UNDATED (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers have moved into a tie for fourth in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, pulling even with Milwaukee at 32-21.
The Cavaliers blew a six-point lead over the final two minutes before Kevin Love hit a pair of free throws with 1.2 seconds left to give Cleveland a 102-101 victory over the Hornets. Love scored 22 of his 25 points in the second half of the Cavs’ 10th win in 13 games.
Jarrett Allen provided 29 points and 22 rebounds in helping the Cavaliers hand Charlotte its third straight loss.
Terry Rozier scored 24 points and Kelly Oubre Jr, added 21 for Hornets, who overcame a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter.
Cleveland’s Ed Davis was called for a technical foul while on the bench with 4:44 remaining, interfering with Terry Rozier’s 3-point attempt by swatting at his arm.
Checking out Friday’s other NBA action:
— Red-hot Nikola Vucevic had another double-double and DeMar DeRozan added 31 points as the Bulls knocked off the Pacers, 122-115. Vucevic delivered a season-high 36 points and 17 rebounds. He’s averaging 27 points and 15 ½ rebounds in his last four games.
— The Jazz rolled over the Nets, 125-102 as Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points in his return from a concussion that sidelined him for eight games. Mitchell shot 8 for 10 from the floor and had six 3-pointers and six assists in 22 minutes. Bojan Bogdanovic added 19 points for Utah, which handed Brooklyn its seventh consecutive loss.
— The Mavericks beat the 76ers, 107-98 as Luka Doncic had 33 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists for his 44th career triple-double. Dallas rallied from a 16-point, second-quarter deficit after the game was delayed because of a crooked rim. Reggie Bullock scored 20 points for the Mavs, including two clutch 3-pointers down the stretch.
— Herbert Jones furnished 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter to help the Pelicans secure a win over the Nuggets, 113-105. Brandon Ingram had 23 points and 12 assists, while Jaxson Hayes also provided a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Denver’s Nikola Jokic returned after a one-game absence with a sore toe and had 25 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists but was limited to 10 shots while being frustrated by constant double teams.
— The Raptors picked up their fifth straight win by defeating the Hawks for the second time in five days, 125-14. Pascal Siakam matched his season high with 33 points as Toronto handed Atlanta its second loss in 10 games. All-Star Fred VanVleet finished with 26 points and 11 assists in the victory.
— Jayson Tatum scored 24 points in just 28 minutes of the Celtics’ fourth win in a row, 102-93 at Detroit. Tatum accounted for 19 points in the third quarter to help the Celtics carry a 78-56 edge heading into the final period. Jaylen Brown scored 13 points for Boston, which never trailed and led by 24 points.
— Keldon Johnson had 28 points and the Spurs punctuated Zach Collins’ return from a nearly two-year absence with a 131-106 dismantling of the Rockets. Collins had 10 points to help San Antonio snap a three-game skid. The 7-foot former Gonzaga star had not played an NBA game since Aug. 15, 2020, with the Trail Blazers.
— The Thunder have their first three-game winning streak since December after Lu Dort had 23 points to help Oklahoma City hold off the Trail Blazers, 96-93. The Thunder trailed by as many as 10 points in the third quarter but closed the gap in the fourth and pulled ahead 88-82 on Josh Giddey’s basket with 5:45 left.
Powell goes from Blazers to Clippers
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers have bolstered their scoring by acquiring Norman Powell in a five-player swap with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Powell has averaged 18.7 points this season, helping the Blazers weather injuries and protocol absences. The Clippers also received Robert Covington from the Trail Blazers for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, rookie Keon Johnson and a second-round pick in 2025.
