The Los Angeles Lakers recorded their best defensive performance in the shot clock era, destroying Cleveland 112-57 on Tuesday.
Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum each scored 15 points for the defending NBA champion Lakers, who led the league’s worst team by 32 points at halftime on their way to winning their fifth in a row.
Cleveland’s point total was a record low by a Lakers opponent.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The Cavs shot 30 percent, were outscored 52-28 in the paint and committed 19 turnovers in losing their 11th straight.
Spurs 107, Timberwolves 96
In Minneapolis, San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili sank five technical free throws in a 10-second span of the third quarter as the -Minnesota Timberwolves came unglued en route to a 16th consecutive loss to the Spurs.
Ginobili had 19 points and nine rebounds in all and Richard Jefferson scored 17 for the Spurs, who lead the league.
Kevin Love had 20 points and 20 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost five in a row and saw referee Ken Mauer award a five-technical binge in the third.
Darko Milicic, Corey Brewer and Love each got whistled for one technical and coach Kurt Rambis received two and was ejected.
Nuggets 132, Suns 98
In Denver, Arron Afflalo scored a career-high 31 points, helping the Denver Nuggets snap a three-game skid with a rout of Phoenix.
Carmelo Anthony followed up one of his worst shooting performances with a 28-point effort.
Anthony, who has been the subject of trade talks all season, was greeted early by the crowd with a smattering of boos.
However, he quickly reversed the mood with his hustle and hanging jumpers. He also grabbed 10 rebounds.
Steve Nash hit his first four shots for Phoenix, but didn’t make another and spent the fourth quarter on the bench.
He finished with 15 points.
Pacers 111, 76ers 103
In Philadelphia, Indiana won their first road game in 10 attempts, beating Philadelphia.
Danny Granger scored 27 points and Darren Collison added 21 points and 13 assists for the Pacers.
Jrue Holiday led the Sixers with 19 points. Andre Iguodala returned to Philadelphia’s starting lineup after missing the previous seven games with Achilles’ tendonitis, but was largely ineffective and didn’t seem to have the same explosiveness to the basket.
Knicks 100, Trail Blazers 86
In Portland, the New York Knicks picked up a 12th road win of the season — already bettering last season’s total — with a win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Amar’e Stoudemire had 23 points and eight rebounds while Raymond Felton added 17 points and 14 assists for the Knicks. Stoudemire has scored at least 20 points in 22 straight games.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Blazers.
Wizards 136, Kings 133. OT
In Washington, Nick Young scored a career-high 43 points, and Kirk Hinrich had six in overtime as Washington survived a last-minute regulation meltdown to beat Sacramento.
The Wizards blew a six-point lead in the final 14 seconds of the fourth quarter and nearly blew a five-point lead in the final half-minute of overtime.
Young went 14-for-22 from the field, including seven-for-10 from three-point range for the Wizards, who are 10-8 at home, but 0-18 on the road. Six Washington players scored in double figures in the team’s highest-scoring output of the season.
Beno Udrih and Francisco Garcia scored 26 points apiece for the Kings, who have lost 11 straight on the road and six in a row at Washington.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
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