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NBA roundup: Hawks with 18th straight game
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
ATLANTA — All-Star forward Paul Millsap led six Atlanta Hawks players in double-figures, fueling Atlanta’s 18th straight win, a 105-99 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.
The Hawks survived a 37-point performance from Portland forward LaMarcus Aldridge to notch their ninth straight win at home and 12th straight over a Western Conference foe. Atlanta (39-8) is undefeated in January.
The Hawks tied the 1969-70 New York Knicks, 1981-82 Boston Celtics and 1995-96 Chicago Bulls with 18-game win streaks.
The Blazers took a 74-69 lead into the fourth quarter, but couldn’t hold off a closing surge by the Hawks. A 3-pointer by forward Mike Scott tied the game, 76-76, with 10 minutes to play. Scott followed it up with a breakaway dunk that caused Philips Arena to erupt.
Korver and Millsap also hit 3-pointers in the fourth, helping Atlanta take control. Millsap’s three put the Hawks up 97-91 with 3:34 to play and caused Portland to call timeout.
Hawks point guard Jeff Teague had a big all-around game, scoring 13 points with eight rebounds and seven assists to help Atlanta overcome Aldridge’s barrage.
Cavaliers 101, Kings 90
CLEVELAND — Kevin Love had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and the Cavaliers recorded ninth consecutive victory, their longest winning streak in nearly five years.
Cavs forward LeBron James had 19 points and seven assists after he was announced as a surprise starter 45 minutes before the game. He had been doubtful with a sprained wrist.
Guard Kyrie Irving finished with 21 points and six assists one game after he scored 55 points Wednesday against the Blazers, the most any player has scored in the NBA this season.
Kings center DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points and 13 rebounds the same day he was named to his first All-Star team.
Rockets 93, Celtics 87
BOSTON – Despite scoring just nine points in the third quarter, the Rockets won their fourth game in a row. All but the first 8 1/2 minutes in the first win in the streak were achieved without injured Dwight Howard.
Forward Donatas Motiejunas led Houston with 26 points and guard James Harden had 14 on 4-for-21 shooting.
Down by as many as 19 points at one point and by 18 at the end of the first half, the Celtics closed the deficit to three with 5:26 left and were still down by just three with 27 seconds remaining. They could get no closer, however.
Guard Marcus Thornton can off the Boston bench to score 17 points, and forward Brandon Bass led the starters with 17 points and eight boards.
76ers 103, Timberwolves 94
PHILADELPHIA — Forward Luc Mbah a Moute scored 18 points and guard Michael Carter-Williams had 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the 76ers.
It was the third triple-double of the season for Carter-Williams and the fifth of his career. He had fallen one rebound short in Wednesday night’s victory over Detroit.
The victory ensured that the 2014-15 Sixers will not share a dubious place in the record book with the 1972-73 team, which went 9-73, the worst full-season record in NBA history.
Guard Kevin Martin had 19 points and center Nikola Pekovic added 18 to pace Minnesota (8-38), which has dropped six of its last seven.
Mavericks 93, Heat 72
MIAMI — The Mavericks went on a 23-0 second-half run and snapped their four-game losing streak.
The Mavericks’ win overshadowed another impressive performance by young Heat center Hassan Whiteside, who had 16 points and a career-high 23 rebounds in 29 minutes.
Dallas (31-17) was led by reserve forward Charlie Villanueva, who had a season-high 20 points in 22 minutes.
Pelicans 108, Clippers 103
NEW ORLEANS — Guard Eric Gordon scored a season-high 28 points and forward Ryan Anderson, playing for injured Anthony Davis, added 24 to lift New Orleans.
The Clippers (32-15) trailed 95-82 before running off the next 12 points to cut the deficit to 95-94 with 5:07 left but could not take the lead.
Guard Chris Paul led the Clippers with 24 points, 14 in the final quarter. The loss snapped Los Angeles’ six-game winning streak.
Raptors 127, Nets 122 (OT)
NEW YORK — Forward Amir Johnson had the go-ahead putback layup with 41.5 seconds remaining in overtime and the Toronto Raptors withstood a fourth-quarter collapse for a victory
Johnson had 24 points and made 10 of 11 shots from the field.
Guard Demar DeRozan led the Raptors with 26 points and reserve guard Lou Williams added 25 points as Toronto blew a 17-point lead in the third quarter and a nine-point edge entering the fourth quarter.
Guard Jarrett Jack scored a career-high 35 points and added 13 assists for the Nets, who dropped their seventh straight home game.
