Durant posts triple-double; Celts win
CLEVELAND (AP) – LeBron James drained a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left and finished with 32 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers tied a franchise record with their 13th straight win, 101-95 over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.
James, who changed his sneakers three times, also had 11 rebounds and nine assists, helping the Cavs rally from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to remain unbeaten since Nov. 11. His decisive 3-pointer in the final minute was in the face of JaKarr Sampson, who had jawed with James earlier.
This one wasn’t easy. The Kings gave the Cavs everything they had, but couldn’t contain James in the clutch.
WARRIORS 101, HORNETS 87
In Charlotte, Kevin Durant had 35 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and Golden State beat Charlotte without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
It was Durant’s first triple-double of the season and his second since joining the Warriors before last season.
Klay Thompson scored seven of his 22 points in the fourth quarter for the Warriors, who have won five straight overall and seven in a row against the Hornets.
Curry will be sidelined for about two weeks with a sprained ankle, while Green is nursing a sore shoulder.
Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 24 points.
Charlotte’s two big men off the bench – Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky – left with injuries. Kaminsky injured his ankle in the first quarter, and Zeller left in the fourth with a strained left knee.
CELTICS 97, MAVERICKS 90
In Boston, Kyrie Irving scored 23 points and Jayson Tatum had 17 points and 10 rebounds, helping the short-handed Celtics to their fourth straight victory.
Boston’s Al Horford added 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
The Celtics played without Jaylen Brown and Marcus Morris. Brown sat with an inflamed right eye, while Morris was out due to left knee soreness.
Harrison Barnes led the Mavericks with 19 points and seven rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki added 16 points and six rebounds.
PELICANS 123, NUGGETS 114
In New Orleans, DeMarcus Cousins had 40 points, 22 rebounds and four blocks, and the Pelicans won for the second time in three games without Anthony Davis.
Jrue Holiday scored 27 points for New Orleans, which shot 53.5 percent (46 of 86).
Davis missed his third straight game with a strained left adductor. His status for New Orleans’ next game remains unclear.
Gary Harris scored 24 for the short-handed Nuggets, who remained without recently injured frontcourt stalwarts Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap.
