LeBron Triple-Double Against Pacers, Pelicans Down The Rockets
LeBron James goes for 26, 11, and 10 against the Pacers. Cousins injured in Pelicans win over Rockets.
LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 115-108 win over the Indiana Pacers by recording his eighth triple-double of the NBA season on Friday.
James scored 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting, while also dishing out 11 assists and hauling in 10 rebounds. James also had 11 turnovers, a shocking amount for the star forward, but he was vindicated by his strong overall performance.
James' eight triple-doubles are already his second-most in a season in his 15-year career. It is also the most he has ever had before the All-Star break. James' career high for triple-doubles is 13, done last season.
Kevin Love, who was reportedly singled out as a target by players in the locker room, scored 10 points with 13 rebounds in 33 minutes. Love has already said he will not ask for a trade, and coach Tyronn Lue remained faithful to his forward by keeping him in the starting lineup amid the shakeup.
All-Star Victor Oladipo led the Pacers with 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds. He has scored at least 20 points in all but four games this month.
The Cavs entered the game losers in six of seven games, but they got back on track to remain third in the Eastern Conference standings, six games behind the Celtics.
WONDERFUL WILLIAMS
Clippers guard Lou Williams added fire to the trade rumours swirling around his name by scoring 40 points with 10 assists and four steals off the bench in a 109-100 road win over the Grizzlies.
The Raptors lost 97-93 at home to the Jazz, but center Jonas Valanciunas scored 28 points on 12-of-16 shooting with 14 rebounds. Valanciunas now has four double-doubles in his last five games.
NETS STRUGGLE
The Nets starting lineup produced just 45 points in a 116-91 loss to the Bucks. DeMarre Carroll scored 14 points, and Allen Crabbe added 13, but the rest of the starting lineup struggled to get anything going. Breakout star Spencer Dinwiddie scored just nine points on one-of-six shooting.
GORDON FROM A MILE AWAY
Eric Gordon scored 27 points, and Chris Paul added 38 points with eight assists, but the Rockets still lost to the Pelicans 115-113.
The Pelicans lost star forward DeMarcus Cousins, who had a triple-double (15 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists) in the win, late in the fourth quarter with a possible torn Achilles.
FRIDAY'S RESULTS
Charlotte Hornets 121-110 Atlanta Hawks
Cleveland Cavaliers 115-108 Indiana Pacers
Utah Jazz 97-93 Toronto Raptors
Los Angeles Lakers 108-103 Chicago Bulls
Los Angeles Clippers 109-100 Memphis Grizzlies
Milwaukee Bucks 116-91 Brooklyn Nets
New Orleans Pelicans 115-113 Houston Rockets
Portland Trail Blazers 107-93 Dallas Mavericks
Philadelphia 76ers 97-78 San Antonio Spurs
New York Knicks 107-85 Phoenix Suns
CELTICS AT WARRIORS
Losers in four of their last five games, the Celtics face a tough test traveling to the West Coast to face a Warriors team that have won six of their last seven games. The two teams lead their respective conferences, but Golden State are headed in the right direction, while the Celtics have looked pedestrian in January.