NBA: Cavaliers honor LeBron James, then pound Lakers

Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points and Jaylon Tyson added 20 points and six assists as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 129-99 on Wednesday night, extending their season-best winning streak to five games while also honoring LeBron James.

De'Andre Hunter scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half, and Jarrett Allen contributed 17 points and nine rebounds for Cleveland, which has gone 12-4 since Dec. 29. Dean Wade added 11 points, and Thomas Bryant finished with 10.

The Lakers are 3-2 on an eight-game trip, which was necessary due to the Grammy Awards taking over their arena. Bronny James scored eight points on perfect 3-of-3 shooting in eight minutes during the fourth quarter and received loud cheers when he entered the game.

LeBron James, who led the Cavaliers to their only championship in 2016, fell to 9-4 as an opponent in Cleveland, including 4-3 with the Lakers. The 41-year-old Akron, Ohio native spent 11 seasons with his hometown team, guiding the franchise to all five of its NBA Finals appearances. The Cavaliers honored James with a video tribute, bringing the star to tears.

Warriors Outscore Jazz in High-Scoring Affair

Stephen Curry scored 27 points and Moses Moody added 26 as the Golden State Warriors set a season high with a 140-124 win in Salt Lake City. Utah has now allowed 140 or more points nine times this season.

Gui Santos contributed a season-best 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting, while Buddy Hield and Will Richardson added 13 points each for Golden State. The Warriors have beaten the Jazz in 10 of the past 11 meetings and improved to 6-3 in their last nine games.

Brice Sensabaugh led Utah off the bench with 22 points. Keyonte George recorded 19 points and seven assists, and Ace Bailey added 19 points and seven rebounds. Lauri Markkanen contributed 18 points as the Jazz lost eight of their last nine games.

Spurs Rally Past Rockets

Victor Wembanyama posted his 21st double-double, scoring 28 points with 16 rebounds and five blocked shots, as the San Antonio Spurs rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat the Houston Rockets 111-99. Keldon Johnson scored 17 points off the bench, and the Spurs totaled 72 points in the paint in their fifth win over seven games.

Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 25 points, followed by Kevin Durant with 24. Alperen Sengun had 18 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. Houston had won five of their previous six games before the loss.

Knicks Dominate Raptors Behind Bridges’ Big Third Quarter

Mikal Bridges scored 19 of his 30 points in the third quarter as New York defeated Toronto 119-92. OG Anunoby added 26 points, six steals, and two blocks. Karl-Anthony Towns had eight points and a season-best 22 rebounds. The Knicks have won four straight overall and 11 consecutive games against the Raptors.

Brandon Ingram led Toronto with 27 points, while Scottie Barnes added 17 points and 10 rebounds. The Raptors’ four-game winning streak came to an end.

Hawks Beat Celtics for Fourth Straight Win

Jalen Johnson recorded 19 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists to lead the Atlanta Hawks past the Boston Celtics 117-106. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored a team-high 21 points, with Onyeka Okongwu and Dyson Daniels contributing 17 and 15 points, respectively. Atlanta shot 18-of-42 from three-point range and scored 23 points off 16 Boston turnovers.

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 21 points and seven rebounds but struggled from the field, going 9-of-20 and missing all five three-point attempts. Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, and Anfernee Simons scored 12 points each.

Pacers Rally to Edge Bulls

Pascal Siakam scored 13 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter as Indiana closed with a 26-9 run to beat Chicago 113-110. Andrew Nembhard added 18 points, nine assists, and six rebounds for the Pacers, who overcame a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit.

Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 25 points and nine rebounds, while Matas Buzelis added 20 points and eight rebounds.

Magic Snap Losing Streak Against Heat

Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Orlando Magic to a 133-124 win over intrastate rival Miami. Anthony Black scored 26 points, and Desmond Bane added 23. Orlando snapped a four-game losing streak.

Simone Fontecchio scored a season-high 23 points for Miami, and Bam Adebayo recorded 21 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. Orlando overcame a nine-point halftime deficit, opening the third quarter with an 18-7 run to take control of the game.

Hornets Top Grizzlies for Fourth Straight Win

Brandon Miller scored 26 points, Miles Bridges added 20, and Moussa Diabate recorded 18 points and a career-high 20 rebounds as Charlotte defeated Memphis 112-97. LaMelo Ball contributed 16 points, and rookie Kon Knueppel added 10 points and six assists. The Hornets have now won 20 games this season, surpassing last year’s total.

Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 26 points, while rookie Cedric Coward finished with 17. GG Jackson scored 12 off the bench.

Timberwolves Win Second Straight After Five-Game Skid

Julius Randle scored a game-high 31 points, and Anthony Edwards added 20 points, six rebounds, and six assists to lead Minnesota past Dallas 118-105. Naz Reid came off the bench to score 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting.

P.J. Washington led the Mavericks with 21 points, all in the second half. Naji Marshall added 18 points and six rebounds, while Brandon Williams chipped in 17 off the bench. Dallas lost its second consecutive game after a four-game winning streak.

—Field Level Media/Reuters