Associated Press
Associated Press
CLEVELAND — Kyrie Irving recorded his first career triple-double with 21 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers over the Utah Jazz 99-79 on Friday night.
The All-Star Game MVP was two rebounds shy of the mark going into the fourth quarter. He grabbed his ninth rebound early in the period and pulled down his 10th with 4:12 to go to become the first Cleveland player with a triple double since LeBron James on March 16, 2010, at Detroit.
A young fan wearing a stocking cap raced on the floor and patted Irving on the shoulder midway through the fourth quarter, but was quickly subdued by several policemen and security guards. The fan was wrestled to the floor and led away in handcuffs.
Luol Deng scored 16 points as the Cavaliers placed five players in double figures.
Gordon Hayward scored 18 points for Utah, which began a six-game road trip.
WARRIORS 126 KNICKS 103
NEW YORK — Stephen Curry had 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in three quarters, Klay Thompson added 25 points, and the Golden State Warriors sent the frustrated New York Knicks to a fifth straight loss with a 126-103.
Returning to the site of his sensational shooting performance of a year ago, when he scored a career-high 54 points on 11-of-13 shooting from 3-point range, Curry showed off his entire skill set in this one.
The NBA’s assists leader made five 3-pointers, as did backcourt mate Thompson. The 6-foot-3 All-Star also grabbed nine defensive rebounds in his fourth career triple-double and third this season, bouncing back from one of his worst performances of the season. He had a season low-tying five points on 2-of-10 shooting Wednesday in a 103-83 loss to Chicago.
Golden State easily rebounded from that defeat to win for the fifth time in six games.
Carmelo Anthony had 23 points and 16 rebounds for the Knicks, blown out for the second straight night in a season that’s starting to feel hopeless. They seem to know it, with an agitated Tyson Chandler thrown out in the fourth quarter after picking up two technical fouls, the first for shoving Warriors backup Marreese Speights.
THUNDER 113 GRIZZLIES 107
OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant scored 30 of his 37 points in the second half to help Oklahoma City beat Memphis and snap a three-game skid.
Russell Westbrook had 21 points and six assists in 28 minutes, Serge Ibaka had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Reggie Jackson added 14 points for the Thunder. The Thunder had lost every game since Westbrook returned from his latest knee surgery.
Mike Miller scored all 19 of his points in the fourth quarter to help Memphis nearly erase a 16-point deficit heading into the period. Marc Gasol had 17 points and Zach Randolph added 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who had won five of six.
SPURS 92, BOBCATS 82
SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan had 17 points and 16 rebounds, and San Antonio overcame a sluggish start to beat Charlotte.
Manu Ginobili scored 15 points, Marco Belinelli and Patty Mills added 14 each and Kawhi Leonard had 12 for San Antonio.
Al Jefferson scored 20 points and former Spurs guard Gary Neal added 15 for Charlotte. Gerald Henderson had 12 and Kemba Walker 11.
There were three ties and two lead changes in the final 7 minutes as San Antonio celebrated Military Appreciation Night with camouflage uniforms.
Ginobili blocked Walker’s layup and drew a charge on Jefferson on consecutive possessions. Duncan followed with a 15-foot jumper that gave the Spurs an 82-80 lead with 1:43 remaining.
BULLS 100
MAVERICKS 91
DALLAS — Taj Gibson had 20 points and 15 rebounds, Mike Dunleavy hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and Chicago overtook Dallas in the fourth quarter to win for the eighth time in nine games.
The Mavericks led by 16 in the first half and had erased a six-point Chicago edge when Dunleavy put the Bulls back in front and started a 10-0 run with a 3-pointer for an 87-85 lead.
Jimmy Butler had 19 points, seven rebounds and a big block during the decisive spurt, and Kirk Hinrich scored 17. Dunleavy finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, shooting 4 of 7 from long range.
Monta Ellis scored 20 to the lead the Mavericks, who were trying to match their season high with a fifth straight win. Dirk Nowitzki had 15.