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P. 19
SPORTS A19
Saturday 2 April 2016
NBA Capsules
Cavs’ James moves into 12th place on career scoring list
the depleted Los Angeles 109 (40-31) holds the sixth seed
Clippers. PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) — in the West. Boston (39-37)
Russell Westbrook added Al-Farouq Aminu scored a entered as the East’s fourth
26 points and 11 assists for career-high 28 points, in- seed, but fell to sixth with
the Thunder, who lead the cluding a career-best six the loss.
Clippers by 5½ games in 3-pointers, as the Portland CJ McCollum added 17
the race for the No. 3 seed Trail Blazers extended their points and Damian Lillard
in the NBA’s Western Con- winning streak at home to had 14 for Portland, help-
ference playoffs. a season-high six games ing to avenge a 116-93
The Clippers played with- with a victory over the Bos- blowout loss to the Celtics
out usual starters Chris ton Celtics. two weeks ago in Boston.
Paul, DeAndre Jordan and With only six regular-season Isaiah Thomas led the Celt-
J.J. Redick, as coach Doc games remaining, Portland ics with 22 points.q
Rivers chose to rest them.
Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James reacts after dunking the ball Blake Griffin also was out,
against the Brooklyn Nets in the first half of an NBA basketball serving the last game of a
game Thursday, March 31, 2016, in Cleveland. four-game team-imposed
suspension.
Associated Press Jamal Crawford and Austin
Rivers carried the load of-
The Associated Press tying 3 at the buzzer, but it fensively, each scoring 32
CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron rimmed out and Chicago points and going a com-
James scored 24 points to held on. bined 12-of-17 from 3-point
move into 12th place on The Bulls won their second range. Los Angeles led by
the NBA’s career scoring consecutive game follow- as many as nine in the sec-
list as the Cleveland Cava- ing a four-game skid and ond half but couldn’t hold
liers beat the Brooklyn Nets trail Indiana by one game on as the Thunder out-
107-87 on Thursday night. for the final playoff spot in rebounded the Clippers
James passed Dominique the East. 46-26.
Wilkins with a three-point James Harden had 24 PELICANS 101, NUGGETS 95
play in the first quarter. The points and eight assists for NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Luke
four-time MVP, who didn’t Houston, which dropped Babbitt scored 22 points
play in the fourth quarter, a half-game behind Utah and Tim Frazier had 11 of
has 26,689 career points. and Dallas, who are tied his 17 points in the fourth
Kevin Love added 19 for the seventh and eighth quarter, leading the injury-
points for Cleveland (53- seeds in the West. riddled New Orleans Peli-
22), which leads Toronto MAGIC 114, PACERS 94 cans past the Denver Nug-
by 2 1/2 games for the top INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Evan gets.
seed in the Eastern Confer- Fournier scored 25 points Babbitt had 10 of the Peli-
ence. and Nikola Vucevic add- cans’ first 12 points and
Thaddeus Young led Brook- ed 24 to lead the Orlando scored on a driving layup
lyn with 18 points. Magic past the Indiana with 2:08 left to give them
James, who also had 11 as- Pacers. a 94-89 lead. After Den-
sists, sparked a 25-6 run to The Magic have won three ver cut the deficit to 94-91,
end the second quarter. straight since snapping a Babbitt hit two free throws
After returning with 7:27 re- six-game losing streak, in- and Frazier sank a 3-point-
maining, he scored eight cluding their first win at Indi- er to seal the game.
points as Cleveland built a ana since February 4, 2012. New Orleans took the lead
five-point margin into a 63- Paul George scored 27 for good, 81-80, on Frazier’s
39 lead at halftime. points and had eight re- high-arching shot early in
BULLS 103, ROCKETS 100 bounds while Lavoy Allen the fourth quarter. He then
HOUSTON (AP) — Nikola finished with 12 points and scored six points on a three-
Mirotic scored 28 points 11 rebounds, but it wasn’t point play and 3-pointer to
and Jimmy Butler added 21 nearly enough for the Pac- give the Pelicans a 92-84
to lead the Chicago Bulls ers. advantage.
past the Houston Rockets. Indiana tied the score at Toney Douglas added 20
In a pivotal game for two 62 early in the third, but points and a season-high
teams fighting for the final Orlando answered with a 10 assists for New Orleans.
playoff spots in their con- 14-5 run and steadily pulled Darrell Arthur tied a career
ferences, the Bulls were away. high with 24 points for Den-
fueled by a strong fourth THUNDER 119, CLIPPERS 117 ver, which is on the verge
quarter in which they out- OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — of following the Pelicans
scored the Rockets 32- Kevin Durant scored 31 and being eliminated from
20. Chicago entered the points, Steven Adams hit a the Western Conference
fourth facing a nine-point go-ahead tip-in with 26.9 playoff picture. Gary Har-
deficit but was able to seconds left as the Okla- ris added 16 points for the
overcome thanks to hot homa City Thunder held Nuggets, and Kenneth
shooting from Mirotic. on to avoid a potentially Faried had 10 points and
Trevor Ariza attempted a embarrassing loss, edging 12 rebounds.
TRAIL BLAZERS 116, CELTICS
