Log In


Reset Password
  • MENU
    Pro Sports
    Friday, April 26, 2024

    NBA roundup

    Cleveland's Kyrie Irving shoots over the Pacers' Lavoy Allen during the first half of Monday's game in Indianapolis. The Cavaliers won in overtime, 111-106. (Michael Conroy/AP Photo)

    Cavaliers 111, Pacers 106 (OT)

    Cleveland's Kyrie Irving spent the break between regulation and overtime urging his teammates to close out Monday night.

    He spent the next 5 minutes demonstrating what he meant.

    The All-Star guard scored six of his 25 points in overtime and made four free throws in the final minute to help the Cavaliers pull out a victory over the Pacers for their fifth straight win and their first in Indianapolis in six years.

    "We gave ourselves a chance, now it was time to lock in and do what we were supposed to do," Irving said, describing the animated conversation. "We got stops and, obviously, they were making shots so it was going to be tough down the stretch, but we just wanted to get out and run."

    While the Cavs didn't exactly run away in overtime, Irving made sure they had the upper hand.

    He had plenty of help, too.

    LeBron James finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, though he scored only seven points after hurting his right shoulder in the third quarter. The four-time MVP continued playing with what he called a stinger and made an 11-foot jumper with 1:40 left in overtime to finally give the Cavs the lead for good.

    Kevin Love and J.R. Smith each scored 19 points, while Tristan Thompson finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds — marking the seventh time this season all five Cleveland starters reached double figures.

    Irving delivered the game's biggest plays, scoring four straight in overtime to finally give Cleveland a three-point lead, and the free throws that essentially sealed it.

    "We're just learning how to win, that's all," James said. "We're learning how to win in tough situations and tonight was one of those."

    It sure didn't look like the game would be too tough after the Cavs shot 61.9 percent in the first half and took a 60-49 halftime lead.

    But Indiana rallied by limiting the surging Cavs to just 15 points in the third quarter as it took a 79-75 lead.

    They didn't trail again until James' layup with 1:16 left in regulation made it 94-93, but they retook the lead on George Hill's 3-pointer and had a chance to win it when Monta Ellis badly missed a midrange jumper at the buzzer.

    That's when Irving spoke up and the game turned.

    Love opened the overtime with a 3 and after James' jumper made it 105-104, the Pacers never led again.

    Hill matched his season-high with 23 points and rookie Myles Turner recorded his first double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Turner also had four blocks, including one late in the fourth quarter when he stuffed the driving James at the rim.

    It just wasn't enough against the defending Eastern Conference champs.

    "It's frustrating, but I'm encouraged," coach Frank Vogel said. "Our two best scorers had off shooting nights and we still had a chance to beat the best team in the East."

    Pistons 105, Nets 100

    Andre Drummond had 21 points and 18 rebounds, Reggie Jackson scored 19 points and Detroit beat Brooklyn.

    Drummond fell just shy of an NBA-high sixth 20-point, 20-rebound game of the season but delivered the tiebreaking basket on a dunk with 1:30 remaining. Jackson added a couple of clutch baskets as the Pistons avoided a third straight loss.

    They had fallen to Cleveland and Toronto, the East's top two teams, but were just good enough to get by the Nets, one of the worst.

    Brook Lopez scored 27 points for the Nets, who have lost four in a row. Andrea Bargnani added 18 points off the bench.

    Thunder 114, Wizards 98

    Russell Westbrook had his seventh triple-double of the season and Oklahoma City beat Washington.

    Westbrook had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists and got the best of his matchup with Washington point guard John Wall. It was the 26th triple-double of Westbrook's career, and he has two straight and four in his past 10 games.

    Kevin Durant scored 28 points and Serge Ibaka added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder, who have won 11 of 12.

    Bradley Beal came off the bench to score 18 points, Wall had 17 points and eight assists and Marcin Gortat scored 17 points for the Wizards, who have lost four of five.

    Wizards coach Randy Wittman missed the game following his brother's death last Friday.

    Grizzlies 110, Pelicans 95

    Zach Randolph had 22 points and 12 rebounds and Memphis beat New Orleans for its 10th victory in 12 games.

