star Dwyane Wade will miss the rest of the season with a fractured right elbow.
The Bulls said an MRI revealed the fracture. Wade was injured in the fourth quarter of the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night. Russell Westbrook had 24 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds in three quarters for his 34th triple-double of the season as the Oklahoma City Thunder registered their fourth consecutive win. The league’s leading scorer moved closer to the NBA’s single-season record for triple-doubles, 41 set by Oscar Robertson in the 1961-62 season. Will Barton scored a careerhigh 35 points, Nikola Jokic recorded his fifth tripledouble of the season and Denver beat Los Angeles to win its fourth straight. Jokic finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. The Clippers played without Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, who were left back in Los Angeles.