The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 10 - 3 ) defeated the Atlanta Hawks ( 9 - 6 ) 109 - 97 on Saturday . In a rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals from last season , the Cavaliers showed once again who 's boss . Cleveland took a 15 - point lead at half and never looked back . The defense was the key for the Cavs on Saturday , as they held Atlanta to 37 percent shooting and outrebounded them 51 - 38 . LeBron James , Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love all recorded double - digit rebounds against one of the worst rebounding teams in the league . The Hawks had a very frustrating game on Saturday , as Coach Mike Budenholzer was tossed in the third quarter . The ejection was a bit innocuous , but his frustration clearly boiled over . No Atlanta player scored more than 14 points in the loss and no one could fine their stroke against this vaunted Cleveland defense . The Hawks were led by another strong outing from Paul Millsap , who collected 14 points , 12 rebounds , five assists , four steals and two blocks in the defeat . Millsap is proving to be one of the best stat - stuffers in the NBA right now and arguably one of the best power forwards in the association . Jeff Teague did return for this game , but came off the bench to ease him in from his ankle injury . The Hawks will look to play better om Tuesday when they host the surging Boston Celtics . Cleveland played their first game without center Timofey Mozgov and they did n't miss a beat . Tristan Thompson filled - in for him and had a spectacular game , tallying nine points , 16 rebounds and five assists in the win . There was n't much bench depth for the Cavs in this game , but all four players who played at least two minutes off the bench scored at least six points . LeBron James did n't have great numbers at the half , but he finished strong by totaling 19 points , 11 rebounds and eight assists in the victory . Kevin Love also provided 25 points and 11 rebounds in what 's proving to be a bounce - back season for the All-Star . This defense has been truly impressive this season for Cleveland and that was exemplified on Saturday against a potent Hawks offense . The Cavaliers will look to continue their wining ways against the Orlando Magic on Monday .


The Cavaliers ( 11 - 3 ) defeated the Magic ( 6 - 8 ) 117 - 103 at Quicken Loans Arena on Monday for their third straight victory . Orlando was able to stay in the game through the first half , but Cleveland jumped out to a commanding 16 - point lead after outscoring the Magic 33 - 21 in the third quarter . Kevin Love had another solid game , draining six 3 - pointers and finishing with a game - high 34 points . The Cavaliers had perhaps their best shooting performance of the season , hitting 51 percent of their attempts from downtown ( 18 - of - 35 ) . It 's been an up - and - down season for Magic point guard Elfrid Payton , who went 0 - for - 7 from the field and finished with zero points in 19 minutes . With Payton the bench for most of the game , Shabazz Napier posted a season - high nine assists with 11 points over 29 minutes . The silver lining for Orlando was the play of power forward Andrew Nicholson , who scored a season - high 18 points off the bench . The Magic rotation has been very unpredictable lately with so many starters struggling , so that will likely mean more opportunities for guys like Napier and Nicholson moving forward . With the win , Cleveland kept it 's undefeated record at home in tact . In his second straight start in place of the injured Timofey Mozgov , Tristan Thompson registered a game - high 14 rebounds and came a point shy of a double - double for another night in a row . J.R. Smith continues to improve in each game and turned in a season - high 26 points ( 10 - 16 FG , 6 - 10 3Pt ) . LeBron James took a night off from scoring and decided to distribute a bit more , dishing out 13 assists as the Cavaliers put on a passing clinic finishing with 34 dimes . The Cavaliers get a tough test on the road Wednesday against the Raptors ; the Magic get the Knicks at home .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 13 - 4 ) defeated the Brooklyn Nets ( 3 - 13 ) 90 - 88 on Saturday . LeBron James likely imagined many moments like tonight 's closing sequence on his hometown court when he opted to return to Cleveland . The perennial All-Star scored the final two of his 26 points on the night on an eight - foot jumper to break an 88 - 88 tie and send the Cavs home winners for the second consecutive night . As has become customary in Kyrie Irving 's season - long absence while recovering from knee surgery , James and Kevin Love took charge of the Cleveland offense with matching 26 - point efforts to help their team remain perfect at home . The Nets certainly gave a valiant effort and were led by their own `` Big Two `` of Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young , who both stuffed the stat sheet across virtually every category . Lopez contributed 22 points , nine rebounds , a pair of assists , a pair of blocks and a steal over 38 minutes . Meanwhile , Young managed 16 points , 12 rebounds and a steal over 36 minutes on the court , making it his fifth double - double in the last seven contests . Veteran Joe Johnson also turned in a strong bounce - back effort with 17 points , after having only managed five points in Wednesday night 's loss to the Thunder . Jarret Jack pitched in with an impressive double - double of his own , tallying 12 points and supplementing it with a season - high 14 assists . Rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson posted double - digit rebounds for the third time in four contests , hauling in 10 boards and adding six points , an assist , five steals and a block over 30 minutes . Brooklyn fell to 3 - 13 and currently resides in fourth place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division . They head home to face the Detroit Pistons on Sunday . In addition to James ' and Loves ' outstanding performances , the Cavs also benefited from a 14 - point night from Mo Williams , as well as a 10 - point , 11 - rebound effort from Tristan Thompson , who 's now managed six consecutive double - doubles despite coming off the bench in a majority of those games . The remaining Cleveland starters could not muster much on the scoring end . J.R. Smith continued his recent offensive cool - down with a six - point , five - rebound performance , while Timofey Mozgov could only shoot 1 - for - 7 from the field on his way to a two - point , six - rebound outing . The Cleveland center did add a pair of assists , a pair of steals and a block . Cleveland improved to 13 - 4 and currently reside in first place in the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They next face the Wizards in a home game on Tuesday .


The Washington Wizards ( 7 - 8 ) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers ( 13 - 5 ) 97 - 85 on Tuesday , handing the Cavs their first home loss of the 2015 - 16 campaign . The Wizards had been mired in an offensive slump of epic proportions recently , having scored 87 points or less over their last three games . If they were going to pull off the near - unimaginable Tuesday by upsetting the undefeated Cavs in Quicken Loans Arena , they would need a resurgent performance from their offensive linchipin , John Wall . The All-Star 's recent performances had served as a microcosm of the team 's overall offensive struggles , with Wall having tallied 20 points or less in all 11 of Washington 's November contests , and having scored in single digits twice over that span . However , the light went on for the Wizards ' point guard on Tuesday , as he exploded for a season - high 35 points and added 10 assists , four rebounds and five steals . After shooting 36 percent or worse in four of his preceding five games , the 25 - year - old enjoyed a stellar night from the field , draining 14 buckets in 24 attempts ( 58 percent ) . If Wall can begin to put together more efforts of this caliber , the Wizards have an opportunity to climb out of their early - season hole and eventually grab an Eastern Conference playoff spot . Wall 's backcourt mate Bradley Beal posted his fifth consecutive game with double - digit points to support the offensive cause , amassing 18 points , nine rebounds and six assists . Marcin Gortat pitched in with his second consecutive double - double and third in four games , totaling an impressive 15 points , 11 rebounds , four blocks and a steal versus a Cleveland defense that had come into Tuesday yielding the second - least points and the least amount of rebounds per game to opposing centers . Jared Dudley fared better in his second start at power forward , collecting 12 points , three assists and a pair of rebounds , after only totaling seven points on Saturday versus the Raptors . Otto Porter ( six points , five rebounds , two assists , one block ) was the only Washington starter in single digits , while Garrett Temple paced the reserves with seven points and five rebounds over 28 minutes . The Wizards improved to 7 - 8 but still reside in last place in the Eastern Conference 's Southeast Division . They head home to face the Lakers on Wednesday . LeBron James unsurprisingly led the Cavs in every offensive category , but Tuesday was a night where that simply was not enough . A key factor was the lack of support from James ' season - long wing man in Kyrie Irving 's absence , Kevin Love . While James was able to put together one of his typically stellar outings ( 24 points , 13 rebounds , four assists , a block and a steal ) , Love could only muster eight points , eight rebounds and a steal over 33 minutes . The fact that the Wizards had come in to Tuesday 's game giving up the fifth - most points per game to opposing power forwards ( 22 ) made Love 's final stat line all the more disappointing . J.R. Smith ( 13 points ) and Mo Williams ( 12 points ) did their best to contribute , but Smith in particular suffered through a third consecutive sub - par shooting night ( 3 - for - 14 ) . Matthew Delladedova paced the Cavs ' bench with a 15 - point effort over 27 minutes . Cleveland fell to 13 - 5 but still retains sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They head to New Orleans to face the Pelicans on Friday .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 14 - 7 ) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers ( 9 - 14 ) 105 - 100 on Tuesday . The Cavs entered the night trying to not only end a rare three - game losing streak , but also get back on track at home after dropping their first game in Quicken Loans Arena last Thursday versus the Wizards . Things were n't exactly looking up for the home team at the half , as Cleveland faced a 56 - 47 deficit by intermission . A resurgent and resolute Cavs squad took the floor in the third quarter however , handily outscoring the visitors 30 - 19 during the period on the back of Kevin Love 's nine points . Then it was LeBron James ' turn in the fourth quarter , during which he tallied 12 of his 33 points on the night to help Cleveland escape with the victory . Portland received typically outstanding performances from their dynamic backcourt duo of Damian Lillard ( 33 points , six rebounds , six assists ) and C.J . McCollum ( 24 points , five assists , three rebounds and a pair of steals ) . However , it was the insufficient production from their other three starters that played a crucial part in Portland coming up just short of handing Cleveland a second straight home loss . Mason Plumlee , slumping as of late , contributed a modest 10 points , four rebounds , four assists and a block against the Cavs ' top - five ranked defense versus centers . Al-Farouq Aminu had one of his worst games since donning a Blazers uniform this offseason , tallying only four points , five rebounds and a block . Meanwhile , Noah Vonleh contributed next to nothing in a start at power forward , only pitching in two points and four rebounds . Allen Crabbe continued his string of solid performances from the bench , posting a fifth consecutive double - digit scoring effort to pace the Portland reserves . The third - year pro managed 14 points , three rebounds and an assist . The Trail Blazers fell to 9 - 14 and currently reside in fourth place in the Western Conference 's Northwest Division . They now head to Phoenix for a Friday matchup versus the Suns . James complemented his game - high 33 points with 10 rebounds , three assists , two steals and three blocks . The perennial All-Star looked refreshed after being held out of the Cavs ' most recent contest , a road tilt versus the Heat last Saturday . Love 's aforementioned third - period tally of nine points represented half of his scoring on the night , as he totaled 18 points , along with four rebounds , four assists and four steals . Matthew Delladedova received another start in place of Mo Williams , and responded with a strong 17 - point effort . Williams was active as well , and paced the Cleveland bench with 13 points , a pair of rebounds and a pair of assists over a highly efficient 21 minutes . Cleveland improved to 14 - 7 and remains in first place in the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They now head to Orlando to take on the Magic on Friday .


