Highlights of Friday’s National Basketball Association games.
Brandon Knight scored nine of his 22 points in the fourth quarter after Phoenix nearly blew a 19-point lead, and the Suns hung on for a 95-90 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.
Damian Lillard lay flat on his back. His Portland teammates rushed to his side and then got into a brief scrum with Pelicans players while team security sprang onto the court to prevent the dust-up from escalating.
Despite concluding a stretch of four games in five nights, with travel, the Toronto Raptors were able to pour it on in the fourth quarter to outscore the Celtics 26-17 and defeat Boston 105-91 Friday.
Stephen Curry stole the ball from Dirk Nowitzki near midcourt and hit a 35-footer to beat the first-quarter buzzer, drawing a huge roar from the typical swarm of the sharpshooting star’s fans on the road.
After an emotional players-only meeting, Houston Rockets point guard Patrick Beverley said he felt sorry for the next opponent.
Stephen Curry had several dazzling plays on his way to 31 points, fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson scored 39 and the Golden State Warriors tuned up for a showdown in San Antonio with a 130-112 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.
Russell Westbrook set the tone and Kevin Durant finished the job.
The Cleveland Cavaliers hold off the Orlando Magic, 109-103, on Friday night and clinch a playoff spot.
Marcus Morris scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made a couple big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to lift the Detroit Pistons to a 115-108 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Kyle Lowry scored 32 points, Luis Scola had all of his 17 in the first quarter and the Toronto Raptors beat the Boston Celtics 105-91 on Friday night.
Kyrie Irving scored 26 points and LeBron James had 18, including a layup and pair of free throws down the stretch to help the Cleveland Cavaliers hold off the Orlando Magic 109-103 on Friday night and clinch a playoff spot.
Russell Westbrook recorded his league-leading 13th triple-double with 20 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists, and Kevin Durant had 26 points and 13 boards to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 111-97 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
A lot of universities dropped the ball with Kristaps Porzingis.
Carmelo Anthony acknowledged Friday his future in New York is up in the air while indicating it’s reliant on Phil Jackson’s summer moves.
Kristaps Porzingis hasn’t made up his mind about playing for Latvia this summer, but the Knicks now have a stated preference.