CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James scored 21 points before sitting out – and dancing – in the fourth quarter, Kevin Love added 21 points and 11 rebounds, and the Cleveland Cavaliers stormed away in the second half for a 115-93 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.
Sluggish for the first 24 minutes, the Cavs opened the second half with a 12-0 run and sent Phoenix to its 17th loss in 19 games.
Cleveland improved to 2-1 under new coach Tyronn Lue, who took over last week when David Blatt was fired halfway through his second season. The win means Lue and the Cavs’ coaching staff will represent the Eastern Conference at the All- Star Game on Feb. 14 in Toronto.
Rookie Devin Booker paced the Suns with 16 points and P.J. Tucker and Markieff Morris had 13 apiece.
WARRIORS 127, MAVERICKS 107
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Klay Thompson scored a season-high 45 points, Stephen Curry got going after halftime and so did Golden State, which avenged one of its four losses this season by beating Dallas.
Curry hit three quick 3-pointers after intermission as Golden State overcame a sluggish first half, and the reigning MVP finished with a modest 14 points on a night the Warriors’ role players and bench provided a balanced effort.
Thompson had his second 40- point game of the season and sixth of his career, shooting 14 of 20, 7 for 12 on 3-pointers and making all 10 of his free throws.
SPURS 130, ROCKETS 99
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — LaMarcus Aldridge had 25 points and 10 rebounds, and San Antonio rebounded from its worst loss in three years to bash Houston and remain undefeated at home.
San Antonio (39-7) has won 25 straight at home to open the season and 34 consecutive dating back to last season.
Aldridge bounced back – as did the rest of the Spurs – after he was held to five points and three rebounds in a 30-point loss to Golden State on Monday.
James Harden had 20 points and Dwight Howard added 13 for Houston.
CLIPPERS 85, HAWKS 83
ATLANTA (AP) — Jamal Crawford scored 21 points and Los Angeles won again without Blake Griffin, holding off mistake-prone Atlanta.
The Hawks turned it over a season-high 23 times but still had a chance to force overtime when Chris Paul lost the handle on an inbounds pass after Al Horford’s free throw. Atlanta got it back with 6.7 seconds left and inbounded to Paul Millsap, who drove against Luc Mbah a Moute and got a good look at the basket but came up short on a running one-hander. The horn sounded as the Clippers celebrated their 14th win in 17 games.
Los Angeles won for the second straight night after word leaked that Griffin would be out 4-to-6 weeks, having broken his shooting hand by punching a staff member. He apologized for the incident on Twitter late Tuesday, and his teammates kept on winning.
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