In one of the season 's most hotly - anticipated matchups , the Cleveland Cavaliers ( 17 - 7 ) snapped the Oklahoma City Thunder 's ( 17 - 9 ) six - game win streak . The Cavs themselves advanced to 11 - 1 at home on the season . Cleveland fans were on the edge of their seats , as the Thunder were able to pull the Cavs ' lead down to just three with a minute remaining . However , LeBron James and the Cavs did n't go down easy , as James sealed the deal with a clutch free throw to put it away . King James narrowly missed a triple - double , posting 33 points , nine rebounds , and 11 assists en route to the nationally - televised victory . However , James 's performance may be overshadowed by an accidental collision with a courtside fan which left the spectator badly injured . The win came at a vital time for Cleveland , as they are still without All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving . The 23 - year - old has yet to see the floor in the 2015 - 16 season , and although many expected the matchup against OKC to be his debut , Irving himself confirmed via twitter a day before the game that he would be out once again . For the Thunder , meanwhile , the loss comes amid a surge of momentum . OKC had the longest winning streak in the NBA as they travelled to Cleveland , and had quickly been solidifying themselves as the Western Conference 's third seed . However , with guard Anthony Morrow out due to a personal matter and sixth man Dion Waiters unable to get his shot to fall , the Thunder struggled to get their offense flowing well enough to secure the win . While Russell Westbrook , Kevin Durant , and Serge Ibaka scored 27 , 25 , and 23 respectively , no other Thunder player scored more than six points . The Thunder , equipped with two of the most talented superstars in the league , should be able to withstand a loss to the reigning Eastern Conference champions . For the Cavs , meanwhile , the lead on the Eastern Conference begins to grow , a positive sign as Kyrie Irving has yet to log a single minute . The two powerhouses each face off against their respective conference 's weakest team in their next game , with the Thunder taking on the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland facing the Philadelphia 76ers .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 18 - 7 ) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers ( 1 - 28 ) 108 - 86 on Sunday . The game marked the return of Kyrie Irving to the court for the first time since suffering a fractured kneecap in last season 's NBA Finals . The 23 - year - old gave Cavs fans and management plenty of reason for optimism , as he tallied 12 points , four assists , a rebound and two steals over a highly productive 17 minutes . Irving drained a pair of three - pointers as part of that effort , and looked crisp overall in his first game action . While they are sure to manage his minutes carefully in the first few games , an already formidable Cavs squad now stands to greatly benefit from the talent infusion that the All-Star point guard provides . The Sixers were led by Nerlens Noel 's 15 points , which he impressively supplemented with 12 rebounds , an assist , a steal and a block . The power forward was the sole Philadelphia starter with double - digit scoring , as reserves T.J. McConnell and Jakarr Sampson were the only other teammates to join him in that distinction with a pair of 10 - point efforts . Rookie standout Jahlil Okafor struggled against the one of the stingiest defenses in the NBA versus opposing centers , netting only nine points and eight rebounds . Robert Covington and Isaiah Canaan each struggled through a pair of 2 for 9 shooting performances from the field , and the Sixers shot a forgettable 35 percent as a team . Philadelphia fell to 1 - 28 and sports the worst record in the NBA . They currently reside in last place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division , and head home to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday . The comfortable lead the Cavs held in the second half allowed them the luxury of sitting LeBron James for the entire fourth quarter . He filled out the stat sheet through three periods anyhow , collecting 23 points , five rebounds , four assists , three steals and a block over just 25 minutes . Kevin Love joined Irving and James in double - digit scoring with 10 points , and the Cavs power forward added four rebounds , an assist and a steal over a scant 22 minutes . Timofey Mozgov 's eight - point , eight - rebound performance rounded out an efficient afternoon for the starters , and Matthew Delladedova was outstanding off the bench in relief of Irving with 20 points , two assists , two steals and two blocks . The Cavaliers improved to 18 - 7 and have a hold of first place in the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They remain home to face the Knicks on Wednesday .


The Cavaliers ( 19 - 7 ) held off the Knicks ( 14 - 16 ) for a 91 - 84 victory at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday . The Knicks fought tough , but were unable to handle the Cavaliers stifling defense , particularly in the fourth quarter in which New York managed just 12 points . Iman Shumpert did an excellent job defending locking down Aaron Afflalo , while LeBron James and Kevin Love each poured in 23 points . Cleveland padded its lead in the Eastern Conference standings with a sixth straight win - - the Cavaliers longest winning streak of the season was eight games earlier in the season . It was a solid effort from the Knicks without All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony , who was sidelined due to an ankle injury , thought he was expected to play earlier in the day after shootaround . In Anthony 's stead , New York turned to rookie Kristaps Porzingus , who poured in a team - high 23 points on 8 - of - 18 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds . It was a nice bounce - back game for Porzingus , as the young big man had n't scored more than 20 points since Dec. 7 against the Mavericks . He also set a new career high with four 3 - pointers made . The Cavaliers received a big boost with Kyrie Irving returning to the lineup Sunday against the 76ers , but the superstar point guard has n't been very effective . He played just 19 minutes Wednesday and was limited to five points on 1 - of - 7 shooting from the field . It 's still only been two games since Irving 's return , so chances are he 'll need a few more contests to get back into the swing of things , which the Cavaliers can certainly afford considering how well they 've played lately . Tristan Thompson posted his fifth double - double of the season with 10 points and 14 rebounds .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 22 - 9 ) defeated the Orlando Magic ( 19 - 15 ) 104 - 79 on Saturday . The Cavaliers came into the contest tied with the Heat as the stingiest Eastern Conference team in terms of points allowed , yielding only 95 per game . They further cemented their reputation with a suffocation of the Magic 's offense , preventing their starting five from producing a single double - digit scorer . The Cavs made life miserable for Orlando shooting - wise , as the visitors could only muster a 38 percent success rate from the field , and 24 percent figure from beyond the arc . On the offensive end , Cleveland also took excellent care of the ball , committing only six turnovers in contrast to the 14 they forced from the Magic . Orlando was actually led by Aaron Gordon 's 11 points off the bench , which he complemented with seven rebounds and a pair of assists . A pair of 10 - point tallies from Shabazz Napier and Mario Hezonja , who were also in reserve roles , served as the next highest totals . The former added four rebounds , an assist and a steal , while the latter contributed six boards and three assists . Evan Fournier 's nine points paced the starting five , a group that bottomed out with a scoreless effort from Elfrid Payton over 16 minutes . The Magic dropped to 19 - 15 and currently reside in third place in the Eastern Conference 's Southeast Division . They next head to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Monday night . LeBron James led the charge for the home team , totaling 29 points , five rebounds , three assists and a pair of steals . Kyrie Irving played a highly efficient 21 minutes while serving as the second - highest scorer on the night , pouring in 13 points and adding five assists and a pair of rebounds . The frontcourt tandem of Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love put together a pair of 10 - point double - doubles that were supplemented with 12 and 13 boards , respectively . James Jones came off the bench to pace the Cleveland reserves with 10 points , three rebounds and an assist . The Cavaliers improved to 22 - 9 and remain atop the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They are home again on Monday to take on the Toronto Raptors .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 23 - 9 ) defeated the Toronto Raptors ( 21 - 15 ) 122 - 100 on Monday . Already known for their suffocating defense , the Cavaliers flipped the switch on another aspect of their game Monday , one that should put the rest of the league on notice . Cleveland caught fire from the field and turned into Warriors East for the evening , knocking down 55 percent of their attempts from the field and an outstanding 52 percent of the 33 they took from beyond the arc . The Cavs ' starting five impressively drained 13 long - range buckets , with the reserves pitching in another four . Their sharpshooting resulted in a season - high 122 points for Cleveland , who pulled away from the Raptors in the second half by winning the final two quarters by a pair of 32 - 22 margins . The visitors were led by Kyle Lowry 's 23 - point , 10 - assist double - double , his third straight such performance . He supplemented the effort with four rebounds , a pair of steals and a block . Partner in crime and backcourt mate DeMar DeRozan was right behind Lowry with 19 points , four assists , a pair of rebounds and a steal . The remaining members of the starting five managed modest - to - subpar efforts , with Jonas Valanciunas ' nine points and eight rebounds serving as the most notable . Patrick Patterson paced the Raptors bench with 15 points . Toronto fell to 21 - 15 but remains in first place in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic Division . They now head to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Wednesday . Cleveland 's formidable attack was spearheaded by Kyrie Irving , who can be officially considered back to full strength . The 23 - year - old played a season - high 29 minutes and was highly productive with them , pouring in a season - best 25 points , dishing out eight assists and hauling in six boards . J.R. Smith pitched in with a 24 - point effort that consisted exclusively of three - pointers , while LeBron James managed 20 points , seven assists , a pair of rebounds and three steals . Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson rounded out a stellar night for the starters with a pair of 14 - point efforts , totals that were complemented with nine and 11 rebounds , respectively . Matthew Dellavedova led the reserves with 11 points , four assists and three rebounds over 25 minutes . The Cavaliers improved to 23 - 9 and continue atop the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They now head to Washington to take on the Wizards on Wednesday .


