Serge Ibaka scored 26 points and the visiting Toronto Raptors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-109 Thursday night to extend their season-best winning streak to nine games.
Kyle Lowry added 23 points — 14 in the third quarter — for the Raptors, who completed a three-game sweep of the season series with the Cavaliers. Norman Powell scored eight of his 16 points in the final 1:02 of the game for Toronto to help repel a Cleveland rally.
Pascal Siakam contributed 19 points for Toronto, Chris Boucher had 10 points and Fred VanVleet had eight points and a season-best 12 assists.
Kevin Love and Collin Sexton scored 23 points each for Cleveland. Darius Garland had 16 points and eight assists, Kevin Porter Jr. and Larry Nance Jr. added 13 points each, and Tristan Thompson had two points and 12 rebounds.
De’Aaron Fox scored a game-high 34 points with eight assists and four steals, sparking Sacramento to a surprising win over host Los Angeles, which played without Kawhi Leonard.
Buddy Hield added 19 points off the bench for Sacramento, which set a franchise record with 21 3-pointers. Hield converted 5 of 11 from behind the arc. The Kings also made 50 per cent of their shots from the floor compared to 38 per cent for the Clippers.
Paul George was back in the lineup for Los Angeles after being sidelined for nine games with left hamstring tightness.
However, George managed just eight points on 2-of-10 shooting. Leonard was a late scratch after being ruled out with lower back tightness shortly before tip-off.
Final scores Sacramento Kings 124 – Los Angeles Clippers 103.
Nikola Jokic had 28 points and 10 assists, Will Barton scored 18, and host Denver held on to beat Utah.
Jerami Grant added 15 points, Torrey Craig scored 13 and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Michael Porter Jr. added 12 points and 12 rebounds off the bench for Denver, which overcame a huge fourth quarter from Jordan Clarkson.
Clarkson scored 24 of his season-high 37 points in the final quarter to nearly rally Utah from 17 down.
Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 11 rebounds, Bojan Bogdanovic added 18 points and Georges Niang had 10 points for the Jazz, who have lost three in a row.
Final scores Denver Nuggets 106 – Utah Jazz 100.
Gordon Hayward scored 25 points, Marcus Smart added 21 and Boston beat visiting Golden State.
Jayson Tatum had 20 points in his return from a three-game absence (groin), and Jaylen Brown chipped in 18 as the Celtics won for the fifth time in their last six games.
Tatum was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team as a reserve earlier in the day.
D’Angelo Russell had 22 points and Alec Burks 18 for the Warriors, who have lost five straight and 15 of 16.
Final scores Boston Celtics 119 – Golden State Warriors 104.
Trae Young exploded for 39 points and a career-high 18 assists and host Atlanta stunned visiting Philadelphia with a 39-point first quarter en route to a dominant win.
John Collins accumulated 17 points and a season-high 20 rebounds for the Hawks, who avenged an earlier 105-103 home loss to the 76ers. Ben Simmons paced the 76ers with 31 points.
Young had 14 points and 10 assists while De’Andre Hunter 10 of his 15 points in the first quarter, as the Hawks took a lead they never relinquished in winning their third straight at home.
Young finished the first half with 29 points and 11 assists, becoming the first player since Kobe Bryant in 2013 with 25 points and more than 10 assists in a half.
Final scores Atlanta Hawks 127 – Philadelphia 76ers 117.
Bradley Beal scored 34 points and Washington put together a strong second half to defeat visiting Charlotte and snap a two-game skid.
Thomas Bryant added 21 points, Isaiah Thomas tallied 18 points, Troy Brown Jr. supplied 12 points and Ish Smith had 11 points.
Charlotte was held to 47 second-half points after a big first half. Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 23 points and Terry Rozier pumped in 21.
PJ Washington had 15 points; Willy Hernangomez added 12 points and Devontae’ Graham, who was slow to get cranked up for the second game in a row, finished with 11.
Final scores Washington Wizards 121 – Charlotte Hornets 107. (Reuters/NAN)
