By ASSOCIATED PRESS
CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points, Evan Mobley added 21 and the Cleveland Cavaliers bullied the New York Knicks from the start Friday night, Feb. 21, winning 142-105 in a matchup of two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams.
Only the Cavs looked elite, winning their sixth straight and improving the NBA’s best record to 46-10. Cleveland has won 34 games by double digits.
Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and Karl-Anthony Towns 23 for the Knicks, who beat Chicago in overtime on Thursday in their first game back from the All-Star break.
New York couldn’t use a back-to-back as any excuse as the Cavs won in Brooklyn a night earlier. It was the Knicks’ most-lopsided loss this season.
Cleveland got a scare in the first half when All-Star guard Darius Garland hit his head on the floor while taking an awkward fall. Garland, who missed significant time last season with a broken jaw, stayed in the game.
The Cavs played most of the second half without center Jarrett Allen, who injured his right hand. X-rays were negative. Coach Kenny Atkinson said Allen will undergo an MRI on Saturday.
Meanwhile in Houston, Jalen Green scored 35 points, Alperen Sengun added 24 points and 13 rebounds and the Rockets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 121-115.
Green finished 12 of 24 from the floor and was 5 of 11 on 3-pointers. Amen Thompson finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for Houston, which shot 50%, including 13 of 26 on 3-pointers.
Jabari Smith Jr had 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench in his first game back after missing 22 games with a broken bone in his left hand.
Anthony Edwards scored 37 points on 13-of-32 shooting, including 4 of 14 on 3-pointers. Edwards scored 25 points in the first half on 8-of-15 shooting, including 3 of 7 on 3-pointers.
Naz Reid had 22 points and eight rebounds, Jaden McDaniels added 21 points and Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 16 points for Minnesota, which shot 45%, including 11 of 39 on 3-pointers.
In Sacramento, Buddy Hield and Moses Moody had 22 points each and the Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings, 132-106.
Brandin Podziemski added 21 points, and Stephen Curry had 20 points as role players stepped up for the Warriors.
DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 34 points and Domantas Sabonis finished one assist shy of a triple double with 14 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists.
In Dallas, Kyrie Irving scored 35 points, P.J. Washington Jr. had 20 of his 24 points in the first half and the Mavericks beat the New Orleans Pelicans, 111-103, for their third straight victory.
Irving hit 11 of 22 shots from the floor, hitting 5 of 12 3-pointers, and all eight of his free throws.
Washington, a 6-foot-7 power forward, returned to a Dallas lineup whose three centers are all out with injuries after he missed the last three games before the All-Star break with an ankle sprain.
In Salt Lake City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points and the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Utah Jazz, 130-107, for their eighth victory in nine games.
Chet Holmgren added 20 points for the Thunder. Jalen Williams had 18 points, and Isaiah Hartenstein grabbed 13 rebounds.
John Collins scored 26 points for Utah, and Keyonte George added 20. Walker Kessler finished with 19 rebounds, and Isaiah Coller had 12 assists.
