NEW YORK (AP) – LeBron James scored 36 points, carrying Cleveland while Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love had slow starts in their return to the lineup, and the Cavaliers beat the Brooklyn Nets 116-108 on Friday night.
Irving added 32 points and Love had 17 points and 13 rebounds, but both shot poorly early as the Nets kept it competitive for 1{ quarters. James helped the Cavs open a double-digit lead by halftime and they led comfortably most of the rest of the way in the opener of a six-game trip.
The Cavs were still working to finalize a trade with Atlanta to acquire shooting guard Kyle Korver. Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said before the game he didn’t have any new information about when that would happen.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 23 points for the Nets, who have lost five straight and 10 of 11.
Love missed a loss to Chicago on Wednesday and was limited in the previous game after suffering from food poisoning on New Year’s Day. Irving had sat out the last three games with right hamstring tightness.
GRIZZLIES 128, WARRIORS 119, OT
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Mike Conley scored 27 points and Memphis rallied all the way back from 24 down, stunning Golden State in overtime for its second victory over the Warriors this season.
Golden State squandered Stephen Curry’s 40 points with an awful fourth quarter and watched Conley knock down a key jumper with 55 seconds left in OT.
Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph each made two quick baskets as the Grizzlies hit their initial five shots in the extra period and snapped Golden State’s nine-game home winning streak.
Conley tied it on a 17-footer with 7.4 seconds left in regulation, and a heavily guarded Curry missed from way back before the buzzer.
Kevin Durant had 27 points and 13 rebounds but missed five free throws in the Warriors’ sixth defeat of the season.
The Grizzlies handed Golden State a 110-89 loss on Dec. 10.
CLIPPERS 106, KINGS 98
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Austin Rivers scored 24 points and Los Angeles won its third straight game by defeating Sacramento.
Rivers made four 3-pointers and the Clippers hit 13 overall in beating the Kings for the ninth straight time in Sacramento. Los Angeles hit five 3s in the fourth quarter, when it outscored the Kings 31-25.
J.J. Redick drained five 3s and scored 20 points for the Clippers. DeAndre Jordan had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Chris Paul added 14 points and 12 assists.