Aldridge’s double-double paces Spurs to 112-90 win over Cavs
By TOM WITHERS
CLEVELAND (AP) _ LaMarcus Aldridge had 18 points and 13 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs, who are in a three-team scramble to determine playoff seeding in the Western Conference, extended Cleveland’s losing streak to nine games by beating the Cavaliers 112-90 on Sunday.
The Spurs recently clinched a postseason spot for a NBA record-tying 22nd year in a row, but they don’t yet know who they’ll play in the first round. San Antonio came into the day in eighth place, which would mean an early matchup with defending champion Golden State.
However, the Spurs can still move ahead of Oklahoma City and the Los Angeles Clippers as they own tiebreakers with both teams.
DeMar DeRozan and Patty Mills added 14 points apiece for the balanced Spurs, who turned back every Cleveland challenge in the second half. Mills made three 3-pointers in a two-minute span early in the fourth quarter to end any chances of the Cavs rallying.
Rookie Collin Sexton and Brandon Knight scored 16 each for Cleveland, and the Cavs celebrated the upcoming retirement of forward Channing Frye throughout the game.
Kevin Love returned after missing four games and played 13 minutes in the first half _ a salute to Frye, his close friend.
San Antonio didn’t pull away from Cleveland until midway through the second quarter and the Spurs used a 9-0 run over the final 2:05 to open a 62-46 halftime lead.
With the popular Frye retiring after Tuesday’s game and 13 seasons, Cavs coach Larry Drew started the 35-year-old for the first time since Jan. 9.
Love wanted to play alongside Frye one last time and subbed in during the first quarter wearing his friend’s No. 45 college jersey from the University of Arizona over his Cavaliers’ jersey. The gesture couldn’t have been easy for Love, who played at rival UCLA.
When Frye hit a 3-pointer for Cleveland’s first points, the Cavs bench erupted and the reserves, who all wore shooting shirts with “Channing” on the back, celebrated with high-fives.
Frye, a key member of the Cavs’ 2016 title team, played the first seven minutes and pretended to collapse on the bench when he finally came out.
When he was pulled with 1:34 left in the game, Frye received a loud ovation before being tackled to the floor by teammates.
TIP-INS
Spurs: San Antonio’s playoff streak is the longest active one in the league. Golden State and Houston are tied for second with seven. … G Marco Belinelli (left hip soreness) sat out the first half. He didn’t score in 10 minutes. … Coach Gregg Popovich had kind words for Frye. “He’s one of those
stretch-4-kind-of guys we always talk about that really had an impact,” Popovich said. “Most of my memories of him were in Phoenix, where he was really a big problem for us. He did such a great job and really cemented that, it’s going to be part of the NBA forever _ shooting big guys _ and he was great at it. He’s been a great teammate.”
Cavaliers: Sexton came in averaging 23.9 points over his past 15 games. … G Matthew Dellavedova missed his 16th straight game with a concussion. … Coach Larry Drew said he has not discussed his future with the club. Drew took over when Tyronn Lue was fired in October after a 0-6 start. Drew received a pay raise and new contract from the Cavs, which includes a team option for next season.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Host Dallas in regular-season finale on Wednesday.
Cavaliers: Conclude season Tuesday at home against Charlotte.
Rockets set NBA record with 27 3s in 149-113 rout of Suns
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
HOUSTON (AP) _ James Harden scored 30 points in just three quarters as the Houston Rockets broke their NBA record by making 27 3-pointers in a 149-113 win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night.
Eric Gordon led the 3-point brigade by tying a career high with eight, Harden added five, P.J. Tucker had four and Danuel House three.
Gary Clark tied the record with a little over three minutes to play and Houston missed the next four before Austin Rivers broke it with 1:09 remaining. He crouched a bit and pointed at the Phoenix bench after the make as fans bellowed: “Threeeeeeee!” The Rockets have made 26 twice this season with the last time coming Tuesday at Sacramento.
