National Basketball Association Game Capsules

Cleveland, OH (SportsNetwork.com) – Monta Ellis scored 20 points and the Dallas Mavericks shot better than 56 percent from the field to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-90 on Sunday for their fifth consecutive win. Dirk Nowitzki added 15 points and Chandler Parsons, Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea each scored 14 for the Mavericks, who moved into a virtual tie with Memphis for first place in the Southwest Division. Kevin Love picked up the offensive slack for Cleveland again, scoring 30 and grabbing 10 rebounds. The Cavaliers have lost four of their last five games, including three of four since LeBron James has been sidelined. The Cavs snapped a three-game losing streak with a win in Charlotte on Friday, a day after learning James will miss two weeks with knee and back strains. Love had 27 points against the Hornets and Kyrie Irving scored 23, but had only six against the Mavs on Sunday and Cleveland shot just 40.7 percent.

Final Score: Detroit 114, Sacramento 95

Auburn Hills, MI (SportsNetwork.com) – Brandon Jennings dropped a season-high 35 points and the Detroit Pistons remained unbeaten since waiving Josh Smith after handing the Sacramento Kings a 114-95 drubbing on Sunday. Jennings shot 14-for-21, hit five 3-pointers and handed out seven assists for the suddenly red-hot Pistons, winners in five straight since parting ways with the 11-year veteran Smith. Jennings has scored at least 25 points in three of the five wins. Andre Drummond had 15 points and 14 rebounds while Greg Monroe gave 14 points and 11 boards for Detroit, which won only five of its first 28 games this season before this five-game win streak. DeMarcus Cousins led six Kings in double figures with 18 points and 15 rebounds, but he turned the ball over six times and shot just 5-of-17.

Final Score: Miami 88, Brooklyn 84

Miami, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade combined to score 51 points and the Miami Heat held on for an 88-84 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday to snap a four-game losing streak. The Heat never trailed and led by as many as 11, but it was a one-possession game in the final seconds after the Nets scored four quick points, beginning with Joe Johnson’s bucket in the paint with 14.8 seconds remaining. The Nets then tied up Wade after the inbounds pass, forcing a jump ball they won. Jarrett Jack rattled in a runner with 5.2 seconds left to make it 86-84, but Bosh knocked down two free throws at the other end to collect the last of his 26 points and seal the win for Miami. Hassan Whiteside added 11 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for the Heat, who avoided what would have been their first five-game losing streak in almost four years. Johnson scored 19 points and Brook Lopez had 16 for the Nets, who had a three-game winning streak snapped to finish a 2-1 homestand.

Final Score: Milwaukee 95, New York 82

New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) – Zaza Pachulia and Giannis Antetokounmpo each posted double-doubles and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the New York Knicks 95-82 on Sunday night. Pachulia had 16 points and 14 rebounds, while Antetokounmpo added 16 points and 12 boards for the Bucks, who have won three of their last four games. Brandon Knight put in a team-high 17 points in the triumph. Tim Hardaway Jr. poured in 17 points and J.R. Smith supplied 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists for New York, which has lost 11 in a row for the first time since 1984-85. The Knicks have lost a franchise- worst 10 consecutive games at home Carmelo Anthony, who has been in and out of the lineup due to left knee soreness, was held out Sunday.

Final Score: Phoenix 125, Toronto 109

Phoenix, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) – Eric Bledsoe had 20 points and eight assists and the Phoenix Suns routed the Toronto Raptors 125-109 on Sunday night. Goran Dragic posted 18 points and six rebounds and Isaiah Thomas netted 18 points to go with five steals off the bench for Phoenix, which has won eight of its last 10 games. The Suns scored 30 points off 21 Toronto turnovers. Jonas Valanciunas tallied 21 points and 10 boards, while Kyle Lowry added 19 points and seven assists for the Raptors, who have dropped three in a row and finished their six-game road trip at 2-4.

Final Score: LA Lakers 88, Indiana 87

Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Kobe Bryant’s go-ahead bucket with 12.4 seconds remaining lifted the Los Angeles Lakers to an 88-87 win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night. Bryant, who scored LA’s final nine points, spun into the paint and nailed his one-handed push shot to put the Lakers in front. Roy Hibbert hit the top of the backboard on his desperation heave at the buzzer from the top of the key at the other end. Bryant finished with 20 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals, while Nick Young netted 22 points off the bench for the Lakers, who have won two of their last three games. Roy Hibbert posted 12 points and 11 boards, C.J. Miles netted 19 points off the bench and Donald Sloan tallied 16 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for Indiana, which had a brief two-game winning streak snapped.

Categorized in: NBA