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Dončić dazzles with 53 in Lakers’ win as LeBron held to eight in Cleveland return
Luka Dončić follows through on a free throw during the second half of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 124-118 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday in Los Angeles. Photograph: Mark J Terrill/AP
  • Dončić scores 53 as Lakers hold off Portland

  • James struggles against former team in Cleveland

  • Tatum pours in 34 as Celtics rout Hornets

Luka Dončić scored 53 points and hit a key jumper in the lane with 28 seconds to play, carrying Los Angeles to a victory over Portland.

Dončić produced his 11th career 50-point game and his fourth with Los Angeles while preserving a fourth straight win for the Lakers, whose late 12-point lead had dwindled to four before Dončić and Austin Reaves combined to score 10 points in the final seconds.

Reaves scored 25 points and Walker Kessler had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who avenged a 136-129 home loss to Portland on October 27 with this NBA Cup victory.

Dončić scored 20 points in the third quarter alone to hit 40 for the sixth time in an incredible seven-game surge that includes six 40-point games – including four straight – and a 37-point performance.

The Slovenian superstar added five assists and five rebounds, giving him seven consecutive games with at least 35 points, five assists, five rebounds and five three-pointers.

Deni Avdija had 22 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds and Damian Lillard scored 22 points for the Blazers, who lost for only the second time this season in the finale of their four-game road trip.

Philadelphia 76ers 95-119 Cleveland Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers held LeBron James to eight points in his return to Northeast Ohio and rolled to a 119-95 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in an NBA Cup group-stage game Friday night.

James – who elected to sign with Philadelphia in the offseason instead of returning for a third stint with Cleveland – was three of 12 from the field, including zero for four on three-pointers, in 31 minutes. James received a smattering of boos from Cavaliers fans every time he touched the ball during the first half and left the game with 3:54 remaining.

It was only the 10th time in his 24-year career that James has scored in single digits in the regular season. The Akron, Ohio, native’s NBA-record run of 1,297 consecutive regular-season games with at least 10 points ended on December 4 last season in the Los Angeles Lakers’ victory at Toronto.

Evan Mobley added 22 points for the Cavaliers, who bounced back after two losses to Oklahoma City. Mitchell also had seven rebounds and eight assists in 33 minutes. James Harden scored 17.

It was a rough night for the 76ers, who lost for only the second time in 10 games this season. They shot 36.5% from the field, including 10 of 40 on three-pointers.

Jaylen Brown led Philadelphia with 20 points, VJ Edgecombe scored 19 and Tyrese Maxey had 17. Joel Embiid missed all nine of his shots from the field but was six of six from the line.

Boston Celtics 119-80 Charlotte Hornets

Jayson Tatum had 34 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, Derrick White added 18 points and Boston demolished Charlotte for their seventh win in eight games.

Boston shot 17 of 31 from three-point range in the first half to build a 31-point lead and improved to 2-0 in NBA Cup play. The Hornets fell to 0-2.

Naz Reid had 14 points for Charlotte, who have lost six straight since coach Charles Lee benched Reid – the team’s biggest offseason acquisition – in the second half of a game against the Detroit Pistons because he did not meet “team standards”.

This one was over early.

Tatum erupted for 18 points in the first quarter on three three-pointers and White added 10 as the Celtics bolted to a 40-20 lead. Boston made nine of 17 three-pointers in the first quarter.

Charlotte couldn’t do anything right.

The Hornets shot 28% from the field in the opening half while turning the ball over eight times.

Tatum remained in the game until the final minute of the third quarter with Boston up 42 as the Celtics padded their point differential numbers for the NBA Cup.

Washington Wizards 132-139 Atlanta Hawks

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 28 points and Atlanta held off Washington in an NBA Cup game.

It was the third straight win for the Hawks and second straight against the Wizards, as Atlanta swept the home-and-home series.

Trae Young had 23 points, 10 assists and a season-high eight turnovers in his first game in Atlanta as a visitor after being traded last season after seven-plus years with the Hawks.

Lu Dort had 25 points, including a crucial shot-clock-beating corner jumper late in the fourth quarter. Onyeka Okongwu scored 22 points and Aaron Wiggins added 19 points off the bench for Atlanta. Dyson Daniels guarded Young for much of the game and finished with 13 points and 12 assists.

Kyshawn George scored 33 points for the Wizards, who were without Anthony Davis (sprained right ankle). Tre Johnson had 23 points, including five three-pointers.

The Hawks pushed the pace the entire game, and their 139 points were a season high. It was also the most points the Wizards have surrendered this season. The Hawks shot 53% (52 for 98) from the field and 42% (16 for 38) from three-point range.

