DETROIT (AP) — Tim Hardaway Jr. scored a season-high 32 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers 133-122 on Friday night to guarantee their first winning season since 2016.
Detroit withstood a 38-point performance by Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, who scored 22 in the fourth quarter.
The Pistons (42-32) played without Cade Cunningham (calf) and were still able to end a 12-game losing streak against Cleveland.
Dennis Schroder started for Cunningham and had 16 points and 10 assists. Jalen Duren added 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Ausur Thompson contributed 18 points and 10 boards for Detroit, which failed to win 25 games in the last five seasons.
The Pistons have eight regular-season games remaining. With three more wins, Detroit could reach 45 victories for the first time since going 59-23 in 2007-08 — also the last season it won a playoff game.
Darius Garland had 21 points for Cleveland, which hadn’t lost to the Pistons since Feb. 24, 2022, when current Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff was in charge of the Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers trailed 108-89 with 8:56 to play and closed within 119-117 on Mitchell’s 3-pointer with 3:31 left. Detroit answered with a 12-1 run to close out the win.
CLIPPERS 132, NETS 100
NEW YORK (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points and Los Angeles overwhelmed Brooklyn for their second straight victory and 10th in 12 games as they fight to hold on to sixth place in the Western Conference.
Leonard was 5 of 6 from 3-point range, 10 of 14 overall from the field and made all six of his free throws. He also had six rebounds, four steals and two blocks in just under 27 minutes.
Ivica Zubac scored 21 points on 9-for-9 shooting and had 12 rebounds for Los Angeles. James Harden added 17 points.
Keon Johnson had 13 points for Brooklyn. The Nets have lost six straight and are 1-9 in last 10 and 2-16 in last 18.
RAPTORS 108, HORNETS 97
TORONTO (AP) — Jakob Poeltl had 24 points and 12 rebounds to lead Toronto to their third straight win, a victory over Charlotte.
Immanuel Quickley scored 19 points on 6-for-15 shooting, including 5 for 8 from 3-point distance, and added nine assists.
Mark Williams had 18 points, 12 rebounds and five assists as Charlotte lost its fourth straight game. DaQuan Jeffries added 15 points.
The Raptors used a 10-point run to take a 20-12 lead in the first quarter. Poeltl led the way with 12 points in the first half for Toronto, which led 49-47 at the break.
TIMBERWOLVES 124, SUNS 109
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Julius Randle scored 25 points, Anthony Edwards finished with 20 after missing the second quarter due to injury and Minnesota beat Phoenix.
The Timberwolves completed a four-game season sweep of the Suns. Minnesota has won its last seven against Phoenix, dating to last year’s postseason.
Edwards was hit in the face by Phoenix’s Kevin Durant with 2:43 to play in the first quarter. Edwards attempted to intercept a pass intended for Durant, whose arm caught Edwards in the nose. Edwards fell to the ground in pain and remained down for a minute before being escorted to the locker room.
Durant had a team-best 23 points for Phoenix. Collin Gillespie added a career-high 22 points and nine assists.
KNICKS 116, BUCKS 107
MILWAUKEE (AP) — OG Anunoby scored 20 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and New York defeated Milwaukee to hand them their third consecutive loss.
Mikal Bridges added 26 points for the Knicks, who took the lead for good less than four minutes into the game. Josh Hart had 13 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in his return after missing one game with a sprained left foot. Kyle Kuzma and Ryan Rollins added 20 points apiece, with Rollins getting a career high.
WARRIORS 119, PELICANS 95
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 23 points in his return from a two-game absence and Golden State beat New Orleans.
Coming back from a March 20 pelvic bruise, Curry played 34 minutes and made just 7 of 21 shots, but also hit five 3-pointers.
Jimmy Butler had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Jonathan Kuminga added 16 points for the Warriors, now 1-2 on what could be a pivotal six-game road trip as they try to earn a top-six seeding in the Western Conference and bypass the play-in.
Bruce Brown scored 18 for injury-depleted New Orleans, which played without four starters including Zion Williamson (lower back).
Yves Missi had 12 points and 10 rebounds, the rookie center’s 12th double-double.
NUGGETS 129, JAZZ 93
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 27 points and 14 rebounds before sitting the fourth quarter and Denver beat Utah to pad their lead in the fight for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
Denver leads the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies by two games. The Nuggets trail Houston by 1 1/2 games for the second seed.
Jokic had 11 rebounds in the first quarter, nearly matching his game average of 12.8. Michael Porter Jr. finished with 20 points, and Christian Braun had 16.
Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray didn’t play. Utah was missing Lauri Markkanen and John Collins, its top two scorers.
Collin Sexton led the Jazz with 20 points, and Kyle Filipowski had 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Denver finished the third quarter with an 11-2 run and outscored Utah 25-8 to open the fourth.
The Associated Press
