Four-time NBA Most Valuable Player James was once again the difference maker for the Cavs, who traveled to Chicago without Kevin Love, Rodney hood, Kyle Korver, Larry Nance Jr., Cedi Osman and Tristan Thompson. Thanks largely to him Cleveland finished their six-game road trip 3-3. “For us to go 3-3 throughout everything as far as the injuries and available guys, I think it was a good trip for us,” James said.
Coach Tyronn Lue also missed the second half of Saturday’s game because of an undisclosed illness, but the Cavs — who led 69-52 at halftime — fended off the Bulls’ late challenge to secure the win. Trailing 85-81 going into the fourth period, Chicago tied the score twice in the final frame. James’ jump shot over Paul Zipser with 39 seconds left put the Cavs up by six, and on the Bulls’ ensuing possession he rejected Cameron Payne’s shot. James finished with 33 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, and became the sixth player to notch 70 triple-doubles in his career.
For a Warriors team missing stars Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson along with Patrick McCaw and Omri Casspi it was Quinn Cook and Kevon Looney who stepped up in a 124-109 victory over the Suns in Phoenix.
Cook led the Warriors with a career-high 28 points. Looney posted career-highs of 13 points and six blocked shots, and Draymond Green came within two assists of a triple-double with 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as the Warriors bounced back from a loss to Sacramento on Friday.
Seven players scored in double-figures for Golden State, who trailed by 15 points in the second quarter but out-scored the Suns 72-49 in the second half. The Warriors, seeking their third title in four seasons, are two and a half games behind the Western Conference leading Houston Rockets, who beat the Pelicans 107-101 in New Orleans.
James Harden scored 32 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as the Rockets notched their 21st win in 22 games. Chris Paul added 21 points and Clint Capela chipped in 13 with 11 rebounds for Houston.
Against a Pelicans team fighting for their playoff lives, Harden drained a three-pointer that put the Rockets up by nine with 1:31 remaining. Harden’s 11 fourth-quarter points included four from the free-throw line, and Rockets coach Alvin Gentry was angry at what he said was a disparity in foul calls.
Gentry said Pelicans star Anthony Davis “never gets a call.” “We talked about them holding him, we talked about them grabbing him on rolls. We talked about them coming under him on post up — he never gets a call,” said Gentry, who was whistled for a technical foul with 5:39 for disputing a foul called on Jrue Holiday.
Davis, with 26 points and 13 rebounds, paced the Pelicans, who are fighting for their playoff lives in the West after losing four of their last five games. The Portland Trail Blazers strengthened their grip on third place in the West with a 12th straight victory, 100-87 over the Detroit Pistons.
The San Antonio Spurs bolstered their bid to extend their run of 20 straight seasons in the playoffs with a 117-101 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Veteran forward LaMarcus Aldridge scored 39 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for the Spurs, who won their third straight.
The Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, and Utah Jazz all fighting for playoff spots, also won. Bradley Beal scored 19 points to lead the Wizards in a 109-102 victory over the Indiana Pacers, a victory that could prove key if the Eastern Conference rivals finish the season with matching records as they have now.
Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points and Rudy Gobert tallied 22 points and 13 rebounds to lift Utah Jazz past Sacramento Kings 103-97 in Salt Lake City, the Jazz’s ninth consecutive win. Ricky Rubio added 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Jazz, and Joe Ingles chipped in 14 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Utah won for the 21st time in 23 games. Buddy Hield scored 23 points to lead the Kings. Sacramento lost to the Jazz for the third time this season despite hitting 14 of 21 from 3-point range.
Taurean Prince matched his career-high with 38 points, but it wasn’t enough to halt Atlanta Hawks’ losing streak, which grew to six games with a loss at Milwaukee Bucks 117-122. Prince made 13 of 26 shots, including four 3-pointers, while grabbing eight rebounds. Atlanta also got 18 with nine assists from Dennis Schroder. Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 33 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, four steals and a pair of blocks. Khris Middleton overcame a slow start to finish with 23 points.
Results
Milwaukee 122 Atlanta 117; San Antonio 117, Minnesota 101; Brooklyn 114, Dallas 106; New York 124, Charlotte 101; Washington 109, Indiana 102; Portland 100, Detroit 87; Phoenix 109, Golden State 124; Utah 103, Sacramento 97; Chicago 109, Cleveland 114; Memphis 101, Denver 94; New Orleans 101, Houston 107
