NBA roundup: Irving, Cavs extend roll

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[March 16, 2015]  The Sports Xchange

 ORLANDO -- All-Star guard Kyrie Irving scored 33 points while hitting 12 of 15 shots, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a dominating 123-108 victory over the Orlando Magic on Sunday night.

Irving, who scored an NBA-high 57 points Thursday in San Antonio, also made five of six shots from 3-point range. The Cavaliers (43-25) won their fourth consecutive game and their 10th consecutive over the Magic.

Guard J.R. Smith scored 25 points, leading the 3-point onslaught that buried the Magic. They made 18 of 35 from long range. Smith hit six of 11.

Forward LeBron James had 21 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds. Reserve guard James Jones had 12 points and made four of eight from 3-point range.

The Magic (21-47) were led by guard Victor Olidipo had 25 points and seven assists. Center Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 15 rebounds. Rookie point guard Elfrid Payton had 13 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. Forward Tobias Harris had 24 points and eight rebounds. Reserve guard Luke Ridnour had a season-high 15 points.

Trail Blazers 113, Raptors 97

TORONTO -- Portland forward LaMarcus Aldridge continued his dominance over Toronto, leading the Trail Blazers past the Raptors.

 

Aldridge, who entered the contest averaging 25.9 points and 12.9 rebounds in his last nine meetings with the Raptors, finished with a game-high 24 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. The 29-year-old has double-doubles in 10 straight games against the Raptors.

Blazers guard Damian Lillard added 23 points, five assists and four rebounds while guard Arron Afflalo chipped in with 14 points. Portland won for the 12th time in the last 13 meetings with Toronto. The Blazers won for the eighth time in nine games overall.

Nuggets 118, Pelicans 111 (2OT)

NEW ORLEANS -- Forward Danilo Gallinari scored five points in the second overtime, including an open 3-pointer from the top of the key, and center Kenneth Faried added a layup to lift Denver to a victory over New Orleans.

The game was tied 109-109 at the end of the first overtime, but the Nuggets outscored the Pelicans 9-2 in the second overtime. The Pelicans went scoreless in their first five possessions of the second extra period. Faried gave the Nuggets the lead for good on a rebound follow, and Gallinari nailed his jumper from long range with 1:29 left, putting Denver up 114-109.

The Nuggets had five players score in double figures, led by guard Will Barton with a career-high 25 points and Faried with 20. The Pelicans wasted a monster game by forward Anthony Davis, who had 36 points, 14 rebounds, nine blocks and a career-high seven assists.

Spurs 123, Timberwolves 97

SAN ANTONIO -- Kawhi Leonard scored a team-high 15 points as San Antonio defeated Minnesota, but the Spurs lost guard Manu Ginobili due to a right ankle sprain. Ginobili is expected to be out at least one week.

The forward was one of seven San Antonio players to score in double figures as the Spurs completed a four-game season sweep of Minnesota. The Spurs earned their seventh win in eight games.

Guard Kevin Martin scored 19 points and guard Zach LaVine added 18 for the Timberwolves, who were missing many players on the final game of a four-game road trip. Minnesota lost its fourth game in a row.

Rockets 100, Clippers 98

LOS ANGELES -- Guard James Harden scored 34 points, and Houston held on for a victory over Los Angeles. Clippers point guard Chris Paul, who finished with 23 points, missed a shot at the buzzer that would have forced overtime.

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The win ended a two-game skid for the Rockets. Houston forward Trevor Ariza scored 19 points, while forward Terrence Jones added 16.

Los Angeles forward Blake Griffin returned after missing 15 games after surgery on his right elbow. Griffin had 11 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Forward Matt Barnes scored 19 points and guard J.J. Redick had 15 for the Clippers.

Thunder 109, Bulls 100

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Guard Russell Westbrook scored 36 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Oklahoma City to a victory over Chicago.

The Bulls lost for the fifth time in six games and are tied in the loss column with the Washington Wizards for fourth in the Eastern Conference Standings. The Thunder are one game ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans for eighth place in the Western Conference.

Thunder center Enes Kanter posted 18 points and 18 rebounds for his sixth double-double since being traded to Oklahoma City. Center Steven Adams added 14 points and 11 boards. Forward Nikola Mirotic paced the Bulls with 27 points off the bench.

Suns 102, Knicks 89

PHOENIX -- Brandan Wright stepped up for injured center Alex Len and produced 18 points and 11 rebounds as Phoenix shook off a poor first quarter and beat New York.

Suns guard Eric Bledsoe had 21 points and 11 assists. Forward Markieff Morris added 20 points.
 


Center Andrea Bargnani and guard Alexey Shved had 18 points each for the Knicks, who are 5-30 on the road this season after finishing a 1-4 Western road trip. New York lost two players during the game: guard Tim Hardaway Jr. with a sprained right wrist and forward Cleanthony Early with a sprained left ankle.

Hawks 91, Lakers 86

LOS ANGELES -- Guard Dennis Schroder scored 24 points and handed out 10 assists, and center Al Horford added 21 points, guiding Atlanta to a win over Los Angeles.

Hawks eserve guard Shelvin Mack contributed 18 points. Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer rested point guard Jeff Teague and forwards Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll. Shooting guard Kyle Korver started but sustained a broken nose in the second quarter and did not return.

Forwards Ryan Kelly and Carlos Boozer each finished with 13 points to lead the Lakers, who fell for the seventh time in eight games.

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