The Golden State Warriors ( 38 - 4 ) routed the Cleveland Cavaliers ( 28 - 11 ) Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena , 132 - 98 . Golden State dominated from the opening tip , as they jumped out to a 12 - 2 lead in the game 's first three minutes and enjoyed leads of 34 - 21 after the first quarter and 70 - 44 at halftime . The Warriors just could not be stopped offensively , as they shout a brilliant 54 percent from the floor , including an absurd 19 - 40 ( 48 percent ) from three . Steph Curry paced all scorers with 35 points and added seven three - pointers to increase his league - leading total to 193 for the season . Andre Iguodala came off the bench to pitch in 20 on an ultraefficient 7 - 8 shooting , and Draymond Green notched 16 points and 10 assists and finished just three rebounds away from a triple - double . LeBron James led the Cavaliers with just 16 points on a lukewarm 7 - 16 shooting night , and he added five assists and five rebounds for one of his quieter games this season . J.R. Smith chipped in 14 on 6 - 9 shooting , and Matthew Dellavedova led Cavaliers reserves with 11 points and six assists . It was a mediocre shooting night for Cleveland ( 48 percent from the floor , 37 percent from three ) , nowhere near enough to keep pace with Golden State 's perpetual motion machine of an offense . The Warriors continue an Eastern Conference road trip Wednesday night in Chicago . The Cavaliers will take to the road for a game Wednesday in Brooklyn .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 30 - 11 ) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers ( 27 - 15 ) 115 - 102 on Thursday . A common tenet of success across most team sports is that collective balance usually triumphs over remarkable individual performances , and such was the case Thursday . Although the visiting Clippers received a 30 - point , nine - assist effort from Chris Paul , the rest of the All-Star point guard 's teammates did n't come close to approximating his output . Only two other starters managed double - digit scoring , putting an inordinate amount of responsibility on Paul . Meanwhile , all five Cavaliers starters tallied double - digit scoring , and two of them , Kevin Love and LeBron James , also posted double - doubles . Cleveland shot 51 percent from the field overall , and 46 percent from beyond the arc . Paul added three rebounds , three steals and a block to his scoring and assist totals . J.J. Redick was next in line , registering a respectable 17 points , but only adding two rebounds to his stat line . DeAndre Jordan put together a 10 - point , 13 - rebound double - double , and Jamal Crawford paced the Clippers ' reserves with 16 points and a steal . Paul Pierce notably was scoreless over 17 minutes as a starter , with only an assist and a steal to his credit on the night . Despite the loss , Los Angeles remains in second place in the Western Conference 's Pacific Division . They head to New York to take on the Knicks on Friday night . Cleveland 's attack was spearheaded by a pair of 22 - point efforts from James and J.R. Smith . The former added 12 assists and five rebounds , while the latter supplemented his points with a pair of rebounds and a pair of assists . Kyrie Irving bounced back from two single - digit scoring performances to post 21 points , four assists , two rebounds and a steal . Love put together a second consecutive double - double , collecting 18 points and hauling in 16 boards . He also added a pair of assists and a steal . Timofey Mozgov registered his second straight 11 - point , five - rebound outing to round out a successful night for the starters . Tristan Thompson was a force on the glass while leading the Cavs ' reserves , totaling 12 rebounds and adding eight points . With the victory , Cleveland remains atop the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They remain home to face off against the Bulls on Saturday night .


The Chicago Bulls ( 25 - 18 ) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers ( 30 - 12 ) 96 - 83 on Saturday . Any potential surge that the Cavs may have expected to receive from a fresh start under new coach Tyronn Lue was absent Saturday night , as the struggling Bulls managed to secure a victory in one of the most difficult arenas for road teams in the NBA . Cleveland entered the contest sporting a 16 - 2 record at Quicken Loans Arena on the season , while Chicago had lost three of their last four . However , the shooting made all of the difference in this one , as the Bulls found their stroke from the field . The Bulls tallied 44 - and - 41 percent success rates from the field and three - point range , respectively , while Cleveland mustered 37 percent and 17 percent figures in those same categories . The visitors also received 22 points from their bench , while the Cavs ' reserves could only contribute eight . Pau Gasol led the way for Chicago with a 25 - point , 10 - rebound double - double that also included six assists , a steal and a block . Jimmy Butler came within a rebound of a double - double of his own , managing 20 points , hauling in nine boards and dishing out an assist . Taj Gibson pitched in with a season - high 15 points , along with eight rebounds , an assist and a pair of blocks . Derrick Rose was the other starter to post double - digit scoring , pouring in 12 points and adding four rebounds , four assists and a block . Nikola Mirotic led the reserves with a 17 - point effort that also included six rebounds , an assist and a steal . With the victory , the Bulls hold on to second place in the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They face off with the Miami Heat back in Chicago on Monday . LeBron James looked a tad rejuvenated under his new head coach , posting a 26 - point , 13 - rebound double - double that was just an assist shy of his first triple - double of the season . J.R. Smith was next in line with his first double - double of the campaign , scoring 18 points and hauling in 11 boards . He also added an assist and a block . Kevin Love , who had posted six double - doubles of his own in his last seven contests , cooled off a bit with 14 points , five rebounds , two assists and a steal . Kyrie Irving was the fourth member of the starting unit to manage double - digit scoring , collecting 11 points , three rebounds , three assists and a block . Despite the loss , Cleveland remains atop the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They are home again on Monday to face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 31 - 12 ) held on Wednesday night to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves ( 14 - 32 ) at Quicken Loans Arena , 114 - 107 . The Cavaliers took an eight - point lead into the fourth quarter and led by as many as 15 in the final frame , but a furious comeback effort by the Wolves closed the gap to 94 - 91 with just 6:5 to go . The Cavaliers responded with a 70 run that seemed like it would ice the game for sure , but another run from the Timberwolves closed the gap to 110 - 107 with just 16 seconds to play . A pair of LeBron James free throws and two missed three - pointers by the Wolves on the other end finally sealed the win for Cleveland . James finished with 25 points to lead the Cavaliers on a brutally efficient 11 - 15 shooting night . He completed his offensive dominance with a game - high nine assists , and he added four rebounds , a steal and a block . Tristan Thompson was a wrecking ball inside , as he scored 19 points on 8 - 10 shooting and pulled down 12 rebounds ( seven offensive ) . Matthew Dellevadova scored 18 as he knocked down four three - pointers , and he added seven assists to serve as a spark off the bench . Karl-Anthony Towns was fantastic in the losing effort , as he scored 26 points on 11 - 16 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds for his third double - double in the past four contests . Andrew Wiggins added 20 and Zach Lavine came off the bench with an electric 21 points , six assists and four rebounds . The Wolves just could n't get anything going from the three - point line - - 4 - 16 compared to Cleveland 's 11 - 31 - - and that proved to be the difference . Minnesota will return home to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday . Cleveland continues their homestand Wednesday against Phoenix .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 32 - 12 ) extended their lead on the Eastern Conference with a 115 - 93 home win over the plummeting Phoenix Suns ( 14 - 33 ) . In their third game since firing coach David Blatt , the Cavs ran circles around the struggling Suns on both ends of the floor . Cleveland shot a whopping 56 percent from the field while sinking 11 three - pointers and simultaneously forcing 22 Phoenix turnovers . The team recorded an impressive 34 total assists , including nine from star LeBron James . In addition to his role as distributor , LeBron scored a highly efficient 21 points on 7 for 8 shooting from the field and 7 of 7 at the line . Power forward Kevin Love , who has been the subject of many trade rumors of late , also posted 21 points along with 11 rebounds , four assists , two steals , and two blocks . Phoenix has been struggling mightily lately , winning just two of its last 19 games . With star point guard Eric Bledsoe out for the season due to a torn meniscus , the Suns have given the reigns to their young core of players . Rookie Devin Booker has shone in a starting role , and Wednesday was no exception . Booker posted 16 points , three rebounds , and five assists , and turned the ball over just twice in 34 minutes . The Suns will have a day off before traveling to Madison Square Garden to take on the Knicks on Friday night . The Cavs , meanwhile , visit Central-Division foe Detroit on Friday .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 34 - 12 ) defeated the San Antonio Spurs ( 39 - 8 ) 117 - 103 at Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday . Two of the toughest competitors have bested the Spurs over the past week , as the Cleveland Cavaliers joined the Golden State Warriors in defeating Gregg Popovich and his basketball machine . The Spurs were once again without Tim Duncan ( knee ) , who should return to the lineup on Tuesday , and the effects are beginning to take notice . Before the injury , Duncan was leading the league in defensive efficiency and his passing ability has always been a staple to the Spurs game . David West got the nod in Duncan 's absence , but is far from as efficient to the five time champions . West finished with eight points , three rebounds and one assist in 23 minutes . Kawhi Leonard led San Antonio in scoring and contributed 24 points , six rebounds and two assists on 7 - of - 15 shooting . LaMarcus Aldridge was efficient in the effort , scoring 15 points on 11 shots , but was almost invisible in the rebounding battle , as he grabbed a lowly two boards . The Spurs will host the Orlando Magic ( 20 - 25 ) on Monday . Cleveland was able to exploit the Duncan-less smallball lineup and earned strong performances from all five starters , who finished in double figures . LeBron James was unstoppable on the drive , and more impressive chasing down Manu Ginobili in transition . James finished with a game high 29 points , five rebounds , seven assists and two blocks ( both on Ginobili ) on 10 - of - 17 shooting in 34 minutes . Kevin Love put together one of his best games of the season , scoring 21 points , to go along with 11 rebounds and three assists on 8 - of - 13 shooting , while Kyrie Irving was the third Cavs member to score 20 - plus points . The Cavs will visit Indiana Pacers ( 25 - 22 ) on Monday .


