Washington (United States) (AFP) – Evan Mobley matched a season high with 29 points, and the Cleveland Cavaliers cruised to a 138-105 NBA victory at Dallas on Friday, with every player scoring in the rout. Mobley’s game-high scoring came on 12-of-15 shooting, and he also grabbed seven rebounds. Donovan Mitchell added 24 points and eight assists, while James Harden contributed 17 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
“Just a team effort throughout the roster,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Everybody contributed. Credit to Evan. He kind of dominated the game. That stood out. That was really positive. You could feel the momentum, feel him playing better. He’s playing more confidently, and then James and him connecting on the pick and roll, that bodes well for us.”
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Mobley scored 16 of Cleveland’s first 20 points as the Cavaliers rolled with 62% shooting from the floor (56-of-91) and scored 72 points in the paint. Rookie Cooper Flagg led Dallas with 25 points.
New York’s Jalen Brunson scored 29 points, O.G. Anunoby added 25, and Mitchell Robinson pulled down a career-high 22 rebounds in sparking the Knicks to a 101-92 victory at Indiana (15-51), extending the NBA-worst Pacers’ losing streak to 12 games. The Knicks (43-25), third in the East, kept pace ahead of the fourth-place Cavaliers (41-26).
Detroit’s Jalen Duren had 30 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Pistons over visiting Memphis 126-110. Cade Cunningham added 17 points and 15 assists in the rout, which left the Eastern Conference leaders at 48-18 and dropped the Grizzlies to a seventh consecutive defeat.
At Houston, Kevin Durant scored 32 points and came through in the final seconds to give the Rockets a 107-105 victory over New Orleans. Jabari Smith’s three-pointer with 21.7 seconds remaining lifted Houston within 104-103, and when the Pelicans’ Dejounte Murray stepped out of bounds with the ball with 13 seconds to play, the Rockets had a final chance. Durant sank an 18-foot jumper with 7.6 seconds to play to put Houston ahead, and after a Zion Williamson turnover, added two free throws.
Murray, who had 35 points in defeat, made a free throw and missed another with 3.4 seconds to play. Trey Murphy grabbed the rebound but missed a shot at the buzzer. Brandon Ingram scored 36 points, and R.J. Barrett added 22 to power the Toronto Raptors over visiting Phoenix 122-115, snapping the Suns’ four-game win streak.
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