Steve Blake, in his second game back from an elbow injury, notched a triple-double on Wednesday as the Los Angeles Lakers beat Cleveland 119-108 to snap a seven-game NBA skid.
Ryan Kelly scored a career-high 26 points for the injury-ravaged Lakers, who were coming off a 109-99 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis on Tuesday.
That defeat marked Blake’s first game since he suffered a torn elbow ligament in December — and he suffered a ruptured eardrum early in the contest when he took an inadvertent blow to the ear.
However, Blake put it all behind him on Wednesday, scoring 11 points with 15 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the short-handed Lakers to an unlikely victory.
The Lakers also got a solid effort from Jordan Farmer, playing for the first time since New Year’s Eve, who made five three-pointers in a 21-point effort. He also handed out five assists before departing the game with a sore calf.
Wesley Johnson contributed 20 points and nine rebounds for a Lakers team that had just eight players in uniform.
Superstar Kobe Bryant remains sidelined with a broken bone in his left knee. Big man Pau Gasol also missed the current three-game road trip as he nurses a groin injury.
Jodie Meeks sprained an ankle against the Timberwolves, while Jordan Hill was out after suffering a neck strain in Minneapolis.
Veteran point guard Steve Nash, who returned from a lengthy injury absence on Tuesday, was held out as a precaution.
The Lakers lost forward Nick Young to a twisted knee in the second quarter and had center Chris Kaman foul out with 8 minutes, 29 seconds left, leaving them with five available players.
With 3:32 to play, center Robert Sacre picked up his sixth foul, but was allowed to stay in the game because the Lakers had no other players.
The Cavs received a technical foul shot when Sacre stayed in. Any further fouls by Sacre would have been charged to the team and Cleveland awarded a free-throw, but he did not incur any more fouls the rest of the way.
“It was interesting to say the least,” said Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni, who was not aware of the rule that allowed Sacre to stay in the game until the officials explained it to him.
The Lakers used a long-range barrage to make up for their personnel deficits. Their 18 three-pointers were a club record in a non-overtime game.
HEAT 116, CLIPPERS 112
In Los Angeles, LeBron James had 31 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds, with Ray Allen hitting a clinching three-pointer in the final minute for Miami to snap a five-game road losing streak against the Clippers.
Allen had 15 points off the bench for the two-time defending NBA champions, who began a six-game road trip that will be interrupted four games in by the All-Star break. Dwyane Wade, one of seven Miami players scoring in double figures, had 14 points and eight assists in his 700th regular-season game. The Heat had lost 10 of their previous 12 road games against the Clippers, and had not beaten them at the Staples Center since Dec. 9, 2007.
Los Angeles got a season-high 43 points and 13 rebounds from Blake Griffin, and 31 points from Jamal Crawford.
THUNDER 106, TIMBERWOLVES 97
In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Kevin Durant had 26 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as Oklahoma City won for the 12th time in 13 games, beating a Minnesota team without Kevin Love and two other starters.
Reggie Jackson added 20 points and nine assists to help Oklahoma City become the first team this season to reach 40 wins. The Thunder have won eight straight home games and are 15-1 this season against their Western Conference foes at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Ricky Rubio had 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists for Minnesota.
SPURS 125, WIZARDS 118, 2OT
Tim Duncan scored a season-high 31 points before fouling out in the second overtime, as San Antonio beat Washington Wizards for an NBA-high 16th time in a row.
Patty Mills scored 11 of his 23 points in the two overtimes for the Spurs, who have not lost to the Wizards since Nov. 12, 2005. The Spurs moved ahead of Miami’s 15-game domination of Charlotte for the longest current team-against-team streak.
Duncan also had 11 rebounds, and Danny Green added 22 points for San Antonio, but Tony Parker left at halftime with tightness in his lower back and did not return.
In other play, it was:
‧ Rockets 122, Suns 108
‧ Trail Blazers 94, Knicks 90
‧ Kings 109, Raptors 101
‧ Pelicans 105, Hawks 100
‧ Celtics 114, 76ers 108
‧ Mavericks 110, Grizzlies 96
‧ Nuggets 110, Bucks 100
‧ Magic 112, Pistons 98
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