Amid controversy surrounding the Cavaliers' reported discord in the locker room, LeBron James led them to a 115-108 win over the Pacers on Friday by recording his eighth triple-double of the season.
James scored 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting, while also dishing out 11 assists and hauling in 10 rebounds. James also had 11 turnovers, a shocking amount for the star forward, but he was vindicated by his strong overall performance.
James' eight triple-doubles are already his second-most in a season in his 15-year career. It's also the most he's ever had before the All-Star break. James' career high for triple-doubles is 13, done last season.
Read: Kevin Durant posts triple-double as Golden State wins
Kevin Love, who was singled out as a target by players in the locker room, scored 10 points with 13 rebounds in 33 minutes. Love has already said he will not ask for a trade, and coach Tyronn Lue remained faithful to his forward by keeping him in the starting lineup amid the shakeup.
All-Star Victor Oladipo led the Pacers with 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds. He has scored at least 20 points in all but four games this month. The Cavs entered the game losers in six of seven games, but they got back on track to remain third in the Eastern Conference standings, six games behind the Celtics.
STUD OF THE NIGHT
Clippers guard Lou Williams added fire to the trade rumors swirling around his name by scoring 40 points with 10 assists and four steals off the bench in a 109-100 road win over the Grizzlies.
The Raptors lost 97-93 at home to the Jazz, but center Jonas Valanciunas scored 28 points on 12-of-16 shooting with 14 rebounds. Valanciunas now has four double-doubles in his last five games.
DUD OF THE NIGHT
The Nets starting lineup produced just 45 points in a 116-91 loss to the Bucks. DeMarre Carroll scored 14 points, and Allen Crabbe added 13, but the rest of the starting lineup struggled to get anything going. Breakout star Spencer Dinwiddie scored just nine points on 1-of-6 shooting.
HIGHLIGHT
Eric Gordon from a mile away: Gordon scored 27 points, and Chris Paul added 38 points with eight assists, but the Rockets still lost to the Pelicans 115-113.
The Pelicans lost star forward DeMarcus Cousins, who had a triple-double (15 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists) in the win, late in the fourth quarter with a possible torn Achilles.
WHAT'S NEXT
Celtics (35-14) at Warriors (39-10) — Losers in four of their last five games, the Celtics face a tough test travelling to the West Coast to face a Warriors team that has won six of its last seven games. The two teams lead their respective conferences, but Golden State is headed in the right direction, while the Celtics has looked pedestrian in January.
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