Field Level Media: LeBron James had 41 points to match a record held by Michael Jordan and lead the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers to a 118-105 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.
James has now scored at least 10 points in 866 consecutive games, tying the record held by Jordan, now the Hornets’ chairman. James, who started the streak on Jan. 6, 2007, tied Jordan’s mark in the second quarter on an alley-hoop dunk off a pass from JR Smith. Jordan’s streak spanned 1986-2001.
James, who added 10 rebounds and eight assists, wasn’t the only one who had a record-setting night.
Kemba Walker scored 21 points and broke the franchise record for career points at 9,841, passing Dell Curry (9,839), and the franchise mark for free throws made at 2,003, passing Gerald Wallace (1,999).
Timberwolves 126, Hawks 114
Karl-Anthony Towns made history, scoring a franchise-record 56 points and leading Minnesota to a bounce-back win over Atlanta in Minneapolis.
Towns’ career-high total topped the Minnesota mark previously held by Mo Williams (52 points). He posted the third-most points scored in a game this season while adding 15 rebounds and four assists.
Celtics 97, Jazz 94
Jaylen Brown scored 21 points and drilled a 3-pointer with 0.1 seconds left to lift Boston to a stunning win over Utah in Salt Lake City.
Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points to lead Utah. Ricky Rubio tallied 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, and Rudy Gobert contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds. The Jazz lost for the third time in five games.
Clippers 111, Suns 99
Tobias Harris made five 3-pointers as part of a 27-point effort to help Los Angeles post a victory at Phoenix.
Austin Rivers contributed 18 points, eight assists and three steals as the Clippers defeated the Suns for the eighth straight time and moved within one game of the Utah Jazz for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.
Lakers 103, Mavericks 93
Brook Lopez scored 22 points, 17 of them in the first half, and Julius Randle added 20 points and 10 rebounds as Los Angeles defeated visiting Dallas.
Harrison Barnes led Dallas with 17 points, none of which came in the fourth quarter. Dennis Smith Jr. scored 14 for the Mavericks, who lost for the sixth time in their past seven games.
76ers 118, Knicks 101
Despite losing All-Star Joel Embiid to a facial contusion early in the second quarter, Philadelphia pulled away in the second half to beat visiting New York.
Without Embiid, the 76ers used balance to win their 44th game and stay within a half-game of Cleveland for the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Six 76ers finished in double figures.
Grizzlies 108, Trail Blazers 103
Minus All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, Portland didn’t have quite enough to win on the second night of a back-to-back, as Memphis snapped the Trail Blazers’ seven-game road winning streak. It was the Grizzlies’ second win in as many games after they lost 23 of their previous 24 outings.
Lillard was in Portland, awaiting the birth of his first child. His regular backcourt mate, CJ McCollum, led the Trail Blazers with 42 points while shooting 16-of-25 from the field.
Nets 111, Magic 104
D’Angelo Russell had 16 points and 12 assists, and Brooklyn finally held on to a late lead in a win at Orlando.
DeMarre Carroll added 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Joe Harris had his second straight productive game off the bench with 14 points for the Nets, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
