CLEVELAND — Kevin Love scored 29 points, J.R. Smith found his aim – for one half – and LeBron James added 23 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers won their fifth straight, 103-86 on Tuesday night over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Memphis rested center Marc Gasol for the first of back-to-back games against the defending NBA champions.

Smith, who has been in a season-long shooting slump, scored 17 of his 23 points in the first half as the Cavs, who gave star point guard Kyrie Irving the night off, built a 22-point lead and ended the Grizzlies’ six-game winning streak.

TIMBERWOLVES 99, BULLS 94: Zach LaVine scored 24 points, Andrew Wiggins added 23 and Minnesota rallied to beat the Bulls in Coach Tom Thibodeau’s return to Chicago.

The Timberwolves wiped out a 21-point deficit and got Thibodeau a win in his first game in Chicago since the Bulls fired him in an acrimonious split in 2015.

MAGIC 131, HAWKS 120: Serge Ibaka scored 29 points, Elfrid Payton reached career highs with 26 points and 14 assists and Orlando snapped a three-game losing streak with a victory at Atlanta.

Advertisement

WARRIORS 113, PELICANS 109: Stephen Curry scored 30 points, Kevin Durant added 27 to go with a big block on Anthony Davis in the final minute and Golden State held on to win at New Orleans.

Draymond Green recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, and it was the last of his four steals – on Davis in the waning seconds – that sealed the victory.

NOTES

CAVALIERS: The team announced plans for a $140 million renovation of Quicken Loans Arena, its home since 1994.

Comments are no longer available on this story