Luka Doncic had 42 points and 12 assists, and LeBron James scored 14 points in his NBA-record 1,229th career win, powering the Los Angeles Lakers to a decisive 127-113 victory over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
Los Angeles won for the 13th time in its last 14 games, clinching a playoff spot and the Pacific Division title earlier in the night when the Phoenix Suns lost. The Lakers sit third in the Western Conference, two games ahead of the Denver Nuggets.
James surpassed Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most combined regular season and playoff wins. The all-time scoring leader added five rebounds and six assists against the Cavaliers, with whom he spent 11 seasons over two stints.
Doncic returned from a one-game suspension to become the third-youngest player with 15,000 career points at 27 years, 31 days (James holds the mark at 25, 79). Jarrett Allen scored 18 points for the Cavaliers, who remained one game behind the third-place New York Knicks in the East. James Harden added 17 points.
Pistons 127, Raptors 116
Jalen Duren scored 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds as host Detroit topped Toronto.
Daniss Jenkins supplied 21 points, five rebounds and five assists for Eastern Conference-leading Detroit, which won for the 10th time in 13 games. Duncan Robinson had 19 points, while Tobias Harris contributed 12 points, six assists and five rebounds.
RJ Barrett led Toronto with 24 points and pulled down six rebounds. Brandon Ingram scored 22 points, and Sandro Mamukelashvili had 16. Collin Murray-Boyles added 14 points with 10 rebounds for the Raptors.
Magic 115, Suns 111
Desmond Bane scored 21 points and Jalen Suggs added 20 to help Orlando earn a victory over visiting Phoenix.
Paolo Banchero added 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists while Wendell Carter Jr. had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic, who had dropped seven of their previous eight.
Devin Booker poured in 34 points and Royce O’Neale contributed 14 for the Suns, who have lost seven of their past 10.
Hornets 117, Nets 86
Brandon Miller scored 25 points in three quarters as Charlotte seized control early and rolled to a rout of Brooklyn in New York.
Miles Bridges added 19 points while also playing three quarters as the Hornets improved to 29-13 in the past 42 games and avoided a third straight loss.
Josh Minott posted 14 points as the Nets lost for the 11th time in 12 games and fell to 3-21 in their past 24.
Rockets 111, Knicks 94
Kevin Durant scored a game-high 27 points, Reed Sheppard added 20 off the bench and Houston rolled to a victory over visiting New York.
Amen Thompson and Tari Eason tallied 17 points apiece for Houston, and Jabari Smith Jr. totaled 15 points. Alperen Sengun produced 13 points and 10 assists as the Rockets shot a robust 53.8% in their third straight win.
Karl-Anthony Towns paced the Knicks, who lost their third game in a row, with 22 points and eight rebounds. Josh Hart added 13 points, while Jalen Brunson shot 5-for-14 and scored 12 points.
Bucks 123, Mavericks 99
Ryan Rollins scored 24 points and Kyle Kuzma added 20 to lead Milwaukee to dominant victory over visiting Dallas.
Rollins also dished nine assists and grabbed seven rebounds as the Bucks ended a four-game skid. AJ Green poured in 17 points off the bench.
Cooper Flagg logged 19 points on 6-for-19 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Mavericks lost for the seventh time in the past eight contests. Brandon Williams added 18 points.
Trail Blazers 114, Clippers 104
Jrue Holiday scored 30 points and Deni Avdija recorded 28 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as Portland scored a crucial win over Los Angeles in Inglewood, Calif.
Portland pulled within a half-game of Los Angeles for eighth place in the Western Conference, a spot that would require just one play-in win instead of two to reach the playoffs. The Blazers turned in an inspired performance, taking the lead late in the first quarter and never relinquishing it. Toumani Camara added 17 points and Scoot Henderson finished with 15.
Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 23 points and eight rebounds. Darius Garland added 20 points, Brook Lopez put up 18, John Collins had 17 and Jordan Miller contributed 16.
–Field Level Media