LeBron James drives between Cleveland’s Mario Hezonja, left, and Meleek Thomas during the Philadelphia 76ers’ 119-95 loss to the Cavaliers on Friday. Photograph: Phil Long/AP

Toronto Raptors 121-107 Milwaukee Bucks

Alijah Martin scored a career-high 27 points and RJ Barrett also had 27 as short-handed Toronto defeated Milwaukee in an NBA Cup game.

Toronto outscored Milwaukee 70-47 in the second half to improve to 1-1 while the Bucks fell to 0-1 in NBA Cup group play. They’re part of East Group A along with Detroit, Orlando and Brooklyn.

The Raptors were playing without seven-time All-NBA selection Kawhi Leonard (knee), two-time All-Star Scottie Barnes (groin) or starting guard Immanuel Quickley (hamstring). Leonard missed his seventh straight game.

Martin picked up the slack by shooting nine of 11 overall and six of seven from three-point range. He entered Friday having gone six of 27 on three-point attempts in his career.

The 2025 second-round pick from Florida hadn’t scored more than nine points in any of his previous 30 career games. Martin had totaled 23 points in seven games this season before his breakthrough Friday.

Toronto’s Jamal Shead added a career-high 16 assists along with 10 points. Collin Murray-Boyles and Jakob Poeltl had 19 points each.

Milwaukee’s Tyler Herro had 23 points and 10 assists. Bucks rookie Brayden Burries had 21 points and 11 rebounds to set career highs in both categories.

Oklahoma City Thunder 128-97 Memphis Grizzlies

Ajay Mitchell scored a career-high 35 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 28 and Oklahoma City beat Memphis in an NBA Cup group-stage game.

Oklahoma City have won 16 straight over Memphis, including a four-game sweep in the first round of the 2025 playoffs.

Jared McCain finished with 21 points for the Thunder, who shot 55%.

Ty Jerome led Memphis with 21 points and Zach Edey added 14. Rookie Cameron Boozer was limited to eight points but grabbed 12 rebounds.

Oklahoma City benefited from a strong shooting night. In the closing minutes of the third quarter, the Thunder were converting at just under a 60% clip. They made half of their 26 three-point attempts through three periods.

Oklahoma City also forced 18 turnovers, turning them into 30 points.

Utah Jazz 100-112 Dallas Mavericks

Cooper Flagg scored 21 points and Kyrie Irving added 14 after a sluggish first half for both stars as Dallas beat Utah in an NBA Cup game Friday night.

PJ Washington scored 22 of his season-high 26 points in a first half that ended in a 57-all tie, setting the stage for Flagg and Irving to take over after the break.

Flagg scored 17 in the second half, while Irving had all but two of his points after halftime after starting one of 11 from the field. While Flagg’s scoring lagged before the break, he had six rebounds and assists in the first half before finishing with 10 and seven, respectively.

Lauri Markkanen scored 24 points and rookie Darryn Peterson had 21 for the Jazz, who lost their seventh straight game to drop to 1-8.

Flagg and Irving scored 21 of the points on a 22-10 run that turned a one-point Dallas deficit into an 81-70 lead late in the third quarter. Flagg had 13 points and Irving eight.

Minnesota Timberwolves 115-109 New Orleans Pelicans

Ayo Dosunmu scored 26 points in Minnesota’s victory over New Orleans.

With the victory, the Timberwolves (7-3) remained unbeaten in NBA Cup play, moving to 2-0. New Orleans (4-5), whose four-game winning streak was snapped in the loss, dropped to 0-1 in Cup play.

Dejounte Murray’s three-pointer gave New Orleans an 89-87 lead with 7:55 to go in the game, but LaMelo Ball responded with five consecutive points, igniting a 10-2 run by the Timberwolves to give them a 97-91 advantage. Minnesota would hold on to the lead for the remainder of the game.

Ball finished the game with 22 points and eight assists. Jaden McDaniels added 23 points in the win for the Timberwolves.

Jeremiah Fears led the way for the Pelicans with 24 points and Saddiq Bey had 17. Zion Williamson, who entered the night averaging 21.5 points per game, scored a season-low 13 points for New Orleans.

San Antonio Spurs 124-109 Sacramento Kings

Victor Wembanyama had 30 points and 14 rebounds and San Antonio beat Sacramento in an NBA Cup game.

Wembanyama, coming off a 52-point, 24-rebound game in a victory over Dallas on Wednesday, recorded his seventh double-double of the season, tied for third place in the NBA with Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis, who finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper scored 19 points apiece and Harrison Barnes added 13 for the Spurs (7-2).

The Spurs scored 75 points in the first half and led by 19 at the break. They extended their lead to as many as 24 points midway through the fourth quarter. San Antonio’s 75-point first half was their second-highest scoring half of the season behind their 80-point half against the Kings on October 27.

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