LeBron James scored 33 points, Anderson Varejao had a season-high 22, and the host Cleveland Cavaliers rebounded from consecutive sloppy road losses with a 104-99 win over the hobbled Portland Trail Blazers last night.
James added seven assists, seven rebounds, and a soaring block on a shot by Brandon Roy in the closing seconds. Varejao also had 10 rebounds. Roy scored 23, LaMarcus Aldridge 22, and Andre Miller 20 for the Blazers, who dressed just nine players because of injuries.
Lakers 104, Timberwolves 92 - Kobe Bryant scored 20 points while playing with a small break in his finger as Los Angeles won its 11th straight.
Pau Gasol had 17 points and a career-high 20 rebounds for the defending champions, who improved the NBA’s best record to 18-3 while finishing a season-opening stretch with 17 of their first 21 games at home.
The Lakers got a scare when Bryant got an avulsion fracture - in which a tiny fragment of bone tears away near a tendon or ligament - in the index finger on his right hand while reaching for a pass along with Minnesota’s Ryan Gomes late in the first quarter. He spent much of the second quarter in the dressing room.
Hawks 111, Raptors 89 - Joe Johnson scored 20 points, Jamal Crawford and Maurice Evans each had 15, and Atlanta pounded host Toronto.
Zaza Pachulia scored 14 points, Jeff Teague had 11, and Al Horford scored 10 for Atlanta, which has won three straight and five of seven.
Andrea Bargnani returned to the Raptors’ starting lineup after missing Wednesday’s loss at Milwaukee with a sore right ankle and scored 17. Chris Bosh had 14 (with 10 rebounds for his league-leading 21st double-double), Jarrett Jack scored 13, and Hedo Turkoglu had 12.
Pacers 107, Nets 91 - Rookie Tyler Hansbrough scored a season-high 21 points, and Roy Hibbert added a career-best 20 points on his birthday to help Indiana beat host New Jersey and snap a six-game losing streak.
Hibbert, 23, also had nine rebounds and three blocks. Troy Murphy added 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Pacers in their second game without Danny Granger. The team’s scoring leader will miss at least four weeks with torn tissue on his right heel.
Brook Lopez had 25 points and 14 rebounds for the Nets.
Rockets 96, 76ers 91 - Aaron Brooks scored 16 of his 19 points in the second half and Houston held off a late surge before handing host Philadelphia its 12th straight loss.
Mavericks 106, Heat 93 - Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points, Erick Dampier finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds, and Dallas clubbed host Miami.
Dwyane Wade scored 28 points and matched a career high with 11 rebounds for the Heat.
