Cleveland Cavaliers edge Brooklyn Nets in thriller and Memphis Grizzlies stay hot against Chicago Bulls on MLK Day | NBA News

The Cleveland Cavaliers saw off the Brooklyn Nets to clinch a thriller, the Memphis Grizzlies continued their stunning form against the Chicago Bills and the Boston Celtics overturned an 18-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans as the NBA celebrated Martin Luther King Day.

Brooklyn Nets 107-114 Cleveland Cavaliers

Darius Garland collected 22 points and 12 assists as the Cavaliers held the Nets to two points over the final 3:43 and extended their winning streak to five games with a 114-107 victory on Monday afternoon.

Okoro added 15 points while Lauri Markkanen, Kevin Love and former Nets’ big Jarrett Allen contributed 14 apiece as the Cavaliers shot 51.9 per cent and hit 11 three-pointers. Rookie Evan Mobley chipped in 12 points after sitting out the first two meetings with Brooklyn due to an elbow injury.

Irving led all scorers with 27 points, but was two of seven in the fourth after scoring 14 points in the third. Harden added 22 points and 10 assists as the Nets dropped to 15-5 on the road in their first game since announcing Kevin Durant was sidelined with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. LaMarcus Aldridge chipped in 13, but the veteran forward also missed a pair of easy lay-ups down the stretch.

It was 105-all when James Harden hit three free throws with 3:43 left but the Cavaliers never trailed after Lauri Markkanen hit an uncontested three-pointer from the left wing with 3:21 remaining.

Chicago Bulls 106-119 Memphis Grizzlies

Desmond Bane and Ja Morant scored 25 points apiece as the Grizzlies routed the visiting Bulls 119-106.

Brandon Clarke had 15 points and Jaren Jackson Jr tallied 14 points and five blocks for the Grizzlies, who led by as many as 28 and never trailed in the final three quarters. Tyus Jones also posted 11 points and eight assists, while De’Anthony Melton scored 10 points and Steven Adams grabbed 10 rebounds and six assists for Memphis, who outscored the Bulls 64-38 in the paint.

The Bulls lost their fourth straight and played without several key players, including Lonzo Ball (left knee), Zach LaVine (left knee) and Alex Caruso (health and safety protocol).

DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points to lead Chicago. Coby White recorded 16 points and Ayo Dosunmu recorded his second straight double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Memphis bounced back with a dominant effort after having their franchise record 11-game win streak come to an end with a loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.

Indiana Pacers 133-139 Los Angeles Clippers

Nicolas Batum scored 32 points after shooting seven of 10 from three-point range as the Los Angeles Clippers held off the Indiana Pacers 139-133.

All five Clippers starters scored in double-figures, led by Batum’s season-high. Marcus Morris scored 21 points on eight of 13 shooting from the floor and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Reggie Jackson added 26 points with five rebounds, three assists and three steals, and Amir Coffey finished with 16 points and seven assists.

Ivica Zubac rounded out Los Angeles’ starting five with 10 points on a perfect three-of-three shooting from the field.

LeVert led the Pacers with 26 points, while Chris Duarte and Goga Bitadze added 24 and 17 points from the bench, respectively. Fellow reserve Oshae Brissett scored 13 points.

Domantas Sabonis recorded a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds along with seven assists, and Justin Holiday scored 18 points.

New Orleans Pelicans 92-104 Boston Celtics

Jayson Tatum scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the Boston Celtics rallied from 18 points down to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 104-92.

Dennis Schroder scored 23 points with nine assists and five boards, and Jaylen Brown had 23 points and eight boards. Al Horford contributed 12 points and seven rebounds for Boston, who earned a second straight win and their fifth victory in six games overall.

Jonas Valanciunas posted a double-double with 22 points and 14 boards to pace the Pelicans. Herbert Jones scored 16 and Brandon Ingram totalled 15 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

New Orleans remained without star forward Zion Williamson as he rehabs a foot injury away from the team. Kira Lewis Jr also remains out after suffering a season-ending ACL tear and MCL sprain in his right knee.

Charlotte Hornets 97-87 New York Knicks

Miles Bridges scored early and often on the way to a career-high 38 points as the Charlotte Hornets drubbed the New York Knicks 97-87.

Bridges shot 14-for-20 from the field, making five three-pointers, and was five-for-five on free throws. He had 28 of Charlotte’s first 45 points.

Terry Rozier provided 22 points and Gordon Hayward had 16 points as the Hornets won for the fifth time in their last six games – the exception coming on Friday with a loss to struggling Orlando. LaMelo Ball was absent with a non-Covid illness.

Julius Randle and RJ Barrett both notched 18 points for the Knicks, who shot 40 per cent from the field. Immanuel Quickley had 12 points and Obi Toppin supplied 11 points for New York, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.

Philadelphia 76ers 98-117 Washington Wizards

Montrezl Harrell scored 18 points, Kyle Kuzma added 15 points and 16 rebounds as the Washington Wizards defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 117-98.

Thomas Bryant contributed 15 points, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 14 and Bradley Beal had 13 for the Wizards. Rui Hachimura and Corey Kispert had 11 apiece. The short-handed Sixers played without several key injured players including Matisse Thybulle, Danny Green and Shake Milton.

Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with 32 points and eight rebounds, marking the 11th consecutive road game that he has produced at least 30 points.

Tyrese Maxey added 18 points for the Sixers, who had their two-game winning streak snapped.