WASHINGTON — Just in case there were any questions about Eastern Conference supremacy, LeBron James poured in 57 points Friday night – the second-highest total of his career and an NBA-best this season – to help the Cleveland Cavaliers end a four-game losing skid by beating the Washington Wizards, 130-122.
James hadn’t scored this much since getting a career-high 61 for the Miami Heat on March 3, 2014, against the Charlotte Hornets.
And James did it efficiently Friday, making 23 of 34 field-goal tries and all nine free throws, adding 11 rebounds and seven assists. He also did it with style. James hurdled over a seated Bradley Beal while dribbling, swatted a shot by John Wall off the backboard, and looked for a camera to wag both index fingers in the midst of a three-point play.
James didn’t need much help, but teammates Derrick Rose (20 points) and Jae Crowder (17) each managed to top their season highs before the third quarter was done.
PISTONS 105, BUCKS 96: Andre Drummond scored 14 of his 24 points in the third quarter Friday night – thanks mostly to an uncharacteristically sharp performance from the free-throw line – as Detroit won at home.
Drummond, who has shot under 40 percent from the line in his career, went 10 of 12 in the third. He went 14 of 16 on the night, the most he’s made in his career, and is shooting 78 percent from the line this season.
KNICKS 120, SUNS 107: Kristaps Porzingis scored 37 points and New York won at home, giving Coach Jeff Hornacek his first victory against Phoenix, his former team.
Porzingis fell just shy of the career-best 38 points he scored Monday against Denver, getting his final points with a highlight-reel, end-to-end possession with just under five minutes remaining. He raced back in transition for an emphatic block on rookie Josh Jackson, then got the ball back in transition for a powerful dunk.
76ERS 121, PACERS 110: J.J. Redick scored 31 points and hit three decisive 3-pointers late, Ben Simmons had a triple-double and Philadelphia won at home to move above .500 for the first time in nearly four years.
Redick was 8 of 12 from 3-point range, including the go-ahead shot with 2:06 left, another 3 to barely beat the shot clock with 1:08 remaining and a third from the left corner to make it 119-110 with 46 seconds left.
BULLS 105, MAGIC 83: Justin Holiday scored 19 points, and Robin Lopez had 11 points and 10 rebounds as Chicago won at Orlando, Florida.
Chicago had seven players score in double figures in its first road win of the season. David Nwaba had 16 points and rookie Lauri Markkanen made three 3-pointers on his way to 13 points.
ROCKETS 119, HAWKS 104: James Harden scored 21 of his 29 points in the first half, and visiting Houston handed Atlanta its eighth straight loss.
Eric Gordon and Luc Mbah a Moute each scored 20 points for Houston, which improved to 6-1 on the road. The Southwest Division-leading Rockets (7-3) closed a stretch where they played 5 of 6 games away from Houston.
NOTES
LAKERS: Forward Larry Nance Jr. will be sidelined for at least four weeks after having surgery to repair his broken left hand.
Nance broke a metacarpal bone in his hand Thursday night during a loss at Portland.
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