LeBron James on Sunday night raised the roof, then lifted the Cleveland Cavaliers to their seventh straight win, 95-85 over the Philadelphia 76ers.
James tied a season high with 37 points and pushed both hands up in the air after several powerful dunks, drawing a rise out of the nearly 20,000 fans at the Wells Fargo Center. He had nine assists and seven rebounds in Cleveland’s 13th win in their past 15 games.
Even when James seems fallible, he still steals the show. An unsuspecting James took an errant ball to the face during pre-game warmups. The clip was a hit on social media.
Photo: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY
The 76ers pulled as close as two points with 8 minutes left before James thwarted the upset bid.
Jahlil Okafor had 21 points for the Sixers, and Ish Smith had 18 points and 10 assists.
Philadelphia are an NBA-worst 4-35.
Photo: AP
CLIPPERS 114, PELICANS 111, OT
In Los Angeles, Chris Paul had 25 points and 11 assists and Jamal Crawford added 21 points as Los Angeles beat New Orleans in overtime to extend the NBA’s longest active winning streak to nine games.
Two-time All-Star Anthony Davis, the Pelicans’ leading scorer and rebounder, did not play because of a back contusion. He was hurt when he dove over the first row of seats chasing a loose ball early in the Pelicans’ 91-86 home loss to Indiana on Friday last week.
The Pelicans forced overtime when Jrue Holiday made three free throws after he was fouled by Austin Rivers on a three-point attempt from the top of the key with 1.6 seconds left.
Los Angeles native Holiday scored 12 of his season-high 29 points off the bench in the fourth quarter to help New Orleans erase a 12-point deficit. Tyreke Evans added 26. Ryan Anderson, making his fourth start of the season in Davis’ power forward spot, had 16 points and 10 rebounds in 42 minutes.
TRAIL BLAZERS 115, THUNDER 110
In Portland, Oregon, Damian Lillard scored 31 points, hitting five three-pointers in the last 3 minutes, 7 seconds, as Portland rallied to beat Oklahoma City.
C.J. McCollum added 22 points for Portland, who hit a season-high 19 three-pointers to snap a three-game losing streak.
Thunder guard Russell Westbrook nearly had his fourth triple-double of the season, but fell just short with 25 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds. Last season, Westbrook led the NBA with 11 triple-doubles.
Kevin Durant had 28 points for Oklahoma City.
KNICKS 100, BUCKS 88
In New York, Carmelo Anthony had 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and Kristaps Porzingis had a few more highlight plays during New York’s high-flying third quarter against Milwaukee.
The Knicks broke it open in the third by outshooting and outdunking one of the NBA’s most athletic teams. Porzingis was at the forefront, with a sensational follow dunk on one end and a blocked shot on the other as the Knicks began pouring it on in the middle of the period.
He had 15 points for the Knicks, who won for the fourth time in five games. Greg Monroe had 28 points and 10 rebounds for the Bucks, and Khris Middleton added 20.
GRIZZLIES 101, CELTICS 98
In Memphis, Tennessee, Zach Randolph had 25 points and 13 rebounds as Memphis overcame a 21-point deficit in the second half to beat Boston.
Isaiah Thomas, who led the Celtics with 35 points, launched a three-pointer as time expired, but officials confirmed the basket came after the horn, giving Memphis its biggest comeback victory of the season.
Mario Chalmers added 18 points for the Grizzlies, hitting 11 of 13 free throws. Tony Allen finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Amir Johnson and Avery Bradley had 14 points apiece for Boston. Johnson also grabbed nine rebounds.
ROCKETS 107, PACERS 103, OT
In Houston, Texas, Trevor Ariza scored a season-high 24 points and Corey Brewer hit the go-ahead three-pointer in overtime to help Houston beat Indiana.
James Harden had 21 points and Dwight Howard added 21 points and 17 rebounds for his fifth straight double-double in his return after missing a game with soreness in his lower back.
Indiana’s Paul George had just four points in the first half before scoring 14 of his 20 in a 27-point third quarter to help the Pacers build a big lead before Houston came back in the fourth.
MAVERICKS 93, TIMBERWOLVES 87
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dirk Nowitzki scored 29 points, converted a big three-point play and grabbed a key loose ball in the final seconds to lead Dallas past Minnesota.
Nowitzki hit four of Dallas’ six three-pointers.
Andrew Wiggins led Minnesota with 21 points. The Timberwolves have dropped six straight and are 10 of 11.
JAZZ 86, LAKERS 74
In Los Angeles, Gordon Hayward scored 25 points as Utah beat Los Angeles to snap a seven-game road losing streak.
Kobe Bryant did not play for the Lakers because of a strained right Achilles tendon.
Lou Williams led the Lakers with 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists, after scoring a career-high 44 on Friday last week in a home loss to Oklahoma City.
NUGGETS 95, HORNETS 92
In Denver, Colorado, Danilo Gallinari scored 27 points and rookie Emmanuel Mudiay added 11 in his first game in a month as Denver extended Charlotte’s losing streak to seven games.
The Nuggets did not score over the final 4 minutes, 17 seconds, but squeaked out the win after Nicolas Batum’s shot at the buzzer clanged off the side of the rim.
Mudiay was back on the court after missing 14 games with a sprained right ankle.
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