LeBron James scored a season-high 41 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a 19-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Boston Celtics 122-121 on Friday.
It was James’ best game since returning to Cleveland, and the Cavaliers have a winning record for the first time this season.
James made one of two free throws with 36 seconds left to give Cleveland a one-point lead. Boston then got the ball back with seven seconds to go, but Rajon Rondo lost control of his dribble just before time expired.
Cleveland held Boston to 20 points in the final 12 minutes, after allowing 42 in the third quarter.
“We gave up a 40-point quarter and that’s unacceptable if we want to grow,” James said, “but we showed growth in the fourth quarter.”
James, with 23,360 points, also surpassed former Celtic great Robert Parish for 24th on the all-time NBA scoring list. He came into the game needing 16 points to pass Parish, who finished his all-star career with 23,334.
Friday’s performance marked James’ 53rd career game of 40 or more points in the regular season and his first since March, when he scored 43 against the Cavaliers as a member of the Miami Heat.
Kyrie Irving had 27 points and Kevin Love added 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who earned their third straight win.
They held the Celtics to 20 points in the final 12 minutes, after allowing 42 points in the third quarter in front of a crowd of 18,624 at the Boston Garden arena.
Kelly Olynyk scored a season-high 21 points while Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger scored 19 each for the Celtics, who lost their second straight game. Rondo had 16 assists.
PELICANS 139, TIMBERWOLVES 91
Jrue Holiday missed just one shot while scoring 24 points through three quarters as New Orleans set several offensive team records.
The Pelicans’ 139-point total, 56 field goals, 66.7 percent shooting and 48-point margin of victory all set new records for a game. Their 15 three-pointers tied a club high.
Holiday was 9-of-10 shooting, hitting both threes he attempted and all four free throws to go with nine assists. Anthony Davis added 22 points in only 27 minutes, and Austin Rivers scored 17.
Andrew Wiggins scored 20 points and Corey Brewer 18 for Minnesota, who lost their fourth straight.
PISTONS 96, THUNDER 89, OT
Brandon Jennings scored 25 of his 29 points in the second half and overtime, leading Detroit to a seven-point win over Oklahoma City.
Jennings made a tiebreaking three-pointer to give the Pistons an 87-84 lead with 2 minutes 32 seconds left in overtime. He added another three while falling to the ground, increasing the advantage to 92-84.
Jeremy Lamb set career highs with 24 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City, who led 48-42 at halftime. Reggie Jackson had 20 points and 12 assists, and Serge Ibaka finished with 19 points and 10 boards.
Jackson missed a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer in regulation that would have lifted the Thunder to their first two-game winning streak of the season.
SPURS 93, LAKERS 80
Tim Duncan had 13 points and 11 rebounds and Cory Joseph scored eight of his 14 points in the fourth quarter as San Antonio beat Los Angeles on one of the worst shooting nights of Kobe Bryant’s 19-year NBA career.
Kawhi Leonard scored 12 points for the defending NBA champions, who added a comfortable win over the 1-8 Lakers to their victories over the Clippers and Warriors earlier in the week.
San Antonio pulled away in the fourth quarter for their eighth win in 11 meetings with the Lakers.
Bryant scored nine points for the Lakers, going 1 for 14 from the field. The NBA’s leading scorer missed his first 10 shots and all five of his three-point attempts.
ROCKETS 88, SIXERS 87
James Harden scored 35 points, including an off-balance layup with nine seconds left, to lead Houston past winless Philadelphia.
The Sixers led by one point before Michael Carter-Williams bounced the ball off his foot and out of bounds to give Houston the ball. Harden powered through the lane to hit the game-winner.
Philadelphia had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but Carter-Williams missed a jump shot.
Tony Wroten scored 19 for the Sixers, who led for most of the game after an embarrassing 53-point loss to Dallas on Thursday.
The Sixers remain the NBA’s only winless team, dropping to 0-9 for their worst start since opening the 1972-73 season with 15 consecutive losses.
In other games on Friday, it was:
‧ Jazz 102, Knicks 100
‧ Nuggets 108, Pacers 87
‧ Hornets 103, Suns 95
‧ Magic 101, Bucks 85
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