Avery Bradley hit a game - winning three - pointer at the buzzer as the Boston Celtics ( 30 - 22 ) stunned the Cleveland Cavaliers ( 35 - 16 ) on their home court on Friday , 104 - 103 . The Celtics have won eight of their last nine . The young squad has been one of the hottest team 's in the NBA in the new year , and is tied for third in the East . All-Star Isaiah Thomas led the scoring effort against the Cavs , finishing with 22 points . Of course , it was guard Bradley who was the star of the show . Bradley played hard - nosed defense and finished with 14 points including the deep game - winner . After five straight wins , the Cavs have now stumbled a bit , dropping their last two contests . Cleveland shocked the league by firing head coach David Blatt despite sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings . Cleveland is now just a single game ahead of Toronto , and is just 5 - 3 under coach Tyronn Lue . Even in the loss , however , star LeBron James shone . James led the game with 30 points and added seven rebounds to the dominant performance . JR Smith also lit it up from the field , dropping in 20 points on the night . Boston will host Sacramento on Sunday afternoon . The Cavs , meanwhile , face the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 36 - 14 ) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans ( 18 - 33 ) 99 - 84 on Saturday . One night removed from a heartbreaking 104 - 103 home defeat at the hands of Avery Bradley 's buzzer beater , the Cavaliers were tasked with taking on Anthony Davis and a feisty Pelicans squad with designs on an eighth playoff seed in the Western Conference . Cleveland proved it was up to the task in the second half of their back - to - back set , jumping on New Orleans early and then pulling away in the final period . The Cavaliers jumped out to a 28 - 20 lead after one quarter despite playing without starting power forward Kevin Love , who was nursing a bruised thigh . Although they trailed by as much as 15 in the second quarter , New Orleans battled back and closed the gap to four points on several occasions throughout the second half . However , Cleveland 's stars turned it up a notch when they needed it most , as Lebron James and Kyrie Irving combined for 17 points in a final period that the Cavs won by a margin of 25 - 14 . Three Cleveland starters - James , Irving and J.R. Smith - - turned in 20 - point - plus performances , and accounted for the bulk of the home team 's scoring on the night . The Pelicans were led by Norris Cole 's career - high 26 points , which he supplemented with five assists , two rebounds and a steal . His only blemish on the night was his five turnovers . Anthony Davis was the only other starter to tally double - digit scoring , scoring 24 points , and adding 11 rebounds and two blocks . Jrue Holiday paced the Pelicans bench with 12 points , five rebounds , four assists and a pair of steals . The visitors were largely stymied by Cleveland 's suffocating defense , as they managed to only shoot 39 percent from the field and 22 percent from behind the arc . New Orleans remains in last place in the Western Conference 's Southwest Division . They head to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Monday night . Irving scored a game - high 29 points in spearheading Cleveland 's attack . He also managed four rebounds , three assists and two steals , and has now scored over 20 points in four of his last five contests . James was right behind him with 27 points , eight assists , three rebounds and a steal . J.R. Smith was chucking all night along , uncorking 16 three - point attempts and scoring 20 points overall , along with four rebounds , three assists and a steal . Tristan Thompson , who got the starting nod in Love 's stead , notably went scoreless over 33 minutes but was a force on the glass , hauling in 15 rebounds while also dishing out an assist . The Cavaliers remain comfortably atop the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They 're at home again Monday for a tussle with the turmoil - laden Sacramento Kings .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 37 - 14 ) defeated the visiting Sacramento Kings ( 21 - 31 ) 120 - 100 , Monday night at Quicken Loans Arena . Cleveland dominated this contest . The Cavs scored at least 30 points in each of the first three quarters and 29 in the fourth as their offense clicked against the struggling Sacramento defense . The largest lead for Cleveland was 24 , which they reached a few times in the third and fourth quarters . The Kings have now lost eight of their last nine , while the Cavs have won two in a row . LeBron James notched his first triple - double of the season with 21 points ( 8 - 16 FG , 1 - 2 3Pt , 4 - 5 FT ) , 10 rebounds and 10 assists , along with two steals and one block , in 30 minutes . Kyrie Irving was on fire as well , finishing with 32 points ( 13 - 21 FG , 5 - 8 3Pt , 1 - 1 FT ) , 12 assists and three rebounds , in 35 minutes . Irving 's 12 assists matches his career - high . J.R. Smith chipped in 22 points ( 8 - 18 FG , 6 - 13 3Pt ) , four rebounds and two assists , in 31 minutes . The Cavs shot a solid 47 percent from the field and 45 percent from deep in the game . Kevin Love was in action despite being questionable due to a bruised thigh . Love played 27 minutes and tallied 11 points ( 2 - 10 FG , 2 - 6 3Pt , 5 - 6 FT ) and six rebounds . Five players scored in double digits for the Kings but as a team they shot only 44 percent from the field and missed 10 free throws . Rudy Gay led his team , with 16 points ( 6 - 12 FG , 4 - 6 3Pt ) and seven rebounds , in 27 minutes . Gay was a late decision to play , after missing the last game with a sore ankle . DeMarcus Cousins shot only 5 - of - 14 from the field , totaling 14 points , eight rebounds and three assists , in 29 minutes , while Rajon Rondo did his best to get everyone involved and keep the offense moving as he dished 16 assists to go along with his seven points and eight rebounds , in 33 minutes . The Kings will move on to finish up their current four - game road trip with a contest in Philadelphia , on Wednesday . Cleveland will look to build on the their small , two - game win streak as they host the Lakers on Wednesday .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 38 - 14 ) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers ( 11 - 44 ) 120 - 111 on Wednesday . The new - look Cavaliers are certainly playing up in pace under new coach Tyronn Lue , but an unintended consequence of their more prolific offense has been increased vulnerability on defense . Cleveland has been giving opposing teams extra possessions under their more aggressive style , resulting in some uncharacteristic shootouts in recent games that have them looking a bit like Warriors East . Such was the case Wednesday , with the Lakers managing one of their best scoring hauls of the season . Both teams shot well from the field and behind the arc , but the Cavs were just a tad more effective and also took better care of the ball . Cleveland was guilty of only seven turnovers on the night , as compared to 11 for Los Angeles . The home squad also managed 51 percent accuracy from the field overall and 42 percent from three - point range , while the Lakers posted respective 44 and 46 percent tallies in those categories . The visiting Lakers were led by Louis Williams , who totaled 28 points , four rebounds , two assists and a block . The steady Jordan Clarkson was next in line with 22 points , seven assists , six rebounds and a steal . Kobe Bryant , making his final visit to Cleveland , compiled 17 points , six rebounds , three assists and a steal . D'Angelo Russell led the reserves with 15 points , three assists , two rebounds and two steals . The Lakers remain in last place in the Western Conference 's Pacific Division . They 're back in action for the first time after the All-Star break on Friday , February 19th at home versus the San Antonio Spurs . Kyrie Irving continued a recent stretch of outstanding play in leading the Cavs ' attack , supplying 35 points , seven assists , three rebounds and two steals . LeBron James registered a double - double , amassing 29 points and dishing out 11 assists . He also hauled in seven boards and recorded a steal . Tristan Thompson got the starting call at center and contributed a double - double of his own , compiling 15 points , 13 rebounds , four assists and a block . Anderson Varejao paced the Cleveland bench with eight points and six rebounds . Cleveland heads into the All-Star break comfortably atop the Eastern Conference 's Central Division . They get back on the court Thursday , February 18th in a home matchup with the Chicago Bulls .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 39 - 14 ) defeated their division rival Chicago Bulls ( 27 - 26 ) Thursday night at Quicken Loans Arena , 106 - 95 . The Bulls took their only lead of the game at 20 . The Cavaliers swiftly rattled off a 10 - 2 run and held the lead for the rest of the game . Cleveland led by just six at halftime , but a 30 - 22 third quarter put the game away , as the Cavaliers led by double - digits for the entire final period . LeBron James finished one rebound and one assist away from a triple - double and scored a team - high 25 points on an efficient 11 - 19 shooting night . Triston Thompson was a beast inside , as he scored 16 on 8 - 10 shooting and added 10 rebounds . Kevin Love joined the double - double party with 15 points ( 5 - 10 FG ) and 15 rebounds . The Cavaliers were tidy on offense , as they recorded 21 assists and turned the ball over just 10 times . Derrick Rose led all scorers with 28 points ( 11 - 19 FG ) and added seven rebounds , two assists and a steal . Pau Gasol was the only other Bulls starter to reach double - digits , as he scored 14 to go with nine rebounds , four assists and a block . Bobby Portis was one of the few bright spots for Chicago , as he poured in 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in just 26 minutes off the bench . The Bulls shot just 40 percent from the floor and recorded more turnovers ( 13 ) than assists ( 12 ) . The Bulls return home Friday for a matchup against the Raptors . The Cavaliers hit the road for a matchup Sunday afternoon against the Thunder .


The Detroit Pistons ( 28 - 29 ) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers ( 40 - 15 ) 96 - 88 on Monday . It was a night of improbabilities , with the Pistons coming into the contest looking to snap a five - game losing streak at Quicken Loans Arena of all places , where Cleveland had only dropped four games all season . Detroit was also coming off an absolute trampling at the hands of Anthony Davis on Sunday , who generated a historic 59 - point , 20 - rebound performance . However , the Pistons accomplished the highly unlikely feat Monday on the strength of suffocating defense against one of the game 's best players , and a highly balanced offensive effort from their starting five . Detroit frustrated LeBron James with their typically stelllar play against small forwards , holding him to only 12 points on 5 - for - 18 shooting from the field , and forcing him into an uncharacteristic six turnovers . They also notably shut out starting center Tristan Thompson on the scoreboard , and held sharpshooter J.R. Smith to seven points . The Pistons were sperheaded by Reggie Jackson 's 23 - point outing , which he supplemented with four assists , three rebounds and three steals . Kentavious Caldwell-Pope followed with his first productive performance since returning from a groin injury , totaling 19 points , four rebounds and two steals . Andre Drummond was next with one of his trademark double - doubles , in which he collected 16 points , 15 boards , an assist , two steals and a block . Tobias Harris and Marcus Morris rounded matters out for the starting five with a pair of 14 - point outings . The former also pitched in five rebounds , three assists and three steals in his first start in a Pistons uniform , while Morris supplied four assists and a pair of rebounds in addition to his outstanding defensive work on James . Stanley Johnson paced the reserves with 10 points , four rebounds , an assist and a block . Detroit remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference 's Central Division , and is currently two games back of the eighth - seeded Chicago Bulls . They head back home to await the Philadelphia 76ers for a Wednesday matchup . Kyrie Irving was a bright spot on the night for Cleveland , as he managed 30 points , five assists , a rebound and a pair of steals after having to exit the Cavs ' last game with an illness . Kevin Love followed with 24 points , seven rebounds and three assists . James managed to complement his modest scoring total with eight boards , five assists and three steals . The bench was led by a modest seven points from Matthew Dellavedova , who also added three assists and a rebound . Cleveland remains atop the Eastern Conference 's Central Division despite the loss , and retains the top seed in the conference as well . They 're home again on Wednesday for a tussle with the Charlotte Hornets .


The Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers ( 41 - 15 ) made quick work of the Charlotte Hornets ( 29 - 27 ) on Wednesday , winning 114 - 103 . The Cavs had won five of their last six heading into Wednesday 's contest , despite dropping their most recent matchup against Detroit . Cleveland 's lead on the Eastern Conference has been steady for the majority of the season , and with the team now six for their last seven , things do n't look poised to change . Superstar LeBron James led the effort against the surging Hornets on Wednesday , contributing 23 points , seven rebounds , and seven assists . Point guard Kyrie Irving matched James 's scoring effort , also dropping in 23 on a team - high 17 field goal attempts . For the Cavs , taking care of the basketball proved key , as the team dished out a respectable 26 assists while only turning the ball over nine times . The loss snaps a five - game win streak for Charlotte , a team that has forced its way back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture over the last month . Point guard Kemba Walker , the team 's leading scorer , posted a team - high 20 points in Wednesday 's contest . No other starter reached double - digits , although rookie Frank Kaminsky poured in an efficient 16 from the bench . Recently returned big man Al Jefferson played just 23 minutes while coming off the bench . It was the former All-NBA center 's third straight tilt with the second unit . Charlotte ultimately proved unable to match Cleveland 's elite arsenal of offensive players , allowing the Cavs to hit 50 percent from the field on the night . Charlotte will travel to Indiana to face the Pacers on Wednesday . Cleveland , meanwhile , will visit the second - place Raptors on Friday for what should be an important matchup .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 42 - 17 ) defeated the Indiana Pacers ( 31 - 29 ) 100 - 96 on Monday . A day of rest for LeBron James on Sunday turned into one of calamity for his teammates , as they looked woefully ineffective in losing to the Washington Wizards by a 113 - 99 score that belied the extent of the winning team 's dominance . James returned from his one - game sabbatical Monday , but Cleveland still had its work cut out for it in a matchup against their division rivals . Although LeBron looked refreshed while posting a game - high 33 points , Indiana countered with a pair of standout performances from Monta Ellis and Paul George . After a Cleveland comeback from a 94 - 91 deficit at the 1:30 mark of the fourth quarter , the nip - and - tuck battle came down for one last three - point attempt for George with two seconds left . The All-Star forward had drained four of his eight tries from beyond the arc leading up to that moment , but his 26 - footer missed its target , clinching a much - needed victory for a struggling Cleveland squad fighting to hold on to the top Eastern Conference seed . Ellis ' 28 points paced the visitors , and he added two assists , a rebound and a steal . George followed closely behind with 23 points , eight rebounds , six assists and a pair of steals . George Hill was the only other member of the starting five with double - digit scoring , collecting 11 points , five assists and a pair of rebounds . Chase Budinger led the Pacers reserves with 11 points , four boards , a steal and a block . Indiana remains tied for second place with the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference 's Central Division , and for the eighth seed as well . They now head to Milwaukee for a Wednesday evening tilt versus the Bucks . James added five rebounds , four assists and a pair of steals to his scoring haul . Kyrie Irving , the only Cavalier who looked like he 'd come to play in Sunday 's lackluster outing , put together a 22 - point , six - assist , three - rebound performance that also included a steal . Kevin Love bounced back from a forgettable effort versus the Wizards with 13 points , eight rebounds and six assists . J.R. Smith overcame a tough first half to finish with 11 points , three rebounds and a steal . Tristan Thompson responded to his move to the bench by providing a 14 - point , 11 - rebound double - double that also included a block . The Cavs retain first place in the Eastern Conference 's Central Division , and the top seed in the conference by two and a half games over the Toronto Raptors . They remain home to take on the Washington Wizards on Friday night .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 43 - 17 ) defeated the Washington Wizards ( 30 - 31 ) 108 - 83 on Friday . Despite opting to give star forward Kevin Love the day off for rest purposes , the Cavs encountered surprisingly little difficulty in pulling away from a Wizards team that had soundly defeated them last Sunday . The main difference in this contest was the presence of LeBron James , who 'd sat out the 113 - 99 loss in Washington . Following a week of controversy in which his intentions to remain in Cleveland long - term were called into question , James responded with a 19 - point , 13 - rebound double - double that also included seven assists and three steals . The Cavs outperformed the Wizards in virtually every major offensive category during the dominating performance , particularly from long distance . Cleveland amassed an impressive 44 percent accuracy rate from beyond the arc , while limiting Washington to a paltry 15 percent tally . The visitors were led by John Wall , who managed 17 points , eight rebounds and seven assists . Markieff Morris was next in line , contributing 13 points , five rebounds and two assists . Marcin Gortat posted a near double - double , registering 10 points , nine rebounds and three blocks . Ramon Sessions paced the bench with 12 points , three rebounds , two assists and a block . Bradley Beal , still coming off the bench despite Garrett Temple 's monumental struggles as a starter ( scoreless in 27 minutes Friday ) , pitched in with 11 points , three rebounds , an assist and a steal as well . The Wizards are currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference 's Southeast Division , and a game back of the eighth - seeded Detroit Pistons . They 're home against the Pacers on Saturday night . Kyrie Irving spearheaded the Cavs ' attack with 21 points , eight assists , five rebounds and a steal . Timofey Mozgov turned in one of his best offensive performances of the season , totaling 14 points and five rebounds over a productive 20 minutes . J.R. Smith contributed a modest 10 points , four assists , a rebound and a pair of steals , while Matthew Delladedova led the reserves with a 12 - point effort that was supplemented with three rebounds , an assist and a steal . Tristan Thompson scored in double digits off the bench as well , picking up 10 points , seven boards , a steal and two blocks . The Cavs remain atop the Eastern Conference 's Central Division , and retain a two - game lead for the top seed in the conference over the Toronto Raptors . They 're home again on Saturday night for a tussle with the Celtics .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 44 - 17 ) defeated the visiting Boston Celtics ( 38 - 26 ) 120 - 103 , Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena . Boston got out to a quick start with a 35 - 22 first quarter and for a while looked like they might run away with the game . However , Cleveland snapped back into form and dominated the rest of the way , outscoring the Celtics , 98 - 68 throughout the final three quarters . This was an important statement game for the Cavs on their home floor against the high - octane Celtics , who came in winners of their previous five . The Cavs snapped Boston 's win streak and added to their own , which now stands at three games . LeBron James led the way for Cleveland with a near triple - double , including 28 points ( 11 - 20 FG , 1 - 4 3Pt , 5 - 9 FT ) , 11 rebounds and eight assists , along with two steals and one block , in 36 minutes . In addition to LeBron 's large contribution , the Cavs had seven other players score in double digits . Kyrie Irving was the next highest scorer with 20 points , along with his four assists and three rebounds , while J.R. Smith chipped in 14 points , three rebounds and three assits . Cleveland shot 51 percent from the field and dished out 27 assists en route to the win . The Celtics were not able to keep up on the second night of a back - to - back , despite shooting a respectable 46 percent from the field and 43 percent from deep . Isaiah Thomas led Boston in scoring with 27 points ( 9 - 15 FG , 4 - 6 3Pt , 5 - 8 FT ) , along with four assists and three rebounds , in 34 minutes . Jared Sullinger was solid as he tallied a double - double with 17 points and 13 rebounds , in 31 minutes . Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder chipped in another 12 points each , while the bench added 27 . The Celtics sit just a couple of games ahead of Miami and will need to get back to their winning ways as soon as possible in the crowded East . Next , Boston hosts the Grizzlies on Wednesday . However , Cleveland will host the Grizzlies first , on Monday .


The shorthanded Memphis Grizzlies ( 38 - 25 ) shocked the Cleveland Cavaliers ( 44 - 18 ) in a 106 - 103 win on Monday . Memphis was projected to lose by 10 with all their regulars , but won this game with all those players sitting . That spread skyrocketed to 15 points once it was announced that Memphis would be without Zach Randolph , Marc Gasol , Mike Conley and Matt Barnes for this game . The backups somehow pulled out a miraculous win , thanks to forcing the Cavaliers to commit 25 turnovers , while committing just 16 of their own . Memphis started off hot , as they scored 33 points in the first quarter to take an eight - point lead . Memphis got some heroic performances tonight in a showcase win . Tony Allen was especially good , as he tallied 26 points , four assists and five steals in the win for the third - highest point total of his career . Mario Chalmers filled in for Mike Conley admirably , as he accumulated 17 points , seven assists , four rebounds and four steals . JaMychal Green totaled 16 points , 10 rebounds , six assists and four steals of his own . Lance Stephenson gave the team a nice spark off the bench as well , as he scored 17 points and snatched down seven rebounds in the victory . On deck for the Grizzlies is a matchup against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday . This was arguably the worst loss of the season for Cleveland and there will surely be plenty spoken about this bad defeat . LeBron James was one of the few motivated players , as he tallied 28 points , nine rebounds and five assists in the loss . Kyrie Irving also played well , as he amassed 28 points , five assists and four steals . The Cavaliers start a four - game West Coast trip on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings in their next matchup .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 48 - 19 ) defeated the Dallas Mavericks ( 34 - 34 ) 99 - 98 on Wednesday . As part of a plan to keep starters fresh for the playoffs , LeBron James was given the night off by coach Tyronn Lue , placing a greater degree of responsibility on fellow superstar Kyrie Irving . The All-Star guard , as he often did prior to James ' return at the start of last season , largely placed the offense on his shoulders , but it was a key defensive play on his part that helped seal the victory . Irving totaled a game - high 33 points , and added five rebounds , an assist , a block and a steal with 3 seconds left on a pass intended for Dirk Nowitzki . He was fouled right after swiping the ball , and sunk two decisive free throws to provide just enough cushion to withstand Deron Williams ' three - pointer at the buzzer and still allow Cleveland to walk away victorious . Kevin Love pitched in with a strong effort of his own to support Iriving , tallying 23 points , 18 rebounds , an assist and a pair of blocks . J.R. Smith was next with 13 points , four rebounds , four assists and three steals . Channing Frye continued his strong play off the bench , pacing the reserves with 14 points , three rebounds and a steal . Tristan Thompson , drawing the start at center , notably went scoreless over 37 minutes but did haul in eight rebounds and dish out two assists . The Cavs continue atop both the Eastern Conference 's Central Division , and the conference as a whole . They head to Orlando to take on the Magic on Friday . The Mavs were led by a pair of 20 - point efforts from two of their big men . Nowitzki paced the starters that point total , and added four rebounds , three assists and three blocks . David Lee led the reserves his tally , and supplemented the scoring with three rebounds and an assist . J.J. Barea was the only other Dallas player - - starter or reserve - - to manage double - digit scoring , supplying 17 points , four assists and three rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench . The Mavs are currently in fourth place in the Western Conference 's Southwest Division , and are hanging on to the eighth seed in the conference for the time being as well . They 're home again Friday to face the Golden State Warriors .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 50 - 20 ) defeated the Denver Nuggets ( 29 - 42 ) 124 - 91 on Monday . Even without Kevin Love ( illness ) , the Cavs had no trouble exerting their will on a considerably inferior Nuggets squad , and clinching a division title in the process . LeBron James had been fairly quiet in recent games by his standards , but stepped up his role in the offense without Love in the lineup . LeBron managed his second triple - double of the season , posting 33 points , eleven rebounds and eleven assists . Cleveland outperformed Denver in every major category , and played an outstanding defensive game overall . They also managed a 56 percent success rate from the field , and a 48 percent figure from three - point range . The Nuggets were paced by a spectacular effort off the bench from Will Barton , who managed 27 points , four rebounds , an assist and a pair of steals . Nikola Jokic and Gary Harris led the starters , but it was only with a pair of 11 - point efforts . The former also added four rebounds , three assists and three steals , while the latter managed a pair of rebounds , an assist and a pair of steals . No other member of the first unit tallied double - digit points , but Jusuf Nurkic did pitch in with 11 points , seven rebounds , three assists , a steal and three blocks in 26 minutes off the bench . Denver remains in fourth place in the Western Conference 's Northwest Division , and 7 games behind eighth - seeded Dallas Mavericks . They 're home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday . J.R. Smith followed James ' effort with 15 points , five assists , four rebounds and four steals . Channing Frye filled in admirably for Love , producing 14 points , three rebounds , two assists and a block . Matthew Dellavedova paced the bench with 10 points , seven assists and three rebounds . The Cavaliers remain atop the Eastern Conference , with a slim 2 game lead over the Toronto Raptors . They 're home again against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 51 - 20 ) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks ( 30 - 42 ) 113 - 104 on Wednesday . The Cavs haven now clinched the Central Division title , but remain in a dogfight for the top seed in the Eastern Conference with the Toronto Raptors . With only a 2 - game lead coming in to the night , Cleveland finds itself in a must - win scenario for the time being every time they take the court . Fortunately , they were back at full health Wednesday , with Kevin Love back after a one - game absence due to an illness . The power forward was outstanding in his return , taking advantage of the Bucks ' nototriously vulnerable frontcourt to post a 24 - point , 10 - rebound double - double that also included four assists , a steal and two blocks . Love and LeBron James helped the Cavs overcome some shooting struggles from long - range - - where they only tallied a 29 percent success rate - - to secure the key victory . The Bucks were spearheaded by Giannis Antetokunmpo , who managed 24 points , six assists , six rebounds and a block . Jerryd Bayless followed with 15 points , five rebounds and an assist . Greg Monroe was next with 14 points , two rebounds , an assist and a steal . Jabari Parker checked in with 12 points , three assists , a rebound and four steals . John Henson paced the reserves with 12 points , three rebounds , an assist , a steal and a block . The Bucks remain in last place in the Eastern Conference 's Central Division , and are seven games back of the eighth - seeded Chicago Bulls . They head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Friday . James ' 26 points led the Cavs , and he supplemented the game - high scoring total with eight assists , six rebounds , two steals and a block . Kyrie Irving contributed 16 points , eight rebounds , eight assists and a steal . J.R. Smith tallied 13 points , four assists , three rebounds and a steal . Timofey Mozgov managed 10 points , three rebounds , two assists and a block . Tristan Thompson paced the bench with a 13 - point , 10 - rebound double - double that also included a pair of blocks . The Cavaliers have clinched the Eastern Conference 's Central Division , and are momentarily two games ahead of the second - seeded Raptors , pending the outcome of tonight 's Toronto-Boston game . They head to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Thursday .


