NBA News Wire

NBA roundup: Hawks win 19th straight game

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ATLANTA — Center Al Horford scored nine of his 23 points in the fourth quarter to send the Atlanta Hawks to their 19th consecutive victory, a 91-85 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

Horford was 10 of 16 from the floor, including a jumper with the shot clock ready to expire that gave Atlanta a five-point lead with 46.9 seconds left. Horford also had 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots.

The win gives the Hawks a perfect 17-0 record for January, making them the first NBA team to reach that mark and extending the franchise record for most wins in a single month.

Atlanta (40-8) also got 15 points and eight rebounds from forward Paul Millsap, 15 points and six assists from guard Dennis Schroder, 14 points from guard Kyle Korver and 10 points from guard Jeff Teague.

Philadelphia (10-38) had three players with 13 points: guard Michael Carter-Williams, forward Luc Mbah a Moute and forward Jerami Grant.

The 76ers took the lead on a dunk by center Nerlens Noel with 2:47 left. Atlanta tied the game on a basket by Horford and regained the lead on a 3-pointer by Schroder.

Cavaliers 106, Timberwolves 90

MINNNEAPOLIS — On a night widely hyped as Kevin Love’s first game back in Minnesota since being traded to Cleveland, LeBron James scored 36 points to propel the Cavaliers to their 10th straight victory.

James put up 13 consecutive points in the fourth quarter as the Cavaliers (29-20) fended off a spirited surge from the Timberwolves, owners of the NBA’s worst record (8-39).

Love posted 14 points and a game-high 17 rebounds in his first game in Minnesota since his six-year Timberwolves tenure came to an end last August.

Timberwolves rookie forward Andrew Wiggins, who Minnesota landed as part of the Love trade, gave Cleveland a glimpse at what they gave up as he rolled to a career-high 33 points.

Grizzlies 85, Thunder 74

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Zach Randolph posted his NBA-leading 12th straight double-double (21 points and 18 rebounds) to help Memphis extend its winning streak to six games.

Center Marc Gasol also had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, plus five assists.

Oklahoma City (23-24) dropped its second straight game and again fell below .500. Forward Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 15 points but was just 5 for 16 from the floor. Guard Russell Westbrook scored 14 points on 5-for-16 shooting, grabbed six rebounds and had five assists.

Raptors 120, Wizards 116 (OT)

WASHINGTON — The Raptors blew a 21-point second-half lead, but ultimately matched their season-high six-game winning streak with the overtime win.

Kyle Lowry scored 23 points and fellow guard Lou Williams had 19 for the Raptors (33-15). Toronto opened the game by sinking 10 of 12 3-pointers, seemingly took control during a 19-3 run in the second quarter and never trailed during regulation.

Guard John Wall had 28 points and 12 assists for the Wizards (31-17), who stormed back and tied the game on forward Paul Pierce’s 3-pointer with 25.9 seconds left in regulation.

The Wizards took their first lead of the game on Pierce’s two free throws with 4:04 left in overtime. The Raptors countered with a 6-0 run capped by consecutive baskets by Lowry.

Mavericks 108, Magic 93

ORLANDO, Fla. — Veteran guard Monta Ellis had 25 points and 13 assists to lead the Dallas.

Center Tyson Chandler added 20 points and nine rebounds for the Mavericks (32-17), who had beaten the Heat in Miami by 21 points on Friday.

The Magic (15-35) lost their eighth consecutive game and 14th in the last 16. It also was the 12th consecutive game a Magic opponent scored 100 points or more.

The Magic were led by center Nikola Vucevic with 17 points and 16 rebounds.

Pistons 114, Rockets 101

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — D.J. Augustin scored 28 points and handed out a season-high 12 assists and Detroit spoiled Josh Smith’s return to The Palace.

Shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contributed a season-high 28 points and power forward Greg Monroe supplied 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Pistons (18-30), who snapped a four-game losing streak overall and a seven-game skid to the Rockets.

Smith, a former Pistons player who was acquired this season by Houston, was roundly booed every time he touched the ball. He scored seven points on 3-for-11 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds.

Kings 99, Pacers 94

INDIANAPOLIS — Sacramento built a 23-point, second-quarter lead and held off a fourth-quarter Indiana charge to snap an eight-game losing streak.

Forward Rudy Gay led the Kings (17-29) with 31 points, guard Darren Collison had 23 and center DeMarcus Cousins added 20 points and 19 rebounds before fouling out with just less than two minutes to play.

Collison’ jumper with 13 seconds to go gave the Kings a 97-91 lead and Gay’s free throws with 5.8 seconds left iced it as Sacramento swept the two-game season series with Indiana.

Guard CJ Miles and forward David West each scored 17 points to lead the Pacers.

Clippers 105, Spurs 85

SAN ANTONIO — Blake Griffin scored 31 points as Los Angeles won on the road against the defending champions.

Griffin also tallied 13 rebounds and five assists for the Clippers, who rebounded from Friday night’s loss to New Orleans to get their seventh win in their last eight games. Los Angeles guard Chris Paul added 20 points, while center Spencer Hawes scored 11 off the bench.

San Antonio was led by guard Kawhi Leonard, who scored a team-high 24 points. Guard Danny Green scored 16 points in the loss.

Los Angeles snapped San Antonio’s three-game overall winning streak and its six-game win streak at home.

Bucks 95, Trail Blazers 88

MILWAUKEE — Jared Dudley hit 7 of 11 shots and finished with 18 points as the Bucks extended their winning streak to three games.

Portland has lost three in a row and seven of the last 10.

Milwaukee got plenty of offense from its starting five but the NBA’s highest scoring bench unit came through again, with shooting guard O.J. Mayo’s 17 points leading the way.

Portland got 19 points each from guards Wesley Matthews and Damian Lillard, but the Trail Blazers shot just 37 percent from the field and gave up 14 points off 16 turnover.

Hornets 104, Nuggets 86

DENVER — Forward Cody Zeller scored a career-high 21 points and forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 17 points and 13 rebounds to lead Charlotte.

Forward Jason Maxiell had 14 points off the bench for Charlotte, which swept the season series with Denver for the second straight year.

The Hornets (20-27) completed a 10-4 month to move into the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

Forward Danilo Gallinari had 15 points for Denver, which has lost nine of its last 10 games.