Cavs tame Grizzlies, set franchise record

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers romped to a franchise record 16th straight victory on Friday, beating the Memphis Grizzlies 133-124 to extend their lead at the top of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Eastern Conference.

Cleveland, which had been forced to overcome a double-digit deficit in Tuesday’s win over Brooklyn, had no such difficulty in Friday’s clash in Tennessee.

The Cavs, who have already clinched their place in the postseason, maintained their charge towards securing the Eastern Conference No.1 seeding with a dominant offensive display.

Cleveland — which have now won 20 of their last 21 games — took a stranglehold on the contest with 75 points in the first half to open up a hefty 18-point cushion at the break.

Memphis, which came into Friday’s game on a run of four straight wins, never looked like reeling in the visitors in the second half as Cleveland closed out a victory that sees it improve to 56-10.

Evan Mobley led the Cavs’ scoring with 22 points while Darius Garland finished with 20. Seven Cleveland players finished in double figures.

Ja Morant led Memphis with a season-high 44 points in a losing effort.

Cleveland now leads the second-placed Boston Celtics by 8.5 games.

The reigning NBA champion Celtics bounced back from Wednesday’s home defeat to Western Conference leaders Oklahoma City with a 103-91 road victory against the Miami Heat that officially booked their playoff ticket.

Derrick White helped close the deal for Boston, rattling in 12 fourth quarter points as the Celtics outscored Miami 25-14 in the final frame to clinch a win that lifts them to 48-19 in the East.

Jayson Tatum led Boston’s scoring with 28 points, including five three-pointers, while Jrue Holiday finished with 25.

Andrew Wiggins top-scored for Miami with 23 points.

A thrilling game in Denver meanwhile saw the injury-ravaged Los Angeles Lakers come within a whisker of snatching an improbable victory over the Nuggets before the hosts squeezed home 131-126.

The Lakers, missing starters LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes, clawed their way back from a 13-point third-quarter deficit to edge into the lead in the final minute after 37 points from Austin Reaves and 32 points from rookie Dalton Knecht.

But hopes of victory were dashed in the dying seconds, with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook combining for eight unanswered points to give Denver victory.

Denver star Jokic finished with 28 points, with Murray adding 26 and Christian Braun 22. Denver improved to 43-24 and are second in the West, while the Lakers (40-25) dropped to fifth after their fourth straight loss.