The Houston Rockets ( 37 - 38 ) came back to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers ( 52 - 22 ) 106 - 100 on Tuesday . This game meant more to Houston than it did Cleveland and the second half shows just that . The Cavaliers carried a 19 - point lead at half , but allowed the Rockets to make a huge comeback in their home building . In fact , the Rockets outscored the Cavaliers 64 to 41 in the second half . Houston 's defense was key , as they held Cleveland to 36 percent shooting and outrebounded them 55 to 38 . This win put Houston solely in the eight - seed and it may be their biggest win of the season . James Harden really stepped up in the fourth quarter , as he scored 16 of his 27 points in the final 12 minutes . Dwight Howard double - doubled in an 11 - point , 11 - rebound outing , despite shooting 7 - for - 22 from the free - throw line . Michael Beasley was a nice spark off the bench , as he scored 17 , while grabbing eight boards . On deck for the Rockets is a matchup with the Chicago Bulls on Thursday . Cleveland played this game without a rested LeBron James and they clearly did n't have the fire they needed to win this game . Kyrie Irving did step up in his absence though , as he accumulated 31 points and eight assists . Tristan Thompson recorded a double - double off the bench as well , as he totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds . The Cavaliers will look to bounce back on Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets in their next game . Cleveland actually lost to the Nets the last time they played , so look for them to avenge that loss as a huge favorite .


LeBron James passed Dominique Wilkins to become the 12th highest scoring player in NBA history as the Cleveland Cavaliers ( 53 - 22 ) defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets ( 21 - 54 ) 107 - 87 , Thursday evening at Quicken Loans Arena . James was back in the line up after sitting out last game and made sure the Cavs did not suffer back - to - back home losses as he led all scorers . After four lead changes in the first quarter the Cavs turned on the jets , out - scoring Brooklyn 27 - 6 to close out the first half . Cleveland cruised the rest of the way to a 20 - point victory . Cavs sit 3 games ahead of the second - place Toronto Raptors with seven games remaining , including four on the road . LeBron finished with 24 points ( 8 - 11 FG , 8 - 10 FT ) , 11 assists , four rebounds , two steals and one blocked shot , to lead the Cavs in 31 minutes of action . Kevin Love followed up with a solid 19 points ( 6 - 10 FG , 4 - 8 3Pt , 3 - 4 FT ) , 10 rebounds , two assists , one block and one steal , in 25 minutes . Channing Frye chipped in 13 points , eight rebounds and two assists , while Kyrie Irving and Timofey Mozgov added 10 points each . Cleveland shot only 44 percent from the field and gave up 17 turnovers but rebounded and assisted well , to earn their 31st home victory . The Nets were held to only 37 percent shooting from the field , including 4 - 21 from long range , as they were stifled by the Cavs . Thaddeus Young led Brooklyn in scoring with 18 points , along with eight rebounds and one steal , in 28 minutes , after sitting out last game to rest . Bojan Bogdanovic added 14 points , five rebounds and three assists , while Shane Larkin added 13 points , eight assists , five rebounds and two steals . Brooklyn was missing Brook Lopez , who sat this one out to rest . The Nets will be right back in action as they visit their cross - town rivals , the Knicks , on Friday at Madison Square Garden . The Cavaliers will be in Atlanta Friday to play the third - place Hawks .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 55 - 22 ) defeated the Charlotte Hornets ( 44 - 32 ) 112 - 103 on Sunday . As he 's done on so many other occasions , LeBron James took the reins of the Cavaliers offense in a crucial game . With Kyrie Irving sitting out with an injured ankle , James led the way for Cleveland with a game - high 31 points , and added 12 assists , eight rebounds and a pair of steals . He was far from the only contributor however , as J.R. Smith and Kevin Love also notably stepped up in the absence of their All-Star point guard . The victory helped the Cavs open up a 4 - game lead over the idle Toronto Raptors for the top seed in the Eastern Conference with five games to play . Cleveland will have to keep their knife sharpened for at least a couple of more contests , as their remaining games include four opponents who will be fighting for playoff position . The Hornets ' attack was spearheaded by Kemba Walker , who pitched in with 29 points , seven assists , six rebounds , four steals and a block . The standout point guard compiled 21 of those points in the second half . Marvin Williams followed with a bounce - back effort after a couple of down performances , tallying 22 points , six rebounds , three assists , a steal and a block . Courtney Lee was next with 11 points , three assists , a rebound , three steals and a block . Jeremy Lin paced the reserves with 14 points , three rebounds and an assist . Charlotte has clinched a playoff spot and is presently tied for second place in the Eastern Conference 's Southeast Division , while also currently being slotted in the sixth seed . They visit the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night . Smith followed James ' effort with a season - high 27 points , which he supplemented with five rebounds , three assists and a steal . His point total included six three - pointers in nine attempts from beyond the arc . Meanwhile , Love posted a near double - double with 25 points , nine rebounds , four assists and a block , while draining five treys himself . In all , Cleveland shot 54 percent ( 16 - for - 29 ) from long distance . The Cavaliers head to Milwaukee for a Tuesday night tilt with the Bucks .


The Cleveland Cavaliers ( 57 - 24 ) defeated the Atlanta Hawks ( 48 - 33 ) on Monday , 109 - 94 , clinching first place in the Eastern Conference . With the top seed on the line and a chance to clinch it on their home court , the Cavs ' top two stars stepped up to ensure victory . Kyrie Irving and LeBron James scored 35 and 34 points , respectively , to lead Cleveland . No other Cavalier managed to score more than 10 points , but it was all the Cavs needed to get the best of one of the other top defensive units in the conference . The Hawks were led by Kent Bazemore , who managed 23 points , six rebounds , an assist , three steals and a block . Jeff Teague followed with 21 points , nine assists and a steal , but committed six turnovers . Al Horford was next with a 20 - point , 11 - rebound double - double that also included two assists , a steal and two blocks . Paul Millsap , who 'd posted some remarkable performances in recent games , could only manage a modest nine points , eight rebounds , three assists and three blocks . Atlanta retains a half - game lead over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference 's Southeast Division . They close out the season at Washington on Wednesday night . Irving 's point total paced the Cavs , and he added four rebounds , four assists , two steals and a block . However , like his counterpart Teague , he also committed six turnovers . James supplemented his scoring total with six rebounds , six assists , two steals and a block . Kevin Love only compiled 10 points , but did haul in 14 boards , dished out two assists and recorded two steals . Tristan Thompson , named the starter for the final two games at center , pitched in with nine points , 10 rebounds , an assist , three steals and a block . Matthew Delladedova led the bench with 10 points , three assists and a rebound . The Cavs close out the season with a home date against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night .


