NBA wrap: Wins for Spurs, Cavaliers

LaMarcus Aldridge had 28 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs past the host Los Angeles Lakers 118-109 on Thursday.

San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge (left) forward Rudy Gay (22) and guard Patty Mills (8) celebrate after a Spurs basket during the fourth quarter against the LA Lakers on Thursday. - AP

LaMarcus Aldridge had 28 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs past the host Los Angeles Lakers 118-109 on Thursday.

DeMar DeRozan, who managed just six points in San Antonio’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, had 19 points and eight assists, Dejounte Murray contributed 18 points and eight boards and Rudy Gay had 15 points for the Spurs, who snapped the Lakers’ four-game winning streak. Patty Mills finished with 10 points.

LeBron James had 27 points, 12 assists and six rebounds, while Anthony Davis collected 23 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks for the Lakers. Kyle Kuzma chipped in with 13 points and 10 boards, while Montrezl Harrell and Talen Horton-Tucker each scored 10.

It was the third meeting in the past nine days between the two clubs. The Lakers have captured two of three.

San Antonio held a 91-89 edge after three quarters before seizing control in the fourth. A bucket inside by Gay and a layup by Murray put the Spurs up 114-100 with 3:38 left. Los Angeles got no closer than 10.

The Spurs led by as many as 15 in the first quarter before the Lakers rallied. However, San Antonio led 65-56 at the break. The Spurs sizzled in their 3-point shooting in the first half, converting 11 of 18 attempts (61.1 percent) to 6 of 15 (42.9 percent) for the Lakers. Overall, the Spurs made 16 of 35 3-pointers (45.7 percent) to 10 of 30 (30 percent) for the Lakers.

Lakers reserve guard Alex Caruso returned after missing last five games due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Caruso scored eight points in 20 minutes.

Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (ankle) missed his third consecutive contest.

 

Before the game, players and coaches from both teams locked arms during the playing of the national anthem to continue their ongoing protests against social injustice, which was inspired by unrest at the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday.

Cavaliers beat Grizzlies

Andre Drummond posted game-highs of 22 points and 15 rebounds, Larry Nance Jr. added 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the host Memphis Grizzlies 94-90 on Thursday.

Both Cleveland and Memphis came into Thursday's matchup with injury-depleted rosters.

Among the Grizzlies' key absences were reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Ja Morant as well as Jaren Jackson Jr. The Cavaliers were without leading scorers Darius Garland and Collin Sexton, the latter of whom was scratched from the lineup just before tipoff due to an ankle sprain.

Their shared absences made for an even, back-and-forth matchup from the tip. The lead never expanded beyond single digits either way: Memphis' largest was eight points, Cleveland's five.

Despite failing to reach 100 points for a sixth consecutive game, Cleveland shook off an especially slow offensive start of 19 first-quarter points. The Cavaliers shot 43.3 percent from behind the 3-point line, 13 of 30, including a key one by Cedi Osman with 2:27 remaining.

Osman's basket capped a 16-point game for the guard, and gave Cleveland a lead it never relinquished. Osman made 4-of-11 from deep, and Nance shot a perfect 4-of-4 beyond the arc to pace the Cavaliers.

Isaac Okoro, who on Wednesday made his return from a five-game absence due to COVID-19 protocol, scored the last of his eight points on a victory-sealing dunk with 10 seconds left. The slam followed Okoro's block of Tyus Jones, initially called a foul but overturned upon review of a coach's challenge.

The win came on the second half of a back-to-back for Cleveland, part of a season-long, six-game road swing. The Cavaliers can finish the trip 3-3 with a win Saturday in Milwaukee.

Jonas Valanciunas' 17 points and 10 rebounds led Memphis, which dropped its third straight. Brandon Clarke added 14 points and nine rebounds, Dillon Brooks tallied 11 points and Kyle Anderson scored 10.

Just before tipoff, both teams and the officials walked off the court and knelt at the sidelines in response to Wednesday's riots on Capitol Hill.

Mavericks beat Nuggets

Luka Doncic had 38 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds, Josh Richardson scored five of his 14 points in overtime, and the visiting Dallas Mavericks defeated the Denver Nuggets 124-117 on Thursday night.

Dorian Finney-Smith also had 14 points for Dallas, while Boban Marjanovic added 12 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. had 11 points.

Nikola Jokic had 38 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, while Jamal Murray had 21 points and nine assists, Gary Harris scored 15 points, Monte Morris added 11 and JaMychal Green scored 10.

Will Barton gave the Nuggets a 112-109 lead 15 seconds overtime with a 3-pointer, but the Mavericks took over from there.

The game was tied at 114 when Richardson hit a short jumper in the lane and then drained a 3-pointer with 1:25 remaining. Denver missed on the other end, Willy Cauley-Stein split a pair of free throws with a minute to play and Jokic hit a 3-pointer as Dallas led 120-117 with 52.2 seconds remaining.

Doncic closed it out with four straight points to give Dallas its second straight victory.

Dallas' James Johnson opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer to give the Mavericks their first lead since late in the first quarter at 79-78, and then put Dallas ahead 83-82 with a mid-range jumper two minutes into the period.

Two free throws by PJ Dozier, a tip-in by Green and Jokic's banked hook shot gave the Nuggets an 88-86 lead with 8:40 remaining.

Marjanovic tied it with a dunk on Doncic's 10th assist of the night but layups by Harris and Jokic gave Denver a 96-92 lead with 5:35 to play. The Mavericks scored seven straight points, the last three on a long jumper Maxi Kleber, to take a 101-97 lead with 3:55 remaining.

After a timeout, Jokic hit a foul-line jumper and a long 3-pointer to give the Nuggets the lead again at 102-101 with just over three minutes remaining. Kleber hit another 3-pointer, Jokic and Doncic traded jumpers and Murray tied it at 106 on a 19-foot jumper with 1:59 on the clock.

The teams traded misses and Jokic split a pair of free throws, making it 107-106, and Kleber's third 3-pointer of the fourth quarter put Dallas up two with 2.4 seconds left. Jokic answered at the horn to send it to overtime.

Other results

Brooklyn 122 beat Philadelphia 109

Portland 135 beat Minnesota 117.