(The Sports Xchange) – LeBron James had 23 points and came one rebound short of a triple-double as the Cleveland Cavaliers stormed back from a 24-point deficit to defeat the host New York Knicks 104-101 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
James hit a step-back, 27-foot 3-pointer to put the Cavs up by three with 1:23 left in the game, the final dagger in an 8-0 Cleveland run to complete a rousing comeback. James finished with 12 assists and nine rebounds, and Kyle Korver added 21 points for the Cavs.
New York led by as much as 24 in the third quarter before heading into the fourth up 15 and still led by double figures with 6:53 remaining. Cleveland put on the defensive clamps late, though, and the Cavs hit four 3-pointers in the last 4:35, including two by Korver, to upend the previously hot Knicks.
Warriors 110, Magic 100
Playing without superstar Stephen Curry, Golden State went on a trademark third-quarter surge to defeat Orlando for its seventh straight win.
Curry sat out with a right thigh contusion, and his replacement, Shaun Livingston, rose to the challenge with 16 points and six assists. Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 21 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Draymond Green had 20 points.
76ers 109, Clippers 105
Joel Embiid scored 32 points, and Robert Covington added 31, including two key fourth-quarter 3-pointers, as Philadelphia beat Los Angeles to end a two-game losing streak.
Ben Simmons added 22 points and 12 rebounds, and Embiid had a game-high 16 boards.
Timberwolves 109, Jazz 98
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 24 points and collected 13 rebounds while Jimmy Butler added 21 points and 10 assists to help Minnesota overwhelm Utah.
Taj Gibson also finished with a double-double for Minnesota, adding 15 points and 10 rebounds. Jeff Teague chipped in 22 points.
Wizards 110, Kings 92
John Wall scored 21 points and continued his torrid 3-point shooting against Sacramento as Washington won its third consecutive game.
Marcin Gortat had 18 and Otto Porter 15 for the Wizards, who matched their longest winning streak of the season and closed their four-game homestand at 3-1. Washington opened the season 3-0, but lost five of seven, including a loss to the one-win Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 7.
Bucks 110, Grizzlies 103
John Henson scored eight of his 17 points in the fourth quarter and Milwaukee rallied down the stretch for the win.
Tyreke Evans scored 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter for the Grizzlies, but Memphis couldn’t hold off Milwaukee, which won its third straight.
Pelicans 106, Hawks 105
Darius Miller hit four 3-pointers in the final 5:45 and scored 14 of his 21 points in the fourth-quarter run to lift New Orleans to the win.
Guard E’Twaun Moore was the Pelicans’ leading scorer with 24 points and DeMarcus Cousins added 22 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists.
Lakers 100, Suns 93
Jordan Clarkson scored 25 points in 25 minutes off the bench and Corey Brewer and Kyle Kuzma combined for 13 points in the fourth quarter to lift Los Angeles past Phoenix.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 15 points and Brook Lopez added 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who ended a three-game losing streak in a game where neither team had a double-digit lead until 2:30 remained.
Trail Blazers 101, Nuggets 97
Jusuf Nurkic and CJ McCollum scored 17 points apiece and Damian Lillard chipped in 15 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals to lead Portland past Denver.
Portland shot a season-best 52.1 percent from the field and held Denver to a season-low 35.7 percent. It was the poorest shooting game by a Portland opponent all season.
