PACERS HAND CAVS 4TH STRAIGHT LOSS
Pacers extend Cleveland’s misery, 124-107; Cavs suffer 5th loss in 6 games Thaddeus Young, Darren Collison combine for 51 points for Indiana James leads Cavs with 33 points, 11 assists; team drops to 3-5
Thaddeus Young scored 26 points, Darren Collison had 25 and the Indiana Pacers sent the Cleveland Cavaliers to their fourth straight loss, 124-107 on Wednesday night.
LeBron James had 33 points and 11 assists, but it wasn’t enough to keep Cleveland from losing for the fifth time in six games and falling to 3-5.
The Cavaliers held a lengthy meeting before Tuesday’s practice to discuss their struggles, but the defending Eastern Conference champions have lost by a combined margin of 58 points in their losing streak.
James was upbeat about the meeting, but the Cavaliers still have issues to work out, especially on the defensive end. Cleveland led 69-68 in the third quarter, but Indiana hit four straight 3-pointers and built an eightpoint lead. Indiana was 16 of 26 from 3-point range.
Victor Oladipo scored 23 points for the Pacers. Bojan Bogdanovic added 17, and Domantas Sabonis had 15 points and 12 rebounds.
CELTICS 113, KINGS 86
In Boston, Kyrie Irving and Jaylen Brown each scored 22 points in three quarters, and Bostoncoasted past skidding Sacramento for its sixth straight victory.
It was the Celtics’ 11th consecutive win over the Kings in Boston, dating to their last loss on Jan. 19, 2007. Terry Rozier added 12 points, and Daniel Theis had 10 points with 10 rebounds.
Buddy Hield scored 17 points and Zach Randolph 16 for the Kings, who lost their sixth in a row — the last three by an average of 24 points.
SUNS 122, WIZARDS 116
In Washington, T. J. Warren scored 28 of his career-high 40 points in the second half and Phoenix overcame a 22-point deficit to beat Washington.
Warren also had 10 rebounds and Devin Booker added 22 points to help the Suns improve to 4-1 under interim coach Jay Triano following an 0-3 start that led to Earl Watson’s firing.
Bradley Beal scored a season-high 40 points for Washington, which built the lead to 22 by the second quarter but saw it completely disappear early in the fourth.
John Wall added 21 points, and Marcin Gortat had 13 rebounds for Washington.
ROCKETS 119, KNICKS 97
In New York, James Harden had 31 points and nine assists, and Houston its 3-pointers falling again in a victory over New York.
Harden made six 3-pointers and the Rockets hit 19 to bounce back after two straight losses. /