The Detroit Pistons ( 44 - 38 ) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers ( 57 - 25 ) in the season finale Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena , 112 - 110 in overtime . Many of the top players for both teams sat out with their clubs locked into their playoff seeds , as LeBron James , Kevin Love , Kyrie Irving , Andre Drummond , and Reggie Jackson all watched this one from the benches . Detroit opened up a 58 - 44 lead by halftime , but the Cavaliers clawed their way back into the game . Cleveland won the fourth quarter 31 - 21 and forced overtime on the strength of a Jordan McRae three - pointer with 15 seconds left . But Detroit held on in the overtime as McRae missed two of his three free throw attempts with 1 remaining in the extra frame as the Cavaliers fell by two . Jodie Meeks hit four three - pointers off the bench and led the Pistons with 20 points . Anthony Tolliver ( 5 - 10 FG , 5 - 9 3PT ) and Reggie Bullock ( 5 - 8 FG , 3 - 5 3PT ) added 15 each . Detroit shot just 44 perrcent from the field but made 16 - 33 ( 49 percent ) from three - point land and notched 24 assists against 12 turnovers to keep their offense moving . McRae 's 36 points led all scorers , as he shot a robust 14 - 29 from the field , including 3 - 5 from three - point land . Richard Jefferson scored 16 ( 5 - 11 FG ) and Channing Frye ( 6 - 10 FG ) and Timofey Mozgov ( 7 - 12 FG ) added 14 points apiece . Cleveland outshot Detroit 47 percent to 44 percent , but the Pistons scored 27 more points from the three - point line and 11 more from the free throw line , too much for Cleveland to overcome in the end . The Cavaliers will enter the playoffs with the first seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the Pistons , the eighth seed , in the first round .


Boston held off Philadelphia 's strong start and claimed a resounding 112 - 95 victory in their home opener . The third pick of the 2015 draft , Jahlil Okafor , was the story of the game in his debut . He put up 26 points and seven rebounds on 10 - 16 shooting from the field and 6 - 6 from the line . The rookie also committed eight turnovers . Unfortunately , his effort was n't enough to keep the 76ers in the game . The other bright spot for the 76ers was second year forward Nerlens Noel , who filled up the stat sheet with 14 points , 12 rebounds , two assists , three steals , and two blocks in 35 minutes . Isaiah Canaan also chipped in 18 points and 7 rebounds . Philadelphia will welcome Utah into town Friday , and will look for their first win of the season . Isaiah Thomas led the way for Boston off the bench with 27 points and seven assists in 29 minutes of action . The Celtics front court looks to be a fluid situation to start the season with Tyler Zeller starting but only playing 10 minutes . Jared Sullinger and Amir Johnson played 21 and 20 minutes respectively off the bench , while newly aquired David Lee started and played 22 minutes . Boston will play at home again Friday versus Toronto and look to start the season 20 .


The Toronto Raptors ( 20 ) were able to pull away on the road from the Boston Celtics ( 1 - 1 ) in the second half of Friday 's game , winning by a score of 113 - 103 . The two teams were dead even through the first two quarters , as the score was tied 26 - 26 after the first 12 minutes and 54 - 54 at halftime . However , the Raptors eventually used an 80 run in the third quarter to gain separation from the opposition , and maintained that advantage over the final 15 minutes . Terrence Ross was a star performer off the bench for Toronto , notching 21 points on 8 - for - 12 shooting . DeMarre Carroll knocked down four three - pointers to finish with 21 points , while Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan both shook off poor shooting nights to combine for 37 points . The Celtics were undone by the lack of scoring from their starting unit , as only two of the five starters reached double figures in scoring . That offensive deficiency was further exacerbated by the team 's ineffectiveness on the glass , with Toronto outrebounding Boston by a 53 - 38 count . For the second straight game , the Celtics leaned on Isaiah Thomas to drive the offense , and the guard did n't disappoint with a team - leading 25 points and seven assists . Amir Johnson chipped in 11 points and eight boards off the bench , while fellow frontcourt reserve Kelly Olynyk contributed 11 points of his own . Toronto 's next game will come at home Sunday versus Milwaukee , while Boston will enjoy another home date that same day against San Antonio .


In their first of two matchups against the Boston Celtics ( 1 - 2 ) this season , the San Antonio Spurs prevailed with a 95 - 87 win in Boston . First-year Spur LaMarcus Aldridge led the charge with 24 points , 12 rebounds , and five assists . The All-Star forward took advantage of the weak play of the Celtics ' big men , also tallying a block and a steal in 35 minutes of play . The game was a bounceback for Aldridge , who posted scoring totals of 11 and 10 in his first two games . San Antonio 's froncourt was also bolstered by the performance of 24 - year - old forward Kawhi Leonard , who totaled 19 points and five rebounds to go along with a pair of steals and a block . Despite falling behind early , Boston was able to remain within reach throughout the game , due largely to the performances of a number of bench players . Backup big men Amir Johnson and Jared Sullinger provided a spark of the bench , recording ten points apiece . While sixth man Isaiah Thomas struggled with his shot , he was still able to contribute as a distributor , notching five assists in the game . The team as a whole had issues with efficiency , as they shot just 36 percent from the field through four quarters . Despite their rough shooting night , sophomore guard Marcus Smart proved a diamond in the rough for Boston , posting 17 points and showing off his highly - touted defense with four steals . The Spurs will look to carry the momentum from this game into Monday , as they take on the Knicks in New York . Boston , meanwhile , will enjoy two days of rest before taking to the road against Indiana on Wednesday .


After a strong start , the Boston Celtics ( 2 - 3 ) were able to comfortably beat the Washington Wizards ( 3 - 2 ) on Friday by a score of 118 - 98 . The Celtics got off to a hot start , finishing the first half up 72 - 49 . Center Kelly Olynyk excelled off the bench , stuffing the stat sheet for 19 points , seven rebounds , four assists , and four steals . Olynyk also knocked in three attempts from beyond the three - point line . The team went without sophomore guard Marcus Smart ( toe ) for the second straight game . However , Boston was able to make up for the absence of the guard 's strong defense , holding Washington to just 41 percent from the field and forcing 24 turnovers on the night . Despite the tough loss , Friday 's game marked the continuation of the emergence of Washington guard Bradley Beal . Beal posted a game - high 24 points , and has now racked up at least 24 points in each game of the season . With many teammates struggling to find their shots , Beal was able to lead the charge on offense . Now , the fourth - year guard is averaging over 25 points per game and is leading the Wizards in scoring . His rise to prominance should be an interesting story to watch as he shares the backcourt with All-Star John Wall . The Wizards will seek to brush off the blowout as they prepare to play Saturday . Washington will be taking on the 5 - 1 Hawks in Atlanta . Meanwhile , the Celtics will have a few days of rest before taking on the Bucks in Milwaukee on Tuesday .


The Indiana Pacers ( 5 - 4 ) defeated the Boston Celtics ( 3 - 4 ) 102 - 91 on Wednesday at the TD Garden in Boston . In a relatively sloppy game with 37 combined turnovers , it was the Pacers who were able to come into Boston and steal an 11 - point victory . They were the superior shooters as a team , going 48 percent from the field and 35 percent from the three - point line , while the Celtics shot just 41 percent from the field and a paltry 17 percent from beyond the arc . With the higher shooting percentages , as well as a 41 - 36 rebounding advantage , the Pacers were able to seal the win . Paul George 's re - emergence this season coninued Wednesday with a 26 - point ( 10 - 22 FG , 2 - 5 3Pt , 4 - 5 FT ) , 10 - rebound performance . George sat out all but six games last season with a broken leg , but is now putting up career numbers to start the year , averaging 24 points , 9 rebounds , 5 assists and 2 steals over 36 minutes per game . The double - double also marked his fifth on the young season already , so George is showing some serious production . C.J . Miles saw extended time with Rodney Stuckey out due to an ankle injury . He took advantage of the extra minutes , scoring 17 points ( 6 - 10 FG , 1 - 4 3Pt , 4 - 4 FT ) , to go along with five rebounds and two steals . In injury related news , the Pacers did see one of their top young prospects leave the game . Rookie Myles Turner suffered a sprained thumb in the first quarter and was forced to sit out the rest of the game . Marcus Smart made his much anticipated return to the court after sitting out the last three games due to a toe injury . Coach Brad Stevens had him come off the bench , where he struggled to just eight points ( 1 - 6 FG , 0 - 4 3Pt , 6 - 8 FT ) and two assists over 21 minutes . Considering Avery Bradley was sidelined with a leg injury as well , Isaiah Thomas and Evan Turner were the make - shift backcourt for the Celtics . They were the most productive players on the court , as Turner finished with 20 points ( 9 - 13 FG , 2 - 2 FT ) and three assists , while Thomas added 14 points ( 4 - 13 FG , 1 - 4 3Pt , 5 - 7 FT ) and four assists . The 20 points were a season high for Turner , who 's now scored in double figures in four straight games . Jared Sullinger chipped in with an 11 - point ( 5 - 10 FG , 1 - 3 3Pt ) , 11 - rebound double - double as well . The Pacers ' next game will be at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday , while the Celtics will remain at home in a matchup with the Atlanta Hawks on Friday .


The Boston Celtics ( 4 - 4 ) comfortably delivered a home win against the Atlanta Hawks ( 8 - 3 ) on Friday , winning 106 - 93 . After briefly pulling away in the third quarter , the Celtics pulled off a 100 run late in the game to seal the victory . Point guard Isaiah Thomas led the charge for Boston , posting a 23 - point , 10 - assist double - double . Small forward Jae Crowder helped anchor the defense , grabbing four steals and a block on the night . Friday 's performance increased Crowder 's league - leading average of 3 steals per game . Also aiding the defense was power forward Amir Johnson , whose three blocks and three steals helped contribute to the relatively quiet night from Atlanta 's usually dominant frontcourt . While Atlanta shot a healthy 47 % from the field , the true story of the game was Boston 's 50 - 35 advantage on the glass . An abundance of second - chance attempts helped mask the Celtics ' relatively poor 41 % team shooting . An off night from All-Star point guard Jeff Teague only compounded the Atlanta 's woes . Teague finished the night with a modest six points and three assists while turning the ball over three times . Despite the off night , Atlanta remains one of the top dogs in the Eastern Conference . They will hope to get back on their feet on Monday against the Jazz . Meanwhile , the Celtics will look to crack .500 on Monday as they travel to Oklahoma City .


