NBA Capsules: 76ers edge Cavs for 13th straight win

PHILADELPHIA – Ben Simmons topped LeBron James in a triple-double battle to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to their 13th straight win in their biggest game in six years, 132-130 over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.

With a buzz in the city over the Sixers that hasn’t been felt since the pre-Process days, they romped toward a 30-point lead over the Cavs in the first half and scored 78 points at the break.

Simmons had 27 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists. James had 44 points (17-of-29 shooting), 11 assists and 11 rebounds, bringing the Cavaliers to the brink of an epic comeback.

The Sixers (49-30) moved into third place in the Eastern Conference over the Cavaliers (49-31).

Raptors 92, Pacers 73

TORONTO – Serge Ibaka scored a season-high 25 points, DeMar DeRozan had 12 and Toronto beat Indiana, clinching first place in the Eastern Conference for the first time in team history.

Jakbo Poeltl scored 10 points as the Raptors set franchise records for wins in a season (57) and home wins (33).

Kyle Lowry had nine points and nine assists, and Jonas Valanciunas added 12 rebounds for Toronto, which never trailed in its ninth consecutive home victory over the Pacers. Indiana last won north of the border on March 1, 2013.

Glenn Robinson III scored 12 points and Trevor Booker had 11 for the Pacers. Indiana shot 26 for 87 (29.9 percent) and set season-lows in points, made field goals, and field goal percentage.

Celtics 111, Bulls 104

BOSTON – Greg Monroe came off the bench and had 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and Boston defeated Chicago.

It is Monroe’s second career triple-double. Jaylen Brown finished with a career-high 32 points and four rebounds.

With Al Horford and Jayson Tatum given the night off to rest, Boston went deep into its bench against a Chicago team that’s one of the worst in the NBA.

Chicago led by as many as 11 in the first half before Boston trimmed it to 58-55 at the half. But the Celtics outscored the Bulls 56-46 over the final two quarters.

Sean Kilpatrick led the Bulls with 24 points. Lauri Markkanen added 20 points and five rebounds.

Timberwolves 113, Lakers 96

LOS ANGELES – Jimmy Butler scored 18 points in his return from right knee surgery, Jeff Teague had 25 points and eight assists, and Minnesota beat Los Angeles.

Butler played 22 1/2 minutes and was 7 for 10 from the field in his first game since getting hurt against Houston on Feb. 23. He had surgery two days later for a cartilage injury and missed 17 games.

Minnesota moved into sole possession of eighth place in the Western Conference.

Taj Gibson also scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who were on the second night of a back-to-back. They lost to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.

Julius Randle scored 20 points and added 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who have lost nine of their last 13. Brook Lopez had 18 points and six rebounds, while Josh Hart tallied 20 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

Hawks 103 Wizards 97

WASHINGTON – Taurean Prince scored 23 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, and Atlanta beat Washington.

Washington dropped its fourth straight game and fell into eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 32 points.

Wizards point guard John Wall sat out what was the second of back-to-back games for Washington, and forward Markieff Morris left with 4:11 remaining in the first quarter when he picked up two quick technical fouls.

Six Hawks scored in double figures. Reserve Tyler Dorsey had 22 points, including 13 in the second half for the Hawks, who had lost two straight.

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 13 points for the Wizards and Otto Porter Jr. had 10.

Pelicans 122, Suns 103

PHOENIX – Nikola Mirotic scored a season-high 31 points and tied a season best with 16 rebounds, Anthony Davis had 33 points and 11 boards, and New Orleans beat Phoenix.

Jrue Holiday added 22 points and 10 assists to help the Pelicans move into a tie for the Western Conference’s fifth seed with idle San Antonio and Oklahoma City. New Orleans (45-34) won its second straight after losing four in a row.

The Pelicans led by double digits throughout the entire fourth quarter.

Marquese Chriss led Phoenix with 23 points and Josh Jackson added 22 points and 11 rebounds. The Suns have lost 16 of 17 and are closer to clinching the NBA’s worst record.

Pistons 113, Mavericks 106, OT

DETROIT – Reggie Jackson scored 12 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and overtime and Detroit beat Dallas.

Andre Drummond added 19 points and 16 rebounds for the Pistons, who had six scorers in double figures.

Johnathan Motley led the Mavericks with career highs of 26 points and 12 rebounds.

Detroit led 101-98 with a minute left in regulation, but Dallas coach Rick Carlisle kept starters Harrison Barnes, Dwight Powell and Dennis Smith Jr. on the bench.

Luke Kennard missed a clinching 3-pointer, and after Dallas turned the ball over, Jackson missed a shot that would have made it a five-point game with 30 seconds left.

Motley tied the score with a 3 with 10.1 seconds left, and Jackson’s buzzer-beater bounced off the front rim.

Detroit moved ahead 110-105 with 1:29 in overtime, and after a Dallas offensive foul, Jackson’s floater sealed the victory.

Kings 94, Grizzlies 93

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Bogdan Bogdanovic connected on a 16-footer with a second left to help Sacramento escape with a victory over Memphis.

Bogdanovic’s jumper capped a close game between two teams near the bottom of the Western Conference standings – a game that saw four lead changes in the final minute.

Willie Cauley-Stein led the Kings with 18 points, Buddy Hield finished with 14, and De’Aaron Fox and Justin Jackson each scored 13.

MarShon Brooks led Memphis with 23 points, while Dillon Brooks added 16, including a 3-pointer with 6.4 seconds left to give Memphis a 93-92 lead.

After Bogdanovic answered with his jumper, he blocked the inbounds pass on Memphis’ final possession, sending the Grizzlies to their fourth straight loss.

Knicks 122, Heat 98

NEW YORK – Rookie Damyean Dotson had career-high 30 points and 11 rebounds, reserve Luke Kornet added a career-best 17 points and New York blew out Miami.

Trey Burke scored 17 points and Kyle O’Quinn had 14 points and 14 rebounds as the Knicks snapped a four-game losing streak.

Goran Dragic had 15 points and Hassan Whiteside chipped in 14 in Miami’s disappointing effort with the postseason set to tip off next weekend.

Hornets 137, Magic 100

ORLANDO, Fla. – Reserve Malik Monk scored 26 points, Frank Kaminsky added 21 and Charlotte routed outmanned Orlando.

Marvin Williams scored 18 points and Dwight Howard had 16 points and 17 rebounds for the Hornets, who stopped a four-game losing streak. Charlotte led by 24 points two minutes into the second quarter and pushed the advantage to as many as 45 in the second half despite benching all starters for the final period.

D.J. Augustin led Orlando with 19 points and Marreese Speights had 14 for the Magic, who prominently featured four players off their G League roster in the game. Three of them, Khem Birch, Jamel Artis and Rodney Purvis, each had 12 points.