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NBA game roundup: Cavs win eighth straight
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
CLEVELAND — Forward LeBron James scored 35 points, including a critical 3-pointer in the final minute, and the Cleveland Cavaliers roared back from a 14-point deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 105-101 Tuesday night, extending their winning streak to eight games.
The Raptors shot 65 percent in the first half and built a 73-59 lead early in the third quarter, but the Cavs slowly fought their way back and tied the game at 97 on a 3-pointer from forward Kevin Love with 3:49 left.
The Cavs dominated the offensive glass in the final minutes, grabbing four offensive rebounds to extend critical possessions. One offensive rebound from forward Tristan Thompson led to James’ game-changing 3-pointer with 48 seconds left, giving the Cavs their first lead since the first quarter.
Love had 17 points and nine rebounds, guard Kyrie Irving had 13 points and 10 assists and guard Dion Waiters scored 18 points off the bench for the Cavs. Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas had 18 points and a season-high 15 rebounds, and guard Kyle Lowry had 16 points and a season-high 14 assists.
Pelicans 104, Knicks 93
NEW ORLEANS — Guard Tyreke Evans scored a game-high 27 points, and forward Anthony Davis overcame a sluggish start to score 13 of his 18 points in the second half as New Orleans beat sagging New York.
The victory evened the Pelicans’ record at 10-10 and sent the Knicks (4-19) to their ninth consecutive loss. New York, which had beaten the Pelicans four straight times in New Orleans, fell to 1-10 on the road this season.
The Knicks got 26 points from center Amar’e Stoudemire and 17 each from forward Carmelo Anthony and guard J.R. Smith.
Trail Blazers 98, Pistons 86
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — LaMarcus Aldridge had 23 points to become Portland’s second all-time leading scorer, and the Trail Blazers notched their fifth straight victory.
Aldridge also grabbed 11 rebounds. The ninth-year power forward moved into second place on Portland’s franchise scoring list ahead of Terry Porter (11,330 points) with 11,346 points and now trails only Clyde Drexler (18,040).
Power forward Greg Monroe had 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Pistons, who lost their 13th straight, one shy of the franchise record. They also tied the franchise record with their 10th consecutive home defeat.
Grizzlies 114, Mavericks 105
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Center Marc Gasol scored 30 points as Memphis topped Dallas. Power forward Zach Randolph scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and point guard Mike Conley finished with 22 points for the Grizzlies.
The Mavericks held their last lead with 8:17 left in the third quarter when a Dirk Nowitzki jumper made it 67-66. Memphis closed the quarter with a 26-12 run to lead 92-79 going into the fourth. Randolph had 13 points and nine rebounds in the third quarter alone.
Dallas closed within two at the 4:31 mark in the fourth quarter when guard Devin Harris hit a 3-pointer, but the Mavs never got closer. Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons scored 30 points, going 6-for-10 from 3-point range.
Thunder 114, Bucks 101
OKLAHOMA CITY — Guard Russell Westbrook scored 28 points as Oklahoma City topped Milwaukee for its third win in a row since forward Kevin Durant returned to the lineup.
Westbrook shot 8-for-16 and contributed five rebounds and seven assists. Durant added 23 points, nine boards and seven assists in his first home game of the season. Thunder forward Serge Ibaka posted 15 points and three blocked shots.
Guard O.J. Mayo paced the Bucks with 18 points on 6-for-13 shooting. Rookie forward Jabari Parker scored 15 points but was held to one rebound.
Heat 103, Suns 97
PHOENIX — Forward Chris Bosh scored a season-high 34 points, including seven straight late in the fourth quarter, leading Miami to its ninth consecutive win over Phoenix.
Bosh put up 24 second-half points for Miami, which snapped a season-long four-game losing streak. He hit 14 of 21 shots from the field and four of six from 3-point range.
Miami forward Luol Deng scored 23 points, and guard Dwyane Wade added 16. Forward Marcus Morris had a career-high 25 points for the Suns, who dropped their third straight overall.
Jazz 100, Spurs 96
SALT LAKE CITY — Center Derrick Favors scored 21 points and forward Gordon Hayward added 20 to help Utah snap a nine-game losing streak with a victory over San Antonio.
Enes Kanter added 12 points and 15 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season, while Alec Burks chipped in 13 for Utah, which lost all four games against the Spurs last season.
Forward Tim Duncan had 23 points and 13 rebounds to lead San Antonio. Forward Kawhi Leonard added 16 points and guard Danny Green chipped in 13 for the Spurs, who played without starting point guard Tony Parker.