The Dallas Mavericks ( 8 - 4 ) defeated the Boston Celtics ( 6 - 5 ) 106 - 102 on Wednesday at the TD Garden in Boston . The Celtics built a strong lead early in this game , out - scoring the Mavericks 31 - 16 in the first quarter alone . With an eight - point lead heading into the fourth quarter , the Celtics had a chance to close it out , but the Mavericks took off on a 36 - 24 run in the end to secure the four - point victory on the road in Boston . The Mavericks were the superior shooters in this game , finishing at 51 percent from the field and 35 percent from the three - point line , while the Celtics went 41 percent from the field and just 31 percent from deep . Behind a strong performance from Dirk Nowitzki , the Mavericks won their fifth straight game , which gives them the third best record in the stacked Western Conference . Nowitzki finished with a game - high of 23 points ( 9 - 14 FG , 1 - 2 3Pt , 4 - 4 FT ) , 14 of which came in the first half , while also adding seven rebounds over 34 minutes . The 37 - year - old German has combined for 44 points and 13 rebounds over the last two games and is a big reason for the Mavericks continued success this season . Wes Matthews had one of his better scoring performances of the year . He posted 18 points and three assists over 33 minutes , despite shooting just 33 percent from the field . Matthews has really struggled with his shot of late , combining to shoot a dreadful 8 - of - 33 from the floor over his last three games . Matthews is a career 44 percent shooter from the field , though , so expect his numbers to increase moving forward . Zaza Pachulia chipped in with a 14 - point , 12 - rebound double - double as well . Despite coming off the bench for his third straight game following a minor calf injury , Avery Bradley still was able to have some decent production . In 31 minutes , he did a little bit of everything , recording 18 points ( 7 - 17 FG , 3 - 7 3Pt , 1 - 2 FT ) , six rebounds , three assists and four steals before fouling out late . The rebounds and steals were both season - highs for the guard , who could move back into the starting lineup as early as Friday . Starting in his place , Isaiah Thomas had a solid all - around showing . He finished with a team - high of 19 points ( 7 - 16 FG , 1 - 8 3Pt , 4 - 6 FT ) , to go along with six assists and three steals . Thomas had scored 20 points or more over the Cetlics ' last three games , all of which resulted in wins , but his production Wednesday was n't enough to keep the streak going . Jared Sullinger added a double - double with 18 points ( 7 - 19 FG , 1 - 3 3Pt , 3 - 4 FT ) and 12 rebounds over 30 minutes . The Celtics will remain at home to play the Brooklyn Nets on Friday , while the Mavericks will be at home against the Utah Jazz on Friday as well .


The Boston Celtics ( 7 - 5 ) blew out the Brooklyn Nets ( 2 - 11 ) 120 - 95 on Friday . This was an ugly game from start to finish , as the Celtics outscored the Nets in three quarters while tying them in one . The game really fell apart in the second quarter , as the Celtics outscored the Nets 43 - 23 in that 12 - minute stretch . Boston shot just short 60 percent from the field while the Nets fell just shy of 40 percent . The assisting differential was equally as lopsided , as the Celtics had 39 assists to the Nets 17 . The Nets have been playing competitively lately , but this was not one of those games . This sort of performance exemplifies which directions these two franchises are going right now and Brooklyn is in a lot of trouble right now . The starters amassed just 54 points in this game and that simply wo n't get it done in the NBA . One bright spot is the strong play of Thaddeus Young though , as he tallied 14 points and 10 rebounds in yet another great performance . Jarrett Jack has been really solid this season , but he committed seven turnovers here in one of his worst games of the years thus far . This team is downright bad right now and it 's hard to see a sliver lining with not much upside on this roster . They 'll look to rebound on Sunday when they get a rematch against these same Celtics . The Celtics had a brutal loss in their most previous game , but they bounced back nicely here to grab a runaway win . The bench was spectacular on this night , as they totaled 60 points in the win , outscoring the Nets starters . Avery Bradley led the team with 21 points , but the best player on this night was Jae Crowder . The Marquette product continued his fine season by tallying 19 points , five rebounds , two assists and three steals in the victory . He currently leads the league in steals and he 's becoming one of the most valuable players on this Celtics roster . Boston will look to play similarly when they take on the Nets yet again on Sunday in a rematch .


The Boston Celtics ( 8 - 7 ) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers ( 0 - 16 ) 84 - 80 on Wednesday in yet another late - game collapse for Philly . . The Sixers played very well in this game , but choked it away late to extend their horrible losing - streak . The Celtics ended the game on an 18 - 3 run over the last six minutes and that 's the Sixers season in a nutshell . Both teams shot poorly in this game , as they both shot below 38 percent from the field . This definitely was n't a pretty game by any means , but Boston fans will be happy that they were n't the ones to allow that first elusive win to the Sixers . The Sixers usually lose games early , but when it 's close at the end , they do n't know how to finish games either . It 's a sad reality for a team in a deep hole , but losses like these still have to be looked at positively . They were ahead for the majority of the second half and it was still one of their best performances of the year , despite the loss . Jahlil Okafor once again led the team in scoring , as he tallied 19 points and 11 rebounds in the defeat . He is definitely a major bright spot in a dark tunnel and Philly fans can be somewhat hopeful for the future with his strong play this season . Philadelphia will look to crack this losing - streak when they take on the struggling Houston Rockets on Friday . The Celtics played poorly on Wednesday , but somehow escaped with a win . Only two Boston players scored more than 10 points in this game and they were lucky to grab a win in such a poor performance . Despite the struggles , Isaiah Thomas had a great game , totaling 30 points , six assists and four rebounds in the victory . Evan Turner also had a nice game off the bench , as he collected 16 points , nine rebounds and three assists . Jared Sullinger also snatched 15 boards , so it was n't all bad for Boston . The gritty nature to go on a big run and pull out a win like this late can be a huge momentum booster for a young team . They 'll host a Washington Wizards team on Friday , who are coming off one of the biggest chokes of the season as well , as they scored six points in the fourth quarter in Wednesday 's loss to the Charlotte Hornets . .


The Boston Celtics dominated the Washington Wizards 111 - 78 on Friday . This was a non - competitive game and it was no surprise with both team 's last results . The Celtics had a comeback win over the Philadelphia 76ers in their last game in which they finished the game on a 16 - 4 run . The Wizards on the other hand , scored six points in the fourth quarter to blow a double - digit lead against the Charlotte Hornets in the fourth quarter of their last game . Clearly that epic collapse carried over here for the Wizards and they ca n't allow that to hang over them too much longer . Boston outshot , outrebounded , outassisted , and committed less turnovers than the Wizards in the blowout . They also beat them in every quarter by at least five points and this was the definition of a start - to - finish blowout . The Wizards shot just 32 percent in this loss and it was a downright ugly performance . The most worrisome part is the lack of hustle this team showed , as they were nearly doubled in the steals and blocks categories . John Wall had another bad game with just 10 points , six assists and four rebounds . He 's been in a rut as of late and they need him to play like a star if the team is to get out of this slump . The only Washington player who showed up was Jared Dudley , who dropped 19 points off the bench . The Wizards will try to get back on track on Saturday against the Toronto Raptors . This was one of Boston 's best games of the season , as they handled an Eastern Conference foe extremely easily . The Celtics were clicking on all cylinders , but their defense was the key , as they held the Wizards to 32 percent shooting . All the starters played well , as four of them scored at least 16 points and all five recorded at least three assists . Jared Sullinger was especially good , as he tallied 18 points , 15 rebounds , three assists and two blocks in the win . This is a deep team that plays some of the best team - ball in the NBA and these are the types of games that make them a true threat . Boston will look to keep up this form against an equally surprising Orlando Magic squad on Sunday .


The Boston Celtics ( 13 - 9 ) defeated the Chicago Bulls ( 11 - 8 ) by a score of 105 - 100 on Wednesday night in Boston . Chicago has now lost three in a row , while Boston has now won six of their last eight . This win allowed Boston to jump up in the Eastern conference standings , while Chicago slid down to the edge of the play - off cut - off . The East is still so tight that one game is about the difference between third and ninth place . This was a close game the whole way but a troublesome 18 turnovers by Chicago allowed Boston some key momentum plays and the few extra possessions needed to score the win . The Celtics were led by their high - octane point guard , Isaiah Thomas , who finished with 20 points , five assists and five rebounds in 31 minutes . Thomas shot only 5 - 15 from the field but went 8 - 8 from the free throw line to make up for it . Jared Sullinger scored a solid double - double with 10 points and 16 rebounds , including five offensive , along with three blocked shots . Evan Turner contributed 13 points and seven assists in 28 minutes off the bench . The Celtics shot only 41 percent from the field as a team but made 24 - 28 free throws and forced 18 turnovers by Chicago . The Bulls shot a better percentage , grabbed more rebounds and committed less fouls than Boston , but could not manage the timely buckets to come out on top in this close game . Jimmy Butler led Chicago in scoring with 36 points on 12 - 24 shooting , along with seven rebounds , in 38 minutes . Pau Gasol put together a solid double - double with 16 points and 15 rebounds , along with four assists and two blocks , in 33 minutes . Derrick Rose chipped in 12 points , six assists and two rebounds , in 36 minutes . Next up for the Bulls is the second night of a back - to - back , in which they will be hosting the L.A. Clippers . Boston will stay home and wait until Friday to see if their hot streak and fast pace can topple the unstoppable Golden State Warriors .


The Golden State Warriors ( 240 ) faced their closest call of the season , being taken to double overtime at the TD Garden by the Boston Celtics ( 13 - 10 ) . The Warriors ' historic win streak now stands at 28 games , the second longest of all time . Despite the absence of starters Klay Thompson ( ankle ) and Harrison Barnes ( ankle ) , the Warriors were able to get the win , mainly by riding the elite play of stars Steph Curry and Draymond Green . Curry continued to score at a historic pace , dropping in six threes en route to 38 points . Despite the big numbers , the All-Star shot just 9 - of - 27 on the night , held back by the stellar defense of Boston 's Avery Bradley and Evan Turner . Draymond Green was the true star of the show , posting 24 points , 11 rebounds , eight assists , five rebounds , and five steals . Green 's night was a historic one , as it marked the league 's first 5x5 since Nicolas Batum acheived the feat in 2012 . Boston , meanwhile , came less than a minute from being the first team to hand a loss to Golden State so far this season . Center Kelly Olynyk had the hot hand for the Celtics , leading the team with 28 points . Coach Brad Stevens chose to rely heavily on the play of Olynyk , Evan Turner , and Jae Crowder , throughout the game and overtime . Point guard Isaiah Thomas , meanwhile , struggled in the game 's overtime periods , missing two potentially game - winning shots . The Celtics may not have gotten the win , but they will certainly have momentum after forcing double OT against a historic team . The team 's next contest will be against Charlotte on Saturday . The Warriors , meanwhile , will look to defend their undefeated record as they travel to Milwaukee in the second half of a back - to - back .