    Jeff Green scored 24 points for Memphis, and Vince Carter added 13, including a pair of back-breaking 3s in the last three minutes.

    Anthony Davis had 23 points and nine rebounds for the Pelicans, who lost for just the third time in 10 games, with two of those losses coming against Memphis.

    New Orleans led 86-84 after Ryan Anderson's free throw with 7:02 left, but the Grizzlies responded with a pivotal 10-0 run to take the lead for good, closing the game on a 26-9 run.

    Spurs 107, Magic 92

    LaMarcus Aldridge scored a season-high 28 points and San Antonio beat Orlando to remain undefeated at home.

    Aldridge shot 9 for 13 from the field in leading San Antonio to its 26th straight home victory to open the season. Patty Mills matched a season-high with 22 points, going 3 for 4 on 3-pointers.

    San Antonio found its defensive footing late in the third quarter, using a steal by Mills and blocks by Kawhi Leonard to separate from Orlando. The Spurs outscored the Magic 24-8 to overcome a 70-69 deficit with 1 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.

    Nikola Vucevic led Orlando with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Victor Oladipo added 19 points and Aaron Gordon had 12 points and 16 rebounds

    Nuggets 112, Raptors 93

    Nikola Jokic had 27 points and 14 rebounds, and Denver ended Toronto's 11-game winning streak.

    Jokic's totals were season highs for the rookie. He had 23 points and 12 rebounds against San Antonio on Nov. 28.

    Will Barton scored 20 points and Randy Foye had 16 for the Nuggets, who swept the season series. They won in Toronto on Dec. 3 to stop an eight-game losing streak.

    The Raptors entered with the NBA's longest current winning streak but couldn't duplicate the success they had in January. They led by one midway through the second quarter but trailed by double digits for most of the second half.

    DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with 24 points. His All-Star backcourt mate, Kyle Lowry, scored just nine and went 1 for 6 from the foul line.

    Jazz 105, Bulls 96 (OT)

    Gordon Hayward had 27 points and 12 rebounds, Rodney Hood added 19 points and Utah beat Chicago.

    Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 12 rebounds to help Utah win its third straight.

    Jimmy Butler scored 26 points and Pau Gasol added 19 points and eight rebounds to lead Chicago. Derrick Rose chipped in 14 for the Bulls, who lost for the third time in four games.

    Chicago and Utah traded baskets throughout the fourth quarter. Rose's 3-pointer with 18.5 seconds left put Chicago ahead 93-90.

    Hayward made 1 of 2 free throws, but the Jazz grabbed the rebound and Hayward drove for the tying layup with 4.8 seconds left in regulation.

    In the extra period, Hayward made back-to-back pull-up jumpers and followed with a dunk to give Utah the lead for good at 102-95 with 59.9 seconds remaining.

    Kings 111, Bucks 104

    Rudy Gay had 32 points, nine rebounds and six assists and Sacramento snapped a five-game losing streak by beating Milwaukee.

    Sacramento won minus All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, who sprained his left ankle in Saturday's loss at Memphis. The Kings are 2-7 this season without Cousins, with both wins coming against the Bucks.

    The Kings took the lead for good early in the final period on two free throws by Marco Belinelli, who scored 10 points in the fourth quarter. Gay had nine as Sacramento outscored Milwaukee 37-30.

    Greg Monroe had 24 points and 12 rebounds for the Bucks, who have dropped three straight and five of six. Michael Carter-Williams had 18 points and a season-high 13 assists.

    Hawks 112, Mavericks 97

    Jeff Teague scored a season-high 32 points, Kyle Korver added 16 points and Atlanta beat Dallas to snap a three-game skid.

    Teague went 12 for 15 from the field with a career-high five 3-pointers, and reserve guard Dennis Schroder finished with 14 points. Atlanta entered the game having lost five of six to drop to fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

    Deron Williams, coming off a 27-point performance in Dallas' home win Sunday over Phoenix, left the game early in the second quarter with a bruised hip.

    Chandler Parsons had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Dirk Nowitzki scored 18 points for the Mavericks.

    Comment threads are monitored for 48 hours after publication and then closed.