NBA Round Up: Cavaliers blow 22-point lead in third straight loss
The Cleveland Cavaliers gave away a 22-point lead in a shock loss to the Indiana Pacers in the NBA on Friday.
The 97-95 loss to the Pacers was the third straight for the Cavs after they went on a 22-0 run and led 26-6 just minutes into the first quarter. They had a chance to win the game with under five seconds remaining as they had the ball down one, but LeBron James stepped on the baseline before missing his layup.
The Cavaliers started the game up 34-12 after the first quarter, but allowed the Pacers to shoot 49 per cent from the field the rest of the way.
“We went 1-5, or 1-4, whatever the hell it was, on this road trip, so there ain’t no progress,” James, who finished with 27 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds, told reporters after the game.
DYNAMIC DUO DAVIS, COUSINS
Anthony Davis scored 36 points and added nine rebounds in the Pelicans’ 119-113 win over the Trail Blazers, but his team-mate DeMarcus Cousins was as good or better with 24 points, 19 boards and eight assists.
John Wall and Bradley Beal both scored 30 points in the Wizards’ 125-119 win over the Magic. Wall added nine assists while Beal added seven. The two combined to shoot 65.7 per cent from the floor.
Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie came up one rebound short of a triple-double with 20 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in Brooklyn’s 110-105 win over the Hawks.
MIDDLETON STRUGGLES
Bucks forward Khris Middleton went two for 12 from the floor with a mere eight points and four assists in Milwaukee’s 108-94 loss to the Warriors.
INCREDIBLE HARRISON LAYUP
Grizzlies guard Andrew Harrison made a ridiculous layup in traffic.
Andrew Harrison switches hands and gets the tough two for the @memgrizz!#GrindCity pic.twitter.com/YxNVi5b4fx
— NBA (@NBA) January 13, 2018
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
Charlotte Hornets 99-88 Utah Jazz
Indiana Pacers 97-95 Cleveland Cavaliers
Washington Wizards 125-119 Orlando Magic
Brooklyn Nets 110-105 Atlanta Hawks
Golden State Warriors 108-94 Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves 118-108 New York Knicks
New Orleans Pelicans 119-113 Portland Trail Blazers
Denver Nuggets 87-78 Memphis Grizzlies
Houston Rockets 112-95 Phoenix Suns
NUGGETS AT SPURS
It is two of the best scoring big men in the league facing off as the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic takes on the Spurs’ LaMarcus Aldridge. San Antonio’s big man leads the team in points (22.6) and rebounds (8.6) per game while Denver’s rising star is averaging a double-double with 15.7 points and 10.2 rebounds.