The Rockets had a 10-point lead after one and a 43-point second quarter allowed them to tie a season high with 77 points in the first half to take a 30-point lead into halftime.
Houston led by 15 with just more than four minutes left in the second before ending the quarter with a 21-6 spurt to pad the lead. Harden had 10 points in that span and Eric Gordon and P.J. Tucker added 3-pointers to help the Rockets turn this one into a blowout early.
Harden, who had 13 rebounds and nine assists, scored 16 points in the third quarter, capped by a 3-pointer just before the buzzer which gave Houston a 40-point advantage entering the fourth quarter. Harden made the shot and held his follow through for a couple of seconds before walking to bench _ where he’d remain for the rest of the night with the game well in hand.
It was the second straight game in which Harden sat out the entire fourth quarter, giving the league’s leading scorer, who averages almost 37 minutes a game, some much-needed rest as the playoffs approach.
Associate head coach Jeff Bzdelik coached the Rockets for the second straight game with coach Mike D’Antoni out with the stomach flu. It’s unclear whether D’Antoni will be healthy in time to travel with the team to Oklahoma City for Tuesday night’s game.
Harden wasn’t the only one who sat in the final period, with all of Houston’s starters getting a little break in this lopsided game.
Jamal Crawford had 27 points off the bench for the Suns with rising stars Devin Booker and Kelly Oubre out for the season with injuries.
TIP-INS
Suns: Richaun Holmes missed his second straight game with a sprained left ankle. … Mikal Bridges and Dragan Bender scored 19 each.
Rockets: Harden has scored at least 20 points in 56 straight games. … The Rockets have made at least 20 in six of their last 12 games and 18 times this season. … Clint Capela added 22 points and 13 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Suns: Play the season finale at Dallas on Tuesday night.
Rockets: Wrap up the regular season at Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.
Mejri, Burke lead Mavs past Grizzlies 129-127 in OT
By CLAY BAILEY
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) _ Salah Mejri scored a career-high 19 points, including the tying basket in regulation and the first seven points of overtime as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 129-127 on Sunday night.
Mejri, who had nine rebounds and four blocks, was 7 of 12 from the floor and made a pair of 3-pointers. Trey Burke led the Mavericks with 24 points, 14 in the fourth quarter and overtime. Justin Jackson and Dorian Finney-Smith added 16 points apiece, and Finney-Smith grabbed 12 rebounds.
Delon Wright had his second consecutive triple-double with 20 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for the Grizzlies. Justin Holiday paced Memphis with a career-high 30 points.
Memphis led 112-110 after Ivan Rabb hit one of two free throws with 54.5 seconds left in regulation. After four misses inside by the Mavericks, they pulled even when Mejri scored on a putback with 1.5 seconds remaining.
That sent the game to overtime after Memphis couldn’t get a shot off before the horn sounded ending regulation.
In the extra period, Mejri scored on a pair of dunks and then a 3-pointer to give Dallas an early lead. Memphis tied it but could never go ahead, and the Mavericks made three of four free throws in the final 15 seconds.
Wright’s 3-point attempt as the horn sounded was short.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki, who only played in the first half, has appeared in 76 games against the Grizzlies _ the most regular-season games against the franchise by any NBA player. He is also second in scoring against the Grizzlies behind Kobe Bryant. . Nowitzki grabbed his 10,000th defensive rebound in the first quarter, becoming the fifth NBA player to reach that milestone. . Dallas rookie Luka Doncic missed his fourth game in the last five with a variety of injuries, most notably a bruised right thigh.
Grizzlies: A 3-pointer in the second quarter set a franchise record for 3s in a season with 768. The previous mark of 767 was set in 2016-17. … Bruno Caboclo had a career-high 17 rebounds. His previous best was 13 on March 27 against Golden State. . Point guard Mike Conley missed his fourth straight game with left ankle soreness.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Host the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday in their final home game of the season.
Grizzlies: Play at Detroit on Tuesday in their last road game.